THERE ARE HOLIDAYS AND OBSERVANCES EVERY DAY OF THE MONTH — SO MANY REASONS TO CELEBRATE!
I’M NOT SAYING THERE SHOULD BE CAKE EVERY DAY, BUT I’M NOT SAYING THERE SHOULDN’T BE CAKE EVERY DAY.
SEPTEMBER CELEBRATIONS
Classical Music Month
Check out Language of the Spirit by Jan Swafford – an introduction to classical music. Or the 35-volume Discovering Classical Music eBook series available from Hoopla, which takes readers step-by-step through the greatest composers, from Beethoven to Weber. You will need an RPL library card to access Hoopla. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
International Update Your Resume Month
RPL has plenty of resume books to check out like Expert Resumes & Linkedin Profiles for Managers and Executives by Wendy Enelow. All library branches also have public use computers where users can craft resumes and cover letters (pro tip: use templates available on Microsoft Word or Google Docs). Then check out the library’s Job Seeker Assistance page for more resources.
Library Card Sign-Up Month
Don’t have a library card? If you live in the city of Richmond (or Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Hopewell, King William, New Kent, Petersburg, Powhatan, Prince George, or Williamsburg) you are eligible for a no-cost library card. Find out how to get one here.
National Courtesy Month
Check out Treating People Well by Lea Berman – a book about the extraordinary power of civility at work and in life.
National Preparedness Month
Check out out What They Don’t Teach Teens by Jonathan Cristall – a young adult book of life safety skills for teens and the adults who care for them. Or maybe you’d like titles like How to Send Smoke Signals, Pluck a Chicken and Build an Igloo or Evading and Escaping Capture from the “Survival and Emergency Preparedness” series of eBooks available from Hoopla. You will need your Richmond Public library card to access Hoopla . Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
National Sewing Month
The Richmond Public library has plenty of books to check out for expert seamstresses looking to up their game, and for novices who want to learn how to sew a fine seam. Start in the nonfiction shelves at 646.2, ask a staff member for help, or call your nearest RPL branch for assistance. Then check out Creative Bug – award winning art and craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists. You will need your Richmond Public library card to access Creative Bug. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
Self-Care Awareness Month
Self-care is more important than ever today. Check out The New Normal by Jennifer Ashton – a roadmap to resilience in the pandemic era or Missing Each Other by Edward Brodkin – a nonfiction book on how to cultivate meaningful connections.
National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week (September 19–25)
There are close to four thousand degree-granting institutions of higher learning in the United States. Of those, 107 have been identified as historically black colleges and universities (HBUCs). Find a full listing of them here.
National Security Officer Appreciation Week (September 19-25)
Say hello to the very friendly, helpful, and professional security guards on duty at the Richmond Public Library.
National Singles Week (September 19–25)
Whether you are single and home alone on a Saturday night, happily married, or “it’s complicated” – check out the booklist section On Beyond Chick Lit for some great contemporary fiction featuring singletons of all stripes. Then take a look at the RPL Readers page for even more booklists!
Banned Books Week (September 26-October 2)
An annual event launched in 1982 to address challenges to books in schools, bookstores, and libraries. Find out more information here. Find a list of the top 10 challenged books and more from ALA’s Banned and Challenged Books page.
National Fall Foliage Week (September 26–October 2)
Late September is probably not “peak week” for leaf peeping in Virginia, but you can find more information on the Fall Foliage page (including interactive maps!) from Virginia is For Lovers.
World Reflexology Week – September 19-25
Check out Reflexology Plain & Simple an eBook by Sonia Jones available through Hoopla. You will need your Richmond Public library card to access Hoopla. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
September 1st
Emma M. Nutt Day (the first woman telephone operator)
Check out The Operator – a satirical novel about the absurdities of the 1950s by Gretchen Berg.
September 2nd
Anniversary of the founding of the United States Department of the Treasury (1789)
Check out The Founders and Finance by Thomas McCraw to find out how Hamilton, Gallatin, and other immigrants forged a new economy.
