If you're hungry for poetry, bring your appetite to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Main  Library for 12:15 at Main: Poetry Exploration on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. This meetup is the first in a series of monthly to bi-monthly meetings where poets of all levels can  create or recite poetry at lunchtime. Listening ears are welcome to participate as well.

 

The 12:15 at Main program will run until Main Library closes its doors for renovation in early 2021. Meetings, held the first and third Wednesday of each month, will vary in topics topics based on presenters. Attendees will also enjoy short video screenings and new discussion prompts.

The goal of the program is to build an anthology for continuing attendees so that they have a variety of personal work that spans different topics and styles. 12:15 at Main: Poetry Exploration is a program for everyone and there is no skill requirement.

Patrons who know little about poetry will have the opportunity to learn new styles and writing mechanisms along the way. To see the complete schedule of 12:15 at Main: Poetry Exploration, click here.

For more information about 12:15 at Main: Poetry Exploration, please contact  Rob Smith at [email protected].

Written by: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Historian-in-Residence, Dr. Tom Hanchett.

For decades in Charlotte, Attorney J. Charles Jones was a buoyant, familiar community presence on the city’s mostly African American west side. History-seekers and city leaders often invited him to speak about his role in Charlotte’s 1960 sit-ins. He advocated enthusiastically for civic projects and strove to help neighbors join together for change. His cheery greeting, “Gracious good day!” was usually followed by reference to The Elders, the previous generations who had gotten us here and demanded that we keep moving forward. He wanted you to know the Civil Rights history that his generation had made — so that you would pick up the torch, in turn, and make history yourself.

Charles Jones’ role in the Civil Rights movement ran deeper and reached even further than his listeners often realized. Not only did he co-lead Charlotte’s successful 1960s sit-ins, the largest such action in the early days of that student movement, he went on to:

• Take part in the meetings in 1960s that created the nationally important Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee
• Do jail-time in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on SNCC’s behalf in 1961 – a “jail, no bail” protest that foreshadowed Rev. Martin Luther King’s later stay in the Birmingham jail.
• Join the 1961 Freedom Ride in Mississippi and again go to prison at the legendarily harsh Parchman Farm Penitentiary
• Take part in tumultuous SNCC campaigns for voting rights in McComb, Mississippi (1961) and Albany, Georgia (1961 – 62) – where he helped launch the SNCC Freedom Singers with Bernice Johnson Reagon and others.
• Initiate a high-profile 1966 march around Washington DC’s beltway that is credited with opening housing to all in the DC area.

In the late 1960s he returned to Charlotte, earned a law degree and began a career as Attorney J. Charles Jones, spending half a century representing mostly poor, mostly African American clients.

When Jones passed away at the end of 2019, the national media took notice. This essay pulls together those sources along with other essays and research materials that give a sense of his work and his personality. It starts with the funeral program distributed to mourners at the Chapel on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University on January 4, 2020. Then come links to obituaries and profiles in national and local news media. Finally, there are links to oral histories and photo collections in Charlotte and elsewhere. This list is by no means complete, but rather a starting point for those interested in Jones and his legacy.

Neil Genzlinger, “J. Charles Jones, Civil Rights Activist, Is Dead at 82,” New York Times, January 10, 2020.



Matt Schudel, “J. Charles Jones, Civil Rights Activist Who Led Protest Walk Around Beltway, Dies at 82,” Washington Post, January 18, 2020.

“Life Well-Lived: J. Charles Jones -- American Civil Rights Leader Dies at 82,” NBC Today Show, January 19, 2020.  

“Johnson C. Smith University Remembers J. Charles Jones,” Happenings page, JCSU website.  

“Interview with J. Charles Jones,” interviewer Kara Miles, June 16, 1993, Duke University Libraries. 

“Interview with J. Charles Jones,” interviewer Debbie Howard, May 18, 2005, Special Collections, J. Murrey Atkins Library, UNC Charlotte.

“Oral Histories with J. Charles Jones and Charles Sherrod,” June 23, 2005, Miami University of Ohio.  

