WineFest goers twenty-one and up sampled more than 100 wines, listened to music and filled their bellies along the boardwalk this past April. To get you in the mood to enjoy wine in the upcoming hot, hot months, we’ve paired some of the most popular wines with books and movies. 

Try Wine Reads or The Booklovers' Guide to Wine for how to pair your wines with books. Or, take our word for it with this list. 

Book clubs can pair a book with a different wine each month; cozy mysteries’ fun, pun-filled titles make it easy to pick and pair. Try Ellen Crosby’s Wine Country series, Joni Folger, or Nadia Gordon. 

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular red wine in the United States. Often described as “full-bodied” or “complex,” it’s a major industry in cool climates from California to Chile. Try with the complex characters found in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple  or Isabel Allende’s Chilean saga Daughter of Fortune. 

Merlot, derived from the French word for “blackbird,” has hints of plums and is considered a blending grape. Pair a big glass with Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum crime series or Chris Bohjalian’s around-the-world thriller The Flight Attendant. 

Chianti is a dry red Italian wine and pairs well with pizza. Enjoy a glass with your next slice while watching Mystic Pizza. This wine also is best enjoyed with fava beans according to Hannibal Lector; sip it while reading Thomas Harris’ other works.    

Pinot Noir made popular in the 2005 movie Sideways, is a crowd-pleasing lighter red wine. Try it with universal crowd-pleasers like Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist or any title by Agatha Christie.

A light and fruity Chardonnay pairs with “cheesy” cozy mysteries like Avery Aames’ For Cheddar or Worse or The Long Quiche Goodnight. This wine also is perfect for lighter beach reads by Dorothea Benton Frank, Mary Kay Andrews, or Elin Hilderbrand. Be sure you’ve signed up for Wowbrary to sign up for new release by these popular authors! 

Are you afraid of acids? Do tannins terrify you? If you feel intimated by wine lingo, get up to speed with these handy guides and tutorials:

• Try columnist Marissa Ross’ humorous take on wine education in Wine, All the Time.
• Ophélie Neiman’s Wine Isn't Rocket Science takes the guesswork out of wine tasting in an easy-to-follow guide.
• Karen MacNeil’s The Wine Bible (digital only) routinely shows up on top 10 lists.
• The Beginner’s Guide to Wine class via Universal Class is free with your library card. 
• If you have mastered the basics, Madeline Puckett’s Wine Folly takes your wine knowledge to a higher level. 

For a different kind of pairing, come to one of the Library’s book clubs that take place at local wine bars or breweries! Our graphic novel book club meets every fourth Monday at the Wine Vault in the University City area. In May, the 20s and 30s book club discussed Charlotte author Kimmery Martin’s The Queen of Hearts. 

Didn’t make it to WineFest this year? Mark your calendars for the next WineFest event planned for April 18, 2020. In the meantime, we hope the varieties and suggested titles above will take you to the vineyard of your dreams this summer!

NOTICE: This blog was updated on June 8, 2022 to include updated Pride resources and event information.

Happy Pride!

At Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, we are on a mission to improve lives and build a stronger community. In conjunction with that value, we believe that every person, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, identity, gender or gender identity, level of education, socio-economic status, etc., has the right to have their voices heard and to be their authentic selves without fear of retribution or castigation from society. It is both a privilege and an honor to stand beside the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, yearlong, as members, friends and allies.

Proud Beginnings

On June 28, 1969, the New York Police Department raided the historic Stonewall Inn, a gay bar, in Manhattan. Police raids on gay establishments were common in the 1950s and 1960s when social and political anti-gay and homophile efforts flourished. Gay bars were places of refuge where LGBT people could safely be in community without fear of public ridicule or police aggression. However, on that fateful morning, patrons of the Stonewall Inn decided to fight back against the police and the injustices against them. The week-long riots, which coincided with the civil rights and feminist movements, became the catalyzing moments that birthed the gay liberation movement.

Progression of Liberties

Just six months after the uprising at Stonewall, numerous grassroots gay and human rights organizations began to form across the U.S. such as the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA). Since the Stonewall riots, the LGBT community has made many strides against injustice. In October 1979, the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights took place in D.C. which drew an estimated attendance of 75,000-125,000 supporters. On March 2, 1982, Wisconsin became the first U.S. state to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation and in April 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that states cannot ban same-sex marriage. For a current list of LGBT rights, milestones and fast facts click here.



