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Charlotte Author Conversation: May 4 at the Pineville Library

March 13, 2024

This blog was written by Amanda Goldson, adult services librarian at Pineville Library.

Join six award-winning Charlotte authors on May 4 at 11 am at the Pineville Library for a conversation about their recent books—what they’re about and how they wrote them—and hear their writing tips and lessons learned.

Register for this event here.

This author event is co-sponsored by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and Charlotte Readers Podcast. Featured authors include Sarah Archer, Joy Callaway, Mark de Castrique, Kimmery Martin, and Cathy Pickens. The panel is moderated by author Landis Wade, founder of Charlotte Readers Podcast. The books and writing topics include mysteries, thrillers, historical fiction, true crime, romance, comedy, and literary fiction.

Landis Wade is a trial lawyer turned author of thrillers, mysteries, and essays who founded Charlotte Readers Podcast(where he has conducted 500+ author interviews). His novel Deadly Declarations won ten awards, including Winner in the 2022 American Fiction Awards (Cozy Mystery category). With the help of his podcast co-hosts, he published The Write Quotes series, an 8 book collection that features inspirational and practical author quotes about writing and the writing life from authors in more than 33 U.S. states and four countries, and he co-wrote a comedic mystery with podcast co-host Sarah Archer about the dangers of podcasting with author guests titled Death by Podcasting. His short work has appeared in Writersdigest.com, The Charlotte Observer, Flying South, and in several anthologies, and his short story, The Deliberation, won the 2016 North Carolina Bar short story contest. He is a past board member of Charlotte Writers Club. To learn more about Landis, his books, and the podcast, click here.

Sarah Archer's debut novel, The Plus One, was published by Putnam and optioned for television. As a screenwriter, she has developed material for MTV Entertainment, Snapchat, and Comedy Central, and been recognized by the Black List, the Tracking Board, the Motion Picture Academy, and the Austin Film Festival. Her short stories and poetry have appeared in numerous journals and been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She also co-hosts the award-winning Charlotte Readers Podcast.

Joy Callaway is the international bestselling author of The Fifth Avenue Artists Society, Secret Sisters, The Grand Design, All The Pretty Places, and What The Mountains Remember. She lives in Charlotte, NC with her family.

Mystery writer Mark de Castrique has authored twenty-three books. His novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. His Washington, DC thriller SECRET LIVES was one of five finalists for the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgars 2023 Sue Grafton Memorial Award. Mark lives in Charlotte, but he and his wife Linda can be often found in the NC mountains or the nation’s capital.

Kimmery Martin is an ER doctor whose novels have been praised by People, Newsweek, and The New York Times. She also teaches Narrative Medicine at the local medical school and authors a column on Substack covering medical disinformation, humor, parenting, and social topics.

Kimmery speaks frequently at medical and literary events around the United States and honors her passion for public libraries by serving on the Board of Trustees of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Her most recent novel, Doctors and Friends, received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist.

Cathy Pickens, a lawyer and college professor, now writes about crime, fact and fiction. Her first novel, Southern Fried, was St. Martin’s Best New Traditional Mystery. (Now available from Joffe Books as The Blue Ridge Mountain Mysteries, with audiobook.) Professor emerita at Queens University, she is writing a series of Carolina true crime accounts for History Press, starting with Charlotte True Crime Stories. Author of CREATE, she offers coaching and workshops on developing the creative process.

Books and More

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Celebrate National Volunteer Week with the Library

April 18, 2024

This blog was written by Chauna Wall, volunteer coordinator for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Today we enter into a week-long celebration called National Volunteer Week which runs from April 21 - 27.

I would like to take this opportunity to shine a light on the people that inspire us to serve. Volunteerism empowers individuals to find their purpose, to take their passion and turn it into meaningful change. When you answer the call to make a difference, we make progress in “Improving Lives and Building a Stronger Community,” our core mission.

This week, we celebrate our volunteers for giving their time to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and the many volunteers who stand with us in promoting inclusion, education and literacy to the entire community.

We had some very exciting milestones this year which were powered by very dedicated volunteers. These include:

Student Success Centers: a physical learning space that are open in branches at least once a week. Trained volunteers work with Kindergartners – 5^th grade with Homework Help, Skill practice and tutor.com. Volunteers responded to our request to help our students succeed in an overwhelming way. Recruiting more volunteers than the number of registered students.

The Living Archives needed volunteers to transcribe the stories of People of Color and their experiences during the pandemic. Again, an abundance of individuals came forth to offer their skills.

You may have heard of MeckTech; an effort to close the Digital Divide in which we gave away 20,000 free laptops to the citizens of Mecklenburg County. We didn’t do it alone; we tapped the skills of over 900 volunteers over the course of a year. Individuals, families, groups, corporate volunteers and teens rose to the occasion for this very sizeable and far-reaching project.

