BURKE, VA – The Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees and community members gathered on Wednesday, Oct. 12 to celebrate the library’s Friends groups and recognize members nominated by their peers for their service. This year’s Friends’ Choice Awards took place at Kings Park Library and featured a program honoring 25 individuals and one community group for their support of the library and its mission.
During the event, Board of Trustees Chair Brian Engler praised the Friends groups for their contributions to the library over the last year. “Together, the groups donated more than $430,000 from July 2021 to June 2022,” he said. These funds have been and continue to be used to support library programming, enhance the digital materials collection and provide opportunities for staff and volunteers such as scholarships and registration for professional organizations.
Engler also spent time honoring each recipient for their contributions. Reading a summary of their nominations, he welcomed each honoree, presenting them with a certificate, gift card and pin as a token of the library’s appreciation.
This year’s list of honorees include:
Stan Gowin, Access Services Advisory Group
Sandy Neuzil, Access Services Advisory Group
Mary Ellen Hurley, Friends of Burke Center Library
Sharon Gottovi, Friends of Centreville Regional Library
Cathy Pluchinsky, Friends of Centreville Regional Library
Virginia Uliana, Friends of City of Fairfax Regional Library
Lynn Peterson Mobley, Friends of Great Falls Library
Bonnie Ketch, Friends of Kings Park Library
Makayla Adams, Friends of Kingstowne Library
Katherine Varela, Friends of Kingstowne Library
Willow Martin, Friends of Oakton Library
Cindy Richards, Friends of Pohick Regional Library
Laura Stokowski, Friends of Pohick Regional Library
Eileen Evon, Friends of Reston Regional Library
Terrill Evon, Friends of Reston Regional Library
John France, Friends of Reston Regional Library
Karen France, Friends of Reston Regional Library
Beverly Greenblatt, Friends of Reston Regional Library
Kerry Hum, Friends of Reston Regional Library
Michael Hum, Friends of Reston Regional Library
Charly Karlsson, Friends of Reston Regional Library
Sujung Kim, Friends of Reston Regional Library
Dianne Pretanik, Friends of Reston Regional Library
Woman’s Club of Springfield, Friends of Richard Byrd Library
Miki Wellck, Friends of Thomas Jefferson Library
Vera Finberg, 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.
Has a staff member at your local library branch recommended a new favorite book or helped you with a research project? Or maybe hosted a fantastic Fairfax County Public Library virtual program recently?
Nominate them for a Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) Staff Excellence Awardusing this online form.
Nominations can be submitted online or in person Feb. 14 to 28. The FCPL Board of Trustees will recognize winners during its March 9 virtual board meeting.
Digital content distributor OverDrive is removing its legacy app "OverDrive" from the Apple App Store, Google Play and the Microsoft Store this month in preparation for the app’s full retirement. Libby, the OverDrive replacement app released several years ago, is now the primary mobile access.
Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) cardholders who are using the OverDrive app can continue using the installed legacy version until its full retirement. FCPL recommends downloading Libby to ensure uninterrupted access to FCPL digital content. Both apps can run concurrently on one device.
Libby offers several convenient features, elegantly handles multi-card households, includes easy navigation in ten different languages, and has more accessibility support than the OverDrive app.
This month, Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) is celebrating Love Literacy as part of its Year of Literacy.
Looking for something new to read but not sure what to choose? Go on a Blind Date With a Book! Choose a book based on just a few details at the Great Falls branch through Feb. 14, at Sherwood Regional Library through Feb. 15, and at the George Mason Regional and Thomas Jefferson libraries all month.
At the Tysons-Pimmit Regional branch, fall in love with a good book in the book displays for Chocolate Lovers’ Month and for Book Lovers.
In the mood for romance? At the Patrick Henry branch, Kindle (or Rekindle) a Romance with Romances with a curated variety of romance titles wrapped to surprise you. At Chantilly Regional Library, explore the “What's Your Tropetonite?” book display to choose from a variety of romance books labeled with their main tropes.
