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

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.

When the world shut down last March, the show playing at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte (CTC) at ImaginOn: The Joe and Joan Martin Center was the world premiere of Grimmz Fairy Tales, a hip-hop retelling of classic European fairy tales, performed by an all-Black cast with mic-dropping talent. When CTC launched their all-virtual 2020-2021 season, reintroducing Grimmz was at the top of their list.

The show is an inventive remix of familiar classics, telling stories like Snow White and the Seven Shawties, which deals with cyber-bullying, Hansel and Gretel: Lost in the Hood, which addresses the foster care system, Down with Rapunzel, about pursuing your joy despite adversity, and Break, Cinderella. Break, which tackles issues of abuse and neglect and adjusting to mixed families. It was poised for a national tour when the pandemic hit, and now, thanks to the ingenuity of CTC in partnership with Broadway HD, a filmed version of the show can be streamed into every home.

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Black Lives Matter program blog team got to sit down via Zoom with local artists and Children’s Theatre acting veterans Ron Lee McGill and Rahsheem Shabazz, Grimmz’s co-creators, stars, and emcees, to get their take on what the show’s message means now, more than ever.

Check out our booklist of recommended fairytale reads for even more inspiring stories for the entire family.

Grimmz Companion Titles

LIBRARY: When you started developing Grimmz back in October 2018, the idea was to redefine fairy tales through a legacy of hip hop, but each of the stories you picked also deals with a challenging modern topic. What made you want to tackle such difficult issues in a piece of children’s theatre?

SHABAZZ: Kids deal with divorce or moving into a house with a new stepparent; they’re dealing with this at the age of six, seven, eight, and they don’t know how to process it, and they feel like they’re the only ones going through it. We asked ourselves, “How can we reach kids and give them hope in themselves, to know that they are beautiful, and they are amazing, no matter what situation—what grim situation—they might be in?” In a way, I feel like the kids picked those stories for us.

MCGILL: It definitely speaks to the human side of fairy tales, and in selecting and reading and looking back at the essence of the tales, no matter what is going on, it is representative of the human situation, the human struggle. We were able to use the familiarity of the original pieces, but with a different context that can make different contemporary points.

SHABAZZ: And there’s a call to action: what are you gonna do? What you gonna do when you see someone else in this situation? And what you gonna do when you’re in this situation?

LIBRARY: Speaking of that call to action, do you think the message is going to resonate differently or more powerfully with audiences now, given the activism and discussion surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement this past year?

MCGILL: I would hope so. To be honest with you, the representation of us being on stage says something in and of itself. For better or worse, I felt that being a cast of color may not appeal to every school or every administrator, and being a hip-hop play with European fairy tales may have turned some people off without us even having a chance to express ourselves artistically. I hope for this generation coming up, that we are able to do something good and positive for them. It was worth taking that risk of maybe not being accepted by everyone in order to really connect with those that could see themselves in us. Representation and authenticity—using stories to help humans empathize—is so important.

LIBRARY: Do you feel like the challenges you faced in your youth have more similarities or differences than those faced by the current generation?

SHABAZZ: I think there’s a lot we dealt with that kids still deal with, but then also there’s a pandemic. And I think it’s so different because technology has put everything in your face. No one saw me getting smacked by my teacher or getting jacked up in class. Whatever we went through, no one saw that, but today it’s in your hand in an instant. And as we grow and understand that, now with technology, each of us can see, “Wow, I’m going through this; you’re going through this; we’re all going through this; and we’re all different colors.” I think that’s why I went through the things I did, that’s why Ron went through the things that he went through, because we are here to be the change in the world that we want to see.

LIBRARY: Last question: if there is one piece of advice you’d give to Black youth in your community today, what would it be?

MCGILL: Study who you are. Know who you are. Know your history — your true history going beyond this country. Africa is the birthplace of humans. Period. Be aware of the rich history of life and civilization and culture and every aspect from the ground to the sky, I would advise Black youth to search and understand the roots of their essence and of who they are and to be proud of every bit of it.

SHABAZZ: Love yourself. You are not your environment. You are not your situation, and as you learn your history, build yourself up. Embrace that history and continue to love because sometimes through that history you can brainwash yourself into hatred, so empower yourself and continue to love with no fear. To keep fighting, to keep doing, to keep moving, you show yourself your power.

MCGILL: That’s our obligation as Black men in America and Black men within the world. We owe it to our ancestors, and we owe it to our future generations to continue moving that needle of positive change, to continue having that positive representation, that authenticity, that beauty, and that love within our craft. And we’re doing that in Grimmz in the way we’re using hip-hop and theatre, blending that together and using these wonderful tales to show that we deserve the same love. We deserve and are obligated to give the same love as everyone on the planet.

