By Hannivett Nabahe, Virginia Room Librarian, City of Fairfax Regional Library Family History Month is about more than looking back: it is about making space for today’s stories so that they can be remembered tomorrow. Every shared memory, recipe and photograph adds to the larger story of who we are. This October, the Virginia Room invites you to spend some time reflecting on the connections between your personal story and those from the community we share. The Virginia Room is Fairfax County’s foremost collections of books, photographs, and manuscripts related to its history and genealogy. Since 1954, we’ve grown from a single shelf to the entire second floor of the City of Fairfax Regional Library. Across manuscript collections, historical newspapers and other print and online resources, our materials capture the everyday lives and major milestones of people who have shaped our community. Beyond scholarly or historical research, we welcome all community members to explore their collective past. See what your relatives looked like decades ago through our hundreds of yearbooks from area schools. Explore the history of your home through our maps and county records tracing property ownership since 1742. Picture how daily life has evolved over the decades through our collections of images (over a million!) of neighborhoods, notable areas, and community members. Looking to trace your family roots? For many, including Georgene Chastain of the Fairfax Genealogical Society, the Virginia Room is “a treasure for genealogists and local family historians.” Even though our name is the Virginia Room, our print genealogical materials span all 50 states. We are excited to offer special programing for Family History Month. Homeschool Science for Kids is reprising our summer workshop, helping school-age children capture family stories in their own words. Gunston Hall’s Lacey Villiva will lead our Preserving Family Recipes event, where attendees will explore historic recipes and experience a delicious demonstration based on a recipe from our collection, “bringing recipes and flavors from even farther back, helping humanize history.” We also provide genealogy programming year-round. Our Genealogy for Beginners series, designed by a local enthusiast, eases community members into their first steps through their family tree. And we host monthly Open Genealogy Nights, where volunteers from the Fairfax Genealogical Society help solve tough family history puzzles. Of course, you can also find resources for preserving your memories across our library branches. Memory Depot stations allow you to preserve your photographs, family movies, and voice recordings. Family History Kits, part of our Library of Things, are available in English, Korean and Spanish, to help you get started recording your family stories prompt cards, a digital recorder and a beginner’s guide. We in the Virginia Room hope you will join us in celebrating and preserving the stories that connects us. Whether you are a curious beginner just starting their journey, a seasoned researcher in need of centuries-old documentation, or a local organization looking to preserve your institutional stories for generations to come, we would love for you to visit and explore what we have to offer. Check out more FCPL Family History Month events: *Please note that dates/times of the following events are subject to change. Check the event listing for the latest information.    Intergenerational Family Tree Word Art – Saturday, October 4 - City of Fairfax Regional Library Use your ancestors' names to create the unique branches of your family tree. Bring the names of your family members to this Intergenerational program tie-in for Family History Month. This is a great project to complete as an intergenerational family! Ages 8 and up. Fighting Crime One Tree at a Time – Friday, October 10 – Dolley Madison Library Join us for a compelling deep dive into the cutting-edge world of Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG) and how it's transforming the way cold cases are solved. Whether you're in law enforcement, forensics, genealogy, or simply passionate about true crime and justice, this program will show you how science and strategy are rewriting cold case investigations. Adults. Family History for Kids and Loved Ones – Monday, October 13 – Thomas Jefferson Library  Bring along Grandma, Grandpa, or another loved one and celebrate Family History Month with an intergenerational family history program! Ages 8-12 with an adult. Tell Your Story - Creating an Oral History – Thursday, October 16 – Kings Park Library Creating an oral history is a meaningful way to share memories and experiences with your family. Discuss the importance of leaving an oral history, and learn how to start an interview with a loved one or create your own recording. Adults. Cookbook Book Club: Family History Month – Tuesday, October 28 – Pohick Regional Library Celebrate Family History Month at the inaugural meeting of Pohick Regional Library's Cookbook Book Club! Bring a dish inspired by your family's history. Adults. 

