Are you a Mecklenburg County teen ? You’re welcome at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library! If you’re wondering just what you'll find at your local Library, the answer is simple: You can find fun, resources, a social community and adventure!

Our Teen Services team is here to provide dynamic programs, resources and services to anyone ages 12-18. We are dedicated to helping you become the best version of yourself, while also supporting your academic, personal development and leisure interests. Although branches aren’t currently open for in-person programs, when they are, we have spaces in every branch where teens can read, work on schoolwork, hang out, create and more.

Until we can see you face-to-face (and we hope that’s soon), here are some ways you can claim your space – virtually – at the Library, for FREE, with your Library card or ONE Access ID number:

• First,  GET SOCIAL - Connect with us on Instagram at @CMLibraryTeens, launching December 10, 2020, to be a part of many fun and important conversations. CMLibraryTeens is a safe place, exclusively for teens, to connect with their favorite Teen Services staff and peers. It's also a place for book hauls, talks, games, live programs and more. Don't miss out!
  
  Follow us here. 
  
  
  
   
• Dive into Digital Resources – There’s no reason to be bored in the house and in the house bored. Click here to discover our comprehensive digital resource guide and find everything you need from homework help to free music. You can even access e-books, e-audiobooks, comics, movies and tv shows and more. What could be cooler than that? Possibly a polar bear's toenail!
  
   
• Find bookish friends – There are no one-size-fits-all book clubs here. Whether you’re into social justice, anime, LGBTQIA+ interests, Manga or more, there is a virtual book club for you. Click here to find your type of book people.
  
   
• Explore Young Adult + Teen Reads – Find books in print, audiobook, e-book and e-audiobook format that are written just for you. From romance and fantasy to Latinx voices and mystery spy adventures, there is a book for every interest!
  
   
• Attend a virtual program – Want to turn your art into activism? Interested in learning how to play chess or start a game of Dungeons & Dragons? Find your next favorite program here on the Library events calendar.
  
   
• Prepare for your future - We look forward to hanging out with you at the Library! - Our College & Career Connections program is designed with YOU in mind.  This includes free programs and workshops by experts in the field with topics ranging from financial aid to applications, admissions essays, and even services such as free SAT and ACT practice tests offered by The Princeton Review.  In addition, we have a brand-new road map to help you answer three very important questions – Who am I? What do I want to do? and How will I get there? Click here to figure it out! 
  
   

We look forward to hanging out with you soon!

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.

Civic engagement is multifaceted – it takes on a different look for each person who practices it. The Lift Ev’ry Voice series helps kids find a form of civic engagement that is as unique as they are – something that really speaks to them. This series inspires students to get involved by celebrating the voices and accomplishments of young Black women who are active in civic engagement locally. In our first segment, photography is explored as a form of civic engagement that kids can participate in.

Ryann, an eight-year-old entrepreneur, interviewed Sabrina Robinson, a local civil rights photographer, and videographer. Ryann owns Ryann Bella Boutique, an online store that offers clothing for “young divas,” BLM t-shirts in all sizes, and COVID masks. She was also the keynote speaker for The Children’s March in Charlotte.

Sabrina is a graduate of Winston-Salem State University with a degree in art and a concentration in computer graphics and animation. She received an award from the NC College Media Association for illustration/graphic/cartoon and the Statue of David for photography. Sabrina’s work has been featured in national and international publications.

Examples of Sabrina’s moving photography and Ryann’s insightful comments are sure to inspire kids to find their own brand of civic engagement.   

Click here for more information about photography resources for kids and teens available free at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

In this election year, the Library is partnering with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) offering programs like this one to encourage everyone to look back at what has been accomplished in the past and to move forward with empowerment to make a difference in one's own community. To learn more about Engage 2020, click here.

