All Libraries will be closed on Tuesday, October 9 in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day. We will reopen on Tuesday 10/10 at 10am.

In the nonstop tsunami of global information, librarians provide us with floaties and teach us to swim.
Linton Weeks

Read Up Richmond


Tuesday, November 14
Main Library - Auditorium

Richmond Public Library is proud to present our fifth annual Read Up Richmond event featuring award-winning author S.A. Cosby in conversation with Dale Brumfield, a longtime Virginia-based author and journalist. The discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A. Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event from Fountain Bookstore. The event will also be livestreamed via the Library's YouTube Channel.

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Gellman Room Concerts


September 2023 - May 2024
Main Library

Our Gellman Room Concert Series kicks off it's 50th year on Saturday, September 30 at the Main Library. The Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia will premiere “Our Pictures,” a new major chamber music work for ten players written by composers with ties to Richmond and inspired by the people, places and fine art of our historic city. Concerts will take place from September through May on select Saturdays at 2pm. Most will also be livestreamed to our YouTube channel.

Library Card Sign-Up Month


September 2023
All locations

This September, Richmond Public Library joins the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries nationwide to remind everyone about the power of a library card. RPL connects Richmond to information, resources, and programs for people of all ages. We'll be celebrating with special Dance Parties with Ripple at all of our locations. Ripple will be showing off his best dance moves and posing for pictures. And everyone who attends will get a special Ripple stuffie, too!

What’s Happening Fall 2023



Discover upcoming events at Richmond Public Library by downloading and printing RPL’s What’s Happening Fall 2023 guide. Copies are also available at all RPL locations.

Latest from the Blog

22 Sep
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04 Sep
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Gellman Room Concerts and First Fridays at the Main Library

Hannah Kilgore
September 22, 2023
art
art exhibits
arts programming
classical music
concerts
first fridays
free concerts
jazz
music
programming
book-reviews

An autumn chill is finally in the air, which means it’s time to crack the windows, put the kettle on, and break out your favorite records for some cozy listening…Or, you could come by the Main Library to enjoy some live music!   50 Years of Free Concerts This fall, the Gellman Room Concert Series is celebrating 50 years of free public concerts. The series was established in 1973 by Myra Kight, the Senior Librarian of the Art and Music Department at RPL, “to give Richmond area instrumentalists and vocalists a place to...

September Book Chat with the Youth Services Team

Ashley Edmiston
September 15, 2023
#bookchat
#bookrecs
#childrensbooks
#kidsbooks
#rplrecommends
#youthservices
childrens
families
reading-recommendations

Welcome to the another installment in our series of blog posts featuring children's books we're currently loving! "Book Chat with the Youth Services Team" features one book recommendation from each of our Youth Services team members. We cover a variety of books from fiction to non-fiction, picture books to chapter books, graphic novels and more! We hope that this month's reading recommendations get you excited about some awesome new books we've added to our collection as well as some oldies but goodies....

Hispanic Heritage month 9/15-10/15

Meg Raymond
September 13, 2023
#bookrecommendations
celebrations
hispanic heritage month
latino
adult
book-reviews
books-in-translation
celebrations
childrens
events
families
hispanic-heritage-month
holidays
holidays-celebrations
inform-enrich-empower
reading-recommendations
september

National Hispanic Heritage Month was established in 1968 as “Hispanic Heritage Week” under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15.  It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.  Visit the official National Hispanic Heritage Month website to find out more information, including why the commemorative “month” starts on September 15th. The mission of the Richmond Public Library is to...

RPL Working to Expand Public Knowledge

Charlie Schmidt
September 4, 2023
adult
business
law-library
nonprofit
september

Have you ever wondered how the Virginia General Assembly really works? Perhaps you are looking for an example of a Bill of Particulars? Maybe you overheard talk at a lively party about “Transfer on Death Deeds” and thought “Maybe I should find out more about that”. These are just a few examples of the wide range of questions from patrons coming into the Law Library. At the Law Library, housed in the Richmond Room of Main Library, we can help answer your questions and connect you to legal resources in the community. According to the...

Celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month

Jennifer Deuell
September 1, 2023
celebration
dance party
library card sign-up month
ripple
events
holidays-celebrations

Press Release Library Card Sign-Up Month 2023 Post Date: 9/1/2023 Get in Your Element this Fall with a Library Card (Richmond, VA) — This September, Richmond Public Library (RPL) joins the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries nationwide to remind everyone about the power of a library card. RPL connects Richmond to information, resources, and programs for people of all ages. Use your RPL card to borrow books, eBooks, and audiobooks. Access hoopla or Libby for musical performances, movies, and more. Bring your child...