First Friday - May 7th

We have a fantastic First Friday lined up for tomorrow at the Richmond Public Library. We are participating in Minds Wide Open: Virginia's Celebration of Women in the Arts and the following exhibits, presentations and performances planned for tomorrow, May 7th at the Main public library from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Come join in!

Create

Works by the following artists will be exhibited:

Dooley Foyer
Elizabeth Evans

"Roles of Femininity"

The artist uses bras to explore the history of women's roles in society.

Dooley Hall

Christine Ludke

"Plein Air Figure Drawing"

From the artist:  Drawing in plein air means working outdoors in natural light, without using a camera. You can say 'from life' when talking about figure drawing, and it's the same idea, only inside. I'm outside as much as I can be, and the statues I draw aren't alive, so I say I'm a plein air artist.

For me, nothing beats drawing in plein air, because I can see my subjects clearly and in depth. It helps to pick colors outdoors, because you're looking at real color and value changes. I've been drawing the statues in Hollywood Cemetery for a few years, and I'm not finished.

Gellman Room

 Sukenya Best

 "Setting on a Rise"

From Sukenya:  Involving the human figure, my work flows between abstraction and representation. The current print series is the outcome of using the body as both a drawing tool (act) and subject matter (result). Drawing occurs when my hands/feet come in contact with the inked base surface. After the dance there remain feet and hand prints that symbolize human rhythm. At times the image of a transparent silhouette is added to emphasize a figure housing inner movement.

View more work on her website here.

Perform

Special music performances by Deborah Saidel, flute, in the Dooley Foyer, Leah Kruszewski, guitar, in the 2nd Floor Gallery, and the University of Richmond World Music performers in the Auditorium.

Stitch

Quilts by Chris Crouch, Charlotte Davenport and Betty Ring will be on display.

Dance

 Motion by Sukenya Best and the University of Richmond Community Gamelan performs traditional Indonesian music with dancers - in the Auditorium.
 

Write

 We're very excited to welcome Lillian Lambert to the RPL as part of the Richmond Writers series. Author of The Road to Someplace Better: From the Segregated South to Harvard Business School and Beyond, she is a passionate speaker and barrier-breaking entrepreneur. She was also recently inducted into the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame. 

Join us in the Davenport Special Collections room for this program. Books will be available for purchase after this event.

We hope to see you for this very special First Friday - drop in and tell us what you think!

 

Friends Spring Book Sale This Weekend!

More Books by Mickey Smith

It's (finally) here! Thousands of books, CDs, DVDs and sheet music will be on sale at the RPL for a fraction of their cost!

The long-awaited Friends Spring Book Sale at the Main branch of the Richmond Public Library is this weekend, starting with a Friends-only Pre-Sale on Friday, April 23rd  from 10a.m. - 12 noon and then opening to the public from 12 noon  - 5 p.m. The sale continues on Saturday, April 24th from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

For those who have not yet visited this bi-annual fantastic sale, here are a few pointers:

- All proceeds from the Friends Book Sale are turned right around and re-invested into Richmond Public Library to fund special events, book talks, concerts and more.

- Did you know you can get first pick of all the materials early on Friday? All you have to do is become a Friend of the RPL. Memberships can run as little as $10 a year and will be available at the door of the Friends-only pre-sale on Friday morning! 

- Prices are extremely low at the Friends Book Sale, and you know that the materials will be in good shape, as our volunteers and staff have spent hours organizing, sorting and quality-checking. The price list is as follows: 

All Hardcovers: $2.00

All Paperbacks: $0.50

Children's Books: $0.50

DVD's and CD's: $1 per disc (maximum of $5 per set)

VHS: $0.50

Sheet Music: $0.25

So clear out space in your car, grab a sturdy bag or box and head on down to 101 East Franklin Street this weekend for some great bargains for your family library, classroom or personal collection. We'll be happy to see you!

Drive-By Book Drive This Satuday!

 Source

Visit the Main Branch of the Richmond Public Library this Saturday, March 20th from 9am - 2pm to donate your gently used books, CDs and DVDs and more. Simply bring your donations to the rear of the Main branch at the loading dock between 1st and 2nd Streets, hand them over to our volunteers, and you can then be on your way!