Corey Inscoe, “Meet the Man Who Led Charlotte’s Lunch-Counter Sit-Ins and Went to Jail with Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Charlotte Observer, February 07, 2017.

David Aaron Moore, “Stumbling Across a Hero,” Charlotte Magazine, January 2, 2011. 

Frye Gaillard, “Days of Hope and Courage: Reunion Will Celebrate Local Civil Rights Sit-Ins,” Creative Loafing, January 29, 2003. 

A video interview with Jones about the Charlotte Sit-ins is part of the permanent exhibition Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers at Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte.

The Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library holds photographs and other materials related to Jones. This Facebook post from February 9, 2020, gives a glimpse.

--

The main photo on this blog is by Diedra Laird/The Charlotte Observer (2016).

The only thing that separates Southwest Middle School and Steele Creek Library is a narrow grass median. Though the two are near in proximity, they have never been relationally close. Inspired to change that dynamic and build a closer relationship with students at Southwest Middle, Steele Creek Librarian Sarah Story began attending open houses at Southwest Middle to make the Library more visible to students and parents. 

In August, Steele Creek and Outreach staff teamed up to attend three open houses at Southwest Middle where they were able to connect with students stopping by to pick up their schedules and meet their teachers.  

“This was a great way to increase Library visibility in the school community, advertise Teen programs and meet parents who we don’t often see during the school year,” Story said. 



In December 2019, another Librarian, Kara Hunter,joined Story on outreach visits to Southwest Middle’s sixth grade classes. 



“Kara and I visited almost every 6th grade class to show them online resources that they could use for upcoming research projects,” Story said. “In total, we visited 11 classes, 210 students and 13 teachers,” she added. 

Their visit resulted in students excitedly running up to Story when they noticed her in the Library just a few days later. They told her about the resources they remembered, how they used CultureGrams that day for a class assignment and introduced a new group of students to staff and what the Library has to offer. 

Story was also inspired to create positive change at Southwest Middle where she’d heard stories of vandalism, fights and noise occurring on campus. Story decided to create bi-weekly afterschool Teen programs where students could safely play board games, participate in cooking challenges, take Library tours, enjoy Lunch and Learn topics and more. Eventually, behavioral incidents at the school declined, prompting the school to get involved with the planning of afterschool programs. 

“We needed more involvement from the school, and I wanted it to be a positive relationship, not just passing on disciplinary requests,” Story said. “So, I started sending emails trying to get to know school staff and offering outreach ideas,” she added. 



Story believes anyone can be a hero and help teens through creative programming. She is especially grateful of the support from the Steele Creek staff and is excited about the positive progress they have made with Southwest Middle. 



 “Everyone has their own unique ways to Be A Hero (a Library culture principle) for these kids, whether it’s implementing new program ideas, helping them find a book or offering them a smile after a long day at school,” Story said. “Our relationship with Southwest Middle is still growing and evolving, requiring consistent and frequent communication with administration and teachers about ways we can support each other. It will probably always be a work in progress and creative and innovative approaches are the best way to move forward and continually improve.” 

Did you know that Charlotte Mecklenburg Library offers customers FREE access to lynda's expansive library of instructional videos?

Valued at more than $300 a year, this benefit is yours FREE just by logging in with your library card number or ONE Access account number and password.

Turn on. Log in. Get smart.

For 20 years, lynda.com has helped students, leaders, IT and design pros, project managers – anyone in any role – develop software, creative and business skills.

Become an expert in that thing you've always wanted to know more about by creating your own tutorial playlists or browsing lynda.com's "Learning Paths"—bundled tutorials designed to provide a crash course for a particular topic.

Lynda.com courses are taught by industry professionals with real-world experience and can be filtered by category, length, skill level and more to provide a personalized, reliable learning experience. Lynda.com also offers courses in five languages!

Learning on lynda.com can happen anywhere with apps for your computer, mobile device and TV, featuring enhanced navigation and faster streaming. And now that lynda.com is owned by LinkedIn, you can easily post the training you complete to your profile.

