Fall Newsletter 2026

September 2026

As the summer fades to fall, the Friends of the Augusta County Library Foundation (FACLF) continue to support our local community with fun, creative and informative programs that engage and nurture. Read on for the latest news from the Friends.

In this issue: 

• New Playground! - Renovations coming to Fishersville playground soon.
• Fun at the Fall Festival - Celebrating a successful summer reading program.
• National Library Card Sign Up Month - Make sure everyone in your family has a card. 
• We Love Our Library Staff and Volunteers - FALCF funds are used to thank library staff. 
• Welcome New FALCF Board Member - Welcome, Beth Sweet to the FACLF board.
• ACL Wants Your Opinion - Library Collection Survey (time-sensitive; take the survey today!)
• What We're Listening To - Learn about audiobook options available in ACL. 
• Thank You for Being a Friend - National Friend of the Library Week coming October 18 - 24.
• Upcoming Events - Trick or Treating, extraterrestrials, pumpkin crafts, crocheting and quilting and more!
• Lucy the Dinosaur Book - Support the FACLF with your purchase of this charming book!

And, as always, we invite you to join us at our next Board Meeting, scheduled for Thursday, December 3 at 6 pm at the Fishersville location. We’ll be discussing board member nominations, rollout of the new playground, and plans for the Valley Reads program in 2027. Bring a friend!

Contact us at friends@augustacountylibrary.org 

New Playground!

Keep an eye out for the new playground soon to be installed at the Fishersville library location! Using funds from the Augusta County infrastructure budget and a generous $25,000 grant from The Hershey Company, the old playground equipment will be replaced. The redesigned space will serve multiple age groups and abilities, and the project will create a shared public asset where families can gather, children can play, seniors can exercise, and community members of
all abilities can feel welcome.

“We are delighted to be able to go forward with this project.” said Kathleen Cavender, president of the Friends of The Augusta County Library Foundation. “The power of play is so important in childhood development, and a new, safe playground will be an asset to the community. The investment in the lives of children is so very appreciated.” Look for the new equipment this fall.

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Fun at the Fall Festival

Thanks to everyone who turned out for the Augusta County Library Fall Fest. Held September 12 at Stuarts Draft Park, the event celebrated the end of the Summer Adventure reading program that had approximately 800 participants. FACLF is a proud supporter of the summer reading program. 

More than 350 people attended the Fall Fest and took advantage of the food, games, craft and activities. Attendees got to learn about community partners like the Augusta County Sheriff’s Department, the Blue Ridge Children’s Museum and the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library.

Augusta County residents came out to “duck-orate” at the Fall Fest this year! Thank you to everyone for the joy, creativity and sparkle you brought to the day.

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National Library Card Sign Up Month 

Did you know your library card gives you access to much more than books? At Augusta County Library, you can borrow books, movies, digital magazines, audiobooks and even cake pans, kitchen gadgets, birdwatching tools, and more from any location. You can use public computers, access free Wi-Fi as well as online databases and research tools and find quiet spaces to study or work. The staff is always available to help you find materials, answer questions, and connect you with the resources you need.

Make sure everyone in your family has their own library card. You can apply online or stop by any Augusta County Library location.

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We Love Our Library Staff and Volunteers 

Thanks to funding from the Friends, the ACL staff social committee delivered lunch to staff at all locations to celebrate the end of this year's Summer Adventure. They even served dinosaur cupcakes as a nod to Lucy.

Thank you also to those who help out at the county libraries. Volunteers help with the gardens, set up for programs, scan books, shelve books and other related services. The Friends’ used book sale – which is located in the basement of the Fishersville library – is open every day. Volunteers are welcome to help us organize the books every Friday, 10:00 to noon.

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Welcome to Newest FACLF Board Member

Beth Sweet, a former ACL employee and illustrator of the Lucy book, volunteered to fill the empty board seat. She has experience teaching art in the public school system and is now working on her masters degree in clinical mental health counseling at EMU. She is a welcome addition to the Friends board.

