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Celebrate National Sensory Awareness Month this October with Library resources

Celebrate National Sensory Awareness Month this October with Library resources

October 13, 2022

This blog post was written by Jennifer Williams-Cannon, Librarian for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Spreading awareness about Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and how it affects children and adults can bring answers and solutions to those that have difficulty processing sensory input. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library offers an impressive collection of resources for those living with SPD, their parents, educators, and professionals. There are numerous tools in a variety of formats which include books, eBooks, audiobooks, and DVDs. Click on the link to view our recommendations for National Sensory Awareness Month.

Sensory Awareness Books for Children

Sensory Awareness Resources for Parents

What is Sensory Processing?

Sensory Processing Disorder affects the nervous system and interferes with the body's ability to receive messages from the senses. Sensory processing issues arise when these messages are misinterpreted, resulting in difficulties organizing and processing everyday environmental stimuli. This includes our traditional, five senses of sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell. However, we also have proprioceptive (sensations from the muscle and joint movements within our bodies) and vestibular sensory systems (feeling of our bodies in relation to the space around us). Our bodies are constantly receiving sensory information, processing the input, and adjusting our responses, without us even realizing this is happening. Sensory Processing Disorder affects this series of events, causing difficulty responding to the incoming messages throughout the day.

How does Sensory Processing Disorder affect people?

Sensory Processing Disorder can disrupt a person’s everyday life, especially with motor and behavioral functions. Seemingly routine activities can be more difficult. Sensory overload can affect attention span, coordination, and impulsivity as an individual tries to regulate the sensations they feel. Symptoms of Sensory Processing Disorder, like those of most disorders, can occur within a broad spectrum. While most of us have occasional difficulties processing sensory information, for those with SPD, these difficulties could significantly unsettle a person’s everyday life. Listed below are some examples of behaviors:

Sensory-avoidant behaviors could include:

  • Difficulty with haircuts, washing or brushing hair
  • Difficulty with grooming, tolerating baths, washing face, trimming nails
  • Uneasiness with brushing and flossing teeth
  • Acute awareness of background noises
  • Refusal to wear certain clothing, often pulling or tugging on the clothing
  • Upset by unexpected touch
  • Very cautious, not willing to take risks
  • Difficulty tolerating a loud, crowded environment
  • Prefer stationary activities – avoids running, climbing, jumping, etc.
  • Picky eaters-food sensitivities
  • Gagging to certain food smells or textures

Sensory-seeking behaviors could include:

  • Standing too close to others when speaking (having a hard time understanding personal space)
  • Difficulty with balancing, following a sequence of movements (ex. “Simon Says” game)
  • Constantly chewing on non-food items (ex. clothes)
  • Enjoying loud noise when it is inappropriate
  • Stomping or dragging feet when walking (coordination challenges)
  • Enjoying bumping or crashing into others (prefers lots of “rough play”)
  • Unnecessary roughness with toys, ripping paper
  • Poor fine motor skills, difficulty with handwriting
  • Providing pressure or squeezing certain parts of the body

For more information about National Sensory Awareness Month, check out the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation by visiting https://www.spdfoundation.net/

Source: Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation https://www.spdfoundation.net

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Come explore the Matthews Library with WelcomeCLT.

Come explore the Matthews Library with WelcomeCLT

October 13, 2022

This blog was written by Moriah Sharpe, a library assistant at the Matthews branch of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The Matthews Library is located in the heart of downtown Matthews in southeastern Mecklenburg County. Matthews has had a public library since the 1920s, and the current location was opened in 2001. The branch shares a building with the Matthews Town Hall, with the library on the first floor and Town Hall on the second. Just outside the building is a red caboose and the old Train Depot (now the Matthews Visitor Center). Due to Matthews’s history as a railroad-centric town and the nearby Depot and railroad tracks, the branch features many train-themed decorations, including train lights overhead in the center of the library and a train-shaped desk in the children’s area. Trains still come through Matthews regularly, and the sound of the train whistle can be heard throughout the library!

Matthews Train Depot Jigsaw PuzzleThe new adult fiction and nonfiction sections are the first things that greet patrons as they walk through the front doors, along with several themed displays. The children’s area is to the right, including a play area and plenty of seating. The community room, which hosts many of the branch’s programs, is located in the back right corner of the library. Several shelves between the community room and the reference desk are home to the world language collection, which includes books in Spanish, Chinese, French, Gujarati, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Telugu, Russian, German, and Vietnamese. Some of the Matthews staff are also able to communicate with patrons in Spanish, French, German, Hindi, Urdu, and American Sign Language.