You can clearly see the exceptional ways in which our citizenry responded to the needs of the Library and broader community.

Every day our volunteers inspire us and help us create a more educated and literate community. Never doubt you make a measurable difference. Last year you gave us over 31,000 hours of your time which equates to a value of over $1million.

Hear from some of our volunteers on why they do this work below:

"The Library is a safe space, for teens especially to be able to exist peacefully and authentically without the stress of whatever else is happening in their life."

Máire B., VolunTeen at North County Regional Library

"Not only did my service at the Library strengthen my leadership skills, it also introduced me to other aspects of that I hadn’t initially been aware of."

Rachel J., VolunTeen at West Boulevard Library

"The Library is important because for others It is a place of both knowledge and enrichment. I have learned a lot from the Library."

Ashritha N., VolunTeen at Matthews Library

"Volunteering at the Library has shown me how important it is that we have a place to gather, reflect, read, and connect."

Elliott K., VolunTeen at Matthews Library

"Volunteering at the Library is a chance to give back. The staff at Mint Hill are Wonderful!"

Lance, Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

"I have always loved to read. I feel like I’m giving back some of the good things people have done for me."

Lee, Reading Buddy at Mint Hill Library

"The Library supports literacy and education in addition to cultural learning. Books open the world to children."

Barbara, Reading Buddy at Mint Hill Library

"One of my Reading Buddies said to me at the end of our half hour, 'I'm not ready to go!' - it touched my heart!"

Lori, Reading Buddy at Mountain Island Library

"The library is a safe space for all people. Stories inspire creativity and without creativity society would be lost."

Katy, Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

"Volunteering at the Library is incredibly rewarding—seeing school-aged students grow in reading confidence over time is wonderful. To think that Wicked and I might have played even a small part is simply amazing and makes every moment worth it!"

Kelsey & Wicked, Paws to Read volunteers at Mountain Island Library

"Sometimes kids are nervous around dogs or about reading and it’s so rewarding watching them become comfortable and confident and light up when they sit and read to Phineas."

Lauren A. & Phineas, Paws to Read volunteers at SouthPark Regional Library

"Watching kids learn to read and making verbal connections in real-time is really neat...kids light up and smile when they see Pippa! Knowing that I’m making a small difference in a child’s ability to read is really cool!"

Courtney S. & Pippa, Paws to Read volunteers at SouthPark Regional Library

"Volunteering to me means making a difference. Also, having an impact in children’s lives and families.”

Ashlyn, Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

"Volunteering is fun for me since I am retired and I like giving back to the community."

Cindy, Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

"It feels good to think someone might enjoy reading a little better because I volunteered."

Kathy, Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

Rachel S. and Dumpling, Paws to Read volunteers at Hickory Grove Library

Sue, Reading Buddy Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

Krissy, Volunteer at Hickory Grove Library

Anna, Volunteer at Matthews Library

Kelly, Reading Buddy Volunteer at Mountain Island Library

Don, Volunteer at SouthPark Library

Daniel, Volunteer at SouthPark Library

Russ, Reading Buddy Volunteer at SouthPark Library

Kurt S., Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

Lori D., Volunteer at North County Regional Library

Marci., Reading Buddy Volunteer at SouthPark Regional Library

"The library offers a variety of programs and children’s storytimes. Volunteering gets me back into the environment that I love!"

Gail Z., Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

You will see our volunteers helping with…

Adopt an Aisle which include families and children 12 and under.
Tech Tutoring-Classes and one on one learning
Providing Plant Care
Leading Writing Groups
training to be Reading Buddies
shelving, pulling holds and helping with morning deliveries
English as a Second Language programs
Filling Free Little Libraries all over Mecklenburg County
The ever-popular Paws to Read program where even your trained dog can volunteer!

If I may give a respectful nod to those of you who help our staff shelve in the Children's department (which isn’t for the meek), and a special thank you to the 32 staff who have taken on the role of Volunteer Point Person (VPPs) who guide and engage with our volunteers daily. They have worked diligently to make the Library a great experience for our volunteers.

Thank you for being a Library volunteer and helping deliver the magic of books, stories, technology and lifelong learning. You are a treasured and valuable part of our story.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead

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The Shelf.TV

Summary

Details

Shelf.TV es una colección de videos en streaming de películas en español, series de televisión, eventos de artes escénicas grabados y contenido infantil de América Latina y España. La sección de niños incluye videojuegos y aclamados programas animados
¡Hay algo para todas las edades! Shelf.TV está disponible como aplicación para iOS y Android, así como en computador de escritorio

Iniciar:

Haga clic en Acceder Ahora
Nuevos clientes: Haga clic en "Crear Cuenta".

