Dare County Library April 2026 Newsletter

On June 30, 2026, the East Albemarle Regional Library system will dissolve and the four member counties—Camden, Currituck, Dare, and Pasquotank—will become separate library systems. 

We are sending monthly emails to share the finer details on patron impacts; the emails will also be posted on our Dare County Library homepage. 

In order to stay in the know about upcoming changes that will affect your ability to log into online resources and Libby, changes to sharing books between counties, your loan history, and our new catalog, please take a moment to update your email address—and make sure your card is not expired—with your home library today.

Hatteras Library: 252-986-2385

Kill Devil Hills Library: 252-441-4331

Manteo Library: 252-473-2372

Thank you for your help! 

April 1 is Library Giving Day. Get involved and show your support for public libraries on this special day!

You can help the Dare County Library Foundation build a stronger library today! The Dare County Library Foundation supports adult programs like Online Author Talks, Seed Library, and Book Clubs, as well as children’s programs including 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, our annual Summer Reading Program and more! 

National Library Week is April 19-25, 2026, featuring Honorary Chair Mychal Threets with the theme “Find Your Joy.” National Library Week is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.

Mark your calendar for these Celebration Days:

Monday, April 20: Right to Read Day, a day for readers, advocates, and library lovers to take action to protect, defend, and celebrate the right to read. The American Library Association (ALA) kicks off National Library Week with the release of its State of America's Libraries Report, including the list of the Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2025.

Tuesday, April 21: National Library Workers Day, a day for library staff, users, administrators, and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.

Wednesday, April 22: National Library Outreach Day (formerly National Bookmobile Day), a day to celebrate library outreach and the dedicated library professionals who are meeting their patrons where they are.

Thursday, April 23: Take Action for Libraries Day, a day to rally advocates to support libraries.

As part of the festivities, our annual Bookmark Contest for children ages 2-18 starts on Wednesday, April 1. Also, don't miss the fun for all ages during Family Fun Night at Kill Devil Hills Library on Tuesday, April 21 and Crafternoon at Manteo Library on Thursday, April 23!

Stay up-to-date on all of the events at the Dare County Library by checking our online calendar.

April Online Author Talks will put a spring in your step! This month, sessions will cover the history of women astronauts with Smithsonian Curator Emerita Valerie Neal, suspenseful spycraft with Brad Taylor, finding meaning with Alex Hutchinson, and poetry with Miranda Cowley Heller.

Join us online from home or attend a watch party at your favorite Dare County Library branch to enjoy the program with fellow readers. Select events will be available as in-person watch parties at Dare County Library branches. Visit our online calendar for dates, times, and locations.

Thanks to the Dare County Library Foundation for supporting our Online Author Talks series!

Celebrate National Poetry Month this April with a creative Poetry Take & Make Kit for adults! Each kit includes fun poetry activities and supplies to get started. Pick up a kit at any Dare County Library branch during the month of April (while supplies last).

As we celebrate the creativity of April's poetry month, we invite you to check out our ongoing monthly adult gatherings. No registration required—new faces are always welcome, so feel free to stop by and give it a try.  

Our regular adult offerings each month include:

Book Clubs at all branches – Enjoy thoughtful discussions and great reads across genres.

Writing Groups at the Manteo Library and Kill Devil Hills Library – Share your work, build skills, and connect with fellow writers.

Fiber Arts Gatherings at all branches – Bring your knitting, crochet, or other handwork projects and stitch in good company.

Spice of the Month Club at the Manteo Library – Explore new flavors and recipes.

True Crime Club at the Hatteras Library – Dive into fascinating cases and thoughtful discussion.

All programs are free and open to adults. Visit our Adult Programs webpage or library calendar for meeting times, locations, and details. We’d love to see you!

Let your creativity bloom at the Manteo Library! On Thursday, April 23, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at our National Library Week Crafternoon, adults are invited to decoupage a plant pot with book pages, magazines, and other materials from our book sale!

From 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on April 23, 2026, families of all ages are invited to join the fun! Pick up some seeds from our Seed Library to complete your project. Don’t have a green thumb? Decoupage a bookmark instead! 