On the left side of the branch are the adult and young adult sections. The Teen Corner is to the far left, tucked behind the books on disc and adult fiction sections. Across the branch, patrons can utilize the quiet study area, located behind adult nonfiction, to focus on their work in a quieter area of the library.

What's your favorite place at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library? | Charlotte  Mecklenburg LibrarySeating can be found throughout the library, ranging from tall, café-style tables to comfortable armchairs. Public computers are also available for use in the computer lab in the back of the branch and throughout the building. The Matthews library is also known for its fireplace! In the winter, pick out a good book and curl up in a squashy armchair by the roaring fire.

 

Matthews history is incorporated throughout the branch as well. The Matthews Heritage Museum maintains historical displays in the lobby and near the fireplace, highlighting various aspects of local life and history. At the back of the library, a large mural takes the viewer from the beginnings of the town (then called Stumptown) in 1805 to the opening of the Library/Town Hall building in 2001.

Matthews is home to approximately 30,000 people and counting, and the town offers plenty to do for residents and visitors alike. The Matthews Heritage Trail begins behind the library and extends through the historic Crestdale area before connecting to Four Mile Creek Greenway, a total distance of 3.5 miles. The Matthews post office is a short walk away from the library, just on the other side of the railroad tracks.

 Downtown Matthews is home to multiple restaurants, including Thai Taste, White Duck Taco, Grace O’Malley’s, and Pizza Peel, as well as Brakeman’s Coffee & Supply, Carolina Beer Temple, and Seaboard Taproom, which plays host to one of the library’s book clubs, Books on Tap. Renfrow Hardware has been serving Matthews since 1900, and every Saturday morning, the space next door fills up with the bustling Farmers’ Market. Catch a play at Matthews Playhouse, stop by Stumptown Park for concerts and special events, watch a game at the Sportsplex, or visit Squirrel Lake Park for Storytime in the Park with the Matthews children’s department.

Matthews Alive festival returns after two year hiatus | WFAE 90.7 -  Charlotte's NPR News SourceOver Labor Day weekend, downtown Matthews is shut down for the annual Matthews Alive festival, featuring rides, games, concerts, local businesses, and plenty of fried food. Don’t miss the Matthews Alive parade on the Saturday before Labor Day. You may even spot some library staff in the parade!

New to Charlotte? Explore other neighborhoods through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library blog and WelcomeCLT, a digital space created for newcomers to Charlotte.

Resources

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Early voting is available at 24 locations in Mecklenburg County including ten select Library locations.

2022 early voting available at limited Library locations

November 1, 2022

Early Voting for the 2022 election starts Thursday, Oct. 20 at 8 a.m. and is open until Saturday, Nov. 5 at 3 p.m.. There are 24 early voting locations, which include these four Libraries:

  • Allegra Westbrooks Regional (Beatties Ford Road) – 2412 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216
  • Independence Regional Library - 6000 Conference Dr, Charlotte, NC 28212
  • Matthews Library - 230 Matthews Station St, Matthews, NC 28105
  • Mint Hill Library - 6840 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd,  Charlotte, NC 28227
  • Mountain Island Library - 4420 Hoyt Gavin Way, Charlotte, NC 28214
  • North County Regional Library - 16500 Holly Crest Ln, Huntersville, NC 28078
  • South Boulevard Library - 4429 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28209
  • South County Regional Library - 5801 Rea Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277
  • South Park Regional Library - 7015 Carnegie Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28211
  • West Boulevard Library - 2157 West Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28208

Voting hours will vary. For all 24 early voting locations and voting hours, please click here

The deadline to register in-person to vote is Friday, October 9, 2020. After the regular voter registration deadline of Friday, October 14, 2022, you can same-day register and vote at any of the early voting locations during the early voting period. This process is known as same-day registration. Same-day registrants must attest to their eligibility and provide proof of residence.

Looking for voting resources? The Library’s Engage 2020 has put together information here.

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

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Get to know the Mountain Island Library and community with WelcomeCLT.

Get to know the Mountain Island Library with WelcomeCLT

November 8, 2022

This blog written  by Abrar Alkusaimi, Teen Librarian at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The Mountain Island Branch is in the Mountain Island Village at NC Highway 16 and Rozzelles Ferry Road at 4420 Hoyt Galvin Way. Located in the northwestern part of Mecklenburg County and Charlotte, the Mountain Island neighborhood is a home to many natural recreation areas and lakes. It is approximately 3 miles north of Mount Holly and on the border of Gaston and Mecklenburg counties.

