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Text that reads It's Free at Your Fairfax County Public Library. Celebrate National Library Week April 6-12, 2025. Graphic elements include a bullhorn and iconography of different library resources.

It’s Free at Your Library - Celebrate National Library Week at FCPL!

April 2, 2025

Every year during the month of April, the American Library Association dedicates one week to honoring the important work of libraries and library staff around the country. Since its first official celebration in 1958, National Library Week has sought to highlight “the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.” For its 2025 celebration, which runs April 6-12, Fairfax County Public Library wants to remind you of all the amazing things you can do FREE at your library. Beyond the countless books you can borrow, visitors to our branches (and website) can enjoy a plethora of resources including: Access to 60+ online databases to research a variety of topics Entertaining and educational programming for visitors of all ages A collection of non-traditional items to borrow including board games, binoculars, thermal cameras and countless other surprising items Space for meetings, study groups or gatherings for nonprofit organizations So much more! You can share with us what your favorite free library resource is, or simply what you love most about the library, by visiting any of our 23 branches throughout the week to fill out a notecard. Can’t make it to a branch? Submit your comment online. Looking for more reasons why libraries are so great? Check out this booklist all about the joy libraries, librarians and reading bring to our world.

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FCPL Celebrates National Arab American Heritage Month

April 1, 2025

Officially designated in 2022 by President Joe Biden, National Arab American Heritage Month honors people in the United States who are of Arab ancestry, as well as their history, culture and many contributions to our country. To celebrate, Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) is hosting presentations, workshops, storytimes, crafts and more throughout the month, highlighting members of the Arab American community and their heritage. 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. Arab American Heritage Month Scavenger Hunt – Centreville Regional Library – All Month Learn to read the numbers 1-10 in Arabic script as you search the library for the hidden clues to match up the correct numbers. Once your scavenger hunt sheet is completed, turn it in at the Information Desk for a small prize. Coloring Arabesque and Geometric Patterns – John Marshall Library – Monday, April 7 Relax and listen to instrumental Middle Eastern music while coloring arabesque and geometric patterns. Family Storytime Extravaganza – Kingstowne Library – Saturday, April 12 Bring your family to learn about Eid al-Fitr, a celebration of the end of Ramadan, with books and crafts. Arabic Stories and Calligraphy for Kids – City of Fairfax Regional Library – Thursday, April 17 Enjoy a reading of The Proudest Blue by I. Muhammad, sing some songs and try your hand at Arabic calligraphy. Poetry Writing and Reading – Lorton Library – Tuesday, April 22 Celebrate National Poetry & Arab American Heritage Months by creating poetry. Prompts, writing materials, tea and poetry books by classic and contemporary Arab American writers will be provided. Arab American Cultural Open House – Chantilly Regional Library – Saturday, April 26 Learn about the rich and diverse cultures of Arab Americans in Fairfax County in this program for all ages. Moon Rock Painting – Sherwood Regional Library – Saturday, April 26 Celebrate and learn about Farouk El-Baz’s contributions to NASA and the Apollo missions by creating a moon with "moon rock" paint! For a complete list of Arab American Heritage-related events, visit bit.ly/FCPL_ArabAmericanHeritage. You can also celebrate by selecting a new read from our specially curated Arab American Heritage Month booklist found here.

