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CONTACT INFORMATION: Office: 8:00–4:30 M–F, Branch: hours vary. Please call your branch's direct line with account and eBook questions.
703-324-3100 TTY 711
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 324
Fairfax, VA 22035
Christine Jones
Director (Acting)

Library News

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National Friends of the Library Week 2024
October 18, 2024
Thanks for Being a Friend! FCPL Honors Friends of the Library Week National Friends of the Library Week is an opportunity for Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) to thank our many Friends groups for their contributions throughout the year.  These individual groups support, assist and promote library activities for the local community. Every Friends group makes valuable contributions to the entire library, as well as their own branch. Most Friends groups hold book sales, and the proceeds are donated back to the library to help the library acquire books and equipment as well as sponsor programs and exhibits beyond the library's operating budget.  Please watch this video message from our Acting Director Christine Jones, featuring a few of our Friends members.   //--> 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_1024_LibraryWeek.mp4   //-->   2024 Friends Choice Awards The Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees and community members recently gathered on Wednesday, Oct. 9 to celebrate the library’s Friends groups and recognize members nominated by their peers for their service. This year’s Friends Choice Awards were held at Chantilly Regional Library and featured a program honoring 32 awardees.  Board of Trustees Chair Suzanne Levy led the program, praising the Friends groups for their contributions to the library over the last year and honoring each recipient for their contributions. The photo gallery from the awards ceremony is available here. This year’s list of honorees include: Kathryn Hodgdon, Access Services Advisory Group Rachel Schreiman, Access Services Advisory Group Shelley Brosnan, Friends of Burke Centre Library Frank Whittington, Friends of Burke Centre Library Tara Lassiter, Friends of Centreville Regional Library Rhonda Savage, Friends of Centreville Regional Library Vince Krevinas, Friends of Chantilly Regional Library Dennis Yenke, Friends of Chantilly Regional Library Karen Flagg, Friends of Great Falls Library Michael De Sapio, Friends of Kingstowne Library Fen Hunt, Friends of Kingstowne Library Nancy Newman, Friends of Kingstowne Library Wendy Simpson, Friends of Kingstowne Library Rita Hoskins, Friends of Pohick Regional Library Noemi Goldstein, Friends of Pohick Regional Library Sally Tomlin, Friends of Pohick Regional Library Barbara Atchison, Friends of Pohick Regional Library Kumutha Lane, Friends of Pohick Regional Library Andrea Tassan, Friends of Reston Regional Library Tom Skirbunt, Friends of Reston Regional Library Laurie Selmer, Friends of Reston Regional Library Carol Rieger, Friends of Reston Regional Library James “Jim” Medler, Friends of Reston Regional Library Linda Klieforth, Friends of Reston Regional Library Karen Grisz, Friends of Reston Regional Library Joel Cotton, Friends of Reston Regional Library Mary Catherine Flythe, Friends of Richard Byrd Library Maritza Jackson, Friends of Thomas Jefferson Library Tammi Souza, Friends of Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library Kris Lansing, Friends of Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library Karen James, Friends of Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library Robert “Bob” Phillips, Friends of Virginia Room Community members wishing to become part of a Friends groups can find out more information on the library’s website. This page includes a list of the different Friends groups throughout Fairfax County as well as details on membership and how to join. You can become actively involved or simply have the satisfaction of supporting a worthwhile cause. Consider donating your used books to the library for sale during Friends' book sales!  
