All Richmond Public Libraries will be closed Monday July 4, 2022 in observance of Independence Day. We will reopen at 10am on July 5th.

Libraries are where it all begins.
Rita Dove

Oliver W. Hill Book Club discusses Carrying Independence with author Karen A. Chase


July 11th
Virtual

CELEBRATE United States independence with us as popular Richmonder Karen A. Chase shares insights about her acclaimed historical fiction, Carrying Independence with the online Oliver W. Hill Book Club! A Q&A will follow the discussion. Registration is required for this event.

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New Hours


Starting July 5th
All Locations

Starting July 5th Richmond Public Libraries will have new operating hours.

Independence Day


July 4th
All Locations

All Richmond Public Libraries will be closed Monday July 4, 2022 in observance of Independence Day. We will reopen at 10am on July 5th.

Summer Reading Program 2022


June 4th - August 6th
All Locations

Join our summer reading adventure and start exploring! It’s fun for all ages with story times, programs, community activities, crafts, and more… it’s easy!

June & July Art Exhibits


June 3rd - August 2nd
Main Library

The following exhibits will be on display from Friday, June 3, 2022, through Tuesday, August 2, 2022:
“Where We Live” by members of the Metropolitan Richmond Artists Association
2020 Virginia Vistas Photo Contest winners from Scenic Virginia
A Collection” by Gary the Johnson
“Abstract Surrealism” by Richmond artist Fred Weatherford
Pen-and-ink with ink wash, pencil and marker pointillism by Mechanicville artist Cacy Herman
Paintings by Danny Trent are on display in the Dooley Foyer Atrium
The library’s permanent collections include works by Anne Newbold Perkins.

2022 YAVA Award Winner



We are honored to present this year's award to author Lamar Giles for his 2020 book NOT SO PURE AND SIMPLE. Giles is an acclaimed author who writes across multiple genres for both middle grade and YA readers. NOT SO PURE AND SIMPLE is a story about growing up, first love, how to handle sex and peer pressure as a teen, toxic masculinity, and so much more. The author tells a narrative that is both heartfelt and authentic all while being hilarious and approachable to the teen reader. Please join us in congratulating him!

Latest from the Blog

29 Jun
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By Teens, For Teens - The Giver & Other YA Classics

Jennifer Deuell
June 29, 2022
book recommendations
book recs
book reviews
booksforteens
byteensforteens
teenreads
volunteen
yaclassics
adult
award-winners
reading-recommendations
teens

Welcome back to another installment of By Teens, For Teens, a blog post series where RPL VolunTEENs make book and movie recommendations for you! This week is for our readers of classic literature! Max K., age 15 has some book recommendations for you to read if you loved The Giver by Lois Lowry. Looking for something different? Want to tackle a bunch of YA classics? Max has also put together a list of classic books he thinks all teens should read. Check them out! Read-Alikes List: 1984 by George Orwell Brave New World by Aldous...

Hello, Hellosaurus!

Meg Raymond
June 20, 2022
adult
childrens
families
hoopla
technology

Hoopla is a groundbreaking digital media service that allows Richmond Public Library card holders to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics and TV shows – up to six borrows per month.  Hoopla content can be accessed on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV!  Borrowed content can be streamed immediately, or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later.   (Pro tip: download content to your device from any library branch, using RPL wi-fi, and then read, watch, or listen at home). Hoopla...

June Book Chat with the Youth Services Team

Louis Maranski
June 17, 2022
#bookchat
#bookrecs
#childrensbooks
#kidsbooks
#rplrecommends
#youthservices
childrens
families
reading-recommendations

Welcome back to the next installment in our new 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....

By Teens, For Teens - Gone with the Wind (the book & the movie)

Jennifer Deuell
June 15, 2022
book recommendations
book recs
book reviews
booksforteens
byteensforteens
classicmovies
movierecommendation
movierecs
pulitzerprizewinner
teenreads
volunteen
adult
award-winners
book-reviews
movies
teens

This week, Isabelle R., age 16 has some high praise for the old classic, Gone with the Wind. She takes on both the book and the movie in her reviews, focusing on the artistry of the author and the film-making. Book Review: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Opening this book transports the reader to the world of the Old South, experiencing the unique and glowing cultural life of the pre-war South. The story follows the life of Scarlett O’Hara, a Southern aristocrat whose prominent Georgian family...

CIVIC SEASON IS HERE!

Meldon Jenkins-Jones
June 11, 2022
celebrations
Civic Season
CIVICS
Civil Rights
Constitution
Freedom
history
Independence Day
Juneteenth
Law Library
teens
United States of America
Women Suffrage
adult
history-and-preservation
holidays-celebrations
inform-enrich-empower
law-library
teens
womens-history

CIVIC SEASON IS UPON US! What is Civic Season? Generally, concepts such as patriotism and freedom are highlighted starting the week of Flag Day (June 14th) and ending on Independence Day (July 4). If you Google “Civic Season Virginia” you will get lots and lots of information, so I will endeavor to explain succinctly what “Civic Season” is and what you should know about it.  According to theCivicSeason.com, the website and the movement were originally developed in 2021 by Made By Us, a partnership collectively led by the...