So, what's available with lynda.com?

More than 3,000 courses (and more than 130,000 videos) in popular fields like web design, web development, IT, education/instruction, media production and business. Most tutorials last several hours but are broken into multiple chapters.

• Photography: how to shoot photos that tell a story, choose the right gear, edit photos and more.
• Software: Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint; Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and more.
• Web design: Web graphics, Interactive Design, Prototyping and more.
• Social media and web publishing tools like Facebook, Twitter and Wordpress.
• Business and career skills: productivity, marketing, time management and more.
• Job Search Tools: Resume design, Searching for Positions, Working with Recruiters and more.

Course offerings on lynda.com are always being updated, so check back often for even more learning opportunities.

Don't know where to start?

Those who aren't sure what they need can browse curated playlists to get started in any subject. These playlists are like a mix tape—they're a great way to discover new topics you never knew you wanted to learn.

You can access lynda.com using your Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card or ONE Access account (CMS student or staff ID number). If you don't have a library card yet, you can apply below.

If you do have a library card, start using lynda.com today! Once you are logged in, the next step is to create a personalized account by entering a name and email address. This account can help manage your course history, playlists, bookmarks and Certificates of Completion.

What are you waiting for?

Take a closer look at lynda.com today and discover a new skill you'd like to learn—on your time!

Even in today’s internet-led world, book clubs are still as popular as ever. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Jenna Bush Hager curate their own book club titles. At the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation’s annual Verse & Vino, tables sell out fast and are filled by Book Club members – a testament that avid readers are looking not only for a great title, but also for a great experience.

How can the Library help your book club?

For starters, we have the books. LOTS OF Books. Nearly 200 titles are available in our book club kits.

What’s a book club kit? Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has plenty of book club kits available to check out for six weeks. Each kit has 10 copies of the book (paperback), an author biography and discussion questions, which are all conveniently packaged in a Library tote bag. Reserve your kit online or call Gina DeLisle, book club kit coordinator, at 704-416-0303.  Here's a link to the newest additions. If you can’t decide on a book, pick one from Gina’s lists or one of Oprah's Favorite Books. 

Where are the book club kits?

Book club kits are on display on the main floor at Main Library in Uptown. If a book club kit isn't on reserve, you can take it directly from the shelf and check it out.

The best way to ensure your book title choice is available, is to go on-line to reserve your kit.  On line you can see all the titles and also when kits are available. The kit will be delivered to the branch location you specify and typically takes three days to deliver.

How much does this cost?

What if you don’t have the funds to buy all these books new? Book club kits are FREE! Book clubbers on a budget will love checking out the book club kit from the Library.

Need a list of discussion questions for your book?

Don’t let your group get off the subject! Visit our valuable resource NoveList Plus for ready-made discussion questions to get your talk off to a good start. Check out the handy user tutorial on getting started.  

Let us do the work.

Short on time? Or maybe you're looking to join an existing book club. If so, let our expert staff do the planning and join one of our Library book clubs! Book clubs are offered at branch locations all through the County. New members are always welcome.  We’ve listed a few here, but check out our book club calendar to see them all. 

Book clubs, whether in your home or here at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, are ways to empower your community and embrace diverse ideas. 

Desplácese hacia abajo para ver la versión en español

Mecklenburg County Public Health is working with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), other local health departments and health care providers as well as community partners including Charlotte Douglas International Airport and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management Office (CMEMO) to prepare for any future potential cases in the County and in the State. At present, the majority of cases have been diagnosed in people who live in or have traveled to Wuhan, China. Currently, the risk for infection locally is low; however, usual prevention methods are recommended to prevent any further infections.

By now you’ve probably had conversations with coworkers, family, neighbors and acquaintances in the community regarding the risk, whether you should be concerned and what you should do. Here is some information that might be helpful to you and them (this information is also available on the County website and will be updated regularly.

Travelers who develop a fever or respiratory symptoms, including cough and difficulty breathing, within two weeks of leaving should contact their doctor right away and should call ahead before going to the clinic, urgent care or emergency room so appropriate steps can be taken to avoid exposing others.