Fairfax County Public Library Celebrates Native American Heritage Month | November 2024
FCPL Celebrates Native American Heritage Month
November 1, 2024
This November, Fairfax County Public Library is honoring the history, traditions and contributions of the United States’ indigenous peoples, including Native Americans and Alaskan Natives. According to the Culture Heritage of Fairfax County Residents Research Guide on the Library’s website:   “Archaeological evidence shows that people have been living in what is now Virginia as far back as 16-22,000 years ago.” These tribes contributed significantly to the newcomers’ ability to survive those first few years upon their arrival to present-day Virginia. Over the four hundred years since the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia’s native people have contributed greatly to the vitality of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the nation, and continue to do so.”  To recognize these communities, as well as the other indigenous groups who originally inhabited the land that is now the U.S., our branches will be hosting educational presentations, dance 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.     Explore Native American Life in Fairfax County – Multiple Branches – Multiple Dates  Discover what life may have been like for Eastern Woodland Indians and the relationship they had with the land that is now Fairfax County. Explore replica artifacts, listen to a story from Native American lore, try out corn grinding, play a corn dart game and more.  Richard Byrd Library – November 2  Chantilly Regional Library – November 3  Great Falls Library – November 9  Thomas Jefferson Library – November 16  “N. Scott Momaday: Words from a Bear” – Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library – November 4  Screen the documentary “N. Scott Momaday: Words from a Bear,” a biographical documentary about the first Native American to win the Pulitzer Prize in Literature, which Momaday won in 1969 for his novel, House of Dawn.   Create Your Own Sand Painting – Culmore (Woodrow Wilson) Library – November 21  Learn about Navajo Nation and their tradition of creating sand art for artistic and medicinal purposes, then create one of your own.  Native American Heritage Celebration – Multiple Branches – November 23 and 24  Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with an authentic cultural presentation and dance demonstration by the Eastern Woodland Revitalization. Performances include the Harvest Dance, the Eastern Blanket Dance and a craft for kids.  Reston Regional Library – November 23  Centreville Regional Library – November 24  Native American Heritage Month Read Aloud & Craft – Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library – November 25  Enjoy a storytime featuring Native American tales, followed by a fun and educational activity where kids can learn the history of totem poles and create their own.  For a complete list of Native American Heritage-related events, visit bit.ly/FCPL_NativeAmericanHeritage.  You can also celebrate by participating in our Native American Heritage Month Genre Bingo Challenge on Beanstack! Learn more about the challenge and sign up to participate here. 
Fairfax County Public Library Welcomes New Director Eric Carzon
Fairfax County Public Library Announces New Director
October 1, 2024
  Eric Carzon has been appointed director of Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL), effective Monday, Nov. 4. Carzon brings over 27 years of experience in library management, having most recently served as regional manager for Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL). He succeeds Jessica Hudson, who left the position earlier this year. In his role at MCPL, Carzon oversaw various leadership positions, including business manager and branch manager, before advancing to regional manager. He played a significant role in launching MCPL’s first Library of Things Music in 2018, a project that expanded access to diverse resources. Additionally, he contributed to numerous capital projects aimed at enhancing library services and facilities across the region. Carzon has been a leader on several initiatives that received national recognition. Notable among these is the Library Refresh Capital Improvements Program, which focused on modernizing library spaces to better serve community needs. He also helped establish a successful partnership with KIDMuseum, which provided innovative educational programs for local youth.  Carzon holds master’s degrees in library information science and public management from the University of Maryland at College Park. He is actively involved in professional organizations, including the American Library Association and the Public Library Association.
Fairfax County Public Library Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month | September 15-October 15
Honor Hispanic Heritage Month at Your Local Library! 
September 19, 2024
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 planned in shaping the United States since the beginning of the county. From September 15 to October 15, Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) 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.    Create a Yarn Doll – Thomas Jefferson Library – September 20-21  Celebrate Hispanic heritage by making a Guatemalan “worry” doll out of yarn, clothes pin and other craft supplies that will be available all day on both Friday and Saturday.  Hispanic Heritage Celebration - Herndon Fortnightly Library – Saturday, September 21  Enjoy a traditional Bolivian dance performance featuring members of the local dance group Tinkus San Simón Filial Virgina. Then make Puerto Rican vejigante masks and watch the short documentary, “Ramona.”  Flamenco Performance with Furia Flamenca – Culmore (Woodrow Wilson) Library – Saturday, September 21 (registration required)  Join us for an afternoon filled with the fiery footwork and passion of flamenco through dance numbers as well as musical solos. Performers include dancers Estela Velez de Paredez and Daniel Pardez, and guitarist and singer Juan L. Romero.  Amate Art – John Marshall Library – Monday, September 23 (registration required)  Partake in the Mexican tradition of making and decorating tree bark paper! We'll mimic using bark paper and create art inspired by amate paintings while we learn about traditional folk art.  Hispanic Heritage Month Trivia – Richard Byrd Library – Friday, September 27  Test your knowledge of the achievements of Hispanic Americans in this afternoon trivia program for all ages.   Mr. Lilo – City of Fairfax Regional Library – Saturday, September 28  Dance along with Mr. Lilo, a singer and songwriter who has touched the lives of people with his fun, thoughtful music, as he shares a message to adults and children of all cultures to unite to build a better world for all.  ¡Presente! A Latino History of the United States – Sherwood Regional Library – Tuesday, October 22  Hear a presentation about the inaugural exhibition of the National Museum of the American Latino. The exhibition tells our national history from the perspectives of the diverse Latinas/os who lived it. Learn more about Latino identity, immigration, historical legacies, and how Latinas and Latinos have shaped the nation.  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. 