--

This blog post was written by Becca Worthington, children’s librarian at ImaginOn. The Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s production of Grimmz Fairy Tales is available for streaming from now through March 31, 2021. Tickets are available at https://ctcharlotte.org/.

Photo credits to John Merrick

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit North Carolina in March 2020 and k-12 school was disrupted, North Carolina’s state government began a rapid response effort. As part of that response, remote learning has become a critical public health measure in maintaining social distance and continuing to educate our young people. Hometown Strong, the Department of Information Technology, the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Governor’s Education Advisor and the NC Business Committee for Education lead a partnership of state agencies and private organizations to rapidly connect students with remote learning under the banner of NC Student Connect.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is pleased to share that the State Library of North Carolina has installed parking lot Wi-Fi at six of our locations as part of the first phase of the NC Student Connect project. These Mecklenburg County “Park and Learn” sites are a few of more than 400 throughout the state.

This Wi-Fi is available 24/7 and is filtered for student safety.

The State Library selected these Library locations to participate in this Park and Learn Project:

• Allegra Westbrooks Regional
• North County Regional
• South Blvd
• Sugar Creek
• West Blvd
• Independence Regional

To use:  Go to Wi-Fi settings on your devices, this Wi-Fi network has the name NCGuestWifi. After you are connected, there is a screen for NC Student Connect Free Wi-Fi where you click to accept the terms of service. You are then connected and ready to use the Internet.

To learn more, visit the Hometown Strong website here.

Culture and language have a powerful impact on a child’s education. Some kids come to school only needing to learn what the teacher is teaching that particular day. Other kids come to school needing to learn the basics of how school works in a new culture – what's expected, what’s accepted, and what isn’t. And try learning that when everyone around you is speaking a language you don’t understand and your parents are still learning, too. These challenges create a huge hurdle for even the brightest and most persistent students.

Dr. Paola Pilonieta is uniquely qualified to address this situation from both a personal and professional perspective. Personally speaking, she moved to the US from Colombia at age six and now has a child in a CMS language immersion school. Professionally speaking, Dr. Pilonieta is a professor and coordinator of the undergraduate reading education program at UNC-Charlotte. Her areas of expertise include effective strategies for diverse learners as well as emergent and early literacy.    

Dr. Pilonieta will cover the following topics:

• Learning the benefits of being bilingual
• Supporting your home language at home
• Preparing your child (and yourself) for the transition to school
• Working with the school to support your child

The 30-minute presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer period for the audience.

This program is available in Spanish at 12 p.m. and in English at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.  Click to register for the Spanish program or the English program.

Hora de almuerzo y aprendizaje para padres: Cómo la cultura afecta la educación del niño. 

La cultura y el idioma impactan poderosamente el proceso de aprendizaje de un niño. Algunos niños vienen a la escuela solo con la necesidad de aprender lo que el maestro enseña ese mismo día. Otros niños llegan a la escuela con la necesidad de aprender las nuevas dinámicas culturales de esta nueva institución: ¿Cuáles son las expectativas, qué es aceptable y que no, en un mundo e idioma nuevo para él y para sus padres.  

Estos desafíos son de gran obstáculo, incluso para los estudiantes más brillantes y persistentes. 

 La Dra. Paola Pilonieta está capacitada para abordar este tema desde una perspectiva personal y profesional. Ella, proveniente de Colombia, llegó a los Estados Unidos a los seis años. Actualmente tiene un hijo en una escuela de inmersión lingüística de CMS. Profesionalmente, la Dra. Pilonieta es profesora y coordinadora del programa de educación en lectura de pregrado en UNC-Charlotte. Sus áreas de especialización incluyen estrategias efectivas para estudiantes diversos, así como la alfabetización temprana y emergente. 

El Dr. Pilonieta expondrá lo siguientes temas: 

• Los beneficios de ser bilingüe 

• La importancia de apoyar el idioma materno en casa 

• Cómo preparar a su hijo (y a usted mismo) para la transición escolar 

• Cómo trabajar con la escuela para apoyar a su hijo 

La presentación de 30 minutos será seguida por una sección de preguntas y respuestas para la audiencia. 

Este programa está disponible en español a las 12:00 del mediodía y en inglés a la 1:00 p.m. el martes 2 de marzo. Haga clic aquí para inscribirse en el programa de español o haga click aquí para el programa en inglés.