Did you know that you can continue to stay connected to the Library while staying home? How would you like to participate in a virtual storytime with your family or receive resume help all from the comfort of your couch? Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library every week for a wide range of online programming for children, teens and adults. See a complete listing of this upcoming programming for the week of 11/23/2020 below. Click the corresponding links for more information and register for programs where applicable.

Learn more about online programming by clicking here

Monday 11/23

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  register

Book a Librarian - Nonprofit Services – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Parent Lunch and Learn: Family Literacy Tips – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Mindful Mondays - Guided Relaxation and Meditation – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Stronger Together: Support for your Job Search – 4 p.m.  (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

True Crime Podcast Discussion Group – 7 p.m.  (Adult programming)   register

Tuesday 11/24       

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  register

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Active Reading Training for Caregivers of Students in Grades K-3 – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Wednesday 11/25

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  register

Active Reading Family Workshop Part 2 – 10 a.m. (Adult programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Thursday 11/26

LIBRARY CLOSED- NO PROGRAMMING

Friday 11/27

LIBRARY CLOSED- NO PROGRAMMING

Saturday 11/28

NO PROGRAMMING

Looking to score that new best-seller this holiday season? Do you need to save big on learning a new language? What about courses designed to take your Microsoft skills to the next level? The Library has all that and more, for FREE.

Get FREE online resources on Cyber Monday (and every day!)

Did you know that the Library offers an extensive collection of FREE digital downloads for e-readers and mobile devices, including e-books, e-audiobooks, e-magazines, music and movies?

Are you purchasing a new device for your loved one this holiday? Load it up with these amazing resources - all you need is a library card!

OverDrive/libby offers access to FREE e-books and e-audiobooks. Interested in seeing content for Kids or Teens?  Check out our Kids Collection and Teen Collection.

hoopla allows you to instantly borrow FREE e-books, e-comics, e-audiobooks, movies, TV series and music that can be streamed or downloaded to your mobile device. And there's no need to worry about late fees; hoopla features an automated service that returns your item once your time is up

Freegal Music is a downloadable music service that offers access to Sony Music's catalog of legendary artists. Cardholders can download five FREE songs a week - and you get to keep the songs in your music library!

Kanopy has a vast array of independent films, documentaries, children’s movies and free access to the Great Courses? It’s true and FREE with your library card!

Mango Languages is a FREE language-learning software with over 70 world language courses and over 17 ESL/ELL courses, featuring an engaging user interface, voice comparison, fresh design, foreign language films, and cultural anecdotes.

RBdigital Magazines provides access to current issues of popular magazines to read on your computer, tablet or mobile device. You guessed it - for FREE!

Don't forget our online programming for adults, teens, and children. There's something for everyone in your family!

This sale is too good not to share. Let your friends and family in on the secret and tell them to get a library card here. 

Did you know that you can continue to stay connected to the Library while staying home? How would you like to participate in a virtual storytime with your family or receive resume help all from the comfort of your couch? Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library every week for a wide range of online programming for children, teens and adults. See a complete listing of this upcoming programming for the week of 11/30/2020 below. Click the corresponding links for more information and register for programs where applicable.

Learn more about online programming by clicking here

Monday 11/30

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  Learn more

Book a Librarian - Nonprofit Services – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Mindful Mondays - Guided Relaxation and Meditation – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Stronger Together: Support for your Job Search – 4 p.m.  (Adult programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Learning Circle: Childhood in the Digital Age – 6 p.m.  (Adult programming)  register

Tuesday 12/1       

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  Learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Murderino Book Club – 7 p.m.  (Adult programming)  register

Wednesday 11/25

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  Learn more

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Thursday 12/3

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  Learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Caregiver Class: Active Reading Training for Caregivers of K-3 Students – 6 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Friday 12/4

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  Learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Mindful Friday- Meditation for Wellness – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Saturday 12/5

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)   Learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Reading is wonderful all year long, but there is something magical about diving into a good book when the weather gets cold. Luckily, your local Library has snow many titles (we couldn't help ourselves) for you to cozy up with this winter. Find our list of recommended  wintery reads for adults, young adults (YA) and children below.

