The People's Library: Rag Rug Sewing Workshop

The People's Library is returning to the Main Library in November to host a rag rug sewing workshop using donated fabrics and supplies. The finished rugs will be sewn together to create a large cicular rug, which will become part of the People's Library exhibit. The workshop will provide opportunities to share stories of home and domesticity, and to meditate on how history is imbedded in both the labor that creates an object as well as the way an object is used.

Join us for this community collaboration!

To learn more about The People's Library, go to our previous blog posts: The People's Library Project Opening and The People's Library Project.

The People's Library website: nomovement.com

A Perfect Partnership: Girls Rock! RVA + Richmond Public Library

This past August, the Main branch of the Richmond Public Library hosted the GR!RVA showcase performance outside in Library Park - and it was a smashing success.  The weather was warm but not hot, there was a live DJ from WRIR, some free refreshments and snacks, and Pedal Pops RVA provided discounted (just $1!) healthy frozen fruit treats to audience members.  The performances were stellar, and the library was so happy to have so many Richmonders spend their Saturday afternoon in our back yard.

I could not be more excited to announce the beginning of year-round programming from Girls Rock! RVA at the Richmond Public Library this October.  Programs will be available for girls ages 8-17.  

This partnership is thrilling for a number of reasons:

• Girls Rock! RVA programming will utilize the library for one of its primary purposes: being a free community space accessible to all.
• Both organizations are committed to free access.  The library provides free access to information, free classes, free skill-building and training workshops, and more, to all citizens.  GR!RVA is committed to keeping the camp free of charge, so that girls of any background are eligible to attend.  Year-round programming for GR!RVA would not be possible at this stage in the organization's development without the free space provided by the public library.
• Girls Rock! RVA programming will be in line with the public library's motto: "Inform - Enrich - Empower."  In fact, the empowerment of girls is the main focus of GR!  Continuing to engage campers and other girls year round through free programming will exponentially increase opportunities for enrichment and learning.
• Community engagement is a major goal of both the Richmond Public Library and GR!RVA.  Both organizations provide services to the community, but that service only counts if people can be reached.  It is the responsibility of both the library and GR! to inform the public of our purpose, mission, and services.  Both organizations rely heavily on grassroots support networks, newsletters, and social media to reach out to the community, and by partnering for year-round programming we hope to increase the visibility of both the library and GR! in the Richmond community.
•  Both organizations actively seek to combat discrimination and oppression in our community through free access to learning opportunities.
• Providing a safe and secure space for the expression of ideas is also a shared priority.
• Providing volunteer opportunities to interested adults, promoting community service.  
• Oh yeah - MUSIC!!!  The library has vast collections of sheet music, vinyl records, DVDs, CDs, books about music, music theory, and musicians and other formatted resources of all types and genres.  From James Brown to Vivaldi, it's here!  Girls Rock! engages young girls with music and promotes the idea that anyone can play, and anyone can appreciate music.  Rock camp isn't just about rock, it's about history, music appreciation, dancing, visual art, overcoming stage fright, questioning gender norms, confronting oppression, understanding simple time signatures (yes - math!!!), and the library houses resources to support these varied modes of learning and instruction.

Keep an eye out for our newsletter or pick up a Check It Out! brochure at your library branch to view upcoming programs.  You can also visit Richmond Public Library or Girls Rock! RVA on Facebook to get updates, or feel free to call us at (804) 646-7223!

Full disclosure:  I work for both the Richmond Public Library and Girls Rock! RVA.  Maybe you figured that out already.  Also, I am excited!

The People's Library Project Opening

The People's Library Project is a collaborative, sustainable, and interactive community art project spearheaded by Courtney Bowles and Mark Strandquist.  The project opening is this Friday evening, and we hope you will join us to take part and protect our histories.

From the project website (http://www.nomovement.com/People-s-LIbrary):

"The People's Library* is an ongoing collaborative project featuring libraries designed, built and authored by community members. The project transforms and re-purposes discarded books into blank canvasses for the production and exchange of local histories.

