Here in the northern hemisphere, the month of March is known for its changeable nature — predictable unpredictability, you might say! After all, it is the start of spring, a season of thaw and mud, of growth and new beginnings. What a perfect time of year to usher in new ways of thinking about the past, present, and future.

That’s what Women’s History Month is all about. This year’s theme is Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories. The Free Library is here to help you discover and celebrate the women who came before us, and to share their stories with kids and teens, our future tense.

Women’s History Month Virtual Activity Adventure

In Youth Services, spring means we’re getting excited for the start of our Spring into Reading Challenge! In addition to the reading challenge you’ve come to know and love, this season’s online programming will feature a special month-long celebration of Women’s History. To honor this year’s theme, we’re sharing the biographies of 26 amazing women. Connect with the stories of influencers, artists, explorers, activists, scholars, scientists, and women who dared to try something new. Share in this celebration of women’s stories! Sign up online today.

And stay tuned for our themed activity adventures in honor of Earth Day and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, coming up in April and May.
 

Books for Kids, Teens, and Adults: 

One of the best places to find women’s stories? In books of course! Celebrate by reading something new.

• Pick up a favorite novel written by a woman from your local library. How is it different this time around?
• Read something written by a woman from a different country, or translated from another language. 
• Borrow a debut novel or memoir by a woman.
• Discover a new hero in a picture book on our list, Women’s History for Kids. 
• Dive into some of our Featured Read Aloud Guides, with fun activities to accompany themed lists of picture books.
• Explore Inspiring BIPOC Women, created by LEAP Teen Leader Brianna Arce. 
• Check out Women’s Stories and revisit History Books By & About Women and for new adult titles.
• Dive into our collection of Community Lists that center women and their stories.

At Your Local Library:

Women’s History Storytimes with Read, Baby, Read

Read, Baby, Read is excited to celebrate Women’s History Month with inspiring stories and songs for babies, toddlers, and their families. Each program is thoughtfully crafted with infants, young toddlers, and their caregivers in mind. Older siblings are also welcome to join! These are drop-in programs, and no pre-registration is required. Find their full schedule of programs and locations on the Free Library’s events calendar. 

Black Women Innovators with LEAP Afterschool

Due to popular demand, this fantastic program has been extended for the month of March! School-aged library patrons can explore the history of Black women who pioneered modern innovation and tinker with the mechanics behind their most notable achievements with LEAP! Inspired by boundary-breakers like NASA analyst Valerie Thomas and the Godmother of Rock and Roll, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, LEAP offers a variety of hands-on activities sure to keep school-aged kids and teens engaged with Black Women’s History. Program dates vary by location. Find details on the Free Library events calendar, or contact your local library to learn more.

How will you celebrate women’s stories this month? Let us know in the comments below.