Starting Thursday, March 27, through Monday, March 31, the Handley Library parking lot will be closed for paving.
🔹 Book returns will not be accessible during this time.
🔹 Curbside pickup will be unavailable.
🔹 Please plan accordingly and return materials inside the library during open hours.
We appreciate your patience as we improve our parking lot! 📚🚗
We created the Staff Picks Newsletter to showcase books and media hand-picked by our staff. During the month of February, I asked our staff members to tell me all about their favorites. This first installment has just that. I received a wide range of responses, including fiction, nonfiction, movies, TV series, and music.
Great news! We are excited to announce that patrons now have access to all hoopla BingePasses! If you love digital entertainment, learning, and exploring new topics, this is your golden ticket to unlimited access—completely free with your library card.
Planning a trip can be overwhelming, especially when traveling to a new country. Luckily, AtoZ World Travel, available in our eLibrary, makes it easier than ever to prepare for your journey! This incredible database offers comprehensive travel guides for 202 cities worldwide, covering everything from cultural etiquette to must-see attractions.
Here are five reasons why AtoZ World Travel should be your go-to travel resource:
Are you a teen gamer or puzzle aficionado? Then the library is the place to find your people! All three branches in the system have a variety of gaming and puzzling opportunities with which to engage. From Handley’s Board Gaming Guild, to the Puzzle Tournament at Bowman there really is something for everyone.
Did you know that your library has resources to help you prepare for the SAT, ACT, and AP exams? Read on to learn how we can help you make taking these tests a little less stressful.
As we kick off a new year with new reading goals, I am highlighting some of my favorite reads of the past year. In my new role as Teen Services Associate, I'd love to hear from you. What are some of your favorite reads of 2024? Click here to share some of your favorite reads from the past year or so. I'll put together a spotlight featuring our teen Patrons' Picks! In the meantime, take a look at some of mine.
Are you ready for some thrilling updates? Handley Regional Library System has expanded our streaming video resource offerings, Kanopy, and there’s never been a better time to dive in!
Kanopy now offers access to over 30,000 new titles, including:
Libby, the popular library reading app from OverDrive, is changing how people connect with books. If you haven’t tried reading with Libby through the Handley Regional Library System, now is the time! Here are 10 reasons why downloading Libby will be your best literary decision yet.
Are you a fan of the classics and looking for a new book to read? Or maybe you’re reading a classic for school and stuck on the old-timey language? Either way, the library has a great selection of classic rewrites that will expand on stories you already know or help you relate to more modern characters and conflicts. Check out our selection of classic rewrites that will make you fall in love with stories based on authors like Shakespeare and Jane Austen!
Our teen book spotlight this week is focused on graphic novels!!! Graphic novels are incredibly visual stories that can feature pretty much anything fiction and nonfiction. Done in the style of comic books, there is a huge variety of choices; literally something for everyone so even if you have never read one before, you will definitely be able to find something. For our talk this week, we have a great selection of nonfiction, fantasy, historical, humor, and realistic to get you started.
Our teen book spotlight this week is taking a look at Mysteries!!! There are so many different types of mystery books available that there is literally something for everyone’s tastes! Some are straight mystery/detective stories while others are more suspenseful and thrilling; mysteries are usually cross genre as well meaning that not only is there a mystery element, but there may also be some fantasy, science fiction, or historical elements as well. We have a great selection this week from realistic to fantasy, murder mysteries and crime solving so you will either find so
When you think of youth programming at the library, you probably think about storytimes and puppets and all sorts of things for younger kids. But did you know that the library offers programs for teens, as well? Read on to learn about a few of the activities you can get involved with!
Bowman Library
Winchester, VA — The Handley Regional Library System is proud to announce the impressive statistics from the 2023-2024 fiscal year, underscoring its vital role in the community and its ongoing commitment to providing accessible resources and services to patrons of all ages.
Over the past year, the Handley Regional Library System's three locations—Handley Library, Bowman Library, and Clarke County Library—welcomed 365,992 visitors, reflecting the vibrant engagement with our libraries. Key highlights from the year include:
Historical Fiction
Discover quick listen historical fiction favorites that explore the complexity of the human condition, like The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, on @hoopladigital. https://www.hoopladigital.com/collection/5558
Mystery
Check out @hoopladigital's quick-listen mystery, suspense, and thrillers that will keep you on the edge of your seat. https://www.hoopladigital.com/collection/5552
There are so many new YA non-fiction books covering such a wide variety of topics that you are guaranteed to find something that interests you! Here are a few examples:
Waiting patiently for the next book in your favorite YA series? Find out which books have already been released and are available at the library and which you’ll have to wait a little bit longer for. Be sure to check out our Suggest a Title feature on the Handley Regional Library website that allows you to request books not yet in the library’s catalog.
Our teen book spotlight this week is on some of our favorite staff pick reads!!! To help us kick off these summer months filled with reading, we are sharing some of our favorite books so you can have some amazing titles to help you get started or to help you get out of a reading slump if that is where you find yourself. We have a great mixture of nonfiction, realistic, first in a series and more so there is something for everyone or maybe something to read outside of your book comfort zone!
