Important Announcements
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
September is Library Card Sign-up Month!
If you do not have a library card please consider signing up for your today! Please share this news with others. You never know who doesn't have a card and would greatly benefit from having one to access the thousands of FREE resources available! Get your card today by visit a branch near you.
American Heart Association provides community blood pressure kits, monitors to
Volusia County Public Library
Library patrons can borrow kits as part of new “Libraries with Heart Initiative” program
Patrons who visit Volusia County Public Library can now borrow kits to monitor their blood pressure at home in the same way they can check out a book. Volusia County Public Library is home to the American Heart Association’s first “Libraries with Heart Initiative” program in Volusia County.
“We’re thrilled to introduce this free service to our patrons,” said Barry KuKes, Marketing Specialist with Volusia County Public Library. “Our goal is to equip community members with resources to deepen their health understanding and inspire positive life changes.”
Each kit includes a blood pressure monitor, American Heart Association guided materials on how to properly measure blood pressure at home, and an explanation of what those blood pressure numbers mean. The Libraries with Heart Initiative program will begin in September 2025.
Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, vision loss, and more. These poor health outcomes can potentially be avoided if hypertension is managed. Unfortunately, many people don’t know they have high blood pressure, and the use of a blood pressure monitor might be difficult because of cost or lack of access. “Libraries with Heart Initiative” aims to improve the health of local communities by making these resources readily available for free for those who need them.
“Our mission centers on ensuring everyone has the opportunity to lead a long, healthy life,” said Sonya Vezmar, vice president of community impact for the American Heart Association. “Through initiatives like ‘Libraries with Heart,’ we work to remove obstacles to healthcare access, empowering people to prioritize their health.”
High blood pressure is commonly known as the “silent killer” because as many as 36% of patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure are not aware of their condition. People with elevated blood pressure are likely to develop high blood pressure unless steps are taken to control the condition. Blood pressure numbers of less than 120/80 mm Hg are considered within the normal range. If your results fall into this category, stick with heart-healthy habits like following a balanced diet and getting regular exercise.
To learn more about blood pressure and how you can keep yours in check, visit www.heart.org/bloodpressure.
Volusia County Public Library and Community Legal Services to host Heirs’ Property Rights workshop in September
This September, Community Legal Services will visit three Volusia County Public Library branches for a free Legal Learning: Heirs’ Property Rights workshop to provide attendees with the legal knowledge and tools need to ensure generational wealth stays in our community.
The workshop will be offered at:
- Deltona Regional Library, 2150 Eustace Avenue: 11 a.m. to noon. Friday, September 19. For more information, call 386-789-7207.
- Port Orange Regional Library, 1005 City Center Circle: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, September 25. For more information, call 386-322-5152.
- Ormond Beach Regional Library, 30 S. Beach Street: 11 a.m. to noon. Tuesday, September 30. For more information, call 386-676-4191.
The workshop is free and open to the public and registration is not required. For more information about Volusia County Public Library’s events, visit online at www.volusialibrary.org. For more information about Community Legal Services visit online at: www.LegalAccessForAll.org
Raising Readers Reading Challenge – Raising Readers Reading Challenge is a self-paced, long range literacy challenge, for children in grades 3-5, that cultivates growing reading skills during a critical stage in a child’s literacy journey – when they progress from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” Through a collection of age-appropriate short articles, children will be encouraged to read at their own pace – building confidence, comprehension, and a lifelong love of reading. These brief non-fiction articles offer children a glimpse into the wonders of the animal kingdom and the marvels of the natural world. From crawling critters to surprising sea creatures, each article sparks a kernel of curiosity, builds vocabulary, and helps children practice their newly developed reading skills. By registering for this program, caregivers can help their child(ren) practice, log, and track their reading and activity progress. Register online or by visiting any VCPL branch. After registering, starter kits can be picked up at any branch.
Register online, at https://volusialibrary.beanstack.org/reader365. After registering, starter kits can be picked up at any branch.
My First Library Card
is now available to all children who do not already have a library card. Requirements are the child needs to be born and 17 years old or younger. Visit a branch near you for your child's first library card! Branch locations
THE PEDAL FORWARD PROJECT (for information about getting a bicycle, visit Social Worker in the Library)
Recovering from a procedure, Mr. Perez found himself out of work and struggling to make ends meet. Now ready and determined to get back to work, a means of transportation was still holding him back from finding reliable work in DeLand. Mr. Perez is thrilled with his refurbished bicycle from the Pedal Forward Project and appreciates the opportunity to return to the workforce.
J. Rivera recently graduated from NYC, moved to Florida, and is currently enrolled online in law school. Now, living with his grandparents, he is currently looking for work in the surrounding Deltona area. After hearing about the library’s Pedal Forward Project, Mr. Rivera met with one of the library’s social workers to hear more about the refurbished bicycle project and to hear about other resources in the area. He will be using the bicycle as he looks for work and finishes up his schooling.
The Pedal Forward Project is an award-winning part of Volusia County’s Social Worker in the Libraries program. This project increases the self-reliance and independence of participants by decreasing travel time to interviews, work, or appointments and by improving their attendance, reliability, and punctuality. This project further reduces waste by keeping used bicycles out of local landfills. The refurbished bicycles, used for this project, are made possible by First Presbyterian Church of New Smyrna.
Which holidays are the libraries closed?
2025-2026 System-wide observed holidays (county offices closed) The day before a holiday, branch locations may close at 5:00 pm.
· January 1, 2025 (Wednesday) - New Year’s Day
· January 20, 2025 (Monday) - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
· April 18, 2025 (Friday) - Good Friday
. April 20, 2025 (Easter Sunday)
· May 26, 2025 (Monday) - Memorial Day
· July 4, 2025 (Friday) - Independence Day
· September 1, 2025 (Monday) - Labor Day
· November 11, 2025 (Tuesday) - Veterans Day (Library branches close at 5:00 pm on November 10)
· November 27-28, 2025 (Thursday & Friday) - Thanksgiving (Library branches close at 5:00 pm on November 26)
· December 25, 2025 (Thursday) - Christmas (Library branches close at 5:00 pm on December 24)
· January 1, 2026 (Thursday) - New Year’s Day (Library branches close at 5:00 pm on December 31)
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VCPL DIGITAL MAGAZINE/NEWSLETTER
Volusia County Public Library introduced a quarterly digital magazine/newsletter on January 6, 2025, called VCPL.
The newsletter focuses on available library programs, success stories, a spotlight interview with one of the library staff members, a calendar of upcoming special events, branch news, and more.
The newsletter is digital only.
Here is the link to the January 2025 flip-page version.
Here is the link to the April 2025 flip-page version.
Here is the link to the Fall/September flip-page version.