Blog Entries

Letter to the Community

Dear Residents of Frederick and Clarke Counties and Winchester City,

I’m writing today to provide an update on the operations and service availability of Handley Regional Library System.  The information in this letter has been carefully considered as we protect the health and safety of our staff and patrons due to COVID-19 – and reflect unified decisions made by Library staff and the Library System Board. 

As previously communicated, all library buildings are closed to the public, including to volunteers, and we have made the intentional decision to suspend o...

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Virtual and Live Programs for Kids & Teens

Our Youth Services team has been hard at work planning to bring the library world to you! 

Follow us on all social accounts (Facebook and Instagram are @handleyregional) and join us for the following programs this week:

Monday, April 6 at 11 AM on Facebook Live Storytime and Origami: Frogs and Polliwogs is the theme this week in storytime. Join us for a read-aloud and origami craft. More storytime inspiration can be found here.

 

Tuesday, April 7 at 2 PM on Facebook Live ​​​​​​​Pop-up Crafternoons:  Let's gath... Read Full Post

Stuck at Home? Your Library is Here to Help.

For families of all ages, a global pandemic can be alarming and confusing. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been spreading throughout the United States now, specifically, and has led to school and public closures. The uncertainty of this national and global situation can induce more anxiety in our kids. However, learning how to talk about what is going on and what to do next can be the first step that grown-ups can take to lead to better understanding for families with kids.

Your public library can be a source of trustworthy information and educational resources if you and your fami...

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Get Counted!

The census is a count of every person who lives in the United States and its territories. It happens every 10 years. In early 2020, you will be asked to count everyone who lives in your home as of April 1. Responding to the 2020 Census is a chance to shape your future. It even helps secure funding for your local public library! For the first time, you can complete the census online, by phone, or by mail.

While our libraries are closed due to COVID-19, we regret that we cannot provide public terminals at this time. However, we have extended the range of WiFi at each building so tha...

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Stream 300,000 Movies, TV Shows, Music, eBooks, Audio Books, & More

We are excited to announce today the official release of a new streaming service called Hoopla Digital – expanding their online digital portfolio of materials to patrons. Library card holders of all ages can now access a massive digital library of over 300,000 movies, TV shows, eBooks, Audio Books, comics, and music online at www.hoopladigital.com at no cost. There are no wait times and patrons can borrow up to 3 items per month.  Content can be streamed from any computer, television, mobile device, or platform by downloading the Hoopla Digital app for iOS, Android, AppleTV, Chromecast...

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Online Public Facility Survey for Handley Library Location

Handley Regional Library System announces today an online public facility assessment for the historic Handley Library in downtown Winchester. The online public survey will help library administration gather responses as they evaluate the space use and configuration of Handley Library as they plan for the future. 

The public can complete the brief survey at www.handleyregional.org/handleylibrarysurvey until March 18, 2020.

“Great libraries evolve in how they deliver information, materials, and value to the communities they serve,” says John Huddy, Director of ...

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SU Business Students Create Promotional Videos for Library System

Handley Regional Library System and a Design Thinking class at Shenandoah University’s Byrd School of Business collaborated on a project that resulted in students creating promotional videos for the library system to use for marketing purposes. The students of Professor Montressa Washington’s Design Thinking class took on the challenge to develop and create short videos to encapsulate the services of all three library locations to the general public.

Broken up into three groups, students produced two videos that would engage library patrons to use services and materials, attend pr...

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Tax Resources at the Library

Each year the Handley Regional Library System participates in the IRS Tax Forms Outlet Program (TFOP). Recent changes from TFOP mean we're receiving fewer tax forms in print. Although the Internal Revenue Service is not able to supply libraries with the full range of printed tax forms, instruction booklets, and tax publications provided in the past, we will still be happy to assist you during this tax prep season. Library staff can assist with locating and printing online tax forms but are not able to give advice regarding the forms that you might need. Black and white printing/copying is $...

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Children Book Award Season is Here!!

Every year the American Library Association (ALA) chooses the best children's books of the year and it is time to find out the winners for 2020!  This year it is happening on Monday, January 27th at 8:00am.  We are especially excited to find out the winners of the Caldecott, Newbery, and Geisel awards!

The Caldecott Award celebrates the best illustrations in a children’s book while the Newbery Award focuses on the best novel and literature for children.  One of the newer awards, the Geisel Award, is given to the best book for beginning readers.

If you are ...

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Six Great Reasons to Try Yoga at the Library!

 Six Great Reasons to Try Yoga!

 

The Handley Library has added a new program, Storytime Yoga, to its Youth Services schedule. Bring the entire family for movement and stretching exercises that correspond to a story. The program is led by a certified yoga instructor who has lots of experience working with all ages and mobility needs. If your family is new to yoga, here are a few great reasons to try our Storytime Yoga:

 

Yoga improves coordination 

Yoga increases strength...

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Enjoy Food From Around The World

Now that days are short there's more time for inside activities. Cold weather makes a warm kitchen that much more enjoyable. Why not try a new dish? It used to be ingredients featured in international recipes were hard to come by. A surprising number of exotic spices and international flavorings are now available in our local grocery stores. We have hundreds of cookbooks in the HRLS collection; dozens feature cuisines from other countries. Looking for a new pasta sauce? Korean BBQ? Real Irish food? Asian wraps and rolls? African Flavors? German baking? Mexican favorites?

Where to ...

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eBooks Are For Everyone!

With the holidays approaching and whispers of snow in the air, make sure that everyone has something to read. The Handley Regional Library System has many eBooks available for children and teens when you cannot make it to the library. All you need is your library card and your PIN to access most eBooks through the library website or library apps such as Libby from Overdrive. Don’t remember your PIN? Call Clarke County (540.955.514), Bowman (540.869.9000), or the Handley Library (540.662.9041) to change your PIN. 

Our eBook collections for children and teen...

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Teetotalers & Moonshiners

Visit the Teetotalers & Moonshiners exhibition on display at Bowman Library December 10 through January 17.

 

Teetotalers & Moonshiners: Prohibition in Virginia, Distilled, a traveling exhibition from the Library of Virginia, tells the story of Virginia Prohibition and its legacy through an exciting exhibition and associated programming. The exhibition addresses the important and long-lasting effects of Prohibition on commonwealth and America, including

The prohibition movement as part of a social reform movement The economic and social costs of Prohibi... Read Full Post

Now for Adults - Graphic Novels

We are excited to announce the expansion of our book collection for adults with the addition of graphic novels. Similar to comic books, graphic novels use sequential art to tell the story, but with often more complex plots ranging in genre from fiction and non-fiction, to history and fantasy design for adults. The new books are physically available at Bowman Library and Handley Library, but are available for borrowing at all three branches when patrons reserve a specific title to be placed on hold and delivered to the branch of their choice. Titles range from Rick and Morty, Suicide Squad, ...

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Join us for Tech Tuesdays

Keep an eye on this page for upcomming programs!

 

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