November is an exciting month for aspiring writers!  November is National Novel Writing Month when writers worldwide write with a goal of ending the month with 50, 000 words of a brand-new novel.  Are you inspired to write the next great American novel?  Do you want to create a book of family history to share with cousins near and far?  The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has resources for every type of writer to get you started on your journey.

Digital Resources

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has resources to help you in writing, publishing, and sharing your creation. 

Pressbooks is an easy-to-use online software program that allows writers to create professional e-book and print ready files in ePUB, MOBI, and PDF formats.  Pressbooks covers all aspects of writing your book, start to finish.  All you need to get started is a library card!  Access Pressbooks from the Library’s Resources page and create a Biblioboard profile to get started. 

After creating your masterpiece, you can submit your work to be self-published using the Indie Author Project resource.  Submitting your work to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Indie Author Project resource can promote your work and increase readership.  After being vetted by Biblioboard, your work is added to the statewide Indie North Carolina Collection on Biblioboard Library.

Biblioboard Library is an e-book resource.  Content on Biblioboard Library includes titles from independently published authors in North Carolina, a curated K-12 Classroom Collection of literature, philosophy, history and geography topics, and other top independently published e-books.  E-books created by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library customers can be found here!  Biblioboard Library e-books are always available with no wait! 

Print Resources

Need some help getting started on your writing journey or just want to learn more about the writing craft?  Recommendations from Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff can be found in our catalog.

• Writing for Authors
• Editor Betsy Thorpe Recommends Writing Titles
• Memoir Writing Resources

Events and Programs

Want to connect with fellow local writers?  Attend one of our writing group programs!  Love poetry?  We have a program for you!  Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has programs and events for writers of all ages.  Explore our event calendar here.

Access all the Library’s resources for free with your library card.  Don’t have one?  Sign up here!  If you need more help with the resources covered in this blog, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff are available to help by email, chat, and phone. 

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 This blog was written by Amy Richard, library collections manager at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

November marks National Family Literacy Month, a time to celebrate families- adults and children- learning together! Charlotte Mecklenburg Library always strives for families learning together, and this month we place a special emphasis on promoting and sharing all the resources, services, and programs you and your family can utilize to improve your literacy practices at home.

Read Together

Visit your local Library branch often as a family to check out books together! According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who are read to have better language skills, have more interest in reading, and have better nurturing relationships with their parental figures (AAP, 2014).  Make it a habit to read as often as you can as a family. If you cannot make it in person to our Library locations, thousands of digital e-books await you online! Browse one of our digital book resources, and spend time reading together as a family.

Talk Together

Talking about books and what is going on in your child’s life will help to improve your child’s language and vocabulary skills. Cognitive scientists from MIT found that conversation between an adult and a child can actually change and enhance a child’s brain physiology (Association of American Universities, 2018)! Active Reading, or the practice of reading aloud a children’s picture book by asking questions, building vocabulary, and making connections to the child’s world and experiences, is a wonderful way to talk together as a family. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library provides Active Reading Family Workshops and Active Reading Training programs to help you and your family have meaningful conversations about books together.

Write Together

There are many ways to practice writing as a family at home. Start a family journal, where family members write back and forth to one another, or simply send notes and letters to each other! Seek inspiration from our storytellers at the Library to write your own story together as a family. Drawing counts too! The practice of writing aids in fine motor skills, self-expression, and language development. Feel free to write a book review as well together as a family and add it to our catalog for others to enjoy!

Learn Together

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s mission and vision is to improve lives and build a stronger community. We do this by learning together! There are many ways to learn together as a family at the Library. Programs are available daily that you can attend together as a family including storytimes, story explorer programs, puppet shows and more! Check out step-by-step books to create a new recipe or craft together as a family too. Discuss what you learned together as a family and share it with others.

Celebrate with Us

To celebrate National Family Literacy Month, you and your family are invited to participate in a special Virtual Family Literacy night on November 16, 2021 at 6 p.m. Expect singing, dancing, reading, writing, and learning together as a family to improve your literacy practices at home!

Improve your family literacy this month and beyond by checking out all that Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has to offer. Read together, talk together, write together, and learn together. We consider your family a part of our family, and we hope you consider Charlotte Mecklenburg Library part of your family too. Happy National Family Literacy month!

