Westover Branch Library, Arlington Public Library

03/17/2020

Arlington VA Public Library

Arlington VA Public Library

In an effort to help slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), Arlington Public Library is closing all locations as of Tuesday, March 17, 9 p.m.

We made this decision to support the overall health and wellness of our community and for the safety of our patrons and staff.

Fines
• All fines and due dates for physical items are suspended until further notice.

Returns
• All book drops are closed at this time.
• Please keep library items at home until we can resume Library operations.

Holds
• Holds on physical items have been disabled in the catalog and Library App until further notice.
• Holds are available on items in the eCollection. Note: OverDrive holds no longer check out automatically. When you receive a notification that your hold is available, go to your Overdrive account Holds page to borrow the item.

Library Accounts
• Any library cards expiring between March 1 and May 1 now expire on June 1.

eCollection
• Available 24/7 with your library card.

This was a difficult decision, as we care deeply about serving the public. Closing the library to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 is the responsible thing to do, and the best way to serve our patrons - many of whom are at high risk. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

01/07/2020

Congratulations Hollis!

On the last day of 2019, Hollis and his sister Adelise finished 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. Great job kiddos - may the new year be full of many more great books!

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a library program that encourages Arlington families and caregivers to read with their young children, and helps them get ready to learn to read. Learn more: https://library.arlingtonva.us/1000-books-before-kindergarten/

01/07/2020

Congratulations Adelise!

On the last day of 2019, Adelise and her brother Hollis finished 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. Great job kiddos - may the new year be full of many more great books!

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a library program that encourages Arlington families and caregivers to read with their young children, and helps them get ready to learn to read. Learn more: https://library.arlingtonva.us/1000-books-before-kindergarten/

12/18/2019

Arlington VA Public Library

Arlington VA Public Library

What is it about a library that keeps its patrons coming back for more, year after year?

We’ve collected some of our favorite 2019 moments at Arlington Public Library in a short video — from storytime with the Washington Nationals, to opening our new Makerspace, to launching the Grab & Go express collection. Watch with the sound on :)

Thank you all for helping to make this another great year!

10/11/2019

Friday, October 11, marks the 31st anniversary of National Coming Out Day, an annual observance to raise awareness of the interests and rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. Arlington Public Library is honoring this date by displaying Pride flags at all of our locations.

Library Director Diane Kresh writes this week, "As a gay person, National Coming Out Day holds personal significance.
I take it personally when we discover pages in our Library’s children’s books about gay moms and dads have been deliberately torn or defaced.
I take it personally when a patron writes me and tells me that the Library’s Pride Month book displays promote sexually deviant behavior.
And I take it personally when a patron threatens to trash a branch library because it has displayed the Pride flag.
As an Arlington County leader, my support of National Coming Out Day means that I encourage Library staff to show up at work as they truly are — proudly and without fear of consequence.
As a public library director, National Coming Out Day reminds me that each day in a library is coming out day. Libraries are judgement free zones – safe spaces that welcome all who enter their doors, regardless of beliefs, preferences, country of origin, age, income status or appearance.
And as a gay person, National Coming Out Day affirms a commitment I made to myself: to respect and honor my choices and to be who I am, this day and every day."

08/27/2019

We're delighted to be showing Nataliya Gurshman's Paintings, on exhibit at the Westover Branch Library from August 27 - October 14, 2019.

Step into the Westover Branch Library this weekend and chill out with paintings by Nataliya Gurshman, the next artist on exhibit in Westover's display space.

Originally from the northern part of the former Soviet Union, Gurshman's love for winter and snow, as well as nature, can be seen in her work. Many of her pieces are inspired either by a real place or her childhood memories and emotions.
Learn more on the Library website: https://library.arlingtonva.us/2019/08/27/nataliya-gurshman-paintings/

07/04/2019

All Arlington Public Library locations will be closed Thursday, July 4.

06/26/2019

Arlington VA Public Library

As of July 1, 2019, the Library will automatically renew eligible materials checked out to library cardholders. Renewal limits for eligible items have also increased to three (3) renewals.

All patrons are automatically enrolled; there is no need to sign up for this new service.