In Richmond, VA, at the Main Branch of the Richmond Public Library, a thousand blank books are being created for anyone in the community to check out, bring home, fill with their histories and bring back to the library to be included in the permanent collection. The resulting installation includes a thousand micro-monuments, becomes the real and symbolic meeting place for alienated publics, and offers sustainable, collective and critical alternatives for the form and function of public art.

While in some instances, public spaces and institutions have invited patron participation, it is often through internet based means. People's Library champions collective production as an avenue for face to face interaction between diverse publics. The project reflects the histories, needs, desires of local residents, and re-interprets public institutions as a space for production, meditation, and alternative education.

Individuals in youth programs at each library will co-facilitate a series of workshops. At each workshop, which are free and open to the public, participants will complete various tasks, engage in conversation about contemporary art, and learn functional creative skills[.]"

I had the pleasure of being present at one of the paper-making workshops with Mark and Courtney, and was impressed with their skill in working with young people.  So many pages were made, everybody had fun and got their hands dirty (almost everybody that is- I didn't want to stain my clothes, so I just took pictures!  Those are below).

Courtney and Mark were natural teachers.  I have witnessed their ability to articulate their project and its goals to children and adults alike, and this clarity and ease of expression, I think, underscores their passion and commitment to this project and the Richmond community.

So again - please join us this Friday 9/20 for the opening of the People's Library Project.  And stay tuned for more People's Library programming this November at Richmond Public Library!

Support the Library at Cultsha Xpo

Please help the Richmond Public Library!

 

Join us at the Cultsha Xpo on June 23 from 10am to 5pm at the Science Museum of Virginia. Cultsha Xpo is presented by CultureWorks to highlight area non-profit arts and culture organizations.

 

Be sure to register by June 11 as a new Cultural Shareholder (Cultsha) member, and earn $1.00 for the Richmond Public Library Foundation!

 

Register today at http://www.richmondcultureworks.org/  and use our special code RPL to credit the Library.

 

By registering as a Cultsha member of CultureWorks by June 11, not only will you help the Library, but you’ll also enjoy these terrific benefits on June 23:

• Free admission to the Science Museum of Virginia;
• Free performances from local arts and culture organizations;
• Free Cultsha bucks will be given to each registered Cultsha member to use at any of the booths of participating organizations. Any donations in Cultsha bucks received by the Library Foundation on June 23 will be matched in dollars by CultureWorks. A total of $75,000 will be distributed to Cultsha members for use with the participating organizations on June 23.

Can You Dig This-Growing Communities through Gardening @ RPL

Here at Richmond Public Library we have been playing with a lot of dirt and plants!  This year, RPL is implementing an assortment of gardening programs.

As part of the city's Green Richmond Initiative and with the partnership of Richmond Noir Market and Richmond Grows Gardens, there were six free instructional classes on urban agriculture at the North Avenue Branch.

This spring, the first Gardening Club for Tweens and Teens at the Main Library was established and it has been a great experience to see how interactive the kids were in the program. We had kids of all ages helping out while also learning many gardening techniques and using repurposed materials to create a garden platform. Marlene Sehen, our gardening expert, has helped a great deal with this program by talking to the kids about compost, herbs, vegetables, fruits and flowers among other things.

Even though the group will meet once a month, the kids will have the opportunity to help out throughout the weeks, especially with watering!

Our next meeting for the Teen Gardening Club is Monday, May 14th at 4pm.

We also brought back our Container Gardening program from last year due to its major success. A lot of people of all ages turned up at the Main Library. Marlene Sehen assisted us once again with this large group. 

As our gardening programs continue to progress, we hope to see you there!

Gardening@ your Library for Tweens and Teens

Hey Tweens and Teens!

Spring is here and this is the perfect time to start a garden. So why not do it at the Main Library?
Starting April 16th at 3pm on the veranda, the Main Library will be starting a Gardening Club for Tweens and Teens. Garden guru, Marleen Sehen, will give us a kick start on how to plant herbs, fruits and vegetables with resourceful materials. So if you are a Teen or Tween, bring your green thumb and help our Garden Grow!

Here at the library, we have many books, magazines and other resources on gardening, composting, and other topics to share with all gardeners in the community.