February is also Library Lovers’ Month! At the Reston Regional branch, library lovers of all ages can pen something for the branch’s Library Love Notes Tree through Feb. 18.
Want to creatively express your love? At the Oakton branch, pick up Take & Make Valentine Love Bugs through Feb. 14, or register for City of Fairfax Regional Library’s Intergenerational Puzzle Piece Hearts activity taking place Feb. 12. Children can pick up a Take It and Make It Valentine Goody Bag at Reston Regional Library Feb. 8-12.
Just pining for some “me” time? Pick up a Spa Day from Home handout from the Centreville Regional branch to get tips for pampering yourself.
The first month of Fairfax County Public Library’s (FCPL) 2022 Year of Literacy is devoted to a celebration of general literacy. Book clubs are a wonderful way to share a love of literacy. This year, some new book clubs join the list of tried-and-true favorites. Browse the options; we have book clubs to appeal to all ages and interests, to those who are ready to make new friends in person, and those who prefer to meet virtually!
For Adults
The Point of View (P.O.V.) Book Club meets monthly at Sherwood Regional Library in Alexandria. Discover new points of view by reading authors from varying backgrounds and with varying perspectives. Selections include fiction and nonfiction. For adults. No registration required.
The Nonfiction Book Club meets monthly at Sherwood Regional Library in Alexandria. This new group will discuss recent nonfiction books on various topics. Its first meeting will focus on The Velvet Rope Economy: How Inequality Became Big Business by Nelson Schwartz. Copies are available to pick up at Sherwood Regional Library on the events table, and this title is also available as an eAudiobook through Libby.
Travel the world from your couch with the Read Global Book Group! Meet with fellow travelers virtually each month to discuss books set in various locales across the globe.
The Sherwood Novel Book Group meets monthly at Sherwood Regional Library in Alexandria. This month, the group is reading The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis and in February will be reading The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult.
Currently held virtually, the Book Talk for Book Lovers hosted by Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library promises lively discussion each month.
The Online Classic Books Discussion meets on a Thursday afternoon once a month to join writer/scholar Amanda Holmes Duffy in discussion of a classic novel.
For the Amateur Detective
The Mystery Book Club meets in person at FCPL’s Chantilly Regional branch and delves into a different mystery novel each month.
Love mysteries but don’t want to venture out? We have an Online Mystery Book Club that meets monthly!
For School-age Children
The American Girl Book Club meets virtually each month to talk about the beloved history series. Dolls are invited, but not required!
Don’t want to read solo? Children ages 6 to 12 can join the Read-Along Book Club to enjoy a live reading of that day’s chapters with Ms. Sara. This group is great for English Language Learning (ELL) students.
For Teens
Fairfax teens are invited to join us virtually for our Teen PRIDE Book Club, which meets each month to discuss a book with LGBTQA+ themes.
Join other readers aged 12 to 18 each month at Herndon Fortnightly Library for its Teen Book Club.
FCPL staff members are performing an upgrade of the integrated library system (ILS), on Tuesday, Nov. 2. The ILS manages, integrates and centralizes many core library functions and services. Because of this upgrade, the public catalog will be unavailable to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day. Cardholders will not be able to access item searches or account information, place holds or pay fees during this time period.
FCPL hopes to minimize the impact to cardholders by scheduling the upgrade on Nov. 2, when all FCPL branches are closed for the county's Election Day holiday.
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.
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, a new FCPL resource available beginning Sept. 1, 2021, 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 after 4 p.m. A library card is required to use HelpNow outside the library.
Students in grades K-6 can also sign up for GIVE tutoring sessions hosted in multiple branches weekends throughout the academic year. High school student volunteers with Growth and Inspiration through Volunteering and Education (GIVE) provided the tutoring.
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.
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.
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. As of April 2021, all public branches without parking garages have expanded exterior wireless access.