Tracing back to a week-long celebration in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month was officially recognized in 1988 by President Ronald Regan and honors the significant roles Hispanic/Latino Americans have played in shaping the United States since the beginning of the county. From September 15 to October 15, Fairfax County Public Library is joining several others in celebrating the many contributions to our country made by people of Hispanic and Latino ancestry with presentations, musical performances, storytimes, crafts and more.  Check out a small sample of what we have planned at a library near you:    *Please note that dates/times of the following events are subject to change. Check the event listing for the latest information.    Hispanic Heritage Month Art Party: Arpilleras – Richard Byrd Library – Saturday, September 13  Get inspired by the Chilean fabric art of arpilleras and tell your own story in fabric using both sewing and no-sew techniques.   Botanical Cyanotypes – Pohick Regional Library – Saturday, September 20  Explore the connection between cyanotypes, also called sun prints, and Hispanic heritage with local artist, Claudia Valdovinos.  D.I.Y. Microscope-Making – Sherwood Regional Library – Tuesday, September 23  Assemble your own microscope in honor of Hispanic inventor Albert Báez, then forage for specimens to study up close.  Bilingual Storytime with Supervisor Palchik – Oakton Library – Thursday, September 25  Join us for a bilingual storytime that includes stories, songs and rhymes in English and Spanish with a special reading by Supervisor Dalia Palchik.  Hispanic Heritage Month BINGO – Kings Park Library – Friday, September 26  Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a culturally-inspired game of BINGO! Shout out as you get five in a row to win awesome prizes!  Grupo Fenix Performances – Various Branches – Saturday, September 27  Experience the passion, pride and iconic sounds that define mariachi music and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with electrifying performances from Grupo Fénix,  Colorful Cooking – Lorton Library – Monday, September 29  Explore the colorful world of cooking and Hispanic heritage by creating a tasty salad together from My Mexican Kitchen by Eva Longoria.  Inform, Enrich, Empower: Celebrate Local Latinx Leaders – Virtual – Thursday, October 2  Hear from inspiring Hispanic and Latinx leaders as they share stories of how their strength and resilience have led them to successful careers and positive contributions to our society.  Cempasúchil: A Paper Marigold Pop-up Craft – Thomas Jefferson Library – Saturday, October 11  Pop into the library and craft your own cempasúchil, a paper marigold that is an iconic symbol of Day of the Dead.  Hispanic Folktales with Bright Star Theater – City of Fairfax Regional Library – Monday, October 20  Enjoy a performance that celebrates the various folk tale traditions of the Spanish-speaking world featuring a variety of characters from a wide range of cultures.  For a complete list of Hispanic Heritage-related events, visit bit.ly/FCPL_HispanicHeritage.  You can also celebrate by participating in our Hispanic Heritage Month Genre Bingo Challenge on Beanstack! Learn more about the challenge and sign up to participate here. Looking for some book inspiration? Check out this list of English language books and this list of Spanish language books available in our catalog all about Hispanic culture.  

Fairfax County Public Library is excited to share our new look with you! Debuting for Library Card Sign-Up Month in September 2025, our new logo and branding encompass the endless possibilities available at your library once you step through our doors or open a book. We truly believe that your local library is a place to imagine, discover and connect with your community. It will take several months to change all our materials and displays in branches so pardon our dust. In the meantime, we have an exciting opportunity for you to participate in reimagining a part of your Fairfax County Public Library by helping design new kids and adult library cards!      SUBMISSIONS NOW CLOSED - Library Card Design Artist Call and Contest From Sept. 1-30, 2025, we invite you to show us your creative side by submitting your ideas for new library card designs that incorporate our new logo. We can't wait to see what you come up with! Eligibility and Rules: Open to creative types of all ages but a background in digital design may prove most helpful in a successful submission.   Two categories are being considered, a library card that would appeal to kids and one to adults. Artwork must be able to fit within the template (card, key tag and bookmark) and incorporate FCPL's new logo.  No photographs please, only PDF, PNG and JPG files of your design will be considered. Please submit original designs, containing images that you have or will be able to help obtain the rights to. Designs created using artificial intelligence will not be considered.  Designs must be submitted online using the form below by 8 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2025. Winning designs will be chosen by a committee of library and foundation staff and will receive $500 each from Fairfax Library Foundation. Notification will be sent by Oct. 31. Fairfax County Public Library employees are eligible to submit a design but may not receive a monetary prize if selected. Questions about your submission or the contest? Please contact Library Marketing and Communications Director Sara Prohaska at sara.prohaska@fairfaxcounty.gov.  