Reston Regional Library Will Reopen To The Public Monday, September 16.
Reston Regional Library to Reopen on September 16
September 3, 2024
After a brief closure to refresh the facility, Fairfax County Public Library’s (FCPL) Reston Regional branch will welcome back cardholders and visitors when it reopens its doors to the public on Monday, September 16. During the branch’s eleven-week closure, the building underwent many necessary and important facility modernizations to ensure its longevity, including:  Full ADA updates and refurbishment of the main public restrooms;  Updates to all public and staff area lighting fixtures;  Replacement of carpet in key areas such as the entry way and teen area;  Cleaning and updates to the public meeting rooms;  Paint, cleaning, blind repair, etc; and  Replacement of the drinking fountain and addition of a bottle filling station.  The Reston Regional staff, which had been relocated to other branches and FCPL offices during the closure, will return the week prior to the public re-opening to ensure all is ready on September 16. Upon its return to regular service, the branch will resume regular hours for FCPL’s regional branches: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday-Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday through Sunday.   FCPL thanks the public for their patience during this process. Staff looks forward to welcoming the public back and hopes many will stop in to enjoy the newly-refreshed building in addition to the same great services and programs offered by all of FCPL’s 23 branches. 
New Name, Same Great Library!
Culmore Community Library - New Name, Same Great Library!
September 1, 2024
Woodrow Wilson Library is now Culmore Community Library. In their July 10, 2024 meeting, the Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) Board of Trustees voted unanimously to rename the Woodrow Wilson Library the Culmore Community Library. At several Board of Trustees meetings, residents of the Mason District where the library is located testified during public comment that a name change for this branch location at 6101 Knollwood Drive, Falls Church, was desired and warranted. The Library Board recently amended its Policy P to strengthen the recommendation that “all new or renamed branch libraries shall be named for the geographical area in which they are located.” The current name of this location, Woodrow Wilson Library, did not convey its location, possibly causing confusion among FCPL users who are new to the county and the library system. During its March 13 meeting, the Library Board then established a committee to investigate the Woodrow Wilson Library name change as requested by residents. That committee convened in May to discuss budget impacts, as well as review information gathered by local history expert Christopher Barbuschak, manager of FCPL’s Virginia Room, regarding the history of the area and possible naming conventions. The recommendation from the committee was to consider Culmore Community Library as the new name for this facility. The report was presented to the entire board as part of their June 12 board package and is publicly available on-line. The Woodrow Wilson Library occupied three different storefronts in Culmore Shopping Center from 1961-1966 before relocating to the present permanent library building in 1967. Pictured here is the second storefront location which opened in 1962. This library is located in the Culmore area of Bailey’s Crossroads. The origins of the Culmore name are traced to John N. Campbell (1898-1958) a Washington area real estate developer and building contractor. In 1947, he began construction on the first section of a planned 1,000-unit apartment complex he christened “Culmore Apartments”.  Campbell, a native of Culmore village in Londonderry, Ireland, named the project after his birthplace. Culmore comes from the Gaelic An Chúil Mhór, which means “big corner”. In 1938, the Campbells moved to Fairfax County and rented a farm on Lee Highway in Centreville. Around this time Campbell established John N. Campbell, Inc., a building and development firm based in Arlington. Over the next decade, he built housing developments in Arlington and Fairfax. In October 1945, Campbell purchased 118 acres on Leesburg Pike near Bailey’s Crossroads from the Alexandria Water Company. He planned to build an extensive apartment project of 1,000 one- and two-bedroom units that he named Culmore Apartments. In 1949, Campbell announced he would build a $300,000 10-store shopping center on Leesburg Pike to service the Culmore Apartments. The Culmore Shopping Center opened in early 1951, and the Woodrow Wilson Library later called it home from 1961-1966. In 1950, Campbell gave six acres of his Culmore property to Fairfax County Public Schools for the future construction of Bailey’s Elementary School which opened on September 2, 1952. To the right of the school property was an additional six acres owned by Campbell. Eventually, 1.6 acres of the property was given to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in July 1964 for the construction of the present Woodrow Wilson Library which opened in 1967. Before the Library Board voted to name the Woodrow Wilson Library in 1960, it was originally referred to as the “Culmore-Bailey’s Crossroads Library” or “Culmore-Bailey’s Library”. This name change was reflected across the library starting September 1, 2024, but exterior signage installation is still in process. An official sign unveiling with Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez is set for October 19, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.