How do Automatic Renewals work?
- Any items on your account that are eligible for renewal will now auto-renew 3 days before their due date.
- Auto-renewal sets the new due date from the original due date. For example, items due July 1 will be renewed on June 28, and the new due date will be July 22 (for books and other 21-day materials) or July 8 (for DVDs and other 7-day materials).
- Courtesy notices will reflect which items in your account did or didn't auto-renew, and the corresponding due dates.
- You can still renew eligible items at any time via the Library app or Library website.

Items may not Auto-Renew if:
- The item does not allow renewals
- The item is part of the eCollection
- The item has a hold (another patron is waiting for it)
- The item has reached its renewal limit (3 renewals)
- Your card is expired
- You have fees of $15 or more on your account
- An overdue notice has been sent for one or more items currently checked out on your account

If items on your account cannot be renewed, you will receive a courtesy notice with due dates before those items are due.

06/07/2019

Arlington VA Public Library

Is your little one missing the usual storytime routine this month? During June our preschool storytimes take a break, but the children's librarians - like Pat and Kate, photographed here talking to kids at Tuckahoe Elementary - are extra busy visiting all of Arlington's elementary schools.

They share great new books, promote the value and fun of reading during the summer, and get kids excited about Summer Reading!

Summer preschool storytimes start Sunday, June 23. We look forward to seeing you then!

Photo thanks to Tuckahoe Elementary School Library.

05/01/2019

Christina Girardi: paintings on exhibit at the Westover Branch Library, Tuesday April 16 - Monday June 10, 2019.

Christina Girardi is an artist who grew up in the Washington, DC area and works as an artist in Arlington, VA, continuing to draw inspiration from her hometown. With a focus on local landscapes and portraiture, her approach incorporates the freshness of observation from life, with a unique perspective that inspires new ways of looking.

01/22/2019

Arlington VA Public Library

Arlington VA Public Library

Do you paint, take photos, weave, sculpt or make other kinds of art or craft? Submit your work for an exhibit at the Library!

The Arlington Public Library displays the work of individuals and local groups, created by and/or of interest to the Arlington community.

Learn more, including how to submit your work through our online application process, on our Opportunities for Artists page: https://library.arlingtonva.us/opportunities-for-artists/

01/13/2019

All Arlington Public Library locations are closed Sunday, Jan, 13 due to the ongoing snow.

Any physical items that were previously due back to the Library on Sunday, Jan. 13 are now due Monday, Jan. 14. Holds set to expire on January 14 are extended to January 15.

12/31/2018

All Arlington Public Library locations will close at 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 31, and be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 1, for New Years Day.

See you in 2019!

12/20/2018

Westover welcomed Winter in style yesterday, with stories and crafts!

12/20/2018

Arlington Public Library 2018 Impact Report

Think you know what your public library does? We’ve collected some of the best moments from our 2018 Impact Report to share with you, including some heartwarming images and surprising facts (watch with the sound on, it's better - and we're not crying, you're crying).

12/06/2018

Do you love the book "Boy + Bot"?
Stop by Westover anytime this month to share your dream robot with us - and to see everyone else's creations!

12/03/2018

Tom Dickinson: Photographs - Windows to the Past: Arlinton, Then and Now - On exhibit at the Westover Branch Library, November 6, 2018 - January 14, 2019.

The exhibit is a compilation and comparative arrangement of historical, documentary photographs of residential and commercial buildings in Arlington that all have been demolished – and the structures that replaced them in the exact location. The desired effect is to give the viewer some focused sense of just how much Arlington has changed, and is changing, for better or worse. The photographs document a time span from the late 1800s and early 1900s (when most of the original buildings were constructed), to the present.

11/12/2018

Arlington VA Public Library

Arlington VA Public Library

All Arlington Public Library locations are closed Monday, Nov. 12 in observance of Veterans Day.

10/08/2018

Submit your entry on the Library Website now for the 2018 LEGO Creations Exhibit!
Open to builders age 18 and under, or teams with a member under age 18.
Deadline Wednesday, Oct. 24
https://library.arlingtonva.us/2018/09/19/2018-lego-exhibit-call-for-entries/

09/04/2018

Westover Branch Library, Arlington Public Library

08/29/2018

Arlington VA Public Library

Teachers aren't the only folks in Arlington who are getting ready for school to start next week!