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This blog post was written by Elyse Berrier, Library Program Coordinator, at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Early voting started October 21, 2021 through October 30, 2021. There are seven (7) early voting locations, which include these four Libraries:

• Davidson Library –  119 South Main Street, Davidson, NC 28036
• Matthews Library - 230 Matthews Station St., Matthews, NC 28105
• Mint Hill Library -  6840 Matthews - Mint Hill Road, Mint Hill, NC 28227
• North County Regional Library - 16500 Holly Crest Lane, Huntersville, NC 2807

Voting hours will vary. For all seven early voting locations and voting hours, please click here. 

For more information, please visit the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections website here.

This promotion has ended.

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the past year and focus on what you are thankful for. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is thankful for YOU, our customers!  And as a gift to our customers, we are selecting a small collection of e-books that will be available instantly with no waiting in our OverDrive/Libby resource.

This week only the below titles will be available to check out with no holds.  If you currently have one of these titles on hold, your hold will be immediately filled!  You can check out up to three of these titles.  Enjoy!

Dune by Frank Herbert (e-book)

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (e-book)

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (e-book)

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi (audiobook)

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari (audiobook)

New Kid by Jerry Craft (youth audiobook)

How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace (youth e-book)

Pete the Cat's 12 Groovy Days of Christmas (youth e-book)

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco (teen fiction)

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus (teen audiobook)

Promotion ends November 28, 2021 at 11:59 p.m.

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This blog was written by Amy Richard, library collections manager at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

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.

Business executive Sheryl Sandberg takes a simple view of workplace diversity.  The billionaire and philanthropist said, “We are building products that people with very diverse backgrounds use, and I think we all want our company makeup to reflect the makeup of the people who use our products.”  And that’s enough said.

In keeping with Sandberg’s work philosophy, diversity and inclusion (“D&I”) in the workplace would be a company priority.  That follows in line as a response to the racial unrest in 2020 following the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and others.  Street protests sprang up around the world as the events fueled the Black Lives Matter movement with growth and acceptance.  So, last September, when Glassdoor, a company review website, published its survey about D&I with adult employees and jobseekers, their findings were not surprising. It revealed many survey participants check how companies address D&I, and value those companies that do.     

Creating a diverse workplace is an understandable component to the process of a nation with growing multiracial populations.  To react otherwise is to deny talent, expertise, and profit-making opportunities.  And yet, the current efforts are lacking.

Diversity and Inclusion Strategist La’Wana Harris details several missteps when company management is not supportive of change.  In her book, Diversity Beyond Lip Service: a coaching guide for changing bias, Harris writes that these include company management giving a deaf ear to new voices, minority hiring for company “window dressing,” and employees attending an unbiased training workshop without follow-up to pursue the training.  Harris explains further in individual stories of failure and success for the cause of D&I, which she concludes needs strong and consistent support from committed company elites—typically, white men—to make the process work.  Until then, the path is rocky with an unsteady ride. 

An additional problem is the use of microaggressions in the workplace.  Microaggressions are identified as “indirect expressions of racism, sexism, ageism, or ableism,” according to a June 2020 article in the Business Insider newspaper.  Specifically, the article points out 14 troublesome comments and questions to minorities and others in marginalized groups.  For example, the question to an African American woman asking if her hair is “real” may imply her appearance is unprofessional.  As a response, the article recommends that question should not be asked and “natural hair, regardless of their ethnicity, should be accepted as professional and workplace-friendly.”

Repeated microaggressions can take a toll and cause stress such as racial trauma. In February 2019, the American Psychological Association published “Uncovering the Trauma of Racism” and identified workplace discrimination as a traumatizing act of racism, and thus, being a form of racial trauma. One book, with a featured booklist of this topic of workplace diversity, focuses on the possible hurt one can face in Right Within: how to heal from Racial Trauma in the Workplace by Minda Harts.  She shares from her experiences, and from others, to unpack and expose painful work situations while moving on to heal herself and encourage the reader.

The previously mentioned booklist is “Creating Workplace Diversity.” It features eight library books detailing the goal achieving diversity in the workplace with personal stories, research, challenges, and inspiration.         

Access the booklist here

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This blog was written by Lawrence Turner, adult services librarian at South County Regional Library.