A Celebration of LGBT History

In addition to national pride celebrations in June and locally in August (moved in 2021 to October), October was established as Gay and Lesbian History Month by a Missouri high school teacher, Rodney Wilson, in 1994.  Rodney worked with other teachers and community leaders to secure a month where public school was in session, and everyone could celebrate and learn about gay and lesbian history. According to LGBTHistoryMonth.com, October was selected for its existing tradtions, such as National Coming Out Day which falls annually on October 11. To see this year's LGBT History Month icons, click here.

Additional Information

In 1999, the U.S. National Park Service added the Stonewall Inn to the National Register of Historic Places and in 2016, President Barack Obama designated the inn a national monument.

For literary resources and suggest LGBT titles from the Library, be sure to check out the LGBT, Raising Rainbows: Parenting Books for LGBTQ+  Parents, Children, And Allies and LGBTQIA Teen booklists. 

To celebrate Rainbow Book Month™ with the American Library Association, click here.

To learn more about LGBT rights and how you can get involved, please visit the American Civil Liberties Union.

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This blog was written by Asha Ellison, marketing & communications specialist at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Sources:

Images and information from History.com, LGBTHistoryMonth.com and The Stonewall Inn.

Welcome to the second week of Summer Break! We hope your summer is off to a great start and you're recording all of the time you've spent reading and learning.  As a reminder, Summer Break  2019  began on June 1, 2019  and will run through August 10, 2019.  If you have any questions about Summer Break, check out how the program works and sign up here.  

Looking for Reading Suggestions?  

We all know reading is important, but did you know that kids and teens who do not read over the summer may experience 2-3 months of learning loss by the time school starts in the fall? Reading is just as important for adults because it keeps adult brains flexible and nimble. Plus, adults who read serve as great role models for kids. That's why we recommend 20 minutes of reading per day for everyone all summer.   

We know that it can be hard to come up with a list of great books to read, so Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff are here to help. We have updated our reading lists for kids, teens and adults so that you can keep your brains active. Staff at your local library can also help you with book recommendations. Continue reading and remember to enter your reading time in your Summer Break account!  

Teen Book Finder by YALSA - Teens searching for their next great read have a new tool linked within the Resources page. The Teen Book Finder by YALSA facilitates searching of YALSA Award winners, books and media lists. Teens can search over 4,000 titles specifically written for teens 12 to 18 years of age by award, author, genre or award year. Cover art and brief blurbs are sure to help connect teens with their next great reads! 

Novelist Plus - Still feeling stumped? Readers of all ages are sure to connect with a terrific title by searching within Novelist Plus, also available through the Resources page. Search your favorite title, genre, or author to find a read-alike, browse subject-specific lists or try getting really detailed with an advanced search for your next read. Novelist Plus has something for even the most discerning of readers!  

Exciting Programs - Though our Summer Break 2019 program can be completed entirely online, our libraries are hosting some wonderful programs this summer. Check out some of our upcoming programs at branches around the county on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library program calendar.  

Comments? Questions?  

Are you having problems with the Summer Break 2019 website or your account?  Do you have questions about the program? Feel free to stop by your local library branch for assistance, give us a call at 704-416-0101 or email us at  [email protected]  for help or feedback.  

Would you ever consider treating your appreciation of reading mystery books like a college course? You may be exposed to a wide-range of historical and modern mysteries in “The Secrets of Great Mystery and Suspense Fiction” video series available on Kanopy. Kanopy is a video streaming service, offering more than 30,000 independent and documentary films. “The Great Courses” series is included with a cardholder’s access to the service. The series contains 36 college-level lectures in digital formats and this course about crime fiction.  

Hosted by David Schmid, an associate professor of English at the University of Buffalo, the lectures average 31 minutes each. Well-versed on the subjects, Schmid has written and edited several books and publications about crime and popular fiction.  

During the first lecture, various genres of fiction are mentioned. Schmid identifies mystery fiction as the catch-all for all types whether "cozy," "hard-boiled," "historical" or others with, typically, a "whodunit" theme. Conversely, suspense fiction "arguably contains no mystery at all, because we know the identity of the criminal from the beginning of the story," Schmid said. In any regard, Schmid concludes that these books "have some element of mystery that's meant to challenge and to entertain us."

