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Downtown News

Independent Bookstore Day

April 14, 2025 by Lauryn Moore

Come help Parentheses Books celebrate Independent Bookstore Day! Stop by for food! Giveaways! Discounts! General merriment! (There will also be a basement sale for some of the other shops in the mercantile.) more

Emily Henry Day at Parentheses Books

April 14, 2025 by Lauryn Moore

Emily Henry's new book Great Big Beautiful Life is coming out! We will have refreshments and a limited number of signed copies available to purchase. Anyone who buys her new book that day (or has pre-ordered) will get to choose one of our special give-away items, including totes, enamel pins and pop sockets. Fun things include: “Blind Date with a Book” featuring Emily Henry’s personal recommendations and a Great Big Beautiful Life mad lib. You can pre-order now! more

Nibbles & Narratives at Parentheses Books

April 14, 2025 by Lauryn Moore

Parentheses Books will be hosting Nibbles & Narratives with JMU Creative Writing. Support JMU students as they share their work! more

MRL’s Big Read: Quilting for Young Artists

March 1, 2025 by Lauryn Moore

Kids ages 5-10 will celebrate National Quilting Day with MRL as we explore the history of American quilting, different piecing methods, and create a take-home project! Design your own quilt square to be added to our MRL Community Quilt for Big Read. We'll provide all materials! more

MRL’s Big Read: Explore Ancient Mali with the Frontier Culture Museum

March 1, 2025 by Lauryn Moore

Kids ages 8-9: what was life like in the Mali Empire of West Africa, founded by Sundiata the "Lion King" more than 750 years ago? Join the Central Library for a hands-on program featuring storytelling with traditional West African instruments, trading in an "open-air" market, and an interactive geography lesson with the Frontier Culture Museum! more

MRL’s Big Read: The Power of Stories

March 1, 2025 by Lauryn Moore

Teens and adults - join the Central Library for a two-part writing workshop on developing a short story, led by Judith Dreyer! After the workshop, participants are encouraged to write a short story (1,500-3,000 words) over the next month, using helpful handouts provided by Judith. We'll use our chosen book for Big Read, "Homegoing," as our prompt and inspiration! more

Book Tasting: A Literary Feast @ The Central Library

March 1, 2025 by Lauryn Moore

Are you on the hunt for your next favorite book? Are you bored of your go-to genre? Adults can join the Central Library for a "book tasting" on Thursday, March 13th! You'll get the chance to sample a carefully curated selection of books across a variety of genres, including mystery, romance, fantasy, non-fiction, and more - Registrations are politely requested for planning purposes, although we also welcome walk-ins! more

Book Sale @ The Central Library

March 1, 2025 by Lauryn Moore

Starting on Thursday, March 13th, the Central Library will have fiction and non-fiction titles in a variety of genres available for purchase, with adult books for $1 and children's books for just $0.25. They accept both cash and credit card, and each dollar you spend will directly support the library's mission as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit! more

Cat Chats Book Club @ Aristocat Cafe

March 1, 2025 by Lauryn Moore

Join Aristocat Cafe for their Cat Chats Book Club! more

Queer Fantasy Book Club @ Aristocat Cafe

March 1, 2025 by Lauryn Moore

Join Aristocat Cafe for their Queer Fantasy Book Club! more