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ACL Wants Your Opinion: Library Collection Survey 

Help shape the library’s collection by taking the survey and telling us what books, media, and digital resources you’d like to see more of! Fill out this short form to participate. Thank you for helping us build a collection for everyone. Please share the survey with friends, family, and neighbors—we would love to hear from them, too!

What We're Listening To 

In the same way that reading poetry aloud or seeing a stage play brings written words alive, audiobooks add a new layer to a book’s experience. Some audiobooks are read by professional voice actors, some by the authors, some by a cast of narrators. The readers add emotion and emphasis to text that is sometimes easy to miss.

You can pick up audiobooks on CDs at the library or listen with your phone via Libby, Hoopla and Blackrock – three apps that allow Augusta County Library’s patrons to use their library cards to check out ebooks and audiobooks to their personal devices.

With the Libby app, you can borrow digital books, audiobooks, and magazines from ACL’s collection. The app lets you search for books by popularity, subject, author, availability, and more and then filter the results by medium (ebook, audio book or read-alongs). Once an audiobook has been downloaded, you can adjust the speed, set a sleep timer and add
bookmarks and notes.

Blackstone Unlimited Audio offers ACL cardholders instant access to more than 9,000 adult and children's audiobooks, with new titles added regularly. With no holds or wait times, you can start listening immediately after downloading the app.

With hoopla, your library card lets you instantly read, listen, and watch your favorite titles. Sign-up is free, quick and easy. Patrons can access an enormous selection of digital video (movies and TV shows), music, audiobooks, ebooks and comics. The hoopla app runs on the latest browser, phone, tablet, and TV products.

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Thank You for Being a Friend 

Friends of the Library Week runs from October 18-24. This week-long celebration gives you a chance to learn more about the Friends of Augusta County Library Foundation, the nonprofit that supplies funding to the Augusta County Library system so it can afford to offer community programs that expand access to reading and learning opportunities.

Money collected through donations and the used book sale goes toward library programs that support the changing interests of the community: from literacy programs and story times to maker spaces, gardening, crafts and financial planning. The Friends also supply funding for audio books for individuals with disabilities, financial and tax workshops for residents, 3D printing supplies, professional development for library staff addressing emerging needs of the
Augusta County Library system.

FACLF funds hundreds of valuable learning activities that would not happen without that support. Thanks to financial contributions from the Friends, county libraries can hold over 1,000 programs each year for preschool and school-age children, teens and adults. During Friends of the Library Week, look for Friends near the front desk of the main library and consider becoming a financial supporter of FALCF. Join our group of book-loving, community-minded folks as we work to support the essential mission of local libraries.

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Upcoming Events Fall 2026 

What do aliens, crochet, trick-or-treating and therapy dogs have in common? They're all featured in upcoming programs at Augusta County libraries! Check out the creative and varied events coming to a library near you!  For full details and up-to-date information, check out the ACL Programs and Events PAGE. 

Volunteer Fair
Interested in volunteering? Stop by the library’s 3rd Annual Volunteer Fair to meet local organizations and learn about a variety of volunteer opportunities in the community. All ages welcome. The Sweet Baby Cheesus food truck will also be onsite serving artisan grilled cheese sandwiches for purchase from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Saturday, September 26, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Fishersville

Paranormal Investigators of Virginia
Intrigued by things that go bump in the night? Stop by Weyers Cave Library Station to hear from our paranormal investigator guest speaker! Listen to stories from their ghost hunts, see photo evidence, and learn about ghost hunting techniques and technology. All ages welcome. 

Saturday, October 3, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm, Weyers Cave

Preparing Your Garden for Winter w/ Central Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners Association
Join the Central Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners Association for their monthly gardening workshop at the library! This month's topic will be: Preparing Your Garden for Winter. To learn more about the Central Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners, visit their website.

Tuesday, October 6, 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm, Fishersville

Pumpkin Patches
Come “patch” a pumpkin at the Craigsville Library Station. Learn how to make inexpensive pumpkins for home decor. All ages welcome. All supplies provided.