FCPL Recognizes Outstanding Employees with Annual Staff Excellence Awards

March 18, 2025

During their monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 12, the Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) Board of Trustees took time to honor several library employees with staff excellence awards. From Feb. 1-14, library users nominated staff members for recognition. A board committee reviewed submissions and selected 21 winners from more than 115 nominations. This year’s winners include: Luis Aponte, Information Services Librarian, Centerville Regional Library Sevil Atasoy, Circulation Manager, Culmore Library Melissa Casolini Dal Bo, Assistant Branch Manager, Great Falls Library Vicky Chu, Circulation Manager, Thomas Jefferson Library Talitha Cunio, Youth Services Assistant, Pohick Regional Library Randy Falkofske, Library Aide, John Marshall Library Sophia Fazel, Youth Services Manager, Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library Ashton Fonville, Youth Services Librarian, Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library Kendall Hall, Youth Services Assistant, Kings Park Library Margaret Kositch, Library Technology Director, Library Admin Chandra Krishnamoorthy, Library Aide, Herndon Fortnightly Library Margot Manburg, Youth Services Assistant, Sherwood Regional Library Lyn McKinney, Branch Manager, Sherwood Regional Library Tiana Page, Youth Services Manager, Herndon Fortnightly Library Sonia Sagar, Library Aide, Reston Regional Library David Shaffer, Branch Manager, Oakton Library Anne Simpson, Assistant Branch Manager, Culmore Library Suzanne Steward, Youth Services Manager, Culmore Library Anita Toth, Youth Services Manager, Oakton Library Letitia Van Campen, Assistant Branch Manager, Richard Byrd Library Rebecca Wolff, Branch Manger, Thomas Jefferson Library Kerri Zuiker, Youth Services Assistant, Centerville Regional Library Photos of the ceremony and the recognized staff can be found here.

FCPL Partners with 911 and GMU to Help Improve County Emergency Communications

March 7, 2025

Beginning Saturday, March 8, Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) will be hosting several focus groups with the aim of improving the County's 911 responsiveness. In partnership with the Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications and George Mason University, several of our branches will hold sessions to explore community relationships with first responders, including identifying challenges, needs, and opportunities for improvement. These discussions will help first responders to better understand and anticipate community needs as well as evaluate the community's current understanding of how AI tools are developed to support community. A schedule for sessions is as follows: Lorton Library - Saturday, March 15 - 4-7 p.m. Sherwood Regional Library - Sunday, March 16 - 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Culmore Library - Saturday, March 22 - 3-6 p.m. Richard Byrd Library - Saturday, April 5 - 3-6 p.m. Centreville Regional Library - Sunday, April 6 - 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. NEW DATE! Richard Byrd Library - Thursday, April 24 - 4-5 p.m. Learn more about the project in this article from George Mason University.

Decorative image that reads "Fairfax County Public Library Celebrates Women's History Month" with lined drawings of women in the background and purple accents mixed throughout out."

Celebrate Women’s History Month with FCPL

March 1, 2025

Throughout the month of March, Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) will honor the many women who have played an important role over the course of American history. This Women’s History Month, celebrate the lives and stories of women who have made an impact on Fairfax County and beyond with presentations, workshops, 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. The Artist and Me (Women's History Edition) - Martha Washington Library - Saturday, March 1 Read about a famous female artist or two and then create your own piece of artwork inspired by their styles. Women in History Costume Party - John Marshall Library - Saturday, March 1 Dress as a celebrated woman from history and enjoy socializing, making paper dolls and playing a game of women's history bingo in this program for adults. Storytelling through Women's Voices - A Celebration of Female Composers - City of Fairfax Regional Library - Sunday, March 2 Explore your musical imagination through the voices of female-identifying composers of the 20th and 21st centuries through the performances of two local musicians. #MeToo Movement - Virtual Program - Friday, March 7 Trace the origins and evolution of the movement that has reshaped our understanding of gender relations and ignited a call for justice and accountability in this talk led by Dr. Cher Wexia Chen. Women's History Month Bingo - Thomas Jefferson Library - Saturday, March 8 Enjoy a friendly game of Bingo for all ages while honoring and learning about the contributions of great women throughout history. Jennie Dean: From Slavery to Visionary in the Field of Education - City of Fairfax Regional Library - Wednesday, March 12 Learn about Jennie Dean, a native of Prince William County, who founded the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth and was an early champion of women’s rights in this presentation from Marion Dobbins. Early Herndon Female Leaders - Herndon Fortnightly Library - Saturday, March 15 Discover some of Herndon’s early female leaders and learn how they helped shape early life in the area in this talk from Barbara Glakas, Herndon Historical Society Historian. American Girl Book Club: Women's History Month Edition! - Sherwood Regional Library - Sunday, March 16 Join this special book club meeting to chat about Julie, an American Girl who is passionate about equality and fighting for what she believes in, and do a craft based on her story. Women's History Month Storytime! - Pohick Regional Library - Sunday, March 16 Celebrate Women's History Month by reading books and singing traditional storytime songs in this program led by Pohick’s Teen Advisory Board. Escaping Detection - Burke Centre Library - Thursday March 27 Learn about women who were spies and soldiers during the Civil War in this program from local author Mary Lipsey. Teen & Parent Craft: Weave Like Ruth - Sherwood Regional Library - Saturday, March 29 Wrap up Women's History Month by sculpting with wires in the style of artist Ruth Asawa! For a complete list of Women’s History-related events, visit bit.ly/FCPL_WomensHistoryMonth. You can also celebrate by selecting a new read from our specially curated Women’s History Month booklist found here.

