The past year at the Manassas Park City Library (MPCL) was filled with smiles, laughter, and a deep sense of connection as we celebrated our growing community.
Visits
New Cardholders
Open Hours
Physical Items
This year, we’ve focused on offering more tailored programs and services that meet the diverse needs of our community. Our commitment to exceptional customer service has been at the heart of every step, ensuring a seamless and personalized experience for all.
The only thing you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.
– Albert Einstein
Manassas Park City Library was recognized by UP-STAND, a movement supporting family accessibility in communities. UP-STAND honors businesses that make spaces family-friendly, and Manassas Park City Library received public nomination for its child-friendly spaces, toys, and welcoming staff.
I’m absolutely thrilled by the progress the Library has made over the last year! The new programs, improvements in services, and community engagement have truly made this a transformative year for us. It’s exciting to see all the positive changes unfold, and I can’t wait to see how these developments continue to impact our Library and the people we serve!
Holly Ritchie, Library Director
Community
I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library.
– Jorge Luis Borges
Library programs are essential in bringing our vision to life by providing a welcoming space where everyone can come to learn, discover, create, and connect. These programs foster a sense of belonging, offering diverse opportunities for personal growth and community engagement that strengthen our role as the heart of the community.
Total Programs
Program Attendance
Volunteer Hours
Library programs provide the community with valuable opportunities to learn new skills, explore different interests, and deepen their knowledge across various subjects. Whether through workshops, lectures, or hands-on activities, these programs create an accessible space for lifelong learning and personal growth.
Manassas Park has stepped up their game! I continue to be impressed by Manassas Park Library! Staff are friendly, welcoming, and professional! They put out an Event Calendar for everything happening that month. Knowledgeable staff will help you find what you are looking for.
– Monique M. (Library Patron)
Diversity is reflected in every aspect of our Library programs, services, and collection, ensuring that we offer inclusive, accessible resources and experiences that celebrate and represent the varied backgrounds, interests, and needs of our community.
Spanish Titles
Spanish Title Checkouts
Children's Spanish Title Checkouts
The Library has been dedicated to offering Spanish, bilingual, and language programs to the community by collaborating with local individuals and organizations.
Additionally, we have worked to expand our foreign language offerings, both in our physical collection and digital resources.
Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common…Celebrate it every day.
– Winston Churchill
Diverse Books Were Popular
Book Nook Open Hours
Book Nook Visits
The Book Nook, located at the Manassas Park Community Center, offers a welcoming space for the community to gather, read, study, or relax. All books, puzzles, and games in the Book Nook are free.
Library Staff regularly visit the Book Nook, bringing materials, information, and pop-up programming, enabling residents to enjoy Library services from afar.
ENGAGEMENT
When I got my library card, that was when my life began.
– Rita Mae Brown
The Library creates age-appropriate programs centered on the concept of learning through fun, ensuring that patrons leave with more knowledge and experience than when they arrived.
Each month, the Library offers a range of STEAM -related programs, helping patrons of all ages expand their understanding of the world around us.
STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics as access points for guiding inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking.
– Susan Riley
Children’s programs engage our young patrons and teach them valuable skills that will carry them through life.
Kids Create is a monthly program that teaches fine motor skills and basic facts through the creation of themed crafts.
Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for our children, play IS serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.
-Fred Rogers
The Second Annual Stuffed Animal Sleepover, was held this past February. Children dropped off their plushy friends to enjoy a night of fun at the Library!
Upon pickup, the children watched a short video of the stuffed animals’ adventures.
Teens and young adults enjoy safe spaces to meet new people, explore new ideas, and expand their knowledge.
Teen programs offer a diverse range of activities, from creative to educational, inspiring teens and young adults to explore and engage with the world around them.
Adolescence is a time in which you experience everything more intensely.
– Edward Zwick
Adults and seniors engage in both informational and creative programs, meeting new friends and finding new hobbies.