Mountain Island neighborhood and branch are named after the local Mountain Island Lake. The name comes from the mountain which sits in the middle of the lake. Located on the southwestern end of the lake, the island is mainly used as an anchor point for recreation, picnicking, and camping. The lake is the smallest of the three man-made lakes that border Mecklenburg County.

The Mountain Island Branch Library was redesigned in early 2019. This redesign created defined spaces for Teens, Tweens, and Families.  Also, a reading space with comfortable seating and a view of the pond behind the branch.  The vision for this project was to create welcoming and preferred spaces for customers of all ages.  These spaces can also be used for programming and special events. The building features one Community Room, two Study Rooms, and a Computer Lab with 17 public PCs, and open space for reading, studying, and collaboration. In addition to its regular collections for all ages, the library hosts a foreign language collection mainly in Spanish for Children, Teens, and Adults.

A great place to eat is found not too far from the branch. La Fiesta Grande Mexican Restaurant is a restaurant that is highly suggested by the Mountain Island Staff. It’s within walking distance from the branch and sits at the other side of the business complex.

US National Whitewater CenterThe Mountain Island Area is surrounded by amazing outdoor and nature centered attractions such as the Carolina Raptor Center, Latta Nature Preserve Waterfront, the Rozzelles Ferry Nature Preserve, and the Mountain Island Park Trail.

 

A very popular local attraction is the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Activities at the center include whitewater and flatwater paddling, climbing, running, cycling, hiking, fishing, and more. Other attractions easily accessible through highway 485 include North Lake mall, only 15 minutes away.

New to Charlotte? Explore other neighborhoods through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library blog and WelcomeCLT, a digital space created for newcomers to Charlotte.

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Get to know North County Regional Library through WelcomeCLT

Get to know North County Regional Library through WelcomeCLT

November 8, 2022

This blog written by Hannah P. Simmons, library associate for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

If you find yourself cruising down Holly Crest Lane, you just might discover the North County Regional Library, one of the many facilities proud to be part of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system. The North County Regional Library has been serving the populations of Huntersville, Davidson, and Cornelius since 1997, but it got a major makeover in 2019. Situated close to parks, dining, and entertainment, the North County Regional Library is a hub in the community to not only provide traditional library services, but also host community events. This tri-level building offers a little something for every age. On the main floor, you can pick up your Holds, as well as browse the DVDs, Magazines, and New Fiction. The main floor is also where you can return items in the “Book Drop”, and access both the patio and indoor cafe seating areas.

You can take the stairs or elevator up to the 3rd Floor to browse the Children and Teens collection. The North County multimedia collections gives youth access to Chapter Books, Picture Books, Easy Readers, Wonderbooks, Books on Disc, Playaways, and so much more! While you’re upstairs, you might take part in a Scavenger Hunt, an indoor Story Walk, check out the “I-Spy” Tank, or join in a storytime in the Program Room. Also upstairs, you will find the Makerspace! Our Makerspace houses some of the latest creative technology. Stop by during Open Hours to check out the 3D Printer, Carvey machine, and a Recording Studio, to name a few! You can take part in some self-guided STEAM activities with the In-House kits that let you play around with robotics and circuits.

Be sure to take your Teens up to the Loft where they can browse on the computer and check out the Fiction, Nonfiction, and Graphic Novels collections. They can also take a photo for the Selfie Board, and jump in on other interactive displays. Need some study supplies? The Loft has you covered! We’ve also got “Dry Erase” tables for collaborative study sessions.

A trip down to the 1st Floor will bring you to our Adult Fiction and Nonfiction shelves, Audio Books, Graphic Novels, as well as Audio Books. You can also access our Community Rooms for Adult Programming, and several cozy spaces to set up with a book or your laptop. We also have Computers and Study Rooms. Computers can be accessed with a Library Card or Guest Pass, and Study Rooms can be reserved for some private study or work time. Just head to the Circulation Desk, or call ahead that day to reserve your space!