The course begins with an examination of the first actual mystery novels including a focus on the trendsetter Edgar Allan Poe with his 1841 story, The Murders in the Rue Morgue. From this publication came elements borrowed repeatedly for mystery books including an eccentric amateur detective, an admiring sidekick and crime in an urban setting. Schmid discusses other writers’ contributions in the first lecture titled "Mystery Fiction's Secret Formula," but focuses on Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. Those three authors, with their detectives, C. Auguste Dupin for Poe, Sherlock Holmes for Doyle and Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple for Christie, emphasized their use of intelligence and logic to overcome any difficult mystery.

The breadth of scope for the following individual episodes is impressive. There are exciting topic titles such as “The Criminal,” “The Sidekick,” “The Locked Room,” “The Dime Novel,” “The Femme Fatale” and 30 more. The familiar subjects of detectives, private eyes and women in crime are also presented. Additionally, Schmid’s lectures stress the genre’s push to be innovative and remain popular. That results in crime fiction with different ethnic groups, the LGBT community and different settings around the world. The mystery reader is permitted, Schmid says, an armchair view of the world with a look at different societies through the issue of handling crime.     

Also, the professor conducts his lectures from a set which could serve as the stage for a 1930s private-eye office--perhaps, the office for Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade? As Schmid talks and occasionally walks around the set, one may notice an old manual typewriter, trench coat resting on a coat rack near wooden Venetian blinds and a chestnut-wood colored set walls.

A Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card opens a world of possibilities with countless materials, digital resources, programs and services available at no cost. This summer, thanks to a partnership with Carowinds, library cardholders can also get discounted tickets to the Carolinas’ favorite theme park during Library Week, July 22-28, 2019.

Celebrate libraries and literacy in our community, and take advantage of this special benefit!

Purchase your discounted tickets

Want to purchase discounted tickets for the special Library Week? In 2018, hundreds of cardholders took advantage of this special promotion!

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library cardholders can click the button below and login with the :

username CM

password LIBRARY (case sensitive)

Discounted tickets are good Monday, July 22 - Sunday, July 28, 2019.

PURCHASE CAROWINDS LIBRARY WEEK TICKETS

No library card? No problem!

Don’t have a library card? Free library cards are available to residents of Mecklenburg County, to those who live outside of Mecklenburg County but are Mecklenburg County property owners, and to students (of any age) enrolled in any private or public school in Mecklenburg County.

Apply for a library card using the form below, and take advantage of not only the Carowinds discount, but the many, many other benefits of a Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card.

Continue the fun all summer long

The Library and Carowinds formed a partnership in 2018 to encourage the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community to read and learn during Summer Break: Read, Learn, Explore, the Library’s summer learning program.

Summer Break participants who have entered their Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card number or One Access ID in the library card field on their account, complete the program by reading 20 hours OR by reading at least 10 hours and completing 10 learning activities AND log activities for 10 out of 10 weeks are eligible to receive a free ticket to Carowinds (while supplies last).

TRACK READING TIME AND ACTIVITIES ONLINE

Summer Break is made possible by a partnership with Carowinds. Additional support for the programs comes from Wendy's and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation. A special thank you to Carowinds for providing the additional benefit of discounted tickets to library cardholders in celebration of literacy!

This blog was written as part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Black Lives Matter program initiative. Learn more about the program and corresponding events here.

In June 2020, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library made a statement that “systemic racism and inequity have no place in our Library as we stand up for equity, access, inclusion, diversity and democracy.” Library staff has been working to find ways to support our community by creating opportunities to learn and dialogue with one another through Library programs and resources.   

As part of the Library's commitment to Black Lives Matter programming, a new Storytime series, "i can Read Black Stories" launched on Saturday, January 2, 2021. The target audience for the weekly program is families with children between the ages 0-5. During Storytime diverse Library staff members read picture books that feature characters who are Black, African American or people of color. The stories, songs, and movement activities will support empathy and understanding of issues affecting the Black community and offer strategies to foster conversations on equity and inclusivity.

Some books like The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson or Ruth and the Green Book by Alexander Ramsey Calvin have historical overtones, while others like Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke and Sonya’s Family by Elliot Riley feature “everyday diversity.” Books to affirm and empower, like I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and I Am Enough by Grace Byers are also shared often.

Why read Black stories? Educator Rudine Sims Bishop, professor emerita at The Ohio State University, devoted her career to multicultural literacy. In her seminal work, Mirrors, Window, and Sliding Glass Doors she writes, “When children cannot find themselves reflected in the books they read, or when the images they see are distorted, negative, or laughable, they learn a powerful lesson about how they are devalued in the society of which they are a part.”