Find this list of wintery reads in the Library catalog.
 

ADULT FICTION:

The Snow Child, by Eowyn Ivey - Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he is breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she is crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

In an incredibly well written novel, this author forces us to question what is real, what isn't and to appreciate what hope looks like. Highly recommended for book clubs.

The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah - Lenora Allbright is 13 when her father convinces her mother, Cora, to forgo their inauspicious existence in Seattle and move to Kaneq, AK. It's 1974, and the former Vietnam POW sees a better future away from the noise and nightmares that plague him. Having been left a homestead by a buddy who died in the war, Ernt is secure in his beliefs, but never was a family less prepared for the reality of Alaska, the long, cold winters and isolation. Locals want to help out, especially classmate Matthew Walker, who likes everything about Leni. Yet the harsh conditions bring out the worst in Ernt, whose paranoia takes over their lives and exacerbates what Leni sees as the toxic relationship between her parents. The Allbrights are as green as greenhorns can be, and even first love must endure unimaginable hardship and tragedy as the wilderness tries to claim more victims.

Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger - Leif Enger's rhapsodic novel about a father raising his three children in 1960s Minnesota is a breathtaking celebration of family, faith, and America's pioneering spirit. Through the voice of eleven-year-old Reuben, an asthmatic boy obsessed with cowboy stories, Peace Like a River tells of the Land family's cross-country search for Reuben's outlaw older brother, who has been controversially charged with murder.

Sprinkled with playful and warmhearted nods to biblical tales, classic American novels such as Huckleberry Finn, the adventure stories of Robert Louis Stevenson, and the Westerns of Zane Grey, Peace Like a River brilliantly incorporates the best elements of all these genres and ultimately earns its own prominent and enduring place on the shelf among them.
 

ADULT NONFICTION:

Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris - A best-selling classic features six additional works on the joys and embarrassments of favorite holidays, in a volume that includes tales of  tardy trick-or-treaters, the difficulties of explaining the Easter Bunny to another culture, and a barnyard Secret Santa scheme gone awry.

It's dark satire, but it's quite funny, and a change from the personal essay format of most of Sedaris' other writing. The bottom line is that Holidays on Ice is a joy to read, the kind of book that makes you laugh out loud.

You Better Not Cry, by Augusten Burroughs - You've eaten too much candy at Christmas...but have you ever eaten the face off a six-footstuffed Santa? You've seen gingerbread houses...but have you ever made your own gingerbread tenement? You've woken up with a hangover...but have you ever woken up next to Kris Kringle himself? Augusten Burroughs has, and in this caustically funny, nostalgic, poignant, and moving collection he recounts Christmases past and present-as only he could. With gimleteyed wit and illuminated prose, Augusten shows how the holidays bring out the worst in us and sometimes, just sometimes, the very, very best.

The Children’s Blizzard, by David Laskin - Thousands of impoverished Northern European immigrants were promised that the prairie offered "land, freedom, and hope." The disastrous blizzard of 1888 revealed that their free homestead was not a paradise, but a hard, unforgiving place governed by natural forces they neither understood nor controlled, and America’s heartland would never be the same.

On an unseasonably warm winter day in the Great Plains, a ferocious blizzard suddenly blew up out of nowhere, and soon 500 people (mostly children) were dead. A harrowing story from the author of Braving the Elements.
 

Young Adult (YA):

The Bear and the Nightingale, by Katherine Arden - A magical debut novel for readers of Naomi Novik's Uprooted, Erin Morgenstern'sThe Night Circus, and Neil Gaiman's myth-rich fantasies, The Bear and the Nightingale spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent with a gorgeous voice. At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn't mind--she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse's fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil. After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows. And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or confinement in a convent. As danger circles nearer, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed--this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales.