Gardening Resource:

Garden anywhere: how to grow gorgeous container gardens, herb gardens, kitchen gardens, and more, without spending a fortune by Ayls Fowler

Tips for container gardening: 300 great ideas for growing  flowers, vegetables, and herbs by Jennifer Renjilian Morris

 

Vertical gardening: grow up, not out, for more vegetables and flowers in much less space by Derek Fell

Homegrown herbs : a complete guide to growing, using, and enjoying more than 100 herbs by Tammi Hartung

 

Your farm in the city : an urban dweller's guide to growing food and raising livestock by Lisa Taylor

UNPACKING THE 2010 CENSUS: New Realities of Race, Class, and Jurisdiction

Join us at the RPL Main Library on Wednesday, April 11, 6:30 - 8:30 for Unpacking the 2010 Census: New Realities of Race, Class, and Jurisdiction. This program will help us examine the dramatically changing landscape of human needs and what we must do collectively to address the plight of our neighborhoods and to build a just and inclusive community. The Unpacking the 2010 Census program was conceived, researched and designed by Dr. John V. Moeser, a renowned urban planning expert, Senior Fellow at the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement at the University of Richmond, and a member of the Hope in the Cities Council.

In March of 2011, Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones launched his anti-poverty commission to focus on employment, education, transportation, and health.  Heroic efforts are being made by countless volunteers to address the consequences of our unequal systems, but as yet there has been no deliberate attempt to educate people on the underlying causes and alter the basic structures that would enable Richmond area residents to move out of poverty.

The Census project is presented in partnership with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities and is supported by a grant from The Community Foundation.

The project aims to:

-Provoke long-needed discussion about new policy options to address poverty and structural inequity in the region. The disparities in public education, access to transportation, healthcare, and affordable housing are rooted in the structures of our economic and political systems, and their historical context.

-Educate people on the underlying causes. This approach is unique in that it highlights the role that history has played in the current situation, and how we all have the power to make history ourselves, by taking action now to alter the basic structures that would enable Richmond area residents to move out of poverty.

-Create a grassroots domino effect where those who have taken part in a facilitated discussion will be empowered to share what they have learned with others in the community.

We want as many voices as possible in these discussions! Please call and reserve a space for what promises to be a rigorous and enlightening evening: 804-646-7223

"Why Children's Books" Exhibit

Did a children's book change your life? Do you have special childhood memories attached to a certain book? 

There is a wonderful exhibit coming to Richmond Public Library in April that explores the role of children's books in our lives. "Why Children's Books: Inspiring Generations" will feature essays from many notable Richmonders including Shaka Smart, Michael Rao, Alex Nyerges, Jack Spiro, Mayor Dwight Jones, Tim Kaine, Anne Holton, Jason Mraz, and many more. These essays are personal stories from all over Richmond on children's books that make a real difference. Each story illustrates the power of children's books and their ability to inspire us.



The exhibit will be displayed at the Main Library beginning April 12th and will be up until May 29th. The essays will also be available to view at RPL branches during the month of September. "Why Children's Books" was organized by the Friends of the Richmond Public Library, a volunteer-based group that supports library services and programs across our city.

Great Library Roadshow Visit Recap

We're so glad the Great Library Roadshow crew was able to stop by the Main Library for a tour and to interview some of our patrons and volunteers. We had a great time talking to them about our services and some of the innovative strategies popping up in libraries across the country. If you're interested in watching videos of the interviews the Roadshow folks conducted, check out their YouTube channel. They talked to volunteers, board members, staff, and other members of the RPL community. On the Digital Shift blog, our visitors will be discussing the trends they've witnessed during their road trip and what those trends mean for libraries and library services.

Library Journal’s Great Library Road Show is coming to Richmond

Hey, have you heard the really BIG NEWS? Library Journal’s Great Library Road Show is coming to Richmond.

The Library Journal road crew is traveling from Charlotte to Philadelphia and stopping along the way to see what libraries are doing to address the needs of their communities. They will be blogging and tweeting, taking pictures, and chatting with library patrons and staff. They want to know what the staff at Richmond Public Library is doing in response to what our patrons like and want. We know we are spectacular and provide great free programs like computer classes, job seekers’ services, gardening classes, genealogy workshops, Good Health seminars, Money Talks, concerts from local musicians, story times for children and families... not to mention that we keep an unending supply of information flowing through our city via books, DVD's, online databases, and more. But we want you, the members of our community, to come to the Main library and tell the Great Library Road Show crew (and us!) why you love libraries and especially the Richmond Public Library. We'll be recording your stories for our own “Story Corps” archives.