Wednesday, October 7, 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm, Craigsville

Do You Believe? Aliens in the Shenandoah Valley w/ The News Leader

UFOs. Extraterrestrials. Do you believe? Join The News Leader for an otherworldly exploration of the Shenandoah Valley’s history of UFO sightings and extraterrestrial activity, featuring archival articles, reports, and photos. Registration not required, but encouraged for estimated attendance. To learn more about the history of UFOs and aliens in the Shenandoah Valley, check out this News Leader article (May 21, 2026).

Tuesday, October 20, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm, Fishersville

Therapy Dog Reading
Encourage your reluctant readers by reading to a therapy dog. For children ages 3 - 8.

Tuesday, October 27, 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm, Stuarts Draft

Frightful Features Teen Movie Party
Join us, dear guests, in an afternoon of haunted seasonal entertainment. And who knows--there could be other spooktacular surprises in store… For teens ages 12-18 and their caregivers, no registration is required.

Friday, October 30, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, Fishersville

Trick-or-Treat at the Library!
Come Trick-or-Treat throughout the Churchville Branch Library for some safe fun this year! Treats include candy and non-candy items. Visit all the stops in the library to collect your goodies and enjoy a Halloween craft. All ages welcome!

Children under 12 must be accompanied by a caregiver.

Friday, October 30, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Churchville

Adult Finger Painting Night
Adults, do you remember finger painting in school? Celebrate throwback Thursday and get in touch with your messy and creative side with our Adult Finger Painting Night! Supplies provided. Ages 18+. Registration required. Want even more fun? Enjoy your finger painting with a dirty soda, coffee, or energy drink for sale from Valley Sips + Sodas, who will be onsite at the library from 2:00 - 7:00 pm!

Thursday, November 5, 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm, Fishersville

Singing Snowman
Make your own “singing” snowman plaque. These cute snowmen will make you warm inside. You can hang him on your door, a wall or sit him up. All supplies provided. Ages 12 and up.

Tuesday, November 10, 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm, Craigsville

Senior Virtual Tour
Stop by to enjoy a virtual tour of places from around the world. Each tour is different and is geared toward the senior population, however all ages are welcome. Information and books pertaining to the location will be available. Self directed.

Wednesday, November 25, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm, Weyers Cave

Stitched Together Quilting Group
Join the Stitched Together Quilting Group, a welcoming group for quilters of all levels of experience, at the Stuart Draft Library. Learn from other quilters, show off your newest creation, and enjoy communion with other quilters. This group not only creates beautiful individual work, but also focuses on group projects to benefit the community.

Wednesday, December 16, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, Stuarts Draft

Click on the ACL PROGRAMS button to check out the Augusta County Library's website for more details and the latest programs. *Note: schedule can be subject to change, so check back frequently.

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Support the FACLF: Purchase the Lucy the Dinosaur Book 

For more than 30 years, Lucy the Dinosaur has been delighting visitors to the Fishersville library - and now she's starring in her very own children's book! Written and illustrated by talented library staff, Lucy the Library Dinosaur and the Big Day! is on sale now. Even better?  Proceeds benefit the FACLF. Get your copy today! (Copies available online and at your local library as well.)

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

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Join us!

Next Board Meeting:

Thursday, December 3, 2026

at 6 pm at the Fishersville branch

Don't Forget to Donate!

Thank you for being a FACLF member, but don’t let your contribution be a one-and-done donation. Sign up to be a sustaining member, and you can schedule a monthly, quarterly or annual recurring donation to the Friends.

More About the Friends

The non-profit Friends of Augusta County Library Foundation was formed in January 2023 through a merger of the Friends of the ACL and ACL Foundation to provide additional financial support for library programming and resident services.

FACLF is also dedicated to keeping the community informed about library-related news and developments. This newsletter will keep you up to date with the Friends’ current and upcoming work to ensure Augusta County residents have easy and continued access to the vital services our libraries provide.

Join the Friends by signing up online, or pick up an FACLF brochure at your local library checkout counter.

Thank you for your support! Together we can make a difference in our community.

Connect with Us

We look forward to hearing from you!

Visit our website at friendsofacl.org

Email us at friends@augustacountylibrary.org