A short distance from the library, you can access shopping, dining, parks, and Downtown Huntersville! Birkdale Village is a short drive up Sam Furr Road, and provides access to many excellent local businesses. At Birkdale, you can see a movie, shop for some clothing or home decor, and grab a bite to eat! In the mood for some amazing pub food? Check out Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar! They not only have a vast selection of signature burgers, but if you’re feeling creative, you can build your own. Feeling a little more adventurous? Head over to Kung Foo Noodle for some of the best Asian-fusion the Charlotte area has to offer. Sushi, pho, banh mi, bubble teas, and more, Kung Foo Noodle delivers amazing flavor along with a bold and colorful interior that makes for an epic dining experience. The NorthCross Shopping Center sits across Sam Furr Road from the Library, which offers several popular lunch and coffee spots, trendy stores to browse, and stores where you can purchase essentials.

Whether you want indoor or outdoor fun, we have the place for you. The North Meck Regional Recreation Center is your go-to place for amazing indoor activities. Swimming, basketball, and volleyball are just a few of the fun things to do inside. Also, North Mecklenburg Park is also only 2 miles away from the library. This park has multiple playgrounds, walking and biking trails, as well as outdoor tennis courts, basketball courts, and soccer fields!

 

 

Last but not least, you can hop over to Downtown Huntersville for even more family fun! So are you ready to explore and have some fun in Huntersville? We will be waiting to see you at the North County Regional Library.

New to Charlotte? Explore other neighborhoods through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library blog and WelcomeCLT, a digital space created for newcomers to Charlotte.

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Come visit the new Pineville Branch and attend the grand opening celebration

Come visit the new Pineville Branch and attend the grand opening celebration

November 8, 2022

This blog was written by Darrell Anderson, marketing and communication specialist for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

Did you know there is a new Charlotte Mecklenburg Library branch located in the heart of Pineville? Well, now you do!

Located at 505 Main Street in the heart of Pineville, this 18,000 square foot community branch is home to a vast collection of print and digital materials. The building is unique in that it shares space with Pineville's Town Hall which is located on the upper level with the Library utilizing the lower half of the building, making it a true community space. Inside you'll find the same friendly staff and great programming and resource options the Library is known for.

Join us for our grand opening celebration on Saturday, December 10 from 11a.m.-3 p.m. with a day of fun for the entire family. Enjoy programs, games, entertainment and more as we invite the entire community to visit the new Pineville Branch. We hope to see you there!

Check out our schedule of events below:

  • Family Storytime 11-11:45 a.m. | Program Room 
  • Paw To Read 12-1 p.m. | Program Room
  • Face Painting/Henna 12-2 p.m. | Face Painting in Children's area (public floor) | Henna in Teen area (public floor)
  • Photo Booth 12-3 p.m. | Vending area
  • B-Rad Magician  1-1:45 p.m. | Community Room
  • Self-Guided Tour all-day | Goody bag handout after tour is complete at front desk
  • Activities (craft) for kids 11-3 p.m. | Program Room & Foyer

Consider helping us stock the shelves at Pineville through a donation to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation. A gift of $25 puts a new book on the shelf and will include a bookplate personalized with your name and, if you like, a tribute to a friend or family member.

donate here

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Celebrate National Family Literacy Month at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

Celebrate National Family Literacy Month at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

November 14, 2022

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

3.....2......1...... Blast off for family literacy!  

National Family Literacy month is recognized each November, and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library plans to celebrate with a systemwide, in-person, “Out of this World” Family Literacy Night on Wednesday, November 30, 2022 from 5-7 p.m. Families are invited to visit any Library location (no registration necessary) to participate in self-directed family literacy activities that the whole family will enjoy and be invited to take home. Play literacy games, check out books, read and write together, and learn more about why family literacy is extremely important! Every Library location will also be hosting a giveaway drawing and other fun surprises that you are not going to want to miss!  

While we are celebrating with this “stellar” event on November 30th, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library always strives to provide opportunities and education around families learning together every day all throughout the year. Here are five ways we encourage families to improve literacy together: 

  1. READ OFTEN AND ALOUD AS A FAMILY:  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. Visit our physical Library locations to check out books, or read books electronically together! Browse one of our digital book resources, and spend time reading together as a family.  

  1. WRITE FREQUENTLY: The practice of writing aids in fine motor skills, self-expression, and language development. 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!  Feel free to write a book review as well together as a family and add it to our catalog for others to enjoy! 

  1. 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.  

  1. LEARN AS A FAMILY: 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 books and discuss what you learn together as a family and share it with others. Books with step-by-step instructions can teach your family a new recipe, craft, or activity to enjoy, while improving literacy skills.  