September 3rd
National Food Bank Day
Check out Mallory Makes a Difference by Jennifer Kallis – a children’s book about a girl who organizes a school food drive, but perhaps for the wrong reasons. Find more information about local resources at FeedMore – the Central Virginia Food Bank.
Skyscraper Day
Check out Skyscraper, a children’s picture book by Jorey Hurley.
National Lazy Mom’s Day
Grab a beverage and a snack, put your feet up and indulge in some recreational reading. Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik should hit the spot.
September 4th
World Beard Day
Check out the “Winston Brothers” contemporary romance series by Penny Reid on Hoopla, starting with Truth or Beard. Then keep reading until all six bearded brothers find love. You will need your Richmond Public library card to access Hoopla eBooks. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
September 5th
United Nations International Day of Charity
Celebrated on the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, this day was established “with the objective of sensitizing and mobilizing people, NGOs, and stakeholders all around the world to help others through volunteer and philanthropic activities”. Find more information here. If you want to keep your charitable dollars closer to home, consider making a donation to the RPL Foundation.
September 6th
Labor Day
All city of Richmond offices, including all branches of the Richmond Public Library will be closed. Visit the library online 24/7.
Fight Procrastination Day
Check out Start Finishing by Charlie Gilkey – a book of how to go from idea to done. Or, at least, put it on your “to-do” list.
National Read a Book Day
Use the power of your library card to make every day Read a Book Day. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
September 7th
Neither Rain Nor Snow Day
Check out Neither Snow nor Rain by Devin Leonard – a history of the United States Postal Service.
National Beer Lover’s Day
Check out the eBook Make Your Own Beer by John Shepherd, available from Hoopla. You will need your Richmond Public library card to access Hoopla. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
September 8th
International Literacy Day
Organized in 1967 to remind the public of the importance of literacy. Find out more information from the UNESCO site.
September 9th
Wonderful Weirdos Day
Check out Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day – nonfiction to face your fears and unleash creativity.
September 10th
National Swap Ideas Day
Check out The Swap by Robyn Harding – a novel about loneliness and fitting in. Or maybe The Switch by Beth O’Leary – fiction featuring a burnt out young professional and her sort of lonely grandmother, who swap lives for two months.
World Suicide Prevention Day
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential support 24/7 for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. If you are struggling, call 1.800.273.8255
September 11th
Patriot Day (9/11 Remembrance) and National Day of Service and Remembrance
National Make Your Bed Day
Check out Make Your Bed by William McRaven – the retired Navy admiral shares ten principles about little things that can change your life, and maybe the world.
September 12th
National Grandparents Day, plus Healthy Aging Month
The library has plenty of books for grandparents to enjoy with their littles. Search the catalog with the keyword “grandparents” or call the children’s desk at any branch for assistance. Then check out Ageless by Andrew Steele – the new science of getting older without getting old. Or maybe The Ugly Cry – a sharp hilarious memoir by Danielle Henderson about being brought up by grandparents.
National Day of Encouragement
Check out Just in Case You Want to Fly – a picture book by Julie Fogliano for anyone who might need a little encouragement. You can do it!
September 13th
Positive Thinking Day
Check out the now-classic The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. Or go in the opposite direction and try The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson – a counterintuitive approach to living a good life.
September 14th
National Sober Day
Check out The Sober Lush by Amanda Eyre Ward – a hedonist’s guide to living a decadent, adventurous, soulful life – alcohol free.
September 15th
National Online Learning Day
RPL has a plethora of online resources – for learning, for work, for play, for fun. Find out more on the Online Resources page. You will need your Richmond Public library card to access online resources. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
Make a Hat Day and Fall Hat Month
Check out My Red Hat – a picture book by Rachel Stubbs, or Crowns by Michael Cunningham – portraits of Black women in church hats. Then peruse the library shelves in 746.43 to find all kinds of knitting patterns. Or check out Hoopla, which has a lot of titles for knitted hat patterns. You will need your Richmond Public library card to access Hoopla. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
September 16th
Collect Rocks Day
Check out Rocks and Minerals by Chris Pellant – a photographic field guide for experts and armchair enthusiasts. Have you ever found a painted rock hidden around town? It’s probably a “kindness rock”. Interested in making your own? Check out the RVA Rocks group on FaceBook. Or search “painted rocks” or “kindness rocks” on Pinterest for inspiration, then check out this rock painting guide from Inspire Kindness.