At this time of year, respiratory illnesses in people in North Carolina are most likely due to infection with influenza or viruses that cause the common cold. People should take precautions to protect themselves from these infections, including practicing good handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding touching your face, staying home when you are sick and getting your annual flu shot.

• practicing good handwashing,

• covering coughs and sneezes,

• avoiding touching your face,

• staying home when you are sick and

• getting your annual flu shot.

If you would like more information, here are several websites that will be updated regularly:

• CDC Webpage
• NC DHHS Webpage
• Mecklenburg County Webpage
  
   

Find resources on COVID-19 in other languages here/encuentra recursos en COVID-19 en otros idiomas aquí:

• Naturalize Charlotte 
• Health Literacy Project 

If you're interested in making hand sanitizer, click here for a link to a homemade recipe.

Coronavirus COVID-19: Links You Can Trust

Coronavirus COVID-19 has been the subject of many recent news and social media reports. With the increase of fake and unreliable news, we suggest going to the following trusted sources to learn more about this topic.

World Health Organization (WHO)

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a trusted, authoritative source for public health information. The WHO announced the official name for the disease that is causing the 2020 outbreak of coronavirus disease: COVID-19.

• Coronavirus (health topic)
  
  This landing page for the Coronaviruses family of viruses includes background, select news on the outbreak, and links to Questions and Answers on Coronaviruses.
• Advice for the Public
  
  This WHO page on Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has practical information for dealing with the outbreak on a personal level. The page includes video, graphics, myth-busters, and even tips for coping with related stress.

General Information and prevention

• World Health Organization
• Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: Myth busters from the WHO
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• FAQ from the CDC

MedlinePlus

MedlinePlus offers up-to-date information in language you can understand. MedlinePlus is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

• Coronavirus Infections 
• Also available in Spanish: Infecciones por coronavirus: MedlinePlus en español

Associated Press

The Associated Press (AP) is a not-for-profit news cooperative that is widely considered the least biased reporting in the U.S.

• Coronavirus Topic: AP articles
  
  Government and business response to the outbreak is well covered.

Johns Hopkins University

• Coronavirus COVID-19 Mapping by Johns Hopkins CSSE
  
  The Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University is mapping the number of global cases, deaths, and recoveries from COVID-19. The data is updated throughout the day.

Información sobre la enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)

El Departamento de Salud Pública del Condado de Mecklenburg está trabajando con el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte (NCDHHS por sus siglas en inglés), los Centros para el Control de Enfermedades (CDC por sus siglas en inglés), otros departamentos de salud locales y proveedores de atención médica, así como con socios de la comunidad, incluyendo el Aeropuerto Internacional Charlotte Douglas y la Oficina de Manejo de Emergencias de Charlotte-Mecklenburg (CMEMO por sus siglas en inglés) para prepararse para casos potenciales futuros en el Condado y en el Estado. En la actualidad, la mayoría de los casos se han diagnosticado en personas que viven o han viajado a Wuhan, China. Actualmente, el riesgo de infección local es bajo; sin embargo, se recomiendan los métodos de prevención habituales para prevenir futuras infecciones.

Probablemente ya haya tenido conversaciones con compañeros de trabajo, familiares, vecinos y conocidos de la comunidad sobre el riesgo, si debe preocuparse y qué debe hacer. Aquí encontrará información que puede ser útil para usted y para ellos (esta información también está disponible en el sitio web del Condado y se actualizará periódicamente).

Los viajeros que desarrollan fiebre o síntomas respiratorios, los cuales incluyen tos y dificultad para respirar, dentro de las dos semanas posteriores a la partida, deben comunicarse con su médico de inmediato y deben llamar con anticipación antes de ir a la clínica, atención de urgencia o sala de emergencias para que se puedan tomar las medidas adecuadas para evitar la exposición a otros.

