Feel like you "don't get" poetry? Don't know your assonance from your anapest? Poetry for Dummies is an excellent place to start. It begins gently with "Reading and Understanding Poetry," then moves through some history of poetry and covers how to begin writing (and performing!) poetry yourself. There's something magical about having a poem memorized--you … Continue reading It’s April–Time to Fill Your Heart with Poetry!
It’s National Poetry Month at Reynolds Libraries!
That time of year you currently behold When verses rise to culture's highest top. We get our slam performances down cold And prep to recite Beowulf. (A bop!) If you are ready to imbibe the sweets Of sonnets and sestinas, you're in luck. Reynolds has scads of fine poetic treats-- Dive into our stacks and … Continue reading It’s National Poetry Month at Reynolds Libraries!
Ooooo-Ooooo, Witchy Women!
There was a time when calling a woman a witch was something of an insult. But now, there are scores of women who would happily accept that name, and would hope it were true. After all, there are MANY of us out there who are still hoping for that invitation to attend Hogwarts (not saying … Continue reading Ooooo-Ooooo, Witchy Women!
Fierce, Flawed and Fascinating–More Amazing (and Recent!) Female Characters
Our fantastic female characters for this Women's History Month installment are all smart, tough women caught up in horrific situations. They don't always make perfect choices--but let's face it, not many of us would when being stalked by a serial killer or a murderous necromancer! Jade Daniels of My Heart is a Chainsaw is an … Continue reading Fierce, Flawed and Fascinating–More Amazing (and Recent!) Female Characters
It’s Women’s History Month 2022 – Can We NOT Talk About Jane Eyre?
Is it possible to talk about strong female literary characters WITHOUT discussing characters from books written more than a hundred years ago? Sure, Jane Eyre/Jo March/Lizzie Bennett are all treasured characters, and they’re all certainly amazing, but can we please talk about some 20th and 21st century women? They’re pretty amazing too. To start this … Continue reading It’s Women’s History Month 2022 – Can We NOT Talk About Jane Eyre?
What Week is It?
It's National News Literacy Week! Most of us are inundated with information these days--social media floods us with news links every minute of the day. But which of those tweets, Tiktoks and Instagram posts are reliable? Which of the news outlets they're quoting are credible? Which are worth believing, "liking" and forwarding to your aunt? One easy … Continue reading What Week is It?
Library Monster Spotted on Friday Night
On Friday, Oct. 15, 2021 a ferocious "Library Monster" was spotted at the Reynolds Trunk-or-Treat behind the Parham campus in RVA. New library/ tutoring staffers Kelly Dalton & Rachel Partington tried to calm the curious but frightened crowd with bags of Halloween candy and Halloween bookmarks. Although many children and visitors witnessed the beast's height … Continue reading Library Monster Spotted on Friday Night
Autism Awareness Month
Autism Awareness Display at the Downtown Campus Library Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 54 children in the United States today. From: autismspeaks.org Autism isn’t a … Continue reading Autism Awareness Month
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Transgender Flag, designed by Monica Helms. November 20 marked the twenty-first annual Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), the day when we remember people who have been murdered because of transphobia. Started in 1999 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith to memorialize Rita Hester, TDoR grew to encompass all lives lost to anti-transgender bigotry and violence during the … Continue reading Transgender Day of Remembrance
Honoring Hispanic Heritage
Tonight, we wrap up National Hispanic American Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), in which we've celebrated Hispanic and Latin American culture and honored the contributions of the Latinx community in the US. It is timed to coincide with the dates that many Latin American countries shrugged off the yoke of European colonization and won their … Continue reading Honoring Hispanic Heritage