Please join us at the Main Library on Monday, March 12th from 4 to 6 pm to welcome our guests from Library Journal and to share your love for your library.

Some of our young patrons are so excited about the Great Library Road Show visit that they’re already working on messages about why they love Richmond Public Library:

Do you want to be a volunteer book giver?

World Book Night is an annual celebration to spread the joy of reading by giving paperback books. Apply by February 6 to volunteer and you may have the opportunity to encourage reading by giving away 20 copies of a popular book to new or reluctant readers in your community. The event will be held April 21, 2012.


Click on the link below to sign up.
http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/

Travel the world with VCU!

Diversity, Discussion, Desserts!

This event is hosted by VCU's Global Education Office. Virginia Commonwealth University is ranked one of the Top 100 Global Universities. The Global Education Office brings the world to VCU. VCU’s Global Education Office is your passport to the world.

Enjoy dessert with the Main Library and with VCU's Global Education Office and with VCU International students who will share their stories from their native countries. Become part of a diverse learning group and "travel" around the world as these students share their experiences and answer the questions that you have.

Held Tuesday December 6th at the Main Library from 1:30-3:00 pm, call ahead now to reserve your seat on this wonderful trip around the world.

African American Studies Community Course

We are so excited to host a six-week course on African-American studies that will be totally free and open to the public. Explore the history, culture, politics, and contemporary life of persons of African descent through lectures, films and discussions. These classes will be presented by Dr. Shawn Utsey, VCU Department of African American Studies and Afrikana Student Union, VCU. 

The first class starts this week on Wednesday, November 2nd at 6:30 PM. The topic for tomorrow's lecture is the American Voodoo Construct. Students will explore the Voodoo concept in American popular culture. Special guest, Dr. Iyelle Ichile, will help discuss the Voodoo Construct as a collection of images and rhetoric concerning African spirituality.

"This topic emerged as a result of several contemporary incidents of harsh material and social consequences meted out to followers of these faiths in place like Louisiana, Haiti, and even Ghana. 'Voodoo' is more a part of Euro-American folklore than any black religious tradition. As such, 'Voodoo' reflects both the racial ideologies and racialized nationalist anxieties of white America."   - Dr. Shawn Utsey

Classes will be held on Wednesdays from November 2nd through December 14 (except the Wednesday before Thanksgiving), from 6:30-8:30 PM at the Main Library. This is such a special opportunity for the Richmond community, and we hope to see many people in attendance. Please call Dr. Utsey at (804) 828-1384 with any questions.

Local Author Discusses Lewis Ginter

"Brian Burns tells the story of the man who was the first major marketer of the hand-rolled cigarette in the United States, developed the streetcar suburb of Ginter Park (and helped bring Union Theological Seminary, now Union Presbyterian Seminary, there) and built The Jefferson Hotel. And Burns does more. By using many original sources, he writes of details of Ginter's life that even longtime Richmond-history buffs may not know." --Richmond Times-Dispatch

Local author Brian Burns will be visiting RPL locations during the next three upcoming Saturdays to talk about his new book, Lewis Ginter: Richmond's Gilded Age Icon. Mr. Burns will share the evolution of his passion for Lewis Ginter. He will also discuss his research in uncovering Ginter's phenomenal career along with his inspiring, lifelong devotion to Richmond and its welfare.

Learn more about this Richmond icon and discover how Brian Burns delved into the fascinating life of Lewis Ginter. This program is scheduled at three branches on the following days:

• Main Library  -  Saturday, October 29th  -  2-3 PM
• Ginter Park Library  -  Saturday, November 5th   -  2-3 PM
• West End Library  -  Saturday, November 12th  -  2-3 PM

Disaster Preparedness Presentations

Natural and human caused disasters can strike suddenly, at any time and anywhere. But there are steps you can take to help make a difference before, after, and during these events. In an effort to help educate the Richmond community about the importance of disaster preparedness, The American Red Cross, Virginia Capital Region is teaming up with Richmond Public Library to offer a series of free presenations this fall.