Of the 3,717 children’s books published in the United States in 2019, only 1,094 of them were about Black, Indigenous and/or Persons of Color (BIPOC). Data on books by and about Black, Indigenous and People of Color published for children and teens is compiled by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Cooperative Children’s Book Center determines that a book is about characters of a specific ethnicity or racial identity if the main character is BIPOC or if a BIPOC character or real person is featured significantly in the book, even if the main character is white. If the main character is white and there are secondary characters of color who do not play a key role in the story, then a book is not considered to be about BIPOC.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library celebrates Día during April. Día is a nationally recognized initiative that emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children from all backgrounds. It is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages, and cultures. On Saturday, April 24 at 11 a.m., join the Children’s Services department for a special Día-themed I Can Read Black Stories program. The program which will be live streamed via the Facebook Page for ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center. It will celebrate Afro-Hispanic and Afro-Latino authors and illustrators and Afro-Hispanic and Afro-Latino characters. To watch live Storytime programs visit the ImaginOn's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ImaginOn/ and choose “LIVE” on the left-hand navigation list. There will be a red dot next to the word “LIVE” to indicate that Storytime is in session.

Learn more about the program here

Programs like Día and i can Read Black Stories help children to embrace diversity by accepting differences in others. Teaching children to accept differences when they are young helps them to have responsible, caring and positive social interactions when they are older. We hope that you will join us for these programs as we further our mission to improve lives and build a stronger community.

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This blog was written by Alesha Lackey, children’s services manager at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library.

Mecklenburg County 7 Recycling FAQs & Answers

On May 11, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library will host a FREE webinar to teach our patrons ages 12+ how to Recycle Right! Advanced registration is required to receive the participation link. Recycling resources will be shared with registrants before and after the program.

Register here

Library staff is organizing the event with two residential recycling educators. In preparation for the event we asked the public educators what they most need residents to understand. They didn’t hesitate to explain how materials need to be prepared correctly to be efficiently sorted at the recycling center. Here are their two critical requests:

• Do not bag recyclables! Plastic bags cause tremendous operational and financial challenges for our processing facility. No flexible plastic wraps, films, bags or packaging should ever be put in the recycling cart.
• Recyclables must be loose, clean, dry and empty! Recyclable items must be placed individually in the recycling cart, not in bags, for the separation equipment to function properly. Never put one type of recyclable inside of another (i.e. aluminum cans in a cardboard box.) All recyclables must be non-contaminated. This means every individual item must be clean, dry and empty, with no residue of the original contents (i.e. food.)

Following are the questions solid waste staff receive weekly*:

*Please note these are the recycling guidelines for Mecklenburg County, requirements may differ slightly in other counties.

1. What plastic items can I put in my residential curbside cart?

ONLY plastic bottles and jugs, with a pourable neck or spout that is smaller at the top than the base, are accepted. These are the only pure plastic types that we can sell on the recyclable materials commodity market. Labels do not need to be removed.

Examples include: Water and soda bottles of any colors, milk or juice jugs, laundry jugs, shampoo or lotion bottles (pumps should be removed and trashed first.)

Please note the following common household plastics are not accepted in Curbside Recycling:

Plastic bags/bubble wrap, produce clamshells, yogurt cups, dairy tubs, takeout food containers, styrofoam, zip pouches, vitamin and medication bottles, disposable utensils and plastic cups, buckets, storage containers, hoses.

1. What recycling symbol numbers (1, 2, 5, 7 etc.) are accepted locally?

None. See question FAQ #1 above listing the only plastics that are acceptable.

The RICs (resin identification codes) listed inside the chasing arrows triangle on the bottom of plastic packaging are, unfortunately, no longer reliable. Therefore, we do not use them anymore.

1. What do I do with lids and caps?

Never place loose lids or caps in the recycling cart. Loose lids and caps are small and fall through our machines and end up contaminating the glass that is collected. Glass mixed with plastic and metal caps (among other things) cannot be sold to processors as raw materials as it is considered contaminated – so keep the plastic caps on the bottles.

It is “ok” to leave securely attached plastic caps and lids on clean, dry and empty cartons, bottles, jugs and jars. Never try to recycle caps by themselves.

