Blog Entries

Do you know the story of Rebecca Wright and Thomas Laws?  They aided Union General Philip Sheridan with information regarding Confederate General Jubal Early’s troop movements in and around the Winchester area.  Rebecca Wright, a Winchester school teacher with loyalty to the union, would collect intelligence about troop movements and pass that information along to Thomas Laws.  He was an enslaved man who would carry that intelligence to Union scouts.  The information provided by Rebecca Wright and transported by Thomas Laws was crucial to Sheridan’s decision to attack Wi

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:

Our Middle Grade book spotlight this week is focused on  books that have recently been added to our collection meaning they are new!!!!  New books are the best; they have a new book smell and there is just something about being one of the first people to read it.  There is a great mix of fiction titles; there is literal

Our teen book spotlight this week is focused on books that have recently been added to our collection meaning they are new!!!!  New books are the best; they have a new book smell and there is just something about being one of the first people to read it.  We are featuring some amazing fiction this time including fantasy, nov

Join us Saturday, September 23rd for some fun activities that teach you "how-to" do new things such as how to save seeds, how to go on a real life treasure hunt by geocaching, or even how to make a button! 

Here's how the day will work: 

Stations and workshops will be set up all around the library, providing you with opportunities to pick and choose the activities that interest you. If you aren't at a scheduled workshop, you can stop by one of our many stations for a laid back how-to demonstration. 

10:30 AM

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. 

A Little Noon Music will be back for the 2024/2025 season on September 13, 2024 at Bowman Library. Stay tuned to our website for more dates and times!

Questions? Email Gina Byrd at friends@handleyregional.org for more info.

Our middle grade book spotlight this week is books that take place at a summer camp!!!  It is that time of year that individuals set off for summer camps which focus on a variety of missions and goals and we have books that do the same exact thing meaning we can go to summer camp without even needing to leave our bedrooms. 

Our teen book spotlight this week is on books that take place at a summer camp!!!  It is that time of year that individuals set off for summer camps which focus on a variety of missions and goals and we have books that do the same exact thing meaning we can go to summer camp without even needing to leave our bedrooms.  We ha

Handley Regional Library System is pleased to announce the upcoming "Rockin' the Library" event on June 29th from 4:30 to 6:30 PM at Handley Library. The event is a partnership with the Shenandoah University Children's Literature Conference and promises fun for the whole family.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet famous authors and illustrators, including Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Matthew Cordell, Edward Hemingway, and LeUyen Pham. A parade will feature the authors and also surprise book character friends will also take place in front of the library.

Our middle grade book spotlight this week is books that have the word “summer” in their titles!!!  To help us kick off these summer months filled with reading, we are exploring books that have “summer” in the titles to give us some inspiration and that summer feel.

Our teen book spotlight this week is on books that have the word “summer” in their titles!!!  To help us kick off these summer months filled with reading, we are exploring books that have “summer” in the titles to give us some inspiration and that summer feel.

A notable perk of parenting or grandparenting toddlers is the introduction to the existence of Sandra Boynton board books. To find board books such as hers that are both engaging for young children and entertaining for adults is no trivial thing. In fact, it is worthy of an ode, an ode to Sandra Boynton. Merriam- Webster includes this definition for ode: “something that shows respect for or celebrates the worth or influence of another.”  

African American genealogy research can be a challenge, especially before 1870 and emancipation. Have you hit a brick wall? This month's Family History Hunters program on June 8th at 12:30pm in the Benham Gallery at Handley Library will feature a presentation from Brenda Burton Nelson, who has broken through barriers and uncovered her and her husband's genealogy. She will present a case study about how she was able to break down brick walls and find her husband’s ancestors.