Blog Entries

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 27^th 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.

 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:

1. Yoga improves coordination 

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?

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?

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

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.

Are you struggling to make the most of your smartphone or tablet? Don't worry, our Tech Tuesday sessions are here to save the day! Whether you're an iPhone/iPad user or prefer Android devices, our upcoming sessions are designed to empower you with the skills you need. Best of all, these sessions are absolutely free! So, mark your calendars and bring along all your burning tech questions.

Your local library is making it easier than ever to geek! We all know it can be hard to find our people and even harder to keep up with our favorite fandoms on a budget. Now the library is expanding our collections, not just for teens, but for adults too. Keep an eye on our catalog for our ever-expanding collection of games, graphic novels, movies, books, and shows. And keep an ear to the ground for our upcoming programming that was developed with you in mind.
 

One Book One Community announces the 2019 One Book as My Beloved World by Justice Sonia Sotomayor. 

The author was born on June 25, 1954, in the Bronx borough of New York City. She became the first Latina Supreme Court Justice on May 26, 2009.  Her memoir met the criteria for selection by the committee – has widespread appeal, is available in paperback and Spanish, and is currently in print.

Learning a language can open many doors, from new friendships to new careers. If you’re looking to learn a new language or practice language skills, the library has your back. From physical materials for checkout to online databases and learning apps, we have a wide selection to meet your individual goals and preferences. Language learning books and software can be expensive but we here at the library don’t think money should stand in your way. We’ve got plenty of free options for you to kick off a bilingual tomorrow.

1. Books

Get ready for spring cleaning!

Book drop-off dates for donations of gently used books, DVDs, CDs, video games, and sheet music as  Saturday, May 18^th  from 9AM-12PM at Bowman Library in Stephens City.   Volunteers and staff will be onsite to accept donations from the community during this time.  The book drop-off will benefit the Summer Used Book Sale.  The book sale is sponsored by Friends of Handley Regional Library. 

Playaway Launchpads have launched at Handley Regional Library System!

Launchpad tablets are now available for checkout at all 3 library locations.   Designed for kids of all ages, the tablets are pre-loaded with high-quality, ad-free apps that are both fun and educational, promoting literacy through digital content.  The devices are powered by an Android operating system and feature a 7” high-definition touch screen

Are you looking for your next great read? Visit our Information Desks to ask for one of our free Recommended Reading Guides and get staff tips and tricks on making the most of a catalog search. Plus, here are four great tools to help you find just the right title.

Stream movies, music, and browse the internet from any mobile device 24/7! 

The devices allow free internet connection on the go and anywhere Verizon service is available.  You can check these out at the circulation desk at Bowman Library (and Clarke County Library, where the program originally started).  Patrons must be over 17 years of age to check them out and are available to checkout one week at a time.  Additional borrowing guidelines are available at the Bowman Library. 

That’s right – our popular music series, Little Noon Music, has expanded to Bowman Library in Stephens City. Performances are free and open to the public, and happen at noon on the 2^nd Friday of the month from March to May. Audience members will get the opportunity for an intimate live performance featuring rock, jazz, and blue grass music, plus the opportunity to meet the artists and hear the stories that inspired the songs.