Bring the joy of browsing the shelves to your phone with the Library’s new and improved mobile app. With new titles, staff lists and programs featured on the homepage, the new mobile app will provide a discovery every time you log in.  Access Charlotte Mecklenburg Library from your Android and Apple iOS phone or tablet anywhere 24/7. Search for "CMLibrary" or "Charlotte Mecklenburg Library" to download! The name of the new app will remain the same.

The new app will be available to download from the Google Play Store or the iPhone Store on December 1, 2021. After December 1, 2021, the old CMLibrary app will not be accessible. Your information linked to your Library card will be transferred over once you log into the new app. 

Notable Features with the new app: 

• In-app Library card that can be used to check out materials 

• Manage your account, search the catalog, renew and reserve books 

• Scan the barcode of any book to see which branches have it available 

• Find branch location information with the most up-to-date information on Library hours and closures 

• See and register for events and programs through the Library calendar 

• View new titles, curated staff lists and recommendations 

• Connect with us on social media 

• Access our homepage 

• Pay fees 

See below for a sneak peek at the new features.

New home screen with easy to access menu at the top and discovery of new items at the Library.

See the upcoming programs and register right in-app. Check out the curated staff pick lists from Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's own librarians.

Find your next great read and place it on hold. Easily select the location where you would like to pick it up.

See all of the Library's locations and the most up-to-date branch hours and closures.

Forget your Library card while at one of our branches? Don't worry! You can access it in the app.

Update your settings, including your email account, within the app. Never miss one of the Library's updates.

Need help finding and downloading the new mobile app?

Open the App Store on your iPhone or Google Play Store on your Android phone.

Search for cmlibrary or Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and look for the i can app and click install.

Need to find your Library card?

Find your Library card on the home screen of the app here.

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This blog was updated on December 7, 2021. 

There are a few things that can be overlooked when we think of helping the community - including the importance of clean laundry and childhood literacy. Millions of families in underserved communities visit laundromats each week to fulfil the basic need for clean clothes. For many families, fulfilling this basic need can be challenging.  



The LaundryCares Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping laundromat owners provide services such as Free Laundry and Literacy Day and childhood literacy services to families in underserved communities, hopes to provide access to clean laundry and encourage childhood literacy during Free Laundry and Literacy Day in partnership with  Too Small to Fail, a public awareness and action campaign promoting the importance of early brain and language development, and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Free Laundry and Literacy Day is an event that hopes to ease some of the stress around dreaded laundry day by offering free laundry services, free early learning activities, and free food and drinks for those in the community. Also, be on the lookout, Sir Purr from the Carolina Panthers will be in attendance from 3-3:30 p.m., you don’t want to miss him! 

"Everyone is excited to help this new store open its doors and already give back to the neighborhood the business will serve,” said Dan Naumann, executive vice president of the LaundryCares Foundation. “We’re especially grateful for the installation of the new Family Read, Play & Learn Space here; it’s perfect for this location.”   



During Free Laundry and Literacy Day, members of the community are encouraged to bring in an unlimited amount of laundry to wash for free while children participate in early literacy activities with Marilyn Price, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s master puppeteer. There will also be a ribbon-cutting for a new Family Read, Play, & Learn space within LaundroLab. This learning space will offer comfortable seating with high-quality books, toys, and other learning materials designed to help parents and caregivers engage in literacy-rich activities with their children while they wait for their laundry.  

According to an independent study conducted by New York University (NYU), Family Read, Play, & Learn spaces in laundromats had an overwhelmingly positive effect on children’s literacy-related activity. The article also revealed that: 

• “When spaces were paired with librarians, children engaged in substantial and sustained literacy activities.” 

• “Parents expressed pride and delight as they observed their children’s literacy-related activities.” 

The LaundryCares Foundation will provide free children’s books to attendees to help children maintain great literacy habits at home. 

“We are excited to offer this event to our valued members of the community,” Dan Naumann continued. “Creating literacy-related spaces that provide books, play materials, and engage children developmentally not only creates a stronger generation, but also brings more families into the laundromat- which is a win-win for everyone.” 

Event Details: 

When: Friday, December 10, 2021, 1-6 p.m. 

Where: The Laundry Room - 901 E Arrowood Rd, Charlotte, NC 28217. We are excited to offer this event to our valued members of the community.  

