West End
Neighborhood Library

Bohemian People and Places

When one thinks of Bohemians, the image of the person who surfaces in the mind tends to be have lines drawn that emphasize the ability to live a little rootlessly, a little ruthlessly, and in a way that is counter to the expected. They also tend to occupy a community of like-minded individuals.

A Midsummer's Night Read

Summer being a time of enjoyment and eclecticism; the following books alternate between being enjoyable, soothing, heartbreaking, interesting, and - in a lot of ways - timely reading material.

Empowerment Through Music: Young Adult Titles

Even though it seems to exist in a world of its own, literature – especially young adult literature – is inherently familiar and joined with music. The rhythm and emphasis on figurative language are often enough on their own to connect books to the realm of musicality. However, sometimes music also becomes part of the story or takes on a more concrete shape in the life of the protagonist. For these stories, music is essential. If you have a taste for music and YA Fiction; these stories are ones you shouldn’t miss.

Mental Health in Young Adult Literature

The ability of young adult literature to address issues of identity in an open-handed and egalitarian way can't really be underestimated. Part of the appeal of young adult books is the opportunity they provide authors in allowing them to create characters to be earnest which sparks true, often pure, feeling in the reader. When characters are included who experience mental illness, a vehicle is provided for people to accompany someone on a journey to a conclusion - open-ended or not, happy or sad.

DC Women Artists

Women's History Month March 2016

Come and join the celebration of Women's History Month by attending an invigorating lecture by the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA). A representative from NMWA will be visiting a few DCPL branches to discuss local women artists. No registration is required. Just show up, and bring your friends while you're at it. Takoma Park Neighborhood Library Tuesday, March 29 at 7 p.m., Meeting Room downstairs Lamond-Riggs Neighborhood Library

Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

Life is a series of connections; and these books, with their depictions of how we either miss the mark or somehow manage to land on the same page demonstrate (among other things) the ways in which our relationships dictate our paths. Some of them find a person slipping away from themselves while some demonstrate connections that give us clarity as we see ourselves mirror-reflected back. Some of the books also demonstrate relationships that are a part of our lives in order to provide a touchstone that lines the direction we ought to be walking, acting as sources of strength.

Book cover for Julian Barnes's "Sense of an Ending"

Book Club Pick 'o the Month

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

The West End Fiction book Club will meet Tuesday, December 15, at 12:30 p.m. to discuss The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes--"a novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single sitting, with stunning psychological and emotional depth and sophistication." Copies ar

Picture of Nancy Bearg, a coauthor of "The Retirement Boom"

Author Talk: Nancy Bearg

Speaking on "The Retirement Boom"

Nancy Bearg will speak as a coauthor on her new book The Retirement Boom: An All-Inclusive Guide to Money, Life, and Health in Your Next Chapter (Career Press, 2015) on Monday, December 7, at 7 p.m.

Book Club Pick 'o the Month

"Yellow Birds" by Kevin Powers

The West End Fiction Book Club will meet Tuesday, November 17, at 12:30 p.m. to discuss The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers--nominated for the 2012 National Book Award and praised by writer/journalist Tom Wolfe as "The All

Marching Along with John Philip Sousa

An evening with the famous "March King"

The library will present a special performance by local actor Dwane Starlin as he embodies the life and spirit of the great American bandmaster and composer John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), known for his military and patriotic marches such as "The Washington Post," "Semper Fidelis," and "Stars and Stripes Forever" and who was born in Washington DC, on Wednesday, November 4, at 7 p.m.

West End Neighborhood Library