Are you ready to embark on a summer filled with adventure and discovery? Join us for the Rally for Reading, the exciting kickoff event for our Youth Summer Reading Program, themed “Adventure Begins at Your Library.” This year, we’re thrilled to host our kickoff celebrations at each of our three library branches. Mark your calendars and get ready for a season of fun, learning, and exploration!
Our teen book spotlight this week is all about featuring some more amazing YA nonfiction titles! It can be easy to think that nonfiction is boring but these titles are the complete opposite of that thought; we have everything from true crime to war history and
The last day of school is right around the corner. Summer break is almost here. We have lots of resources to help keep you busy this summer.
Looking for an epic summer adventure? Look no further than your local library! Here are 10 reasons why you should dive into the excitement at our library system this summer:
Youth Summer Reading Program: Join us for a summer of literary exploration with our Youth Summer Reading Program! Dive into captivating stories, embark on thrilling adventures, and earn exciting rewards along the way.
Welcome to National Library Week, a time when communities across the nation join hands to celebrate the cornerstone of knowledge, inspiration, and community: libraries. At Handley Regional Library System, we're thrilled to be part of this annual celebration, and we invite you to join us in commemorating the incredible contributions libraries make to our lives. This year's theme, "Ready, Set, Library!" embodies the excitement and readiness to explore the myriad offerings libraries provide. Here are ten ways you can celebrate National Library Week with us:
Our teen book spotlight this week is all about books that have been nominated for the Virginia Reader’s Choice (VRC) High School award for the 2024-2025 school year!! The VRC award was started back in the 1980s with the goal being that students across the state
Handley Library branch has achieved KultureCity® Certification as a Sensory InclusiveTM space. This certification marks a significant step forward in the library's commitment to providing an inclusive environment for all patrons, including those with sensory processing needs.
Our teen book spotlight this week is on books that were published in 2014 and are celebrating their 10th birthday! I do not know what was in the water, air, or universe that year but there were so many amazing titles and authors to come out of that year of publishing that books we read today are still inspire
As the cold of winter melts away and the warmth of spring begins to blossom, the Handley Regional Library System is abuzz with excitement for our upcoming theme: "Spring into the Library." With an array of enriching programs and events lined up, there's no better time to embrace the spirit of the season and dive into the world of literature, music, culture, and community. Here are 10 compelling reasons why you should make the library your go-to destination this spring:
What are “Tough Topics” for young adults? Challenging topics that occur during young adulthood and can be hard to discuss and hard to understand
Tough Topics include: abortion, pregnancy, abuse, dating, sex, self-harm, bullying, addiction, cancer, grief, mental health and illness, eating disorders, racism, sexual identity and orientation, rape, suicide, homelessness, incarceration, and more
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 in
All materials are available through our catalog. Put it on hold if it's unavailable, and we'll call you when it's here!
Did you know that you can stream or download lots of great Young Adult audiobooks for free on Hoopla with your library card?
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, phone, or TV.
Check out these titles and find many more on Hoopla!
(Summaries provided by Hoopla)
The Handley Regional Library System is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its new, permanent StoryWalk® around the picturesque lake adjacent to Bowman Library. This exciting initiative was made possible through the generous support of the Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge, Winchester, and Frederick County Parks and Recreation.
10 Reasons Yoga is Good for Children and How the Library Can Help
Our teen book spotlight this week is on books that are some of my favorite reads of 2023!!!
Teens, are you looking for your next great read or maybe stuck in a reading rut? If you happen to be in downtown Winchester doing holiday shopping this month stop by the Handley branch and check out our genre booklets. We have booklets for over a dozen genres. You'll find Realistic Fiction, Fantasy, Heroes, Romance, Sci-Fi, and many more.
Our teen book spotlight this week is on books that are filled with spooks and scares!!
We've started showing books and more in our catalog immediately after they've been ordered! You can tell what's on its way to our shelves by the "on order" status.
Now you can put a hold on whatever exciting new release you're waiting for! Just remember it might take a little longer before your "on order" hold is ready for pickup than if it was already on the shelf - but we are behind the scenes hard at work getting it ready to put it into your hands!
Our teen book spotlight this week is focused on graphic novels!!! Graphic novels are incredibly visual stories that can feature pretty much anything and this week we are focusing on nonfiction. Done in the style of comic books, there is a huge variety of choices; literally something for everyone so even
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
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 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.
Our Teen book spotlight this week is the fourth and final part of a series we have been working through over the course of our past spotlights! Over the past few weeks, we have worked our way through the alphabet as we use letters for inspiration as each title starts with the next letter in order. This week we are moving o
The Handley Regional Library System is excited to announce the "Rally for Reading" kickoff event for the 2023 Summer Reading Program, with the theme "All Together Now." This year is special, as there will be unique celebrations at all three branches!
Our Teen book spotlight this week is the third part of a series we have been working through over the course of our past spotlights! Over the next few weeks, we will be working our way through the alphabet as we use letters for inspiration as each title starts with the next letter in order. This week we are moving on to th
In honor of National Library Week, Handley Regional Library System announces a week-long celebration at its three branches: Bowman Library, Handley Library, and Clarke County Library. From April 23-29, the libraries will offer a variety of activities and events that highlight the importance of libraries in our communities.