Cree una cuenta siguiendo las indicaciones:

Ingrese su dirección de correo electrónico y cree una contraseña.
Seleccione EE. UU. en el menú desplegable del país y Biblioteca Charlotte Mecklenburg en el menú desplegable de la biblioteca.
Complete su número de tarjeta de la biblioteca o el número de One Access, nombre y fecha de nacimiento.
Lea y acepte los términos de servicio para completar el registro.

Nota: Los clientes menores de 13 años solo tendrán acceso al contenido de Zona Kids.

Clientes Recurrentes:

Seleccione EE. UU. en el menú desplegable del país y Biblioteca Charlotte Mecklenburg de la lista de bibliotecas en la sección "Buscar y seleccionar su biblioteca".Ingrese su número de tarjeta de la Biblioteca o el número de One Access y la contraseña en la sección "Acceda a su cuenta". Haga clic en "Entrar en el Shelf”.

NOTA: Cuando se abra la página, es posible que vea una ventana emergente que dice que el sitio utiliza cookies. Está bien hacer clic en "Aceptar" en esta ventana emergente. Estas cookies son esenciales para la plataforma. Shelf.TV no utiliza cookies de terceros ni realiza un seguimiento de los datos personales.

Préstamos:

Los clientes de la Biblioteca Charlotte Mecklenburg pueden pedir prestados hasta 12 títulos con boleto por mes. Las entradas se utilizan para películas y artes escénicas (busque el icono de la entrada). El resto del contenido es ilimitado (incluidos los juegos para niños). El monto del crédito del boleto se restablece el primer día de cada mes.

Todo el contenido está disponible para su visualización hasta 48 horas después del pago.

The Shelf.TV is a streaming video collection of Spanish-language movies, TV series, recorded performing arts events, and kids content from Latin America and Spain. The Kids section includes video games and acclaimed animated shows. There is something for all ages! The Shelf.TV is available as an iOS and Android app, as well as on desktop computers.

Getting Started:

Click Access Now
New customers: Click “Create Account.”

Create an account by following the prompts:

Enter your email address and create a password.
Select USA from the country drop down and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library from the library drop down.
Fill out your library card number or One Access number, name, and birthdate.
Read and agree to the terms of service to complete registration.

Note: Customers under 13 will only have access to the Kids Zone content.

Returning Customers:

Select USA from the country drop down and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library from the list of libraries in the “Find and Select your library” section. Enter your Library card number or One Access number and password in the “Access your Account section”. Click “Enter The Shelf.”

NOTE: When the page opens you may see a popup saying that the site uses cookies. It’s okay to click “Accept” on this popup. These cookies are essential to the platform. The Shelf.TV does not use third party cookies or track personal data.

Borrowing:

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library customers can borrow up to 12 ticketed titles per month. Tickets are used for movies and performing arts (look for the ticket icon). All other content is unlimited (including kids games. The ticket credit amount resets on the first of each month.

All content is available for viewing up to 48 hours after checkout.

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The Black gay experience can be understood through fiction

June 29, 2022

This blog was written as part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Black Lives Matter program initiative. Learn more about the program and corresponding events here.

To recognize and understand the LGBTQ+ community, it takes the honesty of admitting societal prejudices against gay people while permitting that community to be itself without judgment. As former NBA player Jason Collins put it, the first professional male athlete to announce he is gay, “Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it’s a good place to start.”

Public libraries across the country have been doing just that in recent weeks with the celebration of Pride Month. Gay themed books are spotlighted in displays and often include representations of the multi-colored Pride symbol, resembling a rainbow. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library borrowed the color scheme for its Pride t-shirts, in its support of Pride, on sale to interested staff.

Within the growing self-identified LGBTQ+ population, which according to the Gallup Poll is 7.1 percent of U.S. adults, is a sizable minority population. People of color make up 40% of that number with another 12% of those identifying as Black according to the Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law in a demographic study.

Collins falls in that 12% and to borrow from his quote about openness, books can help to do that in the imagination and storytelling nature of a novel. Reading the stories can stir empathy and help one to understand the present. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has several titles about those individuals in stories about coping with family, life, identity—living the human experience. Read about these stories with booklists for adult and teen readers.

Check out our Adult BLACK LGBTQ+ Booklist

Check out our Teen Black LGBTQ+ Booklist

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

Older adult reading with child on a mobile tablet.

Top 5 Hoopla kids titles of spring 2022

July 8, 2022

This blog was written by Serena Guest, library collections associate, at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

We made it to summer! Temperatures are already soaring and the kids are out of school for a few months. If you’re looking for a great library resource children can enjoy while also sharpening their reading skills, Hoopla is it. Hoopla is an amazing service that offers ebooks, audiobooks, movies, music and comics. All you need is a Library card (https://www.cmlibrary.org/getacard) to access a world of exploration.