Creating literacy related spaces that provide books, play materials, and engage children developmentally not only creates a stronger generation, but also brings more families into the laundromat- which is a win-win for everyone.  

Visit www.laundrycares.org to learn more about the LaundryCares Foundation. 

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This blog was written by Taylor Gantt, marketing and communications intern with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.  

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is pleased to announce the addition of O’Reilly for Public Libraries to our customers. O’Reilly for Public Libraries provides unlimited access to 50K+ titles (including O’Reilly books in early release), 30K+ hours of video, case studies from top companies, learning paths, expert playlists, and more—with nearly 1,000 topics to explore in technology and business. O’Reilly provides a range of content formats tailored to all levels so you can learn in the way that works best for you. O’Reilly merges technology and business learning into one resource, great for students, job seekers, techies and anyone wanting to improve their skills at their own pace. 

There are so many features available in O’Reilly for Public Libraries. Expert Playlists are handpicked content on various topics from industry leaders. Learning Paths are expert instructor led modules designed to guide you through a topic. “Explore O’Reilly Answers” will suggest content in books, videos, and more to further explore your topic. Click on one of the provided questions or ask your own. 

Looking for the digital versions of O’Reilly books on topics such as python, software architecture, and terraform? Click “Explore” on the toolbar tab. Here you can find the most popular titles and early releases! Of course, the search bar at the top will also guide you to books, videos, learning paths and more.

Tips to get the best experience from O’Reilly for Public Libraries:

• O’Reilly E-books are always available for streaming on your computer or mobile device with an internet connection.
• Screenshot or record where you leave off when using O’Reilly for Public Libraries. The resource doesn’t allow for personal accounts so it will not save your work or place in a book.

O’Reilly for Public Libraries can be found on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Resources page. Access all the Library’s resources for free with your library card. Don’t have one? Sign up here! If you need more help with the resources covered in this blog, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff are available to help by email, chat and phone. 

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 This blog was written by Amy Richard, library collections manager at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

It’s the holiday season and you know what that means: decorating, holiday baking, present wrapping, holiday gatherings, and...11 days off from school! While Winter Break is a much-needed respite from the hustle of school, you may hear these dreaded words (albeit hopefully not on your first day off) from the students in your household: “I’m SO bored!”. Luckily, we’ve got you covered at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library to keep children engaged in creative, educational, and fun free programming this Winter Break.

Storytime Fun

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is known for fabulous daily storytimes featuring songs, rhymes, books, and movement activities that support literacy skill development and help foster a love of books and reading in your child. During Winter Break our Library staff facilitate Winter themed Storytimes sure to capture your child’s attention! Register online by clicking the links to these upcoming Storytimes during Winter Break: Visit with Santa Storytime, Winter Wonderland Storytime, Grandparent Celebration Storytime, Winter Celebration Storytime, and The Snowy Day Active Reading Storytime! Storytimes will also be live streamed on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. on ImaginOn Library's Facebook page, and YouTube page. Participate with the entire family to add excitement to your Winter Break!

Educational Programs 

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library programs are also educational to keep your child’s academic skills sharp! Rookie Science programs and STEAM 101 programs are available this Winter Break to learn and develop creativity and critical thinking skills. Register online and stop by the library branch listed to pick up a packet of supplies to use during the virtual program! Feel free to participate as well by using supplies from home. Make a glitter bottle art project, an exploding snowman, holiday shower bath bombs and more by participating in these enjoyable and educational virtual programs with your favorite Library staff. Programs are available to celebrate the New Year as well! Participate in a fun puppet show or a countdown to New Year’s Eve program.

Programs for All Ages

Do you have a preteen or teen out of school for Winter Break, too? Programs are available to fill your preteen or teen’s winter break also! Participate in gaming programs, mock interview sessions to prepare for a job interview, writing programs and more. You’ll want to save the date for our Winter Break Read-In as well! Parents and Caregivers should also take advantage of free programming at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library by browsing our vast array of programs on our online calendar.

Come Visit

If you need to get out of the house, your whole family is invited to come visit your nearest Library branch! Libraries are open every day for you to browse the collection as a family, or save time by placing your books on hold online so they are ready for you to pick up when you arrive. Not sure what books to check out? Ask our Library staff! Library staff love to share book recommendations and point your child in the right direction. Staff members also curate lists of books online that are a great place to start! Check out and read a great book this Winter Break.