Community-run clubs and meetups at the Library allow adults of all backgrounds to meet people with similar interests within Manassas Park.
It is so important to take time for yourself and find clarity. The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself.
– Diane Von Furstenberg
Family and All Ages programs give a space for patrons to make memories for the entire family.
The first annual Black Excellence Expo (BEE) was held in February 2024. The BEE invited the community to celebrate Black History Month by showcasing members of Manassas Park and the individuals throughout history that inspired them.
Awesome library. Second floor is teen and children-centered. Went with my grandkids for a workshop. I don’t know who had more fun, the kids or the adults?
– Nancy C. (Library Patron)
LEARNING
A Library is a house of hope. It’s a place where we all, whatever our situation, can feed our ideas and develop our dreams.
– Doug Wilhelm
The Library provides information and resources to everyone who visits.
Physical Checkouts
Digital Downloads
Questions Answered
Staff work to help every patron that comes to the Library and strive to meet the needs of every community member.
Public libraries are the heart and soul of any community. They are a place to read and think and browse and dream.
– Mary McNear
Available for all ages, MPCL circulates SPARK℠ & STEAM Kits to help with childhood development and inspire patrons to explore interests and hobbies.
Hotspot Checkouts
SPARK℠/STEAM Kits Checkouts
Launchpad Checkouts
SPARK℠ & STEAM Kits
These Interactive, take-home kits are a great way to foster creativity and cognitive development through a wide variety of unique activities.
Each kit focuses on a theme and contains:
- Explorative, hands-on item(s)
- Non-fiction books
- Many kits contain a discover sheet or something similar for recording what participants learned, observed, or designed
Top SPARK℠ Kits
SPARK℠ Kits encourage: Skills, Playing, Achievement, Reading, and Knowledge
Most Popular Kits include:
- Animal Kit 3
- Sensory Kit
- Game Night Set 1
Top STEAM Kits
STEAM Kits teach: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math
Most Popular Kits include:
- Telescope
- Music Composition
- Code & Go Mouse
MPCL provides necessary resources to the community through access to computers, Wi-Fi, and printing.
Website Visits
Computer Sessions
Wireless Sessions
Libraries do one thing that no other institution does and that’s provide access to all.
– LeVar Burton
The annual Summer Reading Program encourages reading through programs and incentives for all ages. Last summer’s theme, All Together Now, invited readers of all ages to engage with the Library and promoted a sense of community.
Readers
- Total Completions: 93
- Badges Earned: 3,846
- Days Read: 3,492
- Completed Activities: 734
A key step toward stopping the summer slide is the development and launch of high-quality programs that take advantage of time outside the school day and year to help children learn, grow, and develop.
– Arne Duncan
Partnerships with the City and local organizations, have allowed the Library to offer a wide range of experiences to the community.
Featured Community Partners
- Manassas Park Community Center
- Manassas Park City Schools
- Manassas Park Fire Department
- Library of Virginia
- Prince William Health District
- Prince William County Community Services
- Greater Prince William Health Center
- UVA Health
- Manassas Therapy Dogs
- Park Place – Senior Living
- Map Clinic
- Virginia Master Gardeners – Extension Master Gardeners
- Roxana – Spanish Storytime Professional
- Merrimac Farm Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists
- Gabriella Reda – Hollestic Health
- Pat Victorson – NAMI
CITY OF MANASSAS PARK
GOVERNING BODY
Jeanette Rishell
Mayor
Haseeb Javed
Councilmember
Laura Hampton
Councilmember
Alana Mensing
Vice Mayor
Yesy Amaya
Councilmember
Darryl Moore
Councilmember
Michael Carrera
Councilmember
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
Laszlo Palko
City Manager
Keith Nguyen
Deputy City Manager
Sarah Barnett
City Operations Officer
Toni Jenkins
City Budget Manager
The Manassas Park City Library is operated by Library Systems & Services, LLC