En esta época del año, las enfermedades respiratorias en las personas en Carolina del Norte probablemente se deben a una infección con influenza o virus que causan el resfriado común. Las personas deben tomar precauciones para protegerse de estas infecciones, como practicar un buen lavado de manos, cubrirse la tos y los estornudos, evitar tocarse la cara, quedarse en casa cuando esté enfermo y recibir la vacuna anual contra la gripe.

Mientras habla con sus compañeros de trabajo, amigos y familiares sobre las cosas que puede hacer para protegerse de las infecciones respiratorias como la gripe y COVID-19, aquí hay algunas sugerencias:

• practicar un buen lavado de manos,

• cubrir toses y estornudos,

• evitar tocarse la cara,

• quedarse en casa cuando esté enfermo y

• recibir su vacuna anual contra la gripe.

Si desea obtener más información, aquí hay varios sitios web que se actualizarán periódicamente:

• Página web de los CDC
• Página web del NC DHHS
• Página web del Condado de Mecklenburg

Encuentre recursos sobre COVID-19 en otros idiomas aquí:

• Naturalizar Charlotte 
• https://covid19healthliteracyproject.com/#languages

Si está interesado en hacer desinfectante para manos, haga clic aquí para obtener un enlace a una receta casera.

Coronavirus COVID-19: enlaces en los que puede confiar

El coronavirus COVID-19 ha sido un tema publicado en muchas noticias recientes e informes de redes sociales. Con el aumento de noticias falsas y poco confiables, sugerimos ir a las siguientes fuentes confiables para obtener más información sobre este tema.

Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS)

La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) es una fuente confiable y autorizada de información de salud pública. La OMS anunció el nombre oficial de la enfermedad que está causando el brote de la enfermedad por coronavirus en el 2020: COVID-19.

• Coronavirus (tema de salud)
  
  Esta página de inicio para la familia de los coronavirus incluye antecedentes, noticias selectas sobre el brote y enlaces a preguntas y respuestas sobre la enfermedad por coronavirus.
• Orientaciones para el público
  
  Esta página de la OMS sobre la enfermedad por Coronavirus (COVID-19) contiene información práctica para tratar el brote a nivel personal. La página incluye videos, gráficos, consejos sobre los rumores sobre el virus, e incluso consejos para lidiar con el estrés relacionado.

Información general y prevención

• Organización Mundial de la Salud
• Asesoramiento para el público sobre la enfermedad por coronavirus (COVID-19): consejos para la población acerca de los rumores sobre el nuevo coronavirus
• Centros para el Control de Enfermedades (CDC)
• Preguntas frecuentes de los CDC

MedlinePlus

MedlinePlus ofrece información actualizada que es fácil de entender. MedlinePlus es un servicio de la Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina (NLM por sus siglas en inglés), la biblioteca médica más grande del mundo, que forma parte de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud (NIH por sus siglas en inglés).

• Infecciones por coronavirus: MedlinePlus en español

Associated Press

Associated Press (AP) es una cooperativa de noticias sin fines de lucro que es ampliamente considerada como la información menos sesgada en los Estados Unidos.

• Noticias del AP
  
  Se cubren temas como la respuesta al brote del gobierno y las empresas.

Universidad de Johns Hopkins

• Mapeo de coronavirus COVID-19 por Johns Hopkins CSSE
  
  El Centro de Ciencia e Ingeniería de Sistemas (CSSE por sus siglas en inglés) de la Universidad de Johns Hopkins está mapeando el número de casos, muertes y recuperaciones globales de COVID-19. Los datos se actualizan a lo largo del día. Está página solo está disponible en inglés.

Desplácese hacia abajo para ver la versión en español

Your Library’s mission is to improve lives and build a stronger community. Access to resources is important – even while practicing social distancing (limiting physical closeness to others to reduce the risk of exposure to disease). With recommendations to stay home and avoid crowds, this is a perfect opportunity to explore the world of e-books, e-audiobooks, movies, music, newspapers, magazines and more resources you can access for FREE, from anywhere, with your Library card.

Don’t have a Library card? Sign-up for one now.