Frozen, by Melissa de la Cruz - More than a century after a catastrophic disaster wiped out most of humanity and covered much of the earth with ice, 15-year-old Cass yields to the voice in her head urging her to embark on a dangerous journey across a poisoned sea to the mythical land, Blue.

The well-paced action is taut, the characters diverse and finely drawn. And while this is a multiple book series, the ending of this first story is fully satisfying and doesn’t leave the reader dangling until the sequel comes out.

The Tragedy Paper, by Elizabeth Laban - While preparing for the most dreaded assignment at the prestigious Irving School, the Tragedy Paper, Duncan gets wrapped up in the tragic tale of Tim Macbeth, a former student who had a clandestine relationship with the wrong girl, and his own ill-fated romance with Daisy.
 

CHILDREN:

The Vanderbeekers of 141^st St., by Karina Yan Glaser - Told that they will have to move out of their Harlem brownstone just after Christmas, the five Vanderbeeker children, ages four to twelve, decide to change their reclusive landlord's mind.

Greenglass House, by Kate Milford - At Greenglass House, a smuggler's inn, twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers' adopted son, plans to spend his winter holidays relaxing but soon guests are arriving with strange stories about the house sending Milo and Meddy, the cook's daughter, on an adventure.

Milo’s world seems comfortably contemporary; the current history of his parallel world is mostly background that’s revealed at the close. An abundantly diverting mystery seasoned with mild fantasy and just a little steampunk.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis - Four English schoolchildren find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.

Changes are coming to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library online resources!! Many of the resources on the Library’s Resources page are provided by NC LIVE, North Carolina’s statewide cooperative. Every 3 years NC LIVE evaluates its resources by analyzing usage trends, reviewing feedback from libraries, evaluating accessibility and by looking at possible alternatives. Due to budgetary constraints, NC LIVE is not able to keep all resources so decisions must be made on which resources to renew, add or remove for the coming 3-year cycle.

Beginning January 1, 2021 resources being added to the Resources page include:

• Learning Express/PrepStep – replaces Teaching and Education Reference Center (TERC)

LearningExpress Library features online tutorials, practice tests, and e-books to help patrons of all ages. It offers job search and workplace skills improvement, skill building in reading, writing, math, and basic science, career certification and licensure exam prep, college and grad school entrance test prep, GED^® test prep, and more.

• Films on Demand: Just for Kids

Films on Demand: Just for Kids is a streaming movie service filled with educational videos children will want to watch – Sesame Street, The Electric Company, The Berenstain Bears, Franklin, and more.  Games, songs, and other interactives are included to entertain, educate, and inspire young kids.

• Biography in Context – replaces Biography Reference Center

Biography in Context is a comprehensive database of more than 600,000 biographical entries of people throughout history, from around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas.

• Transparent Language – replaces Mango Languages

Transparent Language provides a fun, effective, and engaging experience for learners of all levels looking to build their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in a foreign language. Combining extensive courses and supplemental resources for over 100 languages, including English, Transparent Language Online is the most complete language-learning system.

Beginning January 1, 2021 resources being removed from the Resources page include:

• CQ Magazine
• Auto Repair – see Chilton Library for automotive repair information
• Biography Reference Center
• Science in Context
• Teaching and Education Reference Center (TERC)
• Mango Languages

For our customers currently using Mango Languages and Teaching and Education Reference Center (TERC) resources, please be aware that any courses you are pursing for certification must be completed by December 31, 2020. Beginning January 1, 2021 you will no longer be able to access these resources.

Export Learning activity from Mango:

• Log into your Mango account
• Expand the menu by your username

• Click Activity
• This menu will allow you to view and download your recent learning activity.  Change the dates to find all your learning activity.  Click “Download CSV file” to download the report.

Export Learning Activity from TERC

• Log into your TERC account and navigate to your Class Progress.  From here you can see your grades, course access, and login history.  Please print anything you would like to save.

As always, you just need your library card or ONE Access number to access all of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s resources.  Don’t have a library card?  Sign up here!

