Blog Entries

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.

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.

Yesterday as part of the archives continuing Family History Hunter programs, members were taken on a tour of the archives.  Lorna Loring, Archives Associate, gave a brief outline of what a person might expect if they were to visit an archive in whatever place the researcher decides to go to.  Even though each library, archives or historical society will have its own rules the basic focus will be the same.  This is to preserve history and make it available to the public in some way.  So the following remarks are highlights of Lorna's presentation. 

Holiday time: it is a great time to be with family, friends or alone with your thoughts.  For most of us it is a hustle and bustle time of year and doing something “extra” might just put a person over the edge of sensibility!  So for me to suggest that this is a good time to do something involving genealogy might seem a little different.  In reality it is not, because holidays are the time in which people naturally gravitate towards remembrances.  So, if you are inclined, here are a few ideas that you might like:

This September, Handley Regional Library System, the American Library Association, and libraries around the nation will be celebrating Library Card Sign-up Month. Since 1987, Library Card Sign-Up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year and to encourage every child to sign up for a library card.

The Handley Regional Library System is thrilled to announce that effective immediately overdue fines will not accrue on most children’s materials – no matter the age of the person checking out the materials. These items include books, CD audiobooks, and DVDs.

Now Handley Regional Library patrons can hold the library in the palm of their hands! With a new mobile app, called MyLIBRO, Handley Regional Library System patrons have access to a variety of library resources through their mobile phones and tablets. The MyLIBRO app is already available through the App Store.

The Handley Regional Library System is excited to offer tours of the downtown Handley Library Branch on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 11 AM. This tour is FREE and open to the public. Meet on the Lower Level to start your tour at 11 AM.

The Handley Library branch tour will take you behind the scenes to all floors of the building. Learn about the unique architecture and amazing history of this beautiful library. Walk on the famous glass floors, and see the well under the stage.  

On July 20th, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to land on the moon and said his famous line. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” If you’d like to learn more about Armstrong, you can check out a biography we have about him: Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight by Jay Barbree. We also have some movies, too.

Our teen book spotlight this week is all about Possibilities of New Places!!!  We are exploring books that take place in either other countries, at sea, in outer space, and in some cases even at different schools such as a boarding school.  Books have this amazing ability to take us to numerous places, real or imagined, without even needing to leave our comfy reading nook as we need to take advantage of it as we can learn more about ourselves and others.  These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tags

Summer Reading is Underway... Don't miss these awesome, fun, and educational programs at each library location! 

Join us this summer for these special programs and earn badges on Beanstack!

"Science Heroes" with Talewise

Two unlikely heroes work together to save their town (and the planet) from a super-polluting mastermind! Together we’ll conduct experiments and more! All ages.

Monday, July 10, 11:00 AM, Clarke County Library

Monday, July 10, 2:00 PM, Bowman Library

Why Native Plants? 

For families with kids of all ages finding a “just right” book can be tricky. Handley Regional Library System staff offer numerous ways to help you and your reader try new genres or authors of books. Specifically, we have a service called BookMatch Junior! for ages 12 and under, which matches your reader with books to try based on a quick survey form you fill out. However, a generally good practice when helping to build strong readers in your home is the following:

In celebration of pets, May is recognized as National Pet Month. It’s a wonderful time to show a little extra appreciation for our furry friends, and books are always a great resource for everything, including learning something fun about your pets! 

Researching Common Surnames:

May 2022

My last name is Smith.  I have been told that our ancestors changed our surname before immigrating to the United States from Poland.  I have hesitated to attempt any research because I feel like I truly have a generic name.  Would it even be possible to learn anything about this family?

-A Researcher