Event: National Library Week Crafternoon
Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026
Place: Manteo Library
Time: Adult Crafting from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and All Ages Crafting from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Special thanks to Kellogg Supply for their donation to this program. 

Outer Banks Health Coach Wellness screenings will be available on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Manteo Library.

This April, the Kill Devil Hills Library offers programs to support your future, connect with your community, and care for our local environment.

Aging Well at Home: Setting Up Your Home to Age in Place, presented by Beverly Mineo, will be held on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in person and live virtually via Zoom  Preregistration is required.

Join library staff on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. at Pinehurst Beach Access in Kill Devil Hills as we clean up the beach. The library will provide Litter Cleanup Kits from our Library of Things, so just bring yourself, comfortable clothing, and a love for our local beaches. All ages are welcome!

Celebrate National Library Week at the Kill Devil Hills Library and join us for Family Fun Night! Drop in anytime between 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 to play board games, puzzles, and LEGOs. All ages are welcome! 

At the Hatteras Library, we're kicking off Spring Break with Snack & Grab: Food, Resources and Recipes at the Fessenden Center Annex on April 1, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Our Chillaxing Wellness series concludes with Self-Compassion with Mary Whitaker from Dare to Yoga Studio & Wellness on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Save the date! We're looking forward to an author visit from local historian Kevin Duffus on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Stay tuned for more details in next month's newsletter.

For more information, please contact: 

Kill Devil Hills Library:
Sallie Bowman at 252-441-4331 or Sallie.Bowman@DareNC.gov

Manteo Library and Hatteras Library:
Tammy Batschelet at 252-473-2372 or Tammy.Batschelet@DareNC.gov

In celebration of National Library Week, our Annual Bookmark Contest returns! Children ages 2-18 are invited to create an original bookmark. Starting April 1, 2026, contest forms will be available at each Dare County Library branch as well as on our website. Decorate the blank bookmark form with book- or library-related pictures, words, or both.

A winner will be chosen for each age group: 2-6, 7-9, 10-13 and 14-18.

Winning bookmark designs will be printed and made available at all Dare County Library branches. Each winner will receive a gift certificate to a local bookstore.

Deadline for Entries: Saturday, May 2, 2026

The bookmark contest is sponsored by the Dare County Library Foundation. 

We're celebrating the one-year anniversary of 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten at the Dare County Library. More than 130 young readers are already participating and earning prizes, and a few have even reached 1,000 books! Join our growing community of readers—sign up at any Dare County Library branch and start your reading journey with us.

Track your progress with our easy book log. Each time you complete a log, turn it in to the front desk of the library. We will celebrate every 100 books with stickers, prizes, and fun!

Thanks to Dare County Library Foundation for making the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program possible.

Staff from Dare County Library will be out and about at these Community Events in April:

Buxton Community Wellness Screenings at the Fessenden Center Annex on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Roanoke Island Garden Club's Spring Plant and Yard Sale on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at Magnolia Pavilion in downtown Manteo from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Library staff will be there with seeds from our Seed Library, Library Card applications, and more! 

Statewide Star Party at Jockey's Ridge State Park on Friday, April 24, 2026 from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Look for the Library Telescope!

Earth Fair OBX at Jockey's Ridge State Park on Saturday, April 25, 2026 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Earth Day Celebration at Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Community Building on Saturday, April 25, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Coastal Gardening Festival at the Thomas A. Baum Senior Center in Kill Devil Hills on Saturday, May 2, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

We hope to see you there!

When you sign up for Wowbrary, you will get weekly updates of new items that we’ve ordered for the library. Updates will include both physical items purchased for the library and electronic items available through Libby. Whenever you spot something of interest in the Wowbrary newsletter, you'll be able to click instantly, reserve it, and check it out when it’s ready for you. And, of course, like everything else in the library, this service is free! Click here to access a more detailed Wowbrary explanation and tips.

The Dare County Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was created over 20 years ago by a group of conscientious Dare County community members who were searching for additional funds to support the efforts of the Dare County Library beyond its annual Dare County budget. 

For more information, contact Susan Sawin, Chair, Dare County Library Foundation, at DareCountyLibraryFoundation@gmail.com.