If you need more support or have questions, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff are available by email, chat, and phone.  

Did you know that you can continue to stay connected to the Library while staying home? How would you like to participate in a virtual storytime with your family or receive resume help all from the comfort of your couch? Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library every week for a wide range of online programming for children, teens and adults. See a complete listing of this upcoming programming for the week of 12/7/2020 below. Click the corresponding links for more information and register for programs where applicable.

Learn more about online programming by clicking here

Monday 12/7

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Nonprofit Services – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Mindful Mondays - Guided Relaxation and Meditation – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Learning Circle: Childhood in the Digital Age – 6 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

True Crime Podcast Discussion Club – 7 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Tuesday 12/8       

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Parent Lunch & Learn: Developing and Supporting Initiative and Attentiveness in Young Children – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)    register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

ACT Strategy Session with The Princeton Review – 5 p.m. (Teen programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Wednesday 12/9

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Thursday 12/10

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming) register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Teens Live on Instagram: Ask CFNC about Paying for College – 6 p.m. (Teen programming)  learn more

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Friday 12/11

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Mindful Friday- Meditation for Wellness – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Saturday 12/12

Free ACT Practice Test with The Princeton Review – 9 a.m. (Teen programming)  register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

We made it to the end of the year - and what a wild ride it has been! One thing we don't take for granted is all the wonderful reads we enjoyed along the way. Not only did we compile an all-ages Best Books of 2020 list with titles from The New York Times, Esquire, The Atlantic, Goodreads and more, Myers Park Library Leader Harold Escalante also shared the titles with WCNC "Charlotte Today" host Beth Troutman. Watch the segment here.

The titles below will give you a chance to reflect on important topics from 2020. Ready to recap, relax and enjoy good reads? click here to borrow ONE of the "Best books of 2020" from our catalog.

Adult fiction

Topics of Conversation by Miranda Popkey

Miranda Popkey's first novel is about desire, disgust, motherhood, loneliness, art, pain, feminism, anger, envy, guilt--written in language that sizzles with intelligence and eroticism. The novel is composed almost exclusively of conversations between women--the stories they tell each other, and the stories they tell themselves, about shame and love, infidelity and self-sabotage--and careens through twenty years in the life of an unnamed narrator hungry for experience and bent on upending her life. Edgy, wry, shot through with rage and despair, Topics of Conversation introduces an audacious and immensely gifted new novelist.

The Cold Millions by Jess Walter

Orphans Gig and Rye Dolan don't have a penny to their names. The brothers work grueling, odd jobs each day just to secure a meal, and spend nights sleeping wherever they can with other day laborers. Twenty-three-year-old Gig is a passionate union man, fighting for fair pay and calling out the corrupt employers who exploit the working class. Eager to emulate his older brother, Rye follows suit, though he can't quite muster Gig's passion for the cause. But when Rye's turn on the soap box catches the eye of well-known activist and suffragette Elizabeth Gurley, he is swept into the world of labor activism-and dirty business. With his brother's life on the line, Rye must evade the barbaric police force, maneuver his way out of the clutches of a wealthy businessman-and figure out for himself what he truly stands for. The Cold Millions is a stunning portrait of class division and familial bonds. In this masterful historical take on the enduring saga of America's economic divide, Jess Walter delivers nothing less than another "literary miracle"
 