If you're wondering what types of materials will be accepted, what conditions are acceptable, and where the materials may end up, please take a minute to read this short PDF from the Friends of the Richmond Public Library detailing the donation process.

Your donations are also tax deductible. If you wish to fill out a donation form, it can be found here. A librarian will sign it for you, and you can include the record for next year's taxes. Plus, you get the satisfaction of giving back to your community, your library and your city.

Of course, all of this is really just preparation for the next big event - the upcoming Friends Spring Book Sale. The sale will be held on Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24th.
Stay tuned for upcoming details, and thank you in advance for your donations!

First Friday - March 5th

Please join us at the Main branch of the Richmond Public Library this Friday, March 5th from 7-9 p.m. for a fantastic First Friday. Not only will we be featuring new exhibitions from local artists, we will also be showcasing local student artwork and welcoming two Richmond writers: Wayne Dementi and Brooks Smith. Their book, The Songlines of Richmond, celebrates local performing arts, venues and people. This event will take place in the Davenport Special Collections Room. We hope to see you there!

Dooley Foyer
Richmond Public Schools


Student Artists and Musicians Celebrate Youth Art Month

Artwork by Sebastian Wimbush / George Wythe


Featuring student musicians and original student artwork.

Dooley Hall
Sungkyung Park


All Around Me in Richmond

Traditional and digital drawing by the Richmond artist.

View more of her work on her blog here.
View her background and artistic history here.

Gellman Room

Tin Salamunic

Pictural Colloquy

A collection of works from the local illustrator.

2nd Floor Gallery
IQRA Academy of Virginia

Student Artwork

Paintings demonstrating extraordinary color, creativity and talent.

Rescheduled First Friday Tonight!

Source

Due to the extraordinary weather that has inundated Richmond, we've rescheduled last week's First Friday artwalk for tonight, February 12th from 7 - 9pm. Click here to view the previous post detailing our new artists.

Additionally this evening, the Friends of the Library present local author Margaret Edds, who will be speaking at the Main branch at 7pm about her new book, Finding Sara.

We hope to see you at the Main branch this evening for both events!

Happy Holidays

From all of us here at the RPL, we wish a very happy holiday season to all of our patrons and their families. And amazingly this year, it seems that Richmond resembles the winter wonderland picture above! Remember, the library system will be closed tomorrow, December 24 and Friday, December 25th for the Christmas Holiday.

However, you can still submit reference questions during this time to the Cyberlibrarian and check out our catalog online for books or DVDs you may want to check out before the new year.



This time of year can also be a bit frantic for those looking for last minute gifts for family and friends. If you have friend or family member who loves books, the library, local art or the Richmond community in general perhaps this shameless plug will spur one last minute gift idea for you: Buy them a membership with the Friends of the Richmond Public Library!

Membership brings many benefits, including early admission to the biannual book sale, but the real benefit is contributing to the success of many special programs implemented by the library and orchestrated by the Friends. These programs include, but are not limited to; the Richmond Writers series, the Summer Reading Program and numerous other lectures, special events and community programs. Find more information here.




Looking to spend less and give more this year? The RPL has a stellar current team of volunteers, but we can never turn down a few more helping hands! Inquire at your local branch regarding their needs and see if you have time in your busy schedule to contribute to your community.

We wish you a safe and happy holiday, and hope to see you at your local branch when we reopen on Monday, December 28th.



Photos: Flickr user RSchuetz.de, the Smithsonian, Flickr user dheur

Friends Fall Book Sale! 11/6 - 11/9

It's that time of year again! The Friends Fall Book Sale will begin today - Friday, November 6th and will run until Monday, November 9th at the Main Public Library.

Thousands of hardback and paperback books are available, and most are priced from $1 to $2. Children's books are priced at 50 cents, and there are also collectible books going for a fraction of their resale value available through Special Collections!

The sale kicks off this morning from 10am to 1pm with a special preview sale for members of the Friends of the Richmond Public Library. Not yet a member? No problem! Memberships will be available at the door. Not only will you get first pick of the thousands of cheap books and CDs available, you'll be joining a great group of contributors that make many special events at the library possible.

The Friends Book Sale is then open to the public with the following hours:

Friday, November 6 from 1– 5 p.m. and 7 – 9 p.m.
Saturday, November 7 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Monday, November 9 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

We hope to see you there. Feel free to share your found treasures with us on the blog. Happy book hunting!