Stay well and stay engaged with digital resources you can access today:*
 

E-books & More
freegal
hoopla (10 checkouts)
Kanopy (10 checkouts)
Kanopy Kids (unlimited checkouts)
NC Kids Digital Library 
OverDrive/libby (20 checkouts)
      Looking for titles on OverDrive that are always available? Click here.
RBdigital magazines  (unlimited checkouts)

Keep up with the news
Charlotte Observer
New York Times  
New York Times - Digital Solutions
Wall Street Journal  
Value Line  

Learn a skill at home
lynda.com
Mango Languages
Universal Class

Storytime
Find storytime videos at our Digital Branch!

Additional resources
Need help navigating Library resources? Click the green flag labeled “Resource Tutorials” to the right of the Resources: A-Z page to access our Niche Academy tutorial videos.

Wi-Fi remains available at all Library locations. Wi-Fi signal will be extended at each branch to reach the perimeter of the facility.

Questions? We can help you. Online chat is available Monday-Friday from 9 a.m-9 p.m. Click "Ask a Librarian" on the cmlibray.org website.

Need a Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card? Sign-up for a Library card here.

Access Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) resources for librarians and patrons here.
 

*For your convenience, this list will be updated periodically. (Last updated Friday, April 20, 2020 at 2:54 p.m.)

Recursos digitales a su alcance

La misión de su biblioteca es mejorar vidas y construir una comunidad más fuerte. El acceso a los recursos es importante, incluso mientras se practica el distanciamiento social (limitar la cercanía física con los demás para reducir el riesgo de exposición a enfermedades). Debido a las recomendaciones para quedarse en casa y evitar multitudes, esta es una oportunidad perfecta para explorar el mundo de los libros electrónicos, audiolibros electrónicos, películas, música, periódicos, revistas y más recursos. Usted puede accederlos GRATIS, desde cualquier lugar, con su tarjeta de la biblioteca.

¿No tiene una tarjeta de la biblioteca? Inscríbase ahora.

Por favor cuídese y utilice los recursos digitales disponibles: *

Libros electrónicos y más

freegal

hoopla (10 préstamos)

Kanopy  (10 préstamos)

Kanopy Kids (préstamos ilimitados)

NC Kids Digital Library 

OverDrive/libby (20 préstamos disponibles ahora)
      ¿Busca títulos en OverDrive que siempre estén disponibles? Haga clic aquí. 

Revistas RBdigital  (préstamos ilimitados disponibles ahora)

Manténgase al tanto de las novedades

Charlotte Observer
New York Times  
New York Times - Digital Solutions
Wall Street Journal  
Value Line  

Aprenda algo nuevo en casa
lynda.com
Mango Languages
Universal Class

Tiempo de cuentos

¡Encuentre videos de cuentos en nuestra sucursal digital!

Recursos adicionales

¿Necesita ayuda para navegar los recursos de la biblioteca? Haga clic en la bandera verde con la etiqueta "Resource Tutorials” (“Tutoriales de recursos") a la derecha de la página de Recursos: A-Z para acceder a nuestros videos tutoriales de la Academia Niche.

Wi-Fi permanece disponible en todas las sucursales de la biblioteca. La señal de Wi-Fi se extenderá en cada sucursal para alcanzar el perímetro de la ubicación.

¿Tiene preguntas? Le podemos ayudar. El chat en línea está disponible de lunes a viernes de 9 a.m. a 9 p.m. Haga clic en “Ask a Librarian” ("Pregunte a un bibliotecario") en la parte inferior del sitio web cmlibrary.org.

¿Necesita una tarjeta de la Biblioteca de Charlotte Mecklenburg? Inscríbase para obtener una tarjeta de la biblioteca aquí.

Acceda a los recursos del Programa de la Biblioteca Federal de Depósito (FDLP por sus siglas en inglés) para los bibliotecarios y los usuarios aquí.

 * Para su comodidad, esta lista se actualizará periódicamente. (Última actualización el viernes 20 de abril del 2020 a las 2:54 p.m.)