Can't bring your own hardware? Use ours! The library offers more than 400 public computersat our branches, all equipped with Microsoft Office apps, internet access and printing and scanning capabilities.
Fairfax County Public Library is excited to announce registration is open for the fifth meeting of Josh Bell’s Book Club, a partnership between FCPL and the Washington Nationals. Library cardholders can now register for the book discussion with Josh Bell to be held virtually Sept. 17 at 12 p.m. Check out September's book Master the Media by Julie Smith.
Make sure to register with the email address that is associated with your Zoom account. Register now!
Nationals fans, book lovers and anyone exploring self-improvement, seeking out good, or pursuing progress: Josh Bell's Book Club is for you. Bell has has purposefully chosen books for his club that offer concepts, mindsets and inspiration for being and becoming better. Books – Betterment – Progress is a continuum: we can learn through books, we can become better and we can achieve progress.
Each month Bell will announce another book in this season-long series. Read the book and join Bell and librarians from FCPL and Prince George's County Memorial Library in engaging discussions about what resonated. Check back often to register for the virtual book discussions and to see which books are next in this series.
We and Josh Bell look forward to seeing you on Sept. 17!
Fairfax County Public Library is excited to announce registration is open for the fourth meeting of Josh Bell’s Book Club, a partnership between FCPL and the Washington Nationals. Library cardholders can now register for the book discussion with Josh Bell to be held virtually Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. Check out August's book Grit Factor: 15 attributes to doing life better by Logan Stout.
Make sure to register with the email address that is associated with your Zoom account. Register now!
Nationals fans, book lovers and anyone exploring self-improvement, seeking out good, or pursuing progress: Josh Bell's Book Club is for you. Bell has has purposefully chosen books for his club that offer concepts, mindsets and inspiration for being and becoming better. Books – Betterment – Progress is a continuum: we can learn through books, we can become better and we can achieve progress.
Each month Bell will announce another book in this season-long series. Read the book and join Bell and librarians from FCPL and Prince George's County Memorial Library in engaging discussions about what resonated. Check back often to register for the virtual book discussions and to see which books are next in this series.
We and Josh Bell look forward to seeing you on Aug. 15!
A local aspiring librarian shares his story of working in a branch while pursuing his Master of Library Science degree.
By Dylan Wokeck, Intern, Richard Byrd Library (January-April 2021)
Facilitating Reading and Learning
Interning at a library is an enlightening experience offering unique rewards if you have the mindset to receive them. When I began my internship at Richard Byrd Library in late January, FCPL branches were closed to the public and offering users full access to the physical collection through curbside pickup of items placed on hold.
Most days I saw our list of holds exceed 150, and some days it was more than 200. These items had to be hunted down throughout the library, scanned into the computer system, have a sticker placed on them, and put on our hold shelf or transferred to other libraries.
Every moment of this was exciting. These holds meant that people were using the library, even during a pandemic! The work I was doing was facilitating reading and learning. You may not know why someone is checking out something from the library, but you know that you are improving some aspect of their life by getting it to them.
Offering In-Person Support
My experience was made all the better once the library buildings reopened to the public. It started as a trickle of visitors, but it was still wonderful to see people return to the branch. Not only could I collect holds, but Library Information Assistant Anne Sinclair and Branch Manager Valerie Suttee helped train me also to answer all of our visitors’ questions.
I still have a lot to learn — and helping readers find new titles they may enjoy takes a lot of practice — but these two FCPL staff members and everyone else at Richard Byrd have provided exceptional support in my preparation to become a librarian on my own.
A Legacy of Library Service
Before she passed away, my grandmother told me she worked as a library page at Richard Byrd Library around 1959. While she didn’t stay in the library for her career, she did continue to help people by providing home health and hospice care. I may not be going into the medical field, but I am following partially in her footsteps and looking forward to working in a position dedicated to helping others.
Dylan graduated from East Carolina University (Greenville, N.C.) in May 2021 with his Master of Library Science (MLS) degree and continues to volunteer at Richard Byrd Library.