  1. SPREAD THE JOY OF LITERACY: According to the Handbook of Family Literacy, family literacy refers to the spoken and written communication within a family, as well as the family’s efforts to improve and support a child’s literacy and language development (Van Horn, 2012). When parents, caregivers, and adults in a child’s life share their enthusiasm for literacy, a child’s attitude and perception about literacy improves as well. Allow the children around you to see adults reading, writing, talking, and learning, and they will follow suit!  

We look forward to your family making great use of all that Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has to offer! Read often and aloud as a family, write frequently, talk together, learn as a family, and spread the joy of literacy.   

 

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Interracial Marriage returns as an issue in the law

Interracial Marriage returns as an issue in the law

December 7, 2022

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.

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

An anonymous quote about marriage says: Marriage stands the test of times when both you and your spouse work towards making things better. And we are tested the most when we face adversities. If you can sail through the adversities as one, as a team, then you have won half the battle.

In the United States, that quote is put to the test with the legality of certain marriages.

The Respect for Marriage Act is in its final stages of passing in Congress as ends its session this year. Legislators sponsored the measure to preserve same-sex marriage, as a defense to guarantee it against a possible Supreme Court challenge. Interracial marriages were roped into the legislation proposal for the same reason.

Whereas same-sex marriages received Supreme Court support for legalization nationwide in 2015, and garnered public approval at a new high at 71% according to a May 2022 Gallup poll, interracial marriage is a much older social custom.  In 1967 the Supreme Court validated interracial marriages in the Loving v. Virginia case.  Last year, the Gallop Poll found the public approved interracial marriage at a new high of 94 percent. When the question was first polled in 1958, approval was at four percent.

While interracial unions are accepted to a large degree in the U.S., its early history can stand a brief peek in the spotlight. A genuine timeline of attitudes to interracial marriage should go back to the nation’s founding as it started as colonies. In 1968, the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service reported in a story that contempt for intermarriage grew as the population and influence of white women increased in settlements which previously had very large white male numbers. Herbert Moller, a sociologist, said, “…Through their enhanced influence on family and community life, women became more or less unintentionally the foremost agents in the establishment of racial barriers.”     

As to be expected, laws followed to enforce these attitudes.  In Sheryll Cashin’s book, Loving: Interracial Intimacy in America and the Threat to White Supremacy, she writes Virginia’s first comprehensive slave code in 1705 made that point. Enslaved Africans during that year lost rights they had previously enjoyed equal to white indented servants.  As a result, the white servants—i.e., white individuals—gained new privileges to bond closer to slaveholders. The code “included penalties against interracial marriage” while not doing the same for “master/slave sex, which would become the dominant form of interracial sex in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.”  

Neighboring state North Carolina would follow the model from Virginia as other states Cashin writes. Although in a modest dissention, the North Carolina Digital Collections, a web-based Charlotte Mecklenburg Library resource, shows a documented interracial marriage in a colonial record of a “mulatto” (mixed African and European ancestry—an outdated and offensive term) man and white woman in 1725.  The couple came from Virginia.    

Fast forward several hundred years to the present-day United States and consider the changes. Laws and social norms have made tremendous strides to make formerly enslaved African descendants’ full American citizen in legal standing. What may come next is the question: have those deep-seated attitudes about racial separation in marriage changed too?  On the surface, it appears so. Despite brash voices or newsworthy incidents of racial hate, today there is a bottom line for many to be accepting, or at least tolerant, of individuals of different races marrying.

Returning to the earlier mentioned Gallup poll article, it said: Opposition to interracial marriage still exists, but it is quite small. Future measures will indicate whether 94% is the ceiling for approval, or if there is still room for growth in acceptance.

Find stories about real-life interracial couples, the Loving v. Virginia case and more in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, click to access them here.     

Get access to healthcare resources with the Library and Novant Health

October 16, 2023

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It is important to have the right information and support to keep yourself, or someone you love, well. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and Novant Health are pleased to partner on the Novant Health Wellness Hubs at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library locations. This initiative helps create a sustainable impact by addressing community member’s health and social needs, so every person can achieve their highest level of health.

Speak with a Novant Health team member at no cost at the locations and dates listed below:

The Novant Health Wellness Hub at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is not open on holidays or during library closures.

The Novant Health team member can help you better understand your needs and connect you to the right health, wellness, and social services.

This will include appointment scheduling for doctors and medical services, as well as referrals for:

· Access to affordable care

· Medication assistance

· Counseling access

· Housing information

· Food resources and more

Call 1-844-644-3578 or visit a Novant Health Wellness Hub at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library to learn more.