December 2025
In This Issue:

Memory Lab
Cozy Movie Nights
Curated Winter Reads on Libby
Read Up Richmond: Help Us Choose
Highlighted Events
All Events
Richmond Public Library Foundation
Online Store
Our Holiday Message to You
Sign Up for Our Newsletters
Library Closings
Memory Lab
Capture Your Family's Memories This Holiday Season! 
The holidays often bring out old photos, often-told stories, and warm memories that reconnect us. It’s an ideal time to preserve your family’s history for the future. If you’re visiting loved ones, take a moment to ask whether they have photos, videos, or stories they’d like to save or share — you may uncover meaningful items waiting to be digitized.
 
At the Main Library’s Memory Lab, you can convert nearly any format, from Kodachrome slides and VHS tapes to audio-recorded oral histories, into an accessible digital file. Digitizing keeps your materials safer, easier to organize, and ready to share with family and friends near and far
 
If you’d rather work at home, the Memory Lab also offers Personal Archiving Kits (PAKs) for checkout with your library card. Each PAK includes tools such as a digital camera, audio recorder, and portable scanner to help you capture stories, photos, and special moments — whether you’re gathering in your living room or around the neighborhood. 
 
This season, help preserve the moments and stories that connect your loved ones across generations, ensuring they can be shared from one gathering to the next. Memory Lab appointments and PAKs are limited, so reserve yours today.
 
Cozy Movie Nights
Handpicked Movie Collections for Chilly Nights
those chilly nights at home
Cozy up this winter with a movie marathon made easy! Our library staff have specially curated binge-worthy DVD collections just for grownups. Choose a category and we’ll select five films for you to enjoy during those chilly nights at home.
 
Home Viewing for the Holidays
 
Prefer to stream from home? Explore Kanopy’s Home Viewing for the Holidays playlist. This handpicked collection is filled with holiday cheer and entertainment for the whole family. It’s the perfect way to get into the spirit this season!
 
Curated Reads on Libby
Best of the Best
Here are some of 2025’s most celebrated books—hailed by Barnes & Noble, Time, Publishers Weekly, and more.
To Smithereens by Rosalyn Drexler   Victorian Psycho (Spanish Edition) by Virginia Feito   Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian   Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan   We Do Not Part by Han Kang
 
Dark Reads for Darker Nights
These books all have something in common: the word “dark.” Ideal reading for long, dark winter nights.
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu   The Dark We Know by Wen-Yi Lee   The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry That Forged the Medieval World by Shelley Puhak   The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld by Jamie Bartlett   A Dark and Secret Place: A Thriller by Jen Williams
 
 
Read Up Richmond: Help Us Choose
We’re still riding the wave of excitement from Read Up Richmond 2025, but planning is already underway for next year’s event. We’d love to hear from you as we start considering titles for 2026.
 
Please take a moment to answer our quick two-question survey and help us determine the next Read Up Richmond selection!”
 
Highlighted Events
Author Talk with Abu Hudhayfah Edwards
Saturday, December 6, 1:00 PM
Hull Street Branch
 
Meet Sumayah and Halla, the two fictional sisters who grew up in the Sahara where they lived the simple Bedouin life. They are the subjects of the new inspirational book by Abu Hudhayfah Edwards, A Tale of Two Sisters: Dreamers of the Desert.
Know Your Rights! - Police and ICE Interactions
Wednesday, December 10, 6:00 PM
Virtual
 
This workshop will highlight civil rights, police and ICE interactions, 4th Amendment protections, warrant requirements, filming police in public, and other relevant laws regarding your constitutional rights. Registration required.
Gently Used Toy Swap
Saturday, December 13, 11:00 AM
Belmont Branch
 
Refresh your toy bin the eco-friendly and budget-happy way by swapping toys with other community members! Bring your cleaned, gently used toys in good to excellent condition for others to "shop", and in exchange you can pick out "new" toys to bring home. Registration required.
Cybersecurity Awareness Series: Artificial Intelligence 101
Saturday, December 6, 11:00 AM
Main Library
 
This beginner-friendly course is designed to provide a solid foundation in Artificial Intelligence (AI), helping you understand how it works and how it’s shaping the world around us.
From the Lighthouses: A Cruise from Cape Henry to the Western Coast of France
Sunday, December 7, 2:00 PM
West End Branch
 
As we sail between Cape Henry and Le Havre, France, Professor Chantal Marechal will introduce us to a selection of lighthouses and the harbors they safeguard.
All Events
 
 
Richmond Public Library Foundation 
We would be honored if you included Richmond Public Library in your year-end giving plans. Your donation helps us continue offering the resources, programs, and welcoming spaces that bring our community together.
 
Susan Revere, RPLF
 
 
Online Store
One Awesome Design, Lots of Gift Options!
 Looking for a gift that’s both unique and easy? Our online store features a standout RPL design that you can put on a variety of merch. From cozy tees to tote bags and more, pick your favorite way to share some library love. It’s perfect for everyone on your holiday list!
 
 
Our Holiday Message to You
Happy Holidays from Richmond Public Library!
As the season brings us together, we want to thank you for being part of our vibrant community. Whether you’re cozying up with a good book, exploring new ideas, or connecting with neighbors, we’re honored to support your journey all year long.
 
 From all of us at Richmond Public Library, we wish you joy, peace, and many memorable moments this holiday season and beyond.
 
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Library Closings
 
As reminder, all Richmond Public Library locations will be closed on the following dates in December: 
 
Wednesday, December 24 - Winter Holiday
Thursday, December 25 - Winter Holiday
Friday, December 26 - Winter Holiday
Wednesday, December 31 – All locations will close at 5:00 PM on New Year’s Eve
Richmond Public Library
101 East Franklin Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 646-7223

https://rvalibrary.org/