Elle Cota, Spectrum Editor
Richmond Public Library is a place for more than just book borrowing. Throughout the year, its programs give adults, seniors and families opportunities to learn, create and connect at no cost.
In an age of instant messages, Hannah Kilgore, an adult services senior librarian at Richmond Public Library, opens the room for something slower: handwritten letters.
Kilgore has hosted many events, including snail mail, a quarterly program where participants can write letters to friends and family or sign up for a pen pal. The program typically draws four or five people, many of them younger adults wanting to reclaim their time and space.
Kilgore became interested in the program after her own experiences with pen pals, including a long-distance friend she has exchanged physical mail with over the years.
Handwritten correspondence offers a different experience from digital communication because it requires people to slow down and be more intentional about what they say, Kilgore said.
“I think something like sending letters or physical media is something that can preserve sort of regionalism, in a way, and then you’re sharing a piece of your home with someone else,” Kilgore said.
The library gives people a space to try activities they may not have the resources or opportunity to pursue at home, Kilgore said.
Richmond’s strong DIY culture makes the city a natural fit for that kind of programming, according to Kilgore.
Michael McBean, arts associate at Richmond Public Library, spends half his time organizing concerts, art exhibits and film screenings.
Starting this winter, the library plans to shift from monthly exhibits to seasonal ones while continuing to hold openings on First Fridays, an event in Richmond’s Arts District.
“I like sort of bringing that DIY space into something that might from the outside be seen as a cultural institution,” McBean said.
The library remains committed to showcasing community artists while giving artists more time in the gallery spaces, McBean said.
Most concerts are held in the library’s 1930s foyer, where natural stone creates reverb and large windows fill the space with light.
While the concert series has traditionally focused on classical music, McBean expanded it to include jazz, punk and experimental performances.
The library partners with independent film groups such as Nowhere Cinema and Hard Light Cinema to screen films that audiences may not otherwise see in larger theaters.
“It’s been cool to use the library space to help bridge that gap between the sort of desire for indie films and the lack of output from the bigger screening houses,” McBean said.
While many of McBean’s programs are designed for adults, he said the concerts and art exhibits are generally open to all ages.
“I think being a hub for people to come in and A, just hang out, but B, get exposed to something that’s culturally enriching, is really important,” McBean said.
McBean said seeing people return to programs has become one of the most rewarding parts of his work.
Upcoming arts programming include a Sept. 5 Nowhere Cinemas screening of “My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea” by Richmond artist and director Dash Shaw and a Sept. 26 concert by Aaron Demas and Dylan Burritt, whose performances incorporate found and homemade electronics.
Danny Howard, a senior librarian at Richmond Public Library, specializing in technology and innovation, works with patrons in the computer lab and makerspace, helping with computer skills and 3D printing. She also organizes crafts, book clubs and social programs.
“We try to create that kind of safe space but also still keep people engaged, feeling like they’re learning something new,” Howard said.
Howard said programming allows the library to learn more about the community it serves. Attendance, demographics and patron feedback can help staff determine what programs to offer, when to hold them and which locations might work best.
One of Howard’s favorite programs was an AI and dating panel she organized around Valentine’s Day. The event brought together community members, professors and technology professionals to discuss artificial intelligence’s growing role in romantic and platonic relationships.
“There’s something about that human connection that just really adds to, at least now I’m just being selfish, my day,” Howard said. “It makes work fun.”
Howard will host several upcoming programs including an apple-ranking event on Sept. 9, where participants will learn about the history of apples in Virginia and taste and rate different varieties. Howard plans to offer another watercolor program in November.