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January 2026 | |
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Adult Services Notes |
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In case you missed the recent LVA webinars on state resources that would be valuable to public library staff and users, here is the link to the pathway in Niche Academy that includes all the tutorials in this LVA fall training series, including presentations from the VA Treasury, the Commission for the Arts, the State Corporation Commission, the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, and the Office of Data Governance and Analytics.
Get started with State Resources to Know |
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Niche Academy is open to all Virginia library staff members and library associates such as trustees and Friends board members. If you do not have a Niche Academy account, please use your library email address to sign up. If you do not have a library work email, you may register with a personal email, and we will contact you to confirm that you are affiliated with a Virginia library.
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News from Library Development
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Refresh Your Find It Virginia Skills |
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The Library of Virginia provides a core set of digital resources to all public libraries in the state through the Find It VA collection.
From research tools and homework help for students to resources for job seekers and entrepreneurs to self-paced classes for lifelong learners, Find It VA has tools to support your users' needs and interests. |
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We have recently updated all our Find It Virginia trainings. These new trainings reflect the many changes that our database vendors have implemented over the past several years, including new user interfaces, remodeled searching, and incorporating AI technology (see last month's newsletter for how EBSCO is using AI to power natural language searching).
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These updated trainings have been gathered into the new Refresh Your Find It VA Skills pathway in the LVA Niche Academy. You can work through the pathway in any order and focus on the resources that you are least familiar with, but it is worth taking some time to review all the great tools that the Library of Virginia makes available to library staff and library users across the state.
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Strong Men & Women in Virginia History Traveling Exhibition 2026
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In partnership with Dominion Energy, the Library of Virginia announces the availability of Strong Men & Women in Virginia History 2026 travelling exhibit, an annual project that honors African Americans for their contributions to the Commonwealth and the nation.
Beginning in February 2026, the exhibition is available free of charge for a loan period of six weeks. Strong Men & Women comprises three freestanding pull-up banner units (similar to this image), and the display requires an open area of approximately 75 square feet.
For more information or to book this exhibition, please contact the Library’s Education & Outreach team at education@lva.virginia.gov. |
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Readers' Advisory Tips and Tricks
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2026 NoveList Reading Challenge |
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Are you looking for a fun way to engage your community of readers in 2026? NoveList will be providing curated lists for each month that encourage readers to explore titles and authors in specific genres or theme areas.
This is a great opportunity to connect readers with your library's NoveList subscription, and also offers some great display ideas. |
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You can use the button below to get a flyer for promoting the full year program, and you can find the first six curated lists by going to NoveList, and choosing Curated Lists > Reading Challenges from the left-hand menu. Lists for the the second half of the year will be released in early June.
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Virginia Library Projects
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From the editor: This feature in the newsletter is an opportunity to share interesting projects that Virginia libraries are implementing to improve access to resources or improve services. If you are interested in sharing a project your library is doing, please reach out to Barry Trott, barry.trott@lva.virginia.gov, to discuss writing it up. This month, we feature a piece from the Appomattox Regional Library. For information on this project, contact Megan Ranes, mranes@arls.org.
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In April of 2024, the Appomattox Regional Library System debuted its Seed Library at the Prince George Branch, and the initiative has already begun to blossom.
"Something has sprouted at our Prince George Branch!" the staff announced at launch, inviting patrons to browse their new selection of seeds. From dill, watermelons, parsley, basil, and cucumbers to native flowers, the Seed Library offers an accessible way for community members of all skill levels to explore gardening. |
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Patrons are encouraged to borrow seeds, grow their plants, and, if possible, collect and return seeds to the library. Easy-to-use instructions are available at the branch, making the process easy for beginners. Those who would like to contribute seeds, whether they were originally received at the library or not, are also invited to reach out.
As the seasons shift, so do the offerings. Fall seeds are now available, with romaine lettuce, kale, and spinach ready for pick up. Looking ahead, spring seed varieties will be available this January, accompanied by additional programming and community engagement opportunities.
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Inspired by the success of seed lending programs in other local library systems, we're proud to share that this initiative has also taken root in our own community.
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Libraries Transform Communities
Engagement Grant |
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The Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant "recognizes, promotes, and supports innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts in libraries." The grant provides two $2,000 grants to expand the community engagement efforts of a school, public, academic, tribal or special library.
Prvious grantees used funds to create a modern town map and launch a local civic engagement series. |
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Applications will be accepted between December 1, 2025, and February 2, 2026.
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Peggy Barber Tribute Grant
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The Peggy Barber Tribute Grant is "an annual grant that recognizes, promotes, and supports meaningful programs in libraries that have limited and/or no access to budgetary support for programming.
This grant aims to help ease budget challenges by annually awarding three libraries $2,500 to support a proposed program, program series, or programming effort." |
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For the 2025–2026 cycle, libraries are invited to submit applications to support programming related to strengthening community ties through libraries as third spaces. As one of the few remaining “third spaces”—public spaces where individuals can gather outside their homes or workplaces—libraries are uniquely positioned to bring people together and strengthen communities.
Applications for the award will be accepted from December 1, 2025, to February 2, 2026.
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Staff at the Yukon Public Libraries in Canada partnered with a local DJ to host a silent disco in the library.
The DJ curated a playlist and provided headphones for users, who could then "dance among the stacks." The library says "We thought people would enjoy and get a kick out of dancing freely and listening to music as a group in a place that is stereotypically associated with silence (they did!)." |
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If you want to try hosting a similar event to connect with users in a new and unusual way, use the button below to check out the details on planning and marketing.
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Featured Virginia Programs
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Chesterfield Public Library
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Every other week, seniors aged 55 and older are invited to socialize over coffee, tea, snacks, puzzles, and board games. It started with only one participant and has expanded so much that we have taken over the largest meeting room in the library.
We were asked many times to expand the time, so the "hour" is now an hour and a half. |
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Multiple participants have said they look forward to Senior Social Hour and have created friendships that extend beyond the library walls.
It's not much effort on the library side but provides a much-needed environment for seniors. |
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For more info, contact Baylee Hughes, hughesb@chesterfield.gov
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Shenandoah County Library System
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Kitten Play Date with the Humane Society of Shenandoah Co.
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In partnership with the Humane Society of Shenandoah County, the Shenandoah County Library System hosted a kitten play date and adoption meet and greet, where patrons of all ages were able to come play with adoptable kittens, helping socialize the kittens for their future homes.
While application approval was required, one family was preapproved and was able to take a kitten home that day, and many more applications were filled.
The success of this program has developed into a continued partnership with the Humane Society and our next kitten play date is planned for February 7th, 2026.
For more info, contact Morgan Strassner, mstrassner@countylib.org
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Creating Worm Composting Bins |
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The Augusta County Library partnered with the Central Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners to offer a hands-on workshop on vermiculture, or worm composting! Participants learned about vermiculture and had the opportunity to make their own worm composting bin to take home!
Some were enthralled, some were appalled. Part of Augusta County Library's monthly gardening series with our local area Master Gardeners. |
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For more info, contact Keith Bell, kbell@augustacountylibrary.org
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Recent articles on topics of interest to Adult Services |
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This newsletter is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. It is published by the Library of Virginia Library Development Division.
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