Washington County Public Library

Join us in the library at the Mendota Community Center on Saturday, December 9 at 7 p.m., right after the Annual Mendota Free Holiday Dinner for an interactive reading of Jan Brett’s The Night Before Christmas and special guest reader, Nova!

All library locations will close at 12 p.m. on Friday, December 8.

Our most popular Book Club Kits of 2023 are Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, Silver Alert by Lee Smith, and When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin. Call Sally at 276-676-6391 to reserve one of our dozens of Book Club Kits.

Both Damascus and Mendota libraries will have bath scrub DIY sessions for teens on Thursday afternoon, December 7, at 4 p.m. Teens can make a salt scrub at Mendota or a peppermint sugar scrub at Damascus! An ideal gift for a friend or family member.

The parade must go on! No matter the weather! Kiwanis Club of Abingdon

We are so excited for the Christmas Parade that is this Saturday! Please keep in mind that there will be NO parking on Main Street from 2:30 P.M. until the conclusion of the parade (Saturday only). Parking will be available on numerous side streets and in parking lots throughout downtown.

Please plan ahead and help get the word out by liking and sharing this post!

What books make you feel seen or have shaped your life? Here are some recommendations from our Pulitzer-winning neighbor!

Barbara Kingsolver on Annie Dillard, 'Room,' and The Book That Makes Her Feel Seen The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Demon Copperhead and Coyote’s Wild Home takes our literary survey.

Congratulations to Dustin on 18 years of service at WCPL and to Janie on completing her first year of service!

The audiobooks "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame" by Rebecca Yarros are in high demand! We have made a bunch of copies available at once on the Libby app, for everyone's listening enjoyment.

The Abingdon Kiwanis Christmas Parade is at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, rain or shine! Here is a reminder from the police that there will be no parking allowed on Main Street beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Abingdon Christmas Parade Parking Alert - December 2, 2023

For the benefit and safety of all visitors and spectators, there will be NO parking on Main Street from 2:30 P.M. until the conclusion of the parade (Saturday only). Parking will be available on numerous side streets and in parking lots throughout downtown.

Please plan ahead and help get the word out by liking and sharing this post!

Janet Torbett made a fun and festive Paint Stirrer Snowman ornament in today's session of "12 Days of Christmas Crafts with Penny." Check out the whole list; we have 10 more ornaments to make! https://www.wcpl.net/series/12-days-of-christmas-crafts/

Kids can begin to learn simple sewing skills with our Abingdon Youth Services staff and our volunteer, Havah, on Tuesday, December 5 at 4:30, when we will make fabric coasters on sewing machines. Join us for "Simple Sewing."

Chair Yoga classes at both Abingdon and Damascus libraries are cancelled today.

Hayters Gap crafters will be making Book Page Garlands at the library on Friday, December 1 at 2 p.m. Create a simple garland to enjoy this festive season and show everyone how much you love to read! No registration is necessary and all supplies are provided.

Admire the lovely trees donated by local businesses and schools in Glade Spring and enjoy coffee and cocoa on Saturday, December 2 between noon and 2 p.m. The Christmas parade in Glade starts right after this event at 2 p.m.

An earlier post had this event at Hayters Gap library. Apologies for the error.

It may be Black Friday, but don't forget to support your local artisans and small business owners at Small Business Saturday tomorrow! Go downtown and shop to keep Washington County prosperous and strong!

A happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones from the library!

12 Days of Christmas Crafts with Penny is back! It's all adorable DIY ornaments this year and you don't have to register, just come and make as many ornaments as you like with other Abingdon crafters! https://www.wcpl.net/series/12-days-of-christmas-crafts/

We will close at noon today for the Thanksgiving holiday. See you Saturday at 9 a.m.!

Come to your library at Damascus for "In the Country" Christmas crafts on Saturday, December 2 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. We have several designs to choose from. All materials are provided free by the library for crafting some rustic ornamental crafts to wow your family and friends this holiday season. Great for gift-giving too!

The Health Department will be sharing resources at our Mendota location on Tuesday, November 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and also offering free NARCAN training. Mount Rogers Health District Virginia Department of Health

WHO is eating our pumpkins? Guesses so far: 🐰 🐿 🦝 🦊 ?
Maybe small 🐻 ?

All library locations will close at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, November 22 for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will be closed on Thursday, November 23 and on Friday November 24, and will reopen on Saturday, November 25.

Library staff recommendations for Nonfiction November! See our mini-reviews below!

Wild Witchcraft: Folk Herbalism, Garden Magic, and Foraging for Spells, Rituals, and Remedies
By Rebecca Beyer
Even though every plant I touch dies, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is a book about folk herbalism. It’s a magical journey of foraging, creating your garden, and a spiritual walk with the nature around you. The author is an Appalachian witch and forager with a great and non-pretentious way of explaining her craft.
-Rachel, Damascus

Thanksgiving: How to Cook it Well by Sam Sifton is the perfect book to hone your Thanksgiving meal preparation skills! He covers topics from the basic kitchen supplies needed for the day, to how to roast, fry and even spatchcock a turkey. The book is well-written and amusing to read and includes lots of great recipes for side dishes and desserts too. Nothing fancy here, though, as his philosophy is to keep it simple, enjoy your company, and don't you dare serve appetizers!
-Janie, Glade Spring

Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me by Ralph Macchio
If you are a Karate Kid fan or a Ralph Macchio fan, this book is for you. From the Outsiders to Cobra Kai this book covers it all and much more. He talks about life, love, marriage and the people he worked with along the way. I laughed and cried with him while reading this book. Awesome book from a guy to never seems to age. And we have it in large print!
-Penny, Abingdon

Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers by Jessica Roux is a gorgeous book. It's made up of beautiful botanical illustrations and explains the meanings assigned to different flowers and plants during the Victorian era. This is an easy read full of fun facts that feel like they may come in handy while watching Jeopardy.
-Stephanie, Glade Spring

If you want to crochet but don’t want to spend months working on a blanket, give Amigurumi for Beginners by Julia Simpson a try. It has tons of fun projects to make in just a couple of hours. It provides clear directions, but if you get stuck come on by Abingdon library and Penny will help you out!
-Penny, Abingdon

Counting the Cost: A Memoir by Jill Duggar Dillard
I grew up watching the huge Duggar Family on TV, fascinated by the sheer logistics of managing a family with so many children (19! Plus grandkids!). This family has been in the media so much recently -- I couldn’t wait to hear Jill’s side of the story. This is a quick read where Jill, one of the older daughters, recounts her childhood upbringing, meeting her husband, and starting her own family all while starring in a reality show. There is also a fascinating documentary on Amazon Prime called “Shiny, Happy, People.” I highly recommend both!
-Lauren, Abingdon

Saturday, November 18, is Abingdon Recycles Day. Bring your recyclables to the Abingdon Police Department Parking Lot between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. They are also accepting donations for Feeding Southwest Virginia.

We still have openings for our craft on Saturday, December 2! A Decoupage Oui Jar would make an ideal gift for a special someone who would treasure something handmade. Lovely with a tealight candle. Call 276-676-6233 to register.

Help us fill up this tote for the VA Hospital! We're sending much-needed personal supplies for veterans during our Season of Giving. All WCPL libraries are drop-off locations. James H. Quillen VA Medical Center (Mountain Home, TN)

Find out what to donate: https://www.wcpl.net/season-of-giving-november-2023/

Join us for fun programs at the Abingdon library this week!
🎶Monday 11/13 @ 10:30 - Music & Movement (pre-k)
🎲Monday 11/13 @ 4:00 - Teen Board Games (teens)
📚Tuesday 11/14 @ 10:30 - Storytime (pre-k)
👩‍👦Wednesday 11/15 @ 2:00 - Classics Book Club | The Wind in the Willows (families)
🐲Wednesday 11/15 @ 4:00 - Wings of Fire Fan Event (kids and teens)
🧸Thursday 11/16 @ 10:30 - Family Playtime (families)
🧱Saturday 11/18 @ 10:30 - LEGO Play (kids)

Free movies for seniors on Wednesday, November 15 at Damascus and Glade Spring library. At Senior Day at Glade beginning at 11:30 a.m., we will watch "The Call of the Wild" starring Harrison Ford and make a craft. At Damascus library, seniors and guests can watch our Midday Matinee at noon, "A Man Called Otto" starring Tom Hanks. Join us for a fun film!

You will receive a complimentary cocoa or cider packet for every nonfiction book you borrow during ! You can choose from our custom selections of nonfiction books from our handy displays. Cozy up to a good book!

For holiday reading or holiday gifting, the Friends of the Library have some great BOOK deals for you starting Friday, November 17 at Abingdon library in the conference room!

The Holiday Book Sale features lots of gift-quality books and media. A wide selection of books will be available at the sale including cookbooks, Christmas, children’s, coffee table, hardback and paperback fiction, and others.

Friday, November 17, 2023
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Preview for FOL members only
12:00 PM – 7:00 PM Open to the public

Saturday, November 18, 2023
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday, November 19, 2023
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Proceeds of the sale benefit the Friends of the Washington County Public library.

FOL Holiday Book Sale - Washington County Public Library System Loading view. Events Search and Views Navigation Search Enter Keyword. Search for Events by Keyword. Find Events Event Views Navigation Summary List Month Day Today Upcoming Upcoming Select date. Nov […]

It's Veterans Day and we love our Veterans! We are honoring Veterans throughout November with a supply drive called Season of Giving. Please donate much-needed supplies to support the James H. Quillen Medical Center in Tennessee, a VA hospital.

Season of Giving, November 2023 - Washington County Public Library System Honor veterans during the month of Veterans Day by making a donation. We’re collecting supplies for James H. Quillen VA Hospital from November 1-30. You can drop off the following […]

We wish all of our veterans a Happy Veterans Day. Those who serve our country are our fathers and mothers, our daughters and sons, our relatives near and distant, and our dear friends—but they are all our fellow citizens who have served, by choice or by draft, being deployed all over the globe and giving up their precious time and taking on risks to their safety. We thank all service members in all branches of the armed forces today for all that they have done for this country. 🇺🇸

A whole year on the bestseller list!

This is is amazing, and I’m speechless with gratitude: for the booksellers, for my team at HarperCollins, for the people in my community who told me their stories, even the ones that broke my heart. Most of all, for the readers who have come with me to those dark places, trusting that we’d find light at the end. Whether you bought, borrowed, loaned, listened, or waited out the long Libby queue for this book, thank you. It’s not bestselling that matters most, it’s the best-readers, and that’s you. You’re the best.

Work on your family tree in the company of other researchers in the Abingdon library conference room at any time between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesday, November 14 at our workshop. We will look at Ancestry Library Edition and other online tools to keep your family history both documented and organized!

Donate to the AFM/Faith in Action Food Drive, so that all of our neighbors can be thankful for food at Thanksgiving!