September 17th
National POW/MIA Recognition Day
There are 1584 American service members still missing or unaccounted for. You can find a complete listing by state from the National League of POW/MIA Families. Then check out The Confidence Men by Margalit Fox – a true story of two POWs who engineered the most remarkable escape in history.
September 18th
National Cheeseburger Day
Check out The Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spaulding – a YA love story about, among, other things, the best burger in Los Angeles. Or maybe bite into Cheeseburger Subversive by Richard Scarsbrook, a YA coming-of-age novel available from Hoopla. You will need your Richmond Public library card to access Hoopla. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
September 19th
Talk Like a Pirate Day
Check out Alcohol, Boat Chases, and Shootouts by James Morrison – a three-in-one volume about the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs battles in the 1920s and 30s with rum smugglers and pirates. Then brush up on your pirate lingo with a glossary of Pirate Terms and Phrases from Your.Dictionary.
National Women’s Friendship Day
Check out Big Friendship by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, hosts of the hit podcast “Call Your Girlfriend”.
September 20th
World Gratitude Day
Check out The Thank-You Project by Nancy Davis Kho – a memoir of cultivating happiness one letter of gratitude at at time. Or maybe How to Love the World by James Crews – poems of gratitude and hope.
September 21st
UN International Day of Peace
Maybe start with inward peace – check out Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab – a guide to reclaiming ourselves and finding peace of mind.
September 22nd
Dear Diary Day
Check out the booklist Dear Diary to find a list of adult fiction titles in the form of diary entries, journals, screenplays, marginalia, and more.
National Centenarian’s Day
Check out Dare to Be a Centenarian by Nihar Pal, an eBook available from Hoopla. You will need your Richmond Public library card to access Hoopla. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
September 23rd
UN International Day of Sign Languages
Thanks to the generosity of the Library of Virginia, RPL cardholders have access to Rocket Languages – online language learning courses (including American Sign Language). You will need your Richmond Public library card to access RPL’s online databases. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
September 24th
Native American Day
Check out The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones – a novel of revenge on a Blackfeet Indian Reservation.
National Punctuation Day
Check out The Great Typo Hunt by Jeff Deck – the story of two guys on a road trip to correct the world.
September 25th
International Rabbit Day
Check out The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde – a surreal novel about human-sized rabbits taking over the U.K. Or maybe Alice by Henry Christina, a mind-bending novel inspired by the works of Lewis Carrol.
September 26th
International Day of the Deaf
Check out Volume Control by David Owen – nonfiction about hearing in a deafening world. Or maybe Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky – an allegory in poems that is a love story, an elegy, and an urgent plea.
September 27th
Ancestor Appreciation Day
Check out Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com by Nancy Hendrickson – a how-to guide to using the #1 genealogy website. Then visit any RPL branch to access Ancestry.com
Google anniversary
Originally celebrated on September 8th (or 4th, or 15th), and now celebrated on the 27th. This year there will be 23 candles on the Google cake. Check out The Circle by Dave Eggers – dark fiction about the world’s most powerful internet company – which isn’t about Google. Probably not, anyway.
September 28th
National Voter Registration Day
Register to vote, check your registration status, find out where to vote and more from the Virginia Department of Elections website.
National Good Neighbor Day
Take a look at the city of Richmond’s Neighbor to Neighbor site – a volunteer matching initiative with a vision to bring out the best in each citizen. Then check out a trio of adult fiction titles about neighbors: Lurkers by Sandi Tan, Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan, and How Lucky by Will Leitch.
September 29th
Confucius Day
Check out Confucius Jane by Katie Lynch – fiction that is not at all about the great philosopher. If you want his works, try Analects of Confuius, eBooks available from Hoopla. You will need your Richmond Public library card to access Hoopla. Don’t have a library card? Find out how to get one here.
September 30th
National Love People Day
Check out Love People, Use Things by Joshua Fields Millburn – because the opposite never works.
