Blog Entries

Handley Regional Library Stewart Bell Jr. Archives is proud to be a participant in the first Winchester - Frederick County - Clarke County Hungry for History event.  Hungry for History is a community event that brings together our history with a love of food.  Museums and historic sites in our community will offer a variety of programs and special events such as presentations, cooking demonstrations, hands-on activities, children’s activities, food tastings, special handouts and giveaways, displays of historic recipes, agriculture related programs and more.

Have you ever thought about all the photos on your phone: photos of loved ones, silly moments that bring you joy, and milestones in your life?  Can you find the photo you want to show someone quickly?  Do you worry what could happen to those photos should the phone break?  Do you have a plan to preserve those photos for the future? 

Digital photography has made it so much easier to make memories, but also brings new challenges when it comes to organizing and preserving these digital images for future use.

Introducing myLIBRO: Your Library at Your Fingertips!

We are thrilled to introduce our new and improved app, myLIBRO, designed to make your library experience more convenient, accessible, and enjoyable than ever before. Whether you're an avid bookworm, a tech-savvy listener, or just love exploring the vast world of knowledge, myLIBRO has something for everyone. Let's take a closer look at the fantastic benefits of using myLIBRO:

Here are the top reasons why you should download myLIBRO today:

The Friends of Handley Regional Library System sponsor live music at our libraries with concerts called A Little Noon Music. Every second Friday at noon from September to May, a variety of musicians delight audience members with their talents. 

Spring is Here with SU Jazz: Friday, May 10 at 12pm at Handley Library

Are you utilizing all that your library has to offer? The library has many services and resources to save you time and money. From printed books, magazines, and newspapers to 24/7 online access to eBooks, audiobooks, movies, and more, the library is your one-stop shop for information and entertainment!

A library genealogy program is a great way to discover your family's history. These programs are free and offer access to historical records, census data, and other valuable resources that can help you trace your family tree. With a library genealogy program, you can uncover fascinating details about your ancestors and gain a deeper understanding of your family's story. So whether you're just starting out or have been researching your family tree for years, a Stewart Bell, J. Archives genealogy program is definitely worth exploring. Here are upcoming programs: 

The Handley Library branch is excited to be partnering with Blue Ridge Hospice to provide a new tabletop roleplaying game-based grief support program, “Adventures Through Grief!” Tap into your creativity, build interpersonal skills, and learn to train your dragons as their Grief Counselors and Music Therapists take on the role of Game Master to guide you on the task of navigating life after losing a loved one.   

Did you know that more than 102 million people research their family history? You can be one of them! The questions often asked are where do I start, and how do I find what I need? 

Our Beginner Genealogy Workshops are for individuals who are just starting in their genealogy quest or who have started and need assistance. The workshops include a five-step process that covers the basics of ancestry research.

Yesterday as part of the archives continuing Family History Hunter programs, members were taken on a tour of the archives.  Lorna Loring, Archives Associate, gave a brief outline of what a person might expect if they were to visit an archive in whatever place the researcher decides to go to.  Even though each library, archives or historical society will have its own rules the basic focus will be the same.  This is to preserve history and make it available to the public in some way.  So the following remarks are highlights of Lorna's presentation. 

Holiday time: it is a great time to be with family, friends or alone with your thoughts.  For most of us it is a hustle and bustle time of year and doing something “extra” might just put a person over the edge of sensibility!  So for me to suggest that this is a good time to do something involving genealogy might seem a little different.  In reality it is not, because holidays are the time in which people naturally gravitate towards remembrances.  So, if you are inclined, here are a few ideas that you might like:

In celebration of pets, May is recognized as National Pet Month. It’s a wonderful time to show a little extra appreciation for our furry friends, and books are always a great resource for everything, including learning something fun about your pets! 

Researching Common Surnames:

May 2022

My last name is Smith.  I have been told that our ancestors changed our surname before immigrating to the United States from Poland.  I have hesitated to attempt any research because I feel like I truly have a generic name.  Would it even be possible to learn anything about this family?

-A Researcher

In Marvelous Us! Part I and Part II we explored books related to our marvelous human bodies. Although popular culture over-emphasizes how our bodies may look, we often fail to appreciate how our bodies function. Whether or not you are happy with the way your body looks, the way it functions is truly marvelous.

Adrienne Davis, the branch manager of Handley Library, was recently interviewed by News Director Scott Bradley of The River 95.3 for a radio program called News Makers. The program features community organizations and citizens that are making a difference in the northern Shenandoah Valley and can be heard every weekday mornings at 8:30am. You can also listen to current and past episodes on the website https://theriver953.com/news-makers/.

In this installment of the Pushing My Shelf blog series, Todd talks about finding just the right kind of magazine.

This month we thought we would do a blog series for the Push Your Shelf Bingo Challenge. The challenge is to complete Bingo squares that “push your shelf.” In other words, read or try something that you might not ordinarily consider; something not typically found on your bookshelf. Find out more here.