We're crushing it! Fairfax County Public Library has joined the Purple Can Club.

Fairfax County Public Library is crushing it!

February 27, 2025

Did you know that glass bottles and jars are not accepted in most curbside recycling programs throughout the region? The good news is that Fairfax County residents can bring their empty, clean and dry glass containers to purple glass recycling collection containers anytime. Glass deposited in these purple cans throughout the county is used to make food and beverage containers, fiberglass insulation, and reflective materials. On Thursday, February 27, Fairfax County celebrated its 26th and newest location for consumer glass recycling with a ribbon-cutting and bottle-recycle at Chantilly Regional Library. Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) Director Eric Carzon shared, "Libraries are the original members of the sharing economy and libraries, by the nature of our operation and how we do business, are fully engaged with reducing usage, reusing items and recycling them at the end of their lifecycle. It's embedded in everything that we do so if you're using a library, you are the ultimate recycler." "This is our second purple can in Sully District. I'm really excited that we provide these services to the community so that the world is a better place for future generations," said Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith. Since the program's inception in 2019, to date, over 50 million pounds of glass have been collected in the county's purple collection containers. That's approximately 42 pounds of glass from each of our 1.2 million county residents. Always good for a fun tip, Department of Public Works and Environmental Services Deputy Director Eric Forbes explained to the crowd what the numbers and letters on your glass containers really mean. "N is for North America and then there's numbers associated with it. If it has a number 13 or 30 that means it was actually processed and made here in Virginia." Check out a few bottles or jars in your own home today and see what letters and numbers they have! Library users and the community can currently recycle glass with FCPL at three locations: Chantilly Regional Library, Dolley Madison Library and Great Falls Library.

Jazz vocalist Alison Crockett and bassist Obasi Akoto perform music at Centreville Regional Library.

Harmonizing History: Alison Crockett Celebrates Jazz in Local Library Branches

February 18, 2025

“If you hear any form of popular music in the twentieth century, it will have, at its base, the blues,” says award-winning jazz singer and songwriter Alison Crockett. On February 8, in celebration of Black History Month, Alison and bassist Obasi Akoto captivated audiences at Centreville Regional and Sherwood Regional libraries with soulful melodies and a rich history lesson that brought the evolution of jazz to life. “One of the things about jazz, and Black American music in particular, is that it is, literally, democracy,” says Alison. “We all come together; we have an idea of what we want to do. There is a leader, for a minute, …and then everybody gets a chance to speak. And if we’re all not working together, and if we all don’t know what we’re supposed to do, it doesn’t work.” A multifaceted jazz vocalist, Alison's extensive education and diverse performance experience have made her a luminary in the music world. With vocal training from Temple University and a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music, she has seamlessly transitioned between genres, recording critically acclaimed projects ranging from jazz and neo-soul to electronica and Brazilian-inspired tunes. To learn more about Alison, visit AlisonCrockett.com. Library visitors can experience Alison's presentation, "The Evolution of Jazz," in person as she performs at City of Fairfax Regional Library and Kings Park Library on Saturday, February 22 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. respectively.

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