If you’ve ever witnessed a group of wide-eyed students hanging on an author’s every word during a school assembly, clutching their newly signed books as if they’re treasures, you’ve glimpsed the magic Kathryn Howell Dalton helps create. As Old Town Books’ Community and Schools Liaison, Kathryn is the bridge between authors, publishers, teachers, and young readers all across Alexandria.

From coordinating multi-school author tours to organizing our quarterly Educator Nights, Kathryn manages all the behind-the-scenes maneuvering it takes to connect kids in schools to their favorite authors. Her days are filled with order forms and email chains, along with a trusty wagon that’s often full of books on their way to local schools.  

We sat down to talk about all things schools and community building. Read on for affirming anecdotes about the magic of author school visits, and find details about how you can get involved. 

This week, October 5 - 11, is Banned Books Week — an annual awareness campaign sponsored by the American Library Association to help educate and inspire readers to fight censorship. The theme this year is “Censorship is so 1984” — a sentiment our team wholeheartedly supports. We believe that the freedom to read should be available to everyone and as book challenges and bans are at unprecedented highs, it’s important to continue to make books that tell diverse stories accessible to everyone.

If you’ve ever wandered into Old Town Books and found the perfect book, you have Kim, our adult book buyer and manager, to thank. Keep reading to get to know Kim and learn some of the ins and outs of what she does to keep us all stocked in books.

Every chapter of Old Town Books has been shaped by stories - both the ones on our shelves and the ones that have carried me through the highs and lows of small business ownership. As we celebrate our seventh anniversary this fall, I wanted to look back at seven books that marked turning points in this journey, each one leaving its imprint on the store and on me.

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month and we’ll be celebrating with our friends at Homeward Trails Animal Rescue. From paw prints on our walls to bagels and beagles in the bookstore, this month is all about honoring the animals who bring joy, companionship, and love into our lives - while raising vital support for pets still waiting for their forever homes.

Take a trip down memory lane with us as we celebrate Old Town Books Junior's first birthday - and see what's ahead!