1. How much grease is tolerated to recycle pizza boxes?

Somewhere between a smidge and a tad; Yes that is an intentionally vague answer! Of course we prefer to only accept clean and dry cardboard to only process and sell by the ton the highest quality recyclables. We definitely do not want whole pieces of pizza or crust left in the box (yes it happens!) Cheese, sauce and crumbs are also contaminants. If ½ your box is clean, rip that part off to recycle and please trash anything with food or grease residue.

1. Are aluminum foil and pans (pie, lasagna, roasting) recyclable?

No. Our machines can only recognize and sort aluminum cans. Additionally, more often than not these common aluminum food storage items are contaminated with food. Remember we do not want food residue on anything.

1. How do I dispose of household batteries?

Rechargeable batteries must be disposed of properly because they contain hazardous elements such as lithium, nickel, and metal hydrides. Never place rechargeable batteries in your trash or recycling carts as they are the number one cause of fires at our facilities. Please take rechargeable batteries to the household hazardous waste station at one of our full service drop off centers.

Traditional alkaline batteries can be put in the trash to be sent to the landfill, because they do not contain any hazardous elements.

1. What types of glass can be recycled?

Similar to plastics (see FAQ #1), only glass bottles and jars typically used in your kitchen or bathroom are accepted. All colors of glass are accepted. Caps and lids can remain on, if securely attached, (see FAQ #3). Labels do not need to be removed.

We prefer separated glass be brought to our full service drop off centers and deposited into the large yellow dumpsters marked, “Clean Glass Only.”

Please note the following common household glass items are not accepted:

Dishes and glasses, pyrex/corning ware, vases, bulbs, picture frames, windows, aquariums, ceramics, porcelain, crystal.

To learn more and have all of your questions answered live, please register for an upcoming Recycle Right presentation. If you still have questions, email [email protected] or visit wipeoutwaste.com.

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This blog was written by Maitri Meyer, residential waste reduction educator for Mecklenburg County.

Does the clutter in your home have you feeling stressed and overwhelmed? Does your home look out of control? An organized home helps you focus more, it relieves stress and saves you time. It improves your overall health.

Join us online as Joanna Clausen, Owner of NEST Organizing in Huntersville, NC, shares her tips and tricks for getting organized. Joanna is a mother of three and a professional organizer. She uses her passion for organization to help others take control of their home and stuff. Learn more about Joanna here.

To learn the NEST organization process for how to reset, declutter, sort, purge and clean:

May 4, 2021 at 7 p.m. Register here.

May 5, 2021 at 6 p.m. Register here

Make cooking meals easier by having a clean and ready-to-go kitchen. To learn techniques to organize your kitchen and pantry:

May 11, 2021, at 7 p.m. Register here.

May 12, 2021 at 6 p.m. Register here.

Turn your home office into a productive workspace. To declutter and sort your home office and papers:

May 18, 2021 at 7 p.m. Register here.

May 19, 2021 at 6 p.m. Register here.

Keep, donate, trash and shred. This is a personal journey. Let’s create organizational habits, reenergize your home and organize for success.

Once upon a time there was a storytelling festival. It was derailed by an evil pandemic until, one day, a fearless team of storytellers put their magical forces together to conquer the odds and climb the mighty fortress of digital programming and (cue dramatic music)… share their stories with the world!  

Since 1976, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has been partnering with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools to introduce as many local children in grades K-5 as possible to the artform of oral and traditional storytelling. A team of Library staffers across all 20 Library branches raise their hands each May to become the Frontline Storytellers, heading into CMS partner schools to tell stories from all over the world to thousands of Charlotte school children in a single day. 

Although unable to participate in 2020, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is thrilled to announce that we are back in full force with Storyvine 2021, which will be fully digital and open not just to CMS students but, for the first time ever, to the public as well. 

On Thursday, May 6, 2021 from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., there will be more than 10 different storytellers sharing traditional tales on the ImaginOn Facebook page and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library YouTube channel every 30 minutes from Germany, Russia, Africa, England, Panama, the Caribbean, Peru, the Native American and Appalachian traditions, and more!  

Download our calendar for a full schedule of stories and viewing links

If you’re a teacher or educator who would like to celebrate with us, we’ve created a lesson plan HERE with additional discussion points. 

On behalf of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, we invite you to join us for this full-day digital storytelling experience as Storyvine 2021 lives on--dare we say--happily ever after. 

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This blog was written by Becca Worthington, children's librarian at ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center.