Adult Nonfiction

Golden Gates: Fighting for Housing in America by Conor Dougherty

Spacious and affordable homes used to be the hallmark of American prosperity. Today, however, punishing rents and the increasingly prohibitive cost of ownership have turned housing into the foremost symbol of inequality and an economy gone wrong. Nowhere is this more visible than in the San Francisco Bay Area, where fleets of private buses ferry software engineers past the tarp-and-plywood shanties where the homeless make their homes. The adage that California is a glimpse of the nation's future has become a cautionary tale. With propulsive storytelling and ground-level reporting, New York Times journalist Conor Dougherty chronicles America's housing crisis from its West Coast epicenter, peeling back the decades of history and economic forces that brought us here and taking readers inside the activist uprisings that have risen in tandem with housing costs. To tell this new story of housing, Dougherty follows a struggling math teacher who builds a political movement dedicated to ending single-family-house neighborhoods. A teenage girl who leads her apartment complex against their rent-raising landlord. A nun who tries to outmaneuver private equity investors by amassing a multimillion-dollar portfolio of affordable homes. A suburban bureaucrat who roguishly embraces density in response to the threat of climate change. A developer who manufactures housing for the homeless on an assembly line. Sweeping in scope and intimate in detail, Golden Gates captures a vast political realignment during a moment of rapid technological and social change.

American Poison: How Racial Hostility Destroyed Our Promise by Eduardo Porter

America's social contract is shattered, and there's likely no putting the pieces back together, according to this fierce, incisive analysis of why we are a deeply divided nation. New York Times journalist Porter (The Price of Everything) describes over a century of mounting resistance to government, and to the safety net it offers, on the part of working-class white citizens (whose own livelihoods would be greatly improved by a stronger welfare system), because of ingrained fear of the other and demographic change. Porter considers racial animus to be the primary driving force of our social dysfunction; the root cause of the polarization that has made bipartisanship and civil discourse all but impossible. Porter brings his own experience as a longtime observer of American economy and society to this sobering study, showing how fear and resentment have been driving forces in politics. In glimmers of hope, he notes that younger generations are accustomed to diversity, and that integrated neighborhoods and schools have proven beneficial to all. But, he notes, many young adults hold similar views as their elders, and several schools have re-segregated. VERDICT Bleak, but perhaps inspirational, this challenging critique is recommended for policymakers and readers concerned about civic engagement.
 

Young Adults (YA)

They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman

At an exclusive prep school on Long Island, Jill Newman looks forward to her senior year as a member of the school's most elite clique, the Players, until new evidence surfaces about the murder of her close friend Shaila.

Entree into the ruling inner circle of Long Island’s elite Gold Coast Prep gets served up deliciously in this debut YA novel from Cosmopolitan senior editor Jessica Goodman. The chilling murder mystery is an irresistible hook, but it’s the careful building of each character’s fraught, internal conflicts that really digs in, elevating the work from a high society whodunit to a knowing mission to not just uncover one’s own identity, but to build it. 

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnston

Liz Lighty has always done her best to avoid the spotlight in her small, wealthy, and prom-obsessed midwestern high school, after all, her family is black and rather poor, especially since her mother died; instead she has concentrated on her grades and her musical ability in the hopes that it will win her a scholarship to elite Pennington College and their famous orchestra where she plans to study medicine--but when that scholarship falls through she is forced to turn to her school's scholarship for prom king and queen, which plunges her into the gauntlet of social media which she hates and leads her to discoveries about her own identity and the value of true friendships.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people ... In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal's office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash. Separated by distance -- and Papi's secrets -- the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead, and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they've lost everything of their father, they learn of each other

Children

The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert

Twelve-year-old surfing fanatic Alberta has lived in Ewing Beach, Calif., with her fathers for much of her life. Her family is one of the only black families in town, until the Whitmans buy the old bed and breakfast across the street. Goth Edie, the same age as Alberta, is nothing like her. She's a proud Brooklyn native; she wears all black, down to the black lipstick she's never without; and she doesn't understand why everyone in Ewing loves the beach. And while Edie's parents are divorcing, Alberta's dads remain deeply in love. Despite their differences, the two become fast friends just as Alberta's lifelong best friend, who is white, begins drifting toward the popular girl who has bullied Alberta with racist taunts for years. When Alberta and Edie find a set of mysterious journals in Edie's new house, they also uncover an enduring secret. Imperfect, vulnerable characters take center stage in Colbert's middle grade debut about growing up on the margins in the past and present. Colbert employs a compulsively readable style to convey the sometimes-difficult experience of young friendship, and the power and peril of claiming one's identity out loud. Ages 8--12.

Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki

Tie on your apron! / Roll up your sleeves!" Every Wednesday, an inclusive pickup team of volunteers--a short Black woman with a commanding presence and a cane, a white parent and small brown-skinned child, and more--gathers in a small community kitchen to prepare a weekly dinner for their neighbors, combining vegetables they harvest from a garden ("Look at these zukes!/ Let's use them up too!"), food bank beans ("Third week in a row!"), and a donation of apples ("Cut off the brown bits,/ they're still good to use") for a simple, filling meal. Clear-line panel artwork by Tamaki (My Best Friend) gives the action superhero-grade visual power with swoops and swirls in swaths of tomato red, avocado green, and beet pink. Smells drift deliciously around the group's noses, the chief cook tumbles through cascades of beans, and speech balloons collide like atoms. By making the collaborative meal preparation visually brilliant, Tamaki injects energy into this life-giving celebration. Then it's go time--"I mean it!" yells the crew's leader--and a parade of food arrives in the dining room, where an equally diverse group of neighbors awaits. Pictures in speech balloons reveal conversations shared over the meal: books, hockey, a sore toe. The cooks can't save the world alone, but by taking care of their neighbors ("Is your body warm? // Is your belly full?") they convey the power of thrift, collective action, and community-building. Recipes for an elastic number of diners are included, too. Ages 4-8.

Every year thousands of students across Mecklenburg County embark upon a two-week vacation from school in what is often known as Winter Break. This year Winter Break will be a much-needed reprieve from all that has occurred in 2020, and our hope is that Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Winter Break programming can provide exciting, engaging, and yes, even educational opportunities for children and teens.

Sparkling Programs for Children

Winter Break programming will dazzle your child with fun themes, holiday favorites, and sweet support from our Library staff. Check out these programs this Winter Break for children:

• Story Explorers: Explore books and stories in creative ways through interactive activities in these Winter Break online programs. Choose from Traditions Around the World, Minecraft Pixel Art, Five Languages of Love, Bubble Trouble, and more — or register to attend them all!
• Family Storytime: Register to participate in an online Family Storytime over Winter Break! Library staff are ready to share their favorites to keep you busy this Winter Break. Twelve Storytimes are available for your family to enjoy, including a special Mother Minter’s Gift of Kwanzaa Storytime, a Winter Festival Storytime, and several “Noon Year’s Eve” Storytimes to help you ring in 2021.
• Winter Break Reading Buddies and Tutoring: Want to keep your child’s skills sharp over Winter Break? Check out our one-on-one Reading Buddy or Tutoring appointments where your child can log in with a Library staff member to read and learn something new!

Enchanting Programs for Teens

Teens are sure to enjoy delightful Winter Break programming also! Check out these programs, curated specifically for teens:

• STEAM 101 programs: Make glitter slime, sand art, fun holiday gnomes, paper circuits, lip gloss, and much more in our fun online STEAM programs designed to engage and enrich your preteen or teen learner. Should you choose, visit select Library locations in advance (see calendar for locations) to pick up supplies for each program!
• College & Career Programs: Have your teen take advantage of My Next Step College and Career online programming over Winter Break. Register online for a one-on-one appointment to figure out your teen's next step to successfully plan for the future or register for a one-on-one mock interview to prepare for a career or college interview. Winter Break is the perfect time to figure out your teen’s next steps!
• Gaming and Writing Programs: Does your teen need a creative and social outlet? Winter Break is the perfect time to get connected with other teens to try out a new hobby or skill. Several trivia and gaming programs are available this Winter Break, as well as a few writing programs your teen will enjoy.

All of these Winter Break programs and more can be found on our online Library calendar by visiting cmlibrary.org/calendar. Join us for Winter Break programming at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. It truly is a Winter Wonderland!