First Friday - November 6

Join us this First Friday, November 6th at the Main Public Library for an opening reception for our new exhibiting artists. The reception runs from 7pm to 9pm, and the Friends Fall Book sale will also be open during this time! Come join us for an evening of art and literature.

Gellman Room

Tuckahoe Artists Association

Paintings in mixed media

The Association was formed in 1971 by a group of local artists to provide educational programs for its members, to arrange regular exhibits of their work, and to encourage them to further develop their talents through classes and critiques.

Today, the TAA remains committed to its original purposes. It meets six times a year: four program meetings with presentations by well known artists, art historians, or authors in September, October, January, and February; a field trip to a gallery, museum, or artist’s studio in March or April; and an annual luncheon meeting in May. The Association engages exhibit spaces for members to display their original art work four to six times a year.

For further information, e-mail: tuckahoeartists@gmail.com

Dooley Foyer
Julia Kindred

"Landscapes: A Life of Their Own"

Works from plein air and personal experiences by Charlottesville artist Julia Kindred.

View more works by Julia Kindred here.

Dooley Hall
Catherine D. Johnson

"Landscapes"

An excerpt from Catherine's resume:

"My interest in photography began 25 years ago when I signed up for my first course in photography at the Virginia Museum, Richmond, Virginia, where I continue to take classes...In January of 1996 I became a member of the gallery called Artspace, in Richmond, Virginia. I have participated in many group shows and have had three individual shows at this gallery...Mostly, I prefer to photograph people but will occasionally venture into the landscape area of photography. However, in my landscapes, I try to include people in the photograph, even if I have to set the timer and be my own subject!"

View more examples of Catherine's work here, through Artspace gallery.

2nd Floor Gallery
Jan VanAmburgh Farren

"Shoreline Studies"

Oil paintings by Richmond artist Jan VanAmburgh Farren.



David Freed Gallery
The library's permanent collection of prints by David Freed.

Book Drive - Saturday, September 26

This Saturday, stop by the Main Public Library at 101 East Franklin Street and participate in the Richmond Public Library Book Drive! The drive begins at 9 am and will continue through 2 pm.

To participate, simply drop by the Main Library this Saturday with your used hardback and paperback books, DVDs and CDs. You can drive through the back of the Main Library, between First and Second Streets. We ask that materials be in clean, dry condition, with no mold or silverfish please. Books should be in good condition, with no missing covers or yellowed/brittle pages.

If you like, you will not only rid your bookshelves/attic/closets of unused materials, but you can also receive a tax deduction for donating your items! Simply fill out the donation form and bring it with you to the Book Drive. Our friendly staff will sign it for you, and you will be all set for your deduction! Have more questions regarding accepted materials? Click here for general guidelines.
Of course you can also donate items without filling out the donation form, if you like.

If you're anything like me, and donating books usually means freeing up space to be filled immediately with other books, then you will want to attend the accompanying Fall Friends Book Sale at the Main Library on November 6th, 7th and 9th.

Hope to see you Saturday! The RPL and Friends appreciate the community support that allows us to continue to help serve you.

(Image Credit: Flickr user austinevan)

Grand Street Party Finale Recap

What a great time we had this Saturday! Despite the August heat, many of you came out and showed your support of your readers and your libraries! Thank you so much for coming and we hope that you had a wonderful time. Thanks to everyone for participating in Summer Reading, and a very big thank you to the Friends of the Richmond Public Library, as well as our sponsors, for making this event possible. Even if you didn't win a prize, you all should be very proud of your reading accomplishments!



If you weren't able to make it to the event, a (slightly shaky) taste is available below. Apologies for the quality of the video - it was taken from my camera! And as always, pictures from the event are now on Flickr, which you can access here, or by clicking on our Flickr badge below "Archives." Even though Summer Reading with your Library is over, keep being creative at your library and keep up with your own summer reading!

Friends Annual Meeting

Friends Annual Meeting

featuring Pulitzer Prize winning poet

Claudia Emerson

Friday, May 4

7:00pm

Join us as we welcome Ms. Emerson as the guest speaker for our annual meeting and the second author in the Friends Richmond Writers series. Ms. Emerson was awarded the prize in recognition of her 2005 book, Late wife. The meeting will be held in the Martha Orr Davenport Special Collections Room.