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Trustees highlight branch programs, outreach and partnerships across Fairfax libraries
Summary
Trustees used a roundtable Oct. 15 to report programs at branches across Fairfax County — from makers' labs and language classes to outreach to adult learners — and to share recent statistics on the LEAP school‑library partnership and digital use.
At the joint meeting on Oct. 15, trustees on the Fairfax County Public Library Board described dozens of local programs, community partnerships and recent outreach efforts across neighborhood and regional branches.
Sujatha Hampton, Dranesville trustee, highlighted Dolly Madison’s youth‑services manager’s selection for a Virginia Library Association committee and Great Falls Library’s teen "All My Rage" Book Box program, which pairs a library copy with a themed gift box funded by the Friends of the Great Falls Library.
Brian Engler, Braddock trustee, outlined Kings Park’s outreach to the Plum Center (which registered more than 20 students for library cards), Burke Center’s shelving reorganization and ongoing author events and noted donations — Chantilly Friends donated $15,000 to purchase large‑print materials for home delivery customers.
Gary Russell, Mount Vernon trustee, described a writing class for adult English learners at the Lorton branch that has grown from community demand and Sherwood Regional’s focus on preschool programs funded by Friends groups. Trustees noted that friends groups, donors and the Library Foundation have been essential funding partners.
FCPS senior manager for library information services summarized the LEAP (library‑school card) program: roughly 85,000 LEAP cards have been issued, and in fiscal 2024 some 2,168 FCPS LEAP accounts were used for at least one checkout, totaling 5,430 checkouts recorded across all 23 library locations. Trustees said LEAP and joint outreach help connect students and families with public library services and curricular resources.
Other trustees described community events and services: Herndon’s makers’ lab and a Que Pasa Hispanic Heritage partnership; Centerville’s solar eclipse viewing and Ready to Shine family resource fair; Chantilly’s summer reading festival (about 2,700 attendees); Pohick’s Rhythm Around the World music series; Access Services’ assistive‑technology purchases paid for by George Mason Friends; and ongoing programs that address isolation, youth support and adult literacy.
Trustees and supervisors also raised operational matters including staffing levels (staffing was described as improved, with hiring ongoing) and the LEAP card rollout, and thanked library staff and volunteers. The trustee roundtable concluded with distribution of the library’s annual report and the meeting adjourned.
What happens next: Trustees asked supervisors to help publicize services (for example, Access Services for residents with low vision or hearing loss) and to consider continued budget and community support for branch programs.
