Dear Fairfax County Community,

Welcome spring! Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) has tons of exciting news and events to share with you.

On Feb. 1, 2024, we marked the start of our 85th . anniversary year. On this date in 1939, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted for the first time to fund a $250 budget for a public library in the form of a bookmobile. Take a look back to our beginnings with this edition’s feature story, “Rolling Our Way to 85” by the Virginia Room’s Chris Barbuschak. It’s an interesting view into what life was like in Fairfax County so many years ago … very different from the busy suburban county with 23 library branches we know today.

In a testament to just how much we’ve grown, we are excited to welcome yet another new addition to our Library of Things later this spring. Developed in partnership with Fairfax County Park Authority, the Dark Skies backpacks are citizen science kits that will allow borrowers to measure light pollution at their home or other locations using common constellations and participate in global data reporting.

Continuing with the exciting news, congratulations go to our 2024 Staff Excellence Award winners! Learn more about this year’s honored staff who have been recognized for their exceptional service to FCPL’s visitors at bit.ly/FCPL_2024StaffExcellence.

Moving on, we have A LOT of exciting programs planned for the spring, including:

• Music for Social Well-Being – Join performer Calvin Earl March 6 at Pohick Regional Library, April 3 at Chantilly Regional Library, May 8 at Sherwood Regional Library and June 18 at Martha Washington Library from 7-8:15 p.m. for an evening of songs and storytelling designed to bring people together and embrace our shared humanity. Learn more at bit.ly/FCPL_MusicForWellBeing.
   
• Library Theatre - Join local, on-the-go theatre group, Globe Openstage, for engaging performances of beloved, classic stories adapted to entertain audiences of all ages. For more information, visit bit.ly/LibraryTheatre.
  
  Remaining performances include: “Much Ado About Nothing” at Centreville Regional Library on Wednesday, March 13 from 7-8:30 p.m., “Winnie the Pooh” at Lorton Library on Saturday, April 27 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., “Pride and Prejudice” at Thomas Jefferson Library on Tuesday, May 14 from 7-8:30 p.m., and finally “Alice in Wonderland” at George Mason Regional Library on Saturday, June 22 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
   
• Poetic Musings Poetry Contest – From April 1-May 5, teens (ages 13-18) and adults (19+) can submit a rhyme, free verse or haiku via our online submission form at bit.ly/FCPL_Poetic. Judged by local poets, winners . receive a $50 Visa gift card and certificate and will be invited to read their poem at our Poetry Celebration on Thursday, June 27.

And finally, National Library Week will be celebrated this year from April 7-13. We invite you to celebrate with us by checking out a book, streaming a video with . Kanopy, borrowing an item from our Library of Things, . attending a presentation or storytime, and talking with the knowledgeable staff at your local branch.

Catch more fun events and highlights as FCPL continues our 85th year and many more by following on us on social media to keep in touch in the coming months.

Jessica A. Hudson
Director
Fairfax County Public Library