08/23/2018

Today's sign...

08/16/2018

Arlington VA Public Library

Congratulations to Bobby, the latest kiddo at the Westover Branch Library to complete 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten!

And congratulations also to Kate, our new children's librarian at Westover - Bobby is the first child she has been honored to add to the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Hall of Fame!

06/12/2018

New Library App Feature: Your Digital Library Card!

Now you can use your Library App at self-checkout stations, just like a regular library card.

You can find your Digital Library Card by going to your user account screen in the app, and tapping the "My Digital Library Card" button at the bottom of the menu list. This brings up a virtual library card with your card number, and a scannable barcode that can be used at all self-checkout stations.

The Library App is available for iOs and Android devices. Download the app by searching "Arlington Public Library" in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

05/28/2018

Arlington VA Public Library

All Library locations are closed Monday, May 28, in observance of Memorial Day.

04/11/2018

Have you heard about Westover's new Family Storytime, from 6:30 - 7 p.m. on Wednesday nights?

For families with kids of all ages, this fun and interactive program combines activities such as read-aloud stories, songs, rhymes, fingerplays and flannel boards, and introduces children to listening skills, picture books, the library, and the joy of reading.
Families are encouraged to participate together, and to borrow related materials to enjoy at home.

No registration is required, but attendance is first-come, first-served. Call the Westover Branch at 703-228-5260 for more information.

03/29/2018

Arlington VA Public Library

Jack is super excited to show you that he has just finished 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten - earning him a copy of "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie," and (with the help of all the adults who read those 1,000 books to him) getting him ready to learn to read!

#1000booksbeforekindergarten #kidsatthelibrary

03/21/2018

Arlington VA Public Library

Arlington VA Public Library

Due to the winter storm expected to hit our area this morning, all Arlington Public Library locations are closed today. 🌨️🌨️

But you know the Library never really closes...

With your library card, an internet connection and our eCollection, you can:
- Borrow eBooks, eaudiobooks and digital magazines (OverDrive, hoopla and RBdigital)
- Listen to the Great Courses (RBdigital) or music (hoopla or Alexander Street Press)
- Research your appliance purchase (Consumer Reports), your investments (Morning Star) or your medication's side effects (Health and Wellness Resource Center)

And you can do it all at anytime, from anywhere!

We hope you enjoy your snow day, and we look forward to seeing you again soon in person ☃️

https://library.arlingtonva.us/ecollection/

03/02/2018

Arlington VA Public Library

Because Arlington Public Schools are closed Friday, March 2 due to unusually high winds and power outages, all preschool storytimes and other Youth Services programs are also canceled.

It is Library policy that, for safety, Library children’s programs are canceled when Arlington Public Schools are closed for inclement weather.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

02/19/2018

Arlington VA Public Library

Arlington VA Public Library

All Arlington Public Library locations are closed Monday, Feb. 19 for George Washington Day.

01/15/2018

The Story of Arlington Public School Desegregation

The Story of Arlington Public School Desegregation

01/09/2018

https://library.arlingtonva.us/winter-reading/

Join our Winter Reading Challenge this month, and start your year off right! Read 3 books by the end of January and you'll help support First Book, an organization that provides new books and learning materials to children in need.
(You might also win prizes!)

Sign up on the Library website (link in the comments)

01/09/2018

Arlington VA Public Library

We had to cancel all of our kids programs Monday afternoon because of the wacky weather, so here is a photo of Penelope holding one of her favorite books - it was taken back in November at Westover, when she finished 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten.

Belated congratulations Penelope, and thank you for helping to cheer up our gloomy day!

01/08/2018

Weather Alert: Monday, Jan. 8

UPDATE: Due to the inclement weather, all Library programs are canceled as of 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 8.

Stay tuned for more information.

01/04/2018

On Tuesday evening we sipped hot chocolate and learned the fine art of writing Thank You notes. Happy New Year from the Westover Branch Library!