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! …I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”  ― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice  This fall, Fairfax County Public Library invites the entire community to celebrate the enjoyment of reading with All Fairfax Reads! This annual event encourages readers from all walks of life to come together for a shared reading experience surrounding a particular novel or author of note. Think of it as one HUGE book club but without all the forced discussion and accountability.   This year, in honor of what would be the author's 250th birthday, we will travel to Regency-era England and delve into a world of romance and class society as we read Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice. In addition to reading the book, FCPL will also host a series of related events this September and October, designed to enhance the reading experience and engage both the most ardent devotees and casual admirers.     Why Pride and Prejudice?  Among the most important authors of her era, Jane Austen's novels continue to endure today - especially Pride and Prejudice. Published in 1813, it is one of Austen's most popular and widely adapted novels featuring timeless characters, sharp social commentary and witty humor that have captivated readers across generations - making it an excellent choice to bring people together.     Ways to Participate:  Pick up a copy of Pride and Prejudice at a Fairfax County Public Library branch or download the eBook (available here) or eAudiobook (available here) on Libby.  Check out our calendar of events and list of similar reads at bit.ly/FCPL_AllFairfaxReads. Share your reading experience with your friends, family, neighbors and online!  

It is with deep sadness that we share news of the passing of Library Board Trustee Philip Rosenthal on August 16, 2025. He was 82. Phil’s commitment to his community was steadfast. He had served as the Springfield District Trustee on the Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees since January of 2018 championing literacy, education and access to resources for all residents. Phil was chair of the Library Board’s finance committee and a member of its outreach committee. After learning of his passing, Library Board of Trustees Chair Suzanne Levy said, “He was such a strong supporter of books for children among other initiatives. We are going to miss his presence on the board.” “He personally attended many library-related events to support not only his district’s branch, Pohick Regional Library, but also other branches throughout the system. I am truly going to miss him,” said FCPL Director Eric Carzon.  We sincerely thank Phil Rosenthal for his years of service to the community and send our deepest condolences to his family.

Fairfax County Public Library is proud to announce the exhibit "From Barriers to Ballots: The Fight for Equal Voting Rights in Virginia" that will be displayed in select library branches this fall. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Arlington Public Library has generously partnered with FCPL, among other community partners, for an exhibition to tell the stories of activists in Northern Virginia who fought for voting rights.   Visitors will learn the story of four activists and the critical parts they played in securing the Voting Rights Act - Gertrude Lynde Crocker, Portia A. Haskins, John Robinson and Gum Springs resident Annie E. Harper. The exhibit will be on view during regular opening hours at Sherwood Regional Library (Aug. 1-31), and City of Fairfax Regional Library (Sept. 1-Nov. 4) and includes an interactive voting element where visitors are encouraged to share their answers to the question "What does voting mean to you?" We encourage you to visit the exhibit being featured at FCPL and take time to visit Arlington Public Library's exhibits and attend their events as well. Learn more: New Exhibition Features Work of Former Voting Rights Activists – Official Website of Arlington County Virginia Government     //--> The Video Player does not directly support your device. Please the link below the play in VLC, Quicktime, or other media player: https://dl.ebmcdn.net/fairfax/flash/16AF_0825_BarriersToBallots_KD1125.mp4 //-->