Photo credit: The American Red Cross

October is National Fire Safety Month, and next week, four of our branches will host presentations on home and wild fire prevention and preparedness. The presentations from the Red Cross will provide your family with the knowledge to prevent fires in your home and also prepare for emergencies. November's presentations will focus on both pet safety and preparedness for winter storms.

As the nation's preeminent preparedness and safety training organization, the American Red Cross will be presenting information you can trust on topics that could save lives. Make the time to attend these worthwhile presentations:

House and Wild Fires

Belmont Library - Friday, October 21st - 11:00 am

Ginter Park Library - Monday, October 17th - 6:30 pm

West End Library - Monday, October 17th - 6:30 pm

Westover Hills Library - Monday, October 17th - 6:30 pm

Winter Storms and Pet Preparedness
Belmont Library - Friday, November 4th - 11:00 am
Ginter Park Library - Monday, November 21st - 6:30 pm
West End Library - Monday, November 21st - 6:30 pm
Westover Hills Library - Monday, November 21st - 6:30 pm

For more information on disaster preparedness and to find valuable disaster checklists, visit http://virginiacapitalredcross.org/.

Urban Gardening Resources

One of the hot topics in Richmond is urban gardening. The benefits of growing your own food are huge. It's healthier for you, the environment, and your wallet. Whether you have a big yard, a few feet of open space, or only a balcony or window, you can grow some of your own food. Now is the time to start planning your spring garden, and RPL is making it easier than ever for you to find the resources you need.

We're holding a very exciting container gardening workshop at three different library locations. The first workshop will be held at the Main Library next Saturday, February 26th, at 1 pm. Look for the class at Ginter Park Library on May 21st and at the West End Library on April 16th. They're being taught by local gardening expert, Marlene Sehen. You'll learn how container gardening can enhance your environment and your table, without breaking your budget. You do need to sign up for the workshop in advance, so call your branch to register.

We're also taking a look at our collection of gardening books to ensure local gardeners can get all the information they need. We've ordered a whole bunch of new titles that we think you're going to love. Here are a few of them:

Garden Anywhere
How to Grow Gorgeous Container Gardens, Herb Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, and More, Without Spending a Fortune
By Alys Fowler

Grow Great Grub
Organic Food From Small Places
By Gayla Trail

The Bountiful Container
A Container Garden of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible Flowers
By Rose Marie Nichols McGee and Maggie Stuckey

Fresh Food From Small Spaces
The Square-Inch Gardener's Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting
By R.J. Ruppenthal

The Virginia Gardener's Companion
An Insider's Guide to Low-Maintenance Gardening in Virginia
By Donna Williamson

The Urban Homestead

Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City

By Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen

So check out a book or attend one of our workshops to get inspired to start your own urban garden or maybe to improve the one you already have. If you don't find what you're looking for, ask a librarian (they'll be thrilled to fuel your spring fever). And if gardening's not your thing, there are lots of ideas in your library to get you started on any of your spring projects.

What's the library to you?

One reason I love libraries is that the library serves the whole community. It's not just children, it's not just 30-somethings or 50-somethings, it's not just people from work or from my immediate neighborhood -- it's people of all ages, people from all kinds of backgrounds and people with all kinds of interests.

As we have begun renovating our libraries (which means the branch library is closed for six months or so), it has been interesting to hear from people asking "when will the library reopen?" They all have different reasons why they're anxious to get back to the library.

Some have children or grandchildren who miss the picture books and programs. Some read a book or more a week, and they're anxious to get back to "my library" in their own neighborhood. Some need the computers or the assistance with computers that staff provide, because they need to communicate across the internet.

All of them, however, express in different ways that the library is an important aspect of their neighborhood and of their life. The common thread is that the library is a place that exemplifies important values for them. One mother of young children said that the library is a calming place. An older man said that the library is where everyone is nice - maybe not always on their best behavior, but behaving as if they respect you. A 40-ish woman said she's looking for a job, and the library is where people help you.

Isn't that great - a place where we are supported as a community to learn, to share, and to grow.

What's the library to you?