Blog Entries

Handley Regional Library System will be presenting three epic programs for kids at the Handley Library Branch in October: Girls Who Code Club, Handley Harvest Hoedown, and FrankenToys.

We will be presenting an Adulting 101 Workshop Series for patrons ages 16-21 at the Handley Library branch in the Benham Gallery from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM on various Saturdays. The series theme is “I’m an Adult, Now What?” This bi-monthly workshop series is designed to prepare teens and young adults for the future of adulthood and the workforce. From budgeting tips to big loads of laundry, patrons will leave with new skills, tricks of the trade from professionals in the field, and earn prizes along the way.

The Friends of Handley Regional Library System will be presenting an informative and entertaining talk with author Robert Linkous in the Handley Robinson Auditorium at the Handley Library branch on October 6, 2021 in person at 6:30 PM. The program is entitled “Southern Fried Russia: From Communism to KFC.”

Handley Regional Library System will be presenting an Extracurricular Activities Fair in the Handley Library Children’s Room on September 18, 2021, from 2 PM to 4 PM for all ages. 

Do you know what activity you're doing after school this year? Find out at this open house event. Ask questions, try out the activity, and get price breakdowns from local community organizations all in one convenient place. 

Some of the organizations in attendance include: 

National Library Card Signup Month runs Sept. 1-Sept. 30. Getting a library card is free and easy. Just stop by with an ID or a utility bill with your current address. Everyone knows you can borrow books from the library with your library card, but did you know there are many other ways to save money with your library card? Here are 12 of them:

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month nationwide, and Handley Regional Library System will be celebrating all month long. Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. During the month, the American Library Association and libraries unite in a national effort to ensure every child signs-up for their own library card.

HRLS will be presenting a very special celebration at the Bowman Library branch in the Children’s Room on September 11, 2021, at 11 AM for young children who completed the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge.

Handley Regional Library System will be presenting a fun, educational wildlife program in the Handley Robinson Auditorium at the Handley Library branch on July 23, 2021 in-person at 2 PM for kids, teens, and families as part of their youth summer reading program “Tails and Tales”.

Our digital collection just got better! Starting June 23, 2021, library patrons have even more to love about the digital collection on hoopla. Hoopla is a web and mobile library media streaming platform that allows you to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, eBooks, comics, and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, or phone, even your TV. 

New hoopla Flex Borrows!

Handley Regional Library System is thrilled to be celebrating the 20^th anniversary of the Mary Jane and James L. Bowman Library, which opened to the public on July 16, 2001. An anniversary celebration will be held on Saturday, July 17, at Bowman Library from 11 AM to 1 PM. The festivities will include a live, old-time music jam session, so community members are encouraged to bring an instrument and join the fun, or just come to enjoy the music.

In conjunction with the 2021 Adult Summer Reading Program, library staff held a series of virtual workshops about Exploring the Library to help patrons best utilize the library and its resources. 

Programs in this series focused on Library platforms that provide digital content to our patrons including eBooks, Audiobooks, Magazines, Music, Comics, and streaming video. The three platforms explored were Libby (for iOS and Android, Hoopla, and Amazon Kindle).

Below is a list of the workshops with a link to the video recordings of each.

As 2020 nears its end, we reflect on the challenges we all faced.

As one year ends and we look forward to the next, we hope this letter finds you and your family well. Handley Regional Library System is proudly wrapping 2022 on a high note. Having overcome an extended period of global challenges, we are excited to be planning for the future. Our goal is to provide more programming, greater electronic resources, expanded outreach opportunities, and even more effective collaboration with our outstanding community partners.

The Show Must Go On!

When you think about public library offerings for patrons, material books are usually the first thing that comes to mind. Handley Regional Library System has a lesser known collection of unique DVD movies donated by partner Winchester Alamo Film Club that would satisfy even the greatest fan of cult, foreign, and independent films.

The American Library Association (ALA) has compiled great resources for parents and caregivers to help children navigate these challenging times in a campaign called #LookToLibraries.

Click here to access a Media Mentorship’s Tip Sheet. Look to a children’s library professional for help finding excellent resources to help monitor children and digital devices and their content.