May 1, 2023
Happy Mother's Day! 
 
With the arrival of May, we have so many wonderful events to look forward to, but not the least of which is the celebration of Mother's Day! Though we try to show gratitude all year round to all of the moms in our lives, we're so happy to have a day devoted to the wonderful women who raised us and helped shape us into the people we are today. 
 
In addition to Mother's Day, RPL has a lot of other things to celebrate this month! Not only are we observing Star Wars Day on May the Fourth, but we're also excited about our annual Urban Fiction Experience on May 20th. This event promises to shine the spotlight on mothers from across the country as they gather to discuss, perform, and have fun centered around urban fiction. 
 
And while there is information about those programs and more below, we would be remiss if we didn't remind everyone that there are some changes to OverDrive coming on May 1st. More details can be found here, but if you are an ebook reader, it's time to download Libby so that you can enjoy uninterrupted reading. 
 
Again, happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there who encouraged us, worried over us, and helped to make all of us at RPL the people who we are today. Thanks, Mom!    
 
Urban Fiction Experience: Girls Rule!
Calling all fans of Urban Fiction! Mark your calendar for THE URBAN FICTION EXPERIENCE - 2023 GIRLS RULE! There will be interviews, spotlights, spoken word performances, book signings, workshops, a Kids' Zone...JUST FUN! The Urban Fiction community is coming together for the sake of literacy and entertainment! This year it's ALL WOMEN!!! We're going to show you why GIRLS RULE in the literary world! More information can be found here.
 
Goodbye OverDrive, Hello Libby!
Be on the lookout, e-book lovers! Starting May 1st, 2023, the OverDrive app will no longer work on your smart devices. But we're not leaving your digital content  high and dry; you will be able to access all of the same wonderful e-content via the Libby app! If you have already downloaded Libby, you shouldn't notice any changes, but for those OverDrive app holdouts, the day has finally come to make the switch.
 
Click here to read up on the details and to get a great walkthrough about how to set up your Libby account today!
 
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
Whether you support the Empire or are one of those "rebel scum," we've got some Star Wars themed craft activities for everyone on Thursday, May 4th. From creating Ewoks out of granola bars to making your own Kyber crystal necklace, you'll find quite a few creative ways to show off your love of all things Star Wars. Click here to see a sampling of our programs, and be sure to ask at your local branch about any additional special Star Wars programs!
 
Connections and Conversations About Books
Reading on your own is fun, but sometimes you need the perspectives of others to fully appreciate a good book. That's where RPL's book clubs come in! Many of our branches host book clubs where you can get together and chat with others, glean fresh insight into a passage you may have missed, or commiserate about an author's frustrating narrative choices. And even better, if you didn't care for that month's selection? It was a library book, so it was free! No harm, no foul. That said, we have some excellent groups reading fiction, true crime, local history, and other topics, so there is definitely a group for you!
 
Click here to find out more about some of our book clubs, and make sure to ask about it at your local neighborhood branch!
 
Holiday Closings
All Richmond Public Library locations will be closed on Monday, May 29th, 2023, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. We will reopen at 10am on Tuesday, May 30th. 
Free COVID-19 At-Home Tests
Richmond Public Library is working with the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts to provide FREE at-home COVID-19 tests on a first-come, first-served basis at five locations:
Main Library
Broad Rock
East End
Ginter Park
North Avenue
 
If you are experiencing symptoms, please send a healthy helper inside or call the library to request contactless pick-up. We encourage you to pick up a test for yourself and one for each member of your household.
 
For more information on COVID-19, community testing events, and other places where you can find at-home tests, please click here.
 
How to Access Materials
Your Library at Your Fingertips: Always Open Online!

With your library card, you can check out tens of thousands of digital books, audiobooks, magazines, movies, and TV shows and explore more than 30 databases. But what if you don't have a card? Don't worry, the e-card is here to save the day! 
 
Click this link or the images to the right for more information. Answer a few questions and you'll instantly be given access to a treasure trove of materials, enough to keep you busy, entertained, and enlightened. 
 
Moment of Calm
"Hundreds of Purple Octopus Moms Are Super Weird, and They're Doomed"
by January Gill O'Neil 
 
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden in the shade.
            —Ringo Starr
 
The article called it “a spectacle.” More like a garden than a nursery: 
hundreds of purple octopuses protecting clusters of eggs 
while clinging to lava rocks off the Costa Rican coast. 
I study the watery images: thousands of lavender tentacles 
wrapped around their broods. Did you know there’s a female octopus 
on record as guarding her clutch for 53 months? That’s four-and-a-half years 
of sitting, waiting, dreaming of the day her babies hatch and float away. 
I want to tell my son this. He sits on the couch next to me clutching his phone, 
setting up a hangout with friends. The teenage shell is hard to crack. 
Today, my heart sits with the brooding octomoms: not eating, always on call, 
always defensive, living in stasis in waters too warm to sustain them. 
No guarantees they will live beyond the hatching. Not a spectacle 
but a miracle any of us survive. 
 
 
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Richmond Public Library
101 East Franklin Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 646-7223https://rvalibrary.org/
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