We hope you will consider spending time with us this Winter Break and exchange your child’s dreaded boredom to enthusiastic amusement at all that Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has to offer!

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This blog was written by Elyse Berrier, library program coordinator at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The college learning experience begins in the classroom, but it doesn’t end there. Libraries are the destination for students and researchers to access databases, journal articles, computers, study spaces, online learning, and more.  

You may visit your college campus library usually, but you don’t want to miss out on what the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library branches have to offer. Library cards are free for students and teachers in Mecklenburg County across all 20 library branches.  

Here are six reasons why you should get a free library card today: 

1. Research databases: Here at the Library, we offer an electronic database with a plethora of information. They are a valuable research tool that provides you with a near-endless supply of journals, articles, scholarly texts, case studies, and many more. There are even research databases for aspiring entrepreneurs with start up plans, video clips, journals, and business cases. In fact, you can access research databases 24/7 in your home, dorm, or anywhere you have an internet connection. Learn more. 

1. Computers, internet connection and study spaces: You may already have these on your campus, but it never hurts to have a backup plan. The Library offers free computer access, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a quiet place to work. With your free library card, you can also access mobile hotspots in case you are travelling or need access to the Internet. Learn more. 

1. Expert help: Librarians truly are the best! They can help you locate library materials, offer expert research advice, and inform you about special programs or activities that might interest you. In general, everyone needs an expert occasionally! Visit one of our library branches to visit a librarian. 

1. Online learning: Do you want to earn a certificate and stand out in your internship or career aspirations? Or maybe learn a new language? Even if you just feel like learning something new, then you will benefit from our online learning resources. With your library card, you will have free access to a wide variety of online courses and tutorials. 

• LinkedIn Learning: An online educational site that includes over 3,000 high-quality and up-to-date courses (and over 130,000 videos) in popular fields like web design, in-demand programs such as Adobe and Microsoft Office, education/instruction, media production, and business. Normally, LinkedIn Learning requires a paid subscription, but Charlotte Mecklenburg Library cardholders can access LinkedIn Learning content for free and even earn certificates. 

• Universal Class: An online educational tool that is offering over 540 courses in subjects such as Entrepreneurship, Writing Help, Home and Garden Care, Computers and Technology, Health and Medicine, Homeschooling, Job Assistance, Law, and many more. Universal Class also offers Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and certificates to add to your resume.  

• Transparent Language: An online experience that is fun, engaging, and effective for language learners who want to build their writing, reading, and speaking skills in another language. Transparent Language offers over 110 languages to choose from. 

• Tutor.Com: Provides live, online professional help when you need it most. Tutor.com offers help in a variety of subjects, such as English, math, social sciences, science, essay review, and more. Tutors are available to K-12 students, college students, adult learners, and even nursing students. Tutors are also available to assist with career services such as resume review, job searching, and interview preparation. Are you stuck updating your resume? Use your free Library card and get the help you need. 

1. History and genealogy resources: Explore the past with the Library that offers the most genealogy resources of any public library in North Carolina, plus free access to ancestory.com’s library edition. The Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room offers a wide variety of historical information about Charlotte, NC and beyond. Have a glance at some of the collections that the Carolina Room has to offer here. 

1. Free entertainment: College students are busy and need a little time to unwind sometimes. With your free library card, you can access our extensive Digital Library, which includes movies, e-magazines, music, e-books, and audiobooks. These are great, free resources you can use to unwind and refresh. 
    

Interested in owning your very own Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Card? Fill out our online application. 

College students are eligible for a free Library card (even virtually) if:  

• The Library card application is submitted using this form. 

• Identification (driver’s license or student ID) is attached, along with proof of enrollment at the following universities: The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College, Johnson C. Smith University, Johnson and Whales University, and Queens University.  

Here are the ways you can show proof of enrollment (in addition to submitting a photo ID) 

• A postmarked piece of mail addressed to you at your local address. 

• A utility bill with your name and local address. 

• A tuition statement (listing your name) for this semester. 

• A class schedule (listing your name) for this semester.

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This blog post was authored by Taylor Gantt, marketing and communications intern at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.