Last year the Arlington Public Library offered an animal photography class to teens in partnership with Arlington Animal Services.

You know there's a library in Arlington. Of course you do. You probably even know where a few'maybe all?'of the branches are located around town. But do you really know what your library system has to offer? We've compiled a list of some things at or about the Arlington Public Library that you might not have been aware of, but will certainly be glad to know once you finish reading! And remember, all you need to get a library card is a government-issued photo ID and proof of Arlington residence.

The library has free magazines. Not just the ones you can read in the library. Thanks to Zinio, our online magazine service, anyone with an Arlington Public Library card can select from dozens of titles and download them straight to a favorite electronic reader. We're talking good stuff, too. Vanity Fair. O, the Oprah Magazine. The New Yorker. Runner's World. GQ. Bon Apppetit. And so many more. If you were to pay for five online magazine subscriptions out of pocket, it would cost an average of $75 per year.

The library can help you learn a new language. Why spend hundreds of dollars on a language-learning program when APL has two awesome programs that can be accessed for free? Rosetta Stone will kick serious language-learners into high-gear, while those looking for a little more whimsy will enjoy the mango-charactered landscape of Mango Languages. Try one language or dabble in a few'the sky's the limit! And for those who want to improve their English, the library offers English as a Second Language classes and English Conversation Circles.

The library has a killer volunteer community. From helping put books back on the shelves to tutoring students in our ESL and GED classes, APL has a dedicated corps of volunteers that help make our libraries something special. Our volunteers work an average of 154 hours per month, and in 2015 they topped out at 31,095 hours!

The library is getting a new flagship location. We hope you already knew this, but do you know the details of our new George W. Hawkes Downtown Library? With 80,000 square feet of space, our new library will include:

Zoned spaces for children and teens
A genealogy and local history collection
A quiet reading room
Small and large group study rooms
Dedicated space for adult literacy programs and workforce development
A rooftop garden and reading space

The library is social. We're on Facebook (@arlingtonlibrary). We're on Twitter (@arlingtontxlib). We're onInstagram (@arlingtontxlib). And we love to keep our fans and followers updated with the latest program information, book news, and photos of behind-the-scenes happenings at our branches.

Trying to figure out which branch is closest to you? Check our locations and hours and plan your visit today!