a young man sits at a library desk with two laptops open in front of him and a hand held pensively to his chin
Seven Tips for a Successful School Year
August 15, 2024
Did you know the library can help students study, write reports and do homework? Let us be your partner in academic success! Use these seven tips to maximize your learning this school year with services and resources available for free from Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL). Tip #1 - Get support and guidance from library staff. You are not alone at the library — or wherever you are with internet access or a mobile device! Library staff are trained to help students find legitimate information sources in branch and online, including historical newspapers, speeches, reference databases, trusted websites and more. Visit the Information Desk at a branch for in-person support with research and help finding physical materials. Need a different way to reach us? Call your local branch or send us an email at wwwlib@fairfaxcounty.gov. Tip #2 - Take advantage of free tutoring sessions. While the library does not provide tutoring services, we can connect you with them — including virtual and in-branch sessions! Brainfuse HelpNow provides live, online tutoring and homework help for students in grades K-12. Tutors are available to meet virtually in English and Spanish every day between 2-11 p.m. A library card is required to use HelpNow outside the library. Tip #3 - Access 24/7 homework help online. The library's Homework Resources guide is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help you find free resources to explore new ideas and get help with homework topics. Find a variety of online resources offering research material for papers and homework help separately tailored for students in grades K-6 and grades 7-12. Writing a paper? No problem. Check out the writing resources section for help with style, vocab, proper source citation and more. Plus, visit Brainfuse HelpNow's online Writing Lab for assistance and feedback in virtual study spaces. Tip #4 - Find books, magazines and newspapers. Whether you’re studying classics, history, current events or any other subject, with a library card you have at your fingertips more than 2.3 million items in the library's collection of digital and physical materials. Print books can be checked out in person or placed on hold and picked up later. Digital books are available 24/7 via OverDrive and the Libby App Access magazines and newspaper articles in print or online. Tip #5 - Check out library items with just your name — and no fines! FCPL provides all Fairfax County Public Schools students in pre-K through grade 12 with a fine-free public library virtual account called a Library Equity Access Pass (LEAP). All you need is your name to check out physical materials at a branch, and you can check out up to three items at a time for six weeks each. Tip #6 - Use library resources to prep for fall SATs and ACTs. Several different online sources offer test preparation for SAT, ACT, AP and SOL exams. Start with LearningExpress Library for a wide range of options (library card required). Tip #7 - Access free Wi-Fi and computers. Whether you have your own device or not, simply log in to do just about any online research and project preparation needed for school assignments. Bring your own laptop, tablet or mobile device and connect to free Wi-Fi from inside any branch and even from outside many of them.  Can't bring your own hardware? Use ours! The library offers more than 400 public computers at our branches, all equipped with Microsoft Office apps, internet access and printing and scanning capabilities. Rather work at home? Check out one of our Connect Kits. The kits contain a Chromebook and mobile hotspot that can be borrowed by adults (cardholders ages 18+) for two weeks at a time with no renewals. Connect kits can be put on hold for pick up at any of FCPL's 22 locations.
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