Once your account is created, make sure to turn on kids mode by clicking the word KIDS onthe top right-hand side to find many kid-friendly titles. Kids Mode is curated content for kids up to age 12. Note: There are different age ranges using this feature and titles available range from G-General Audiences to PG-Parental Guidance Suggested. Parents or guardians are expected to decide whether a specific title is appropriate for their child.

Here are the top five kids titles that were checked out from Hoopla by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library users last month:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Available in eBook and audiobook.

2. Big Nate: Beware of Low-Flying Corn Muffins by Lincoln Peirce
Available in comic format.

3. Disney Classic Stories: Encanto*
Available as a Read-Along ebook. *A favorite of my seven-year-old

4. Big Shot by Jeff Kinney
Available in eBook.

5. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Available in eBook and audiobook.

Learn more about Hoopla checkout limits here.

The Library in the Community: Summer Break Edition

July 21, 2022

At Charlotte Mecklenburg Library we aim to have library services extend beyond our physical locations. This year Library staff have attended multiple events around Charlotte to talk about Library services and Summer Break. At any of these events, staff can help you sign up and log your reading and activities for Summer Break!

National Night Out

Multiple branches will be participating in National Night Out this year, a great event to learn about community resources for adults and children. Dates vary, but most of the events will be taking place on August 2, 2022 and it is advised to check with your local branch for details. At each event visitors to the Library’s table can pick up some great swag and learn more about Summer Break

Soccer Game

You may have seen the Library at a recent Charlotte Football Club game against the New York Red Bulls in early June. This year, Charlotte Football Club has partnered with the Library to sponsor Summer Break. Library staff members met with soccer fans and talked about available services and Summer Break.

Heroes Con

Graphic Novel and comic book enthusiast library staff showcased Library services, Summer Break, and even participated in a panel about banned books at Heroes Con in late June. Visitors to the Library’s table had the opportunity to take a photo using the photo booth, spin the prize wheel for various prizes, pick up a graphic novel or two and learn about Summer Break.

If you see the Library around town, come and say hi and ask us about Summer Break.

Comments? Questions?

Are you having problems with the Summer Break 2022 website or your account? Do you have questions about the program? Feel free to call your local branch or email us at [email protected] for help or feedback.

The 2022 Summer Break program is brought to you by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library with additional support from Wendy’s, Charlotte Football Club and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation.

CMLibrary has all the resources you'll ever need

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has all the resources you'll ever need

July 22, 2022

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

Whether you need resources for your small business or just want to stream the newest hit music, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has a vast catalog of digital resources to fit your needs. Check out some of our offerings below and some fun facts about the Queen City's namesake monarch Queen Charlotte.

Did You Know? — Queen Charlotte spoke three language and you can, too. Learn Afrikaans, Tagalog, the language of love, or whatever you like for FREE with Transparent Language and your Library card.

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. With over 110 languages to choose from, including English for speakers of over 30 languages, there is something for every learner.

access Transparent Language now

Did You Know? — Queen Charlotte had serious musical chops! Not only was she versed in the harpsichord and tutored in music by Johann Christian Bach (the son of Johann Sebastian Bach), but she also was a muse to other classical musicians of the time. Enjoy the latest music tracks from all your favorite artists for free from hoopla and Freegal Music through the Library.

Freegal Music is a free downloadable music service from your Library. Freegal offers download or streaming access to more than 10 million songs, including Sony Music's catalog of legendary artists. Also available are approximately 15,000 music videos to download. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library customers get 5 free downloads (songs are 1 download and videos are 2) and 5 hours of streaming each week. Once downloaded, the songs or videos are yours to keep! Mobile and tablet customers, download the Freegal app for iOS and Android.
hoopla allows customers to instantly borrow e-books, comics, audiobooks, music, movies and television — with no holds, and no waiting! And there's no need to worry about late fees; hoopla features an automated service that returns your item once your time is up. Content can be streamed to computers, tablets or smartphones, and can be downloaded to mobile devices to allow for offline viewing any time.

access freegal music now access hoopla now

Did You Know? — In addition to being royalty, Queen Charlotte was also a philanthropist who supported small business across the city of London. But you don’t have to be royalty to start your own business. All you need is a Library card to give you access to our vast catalog of free business resources including LinkedIn Learning and Universal Class.

LinkedIn Learning is an online educational site that includes over 3,000 courses (and over 130,000 videos) in popular fields like web design, web development, IT, education/instruction, media production and business.
Universal Class is an online education experience offering over 540 courses in subjects like Entrepreneurship, Home and Garden Care, Computers and Technology, Health and Medicine, Homeschooling, Job Assistance, Law and many more.

access LinkedIn Learning now Access Universal Class Now

"Break My Soul": The perfect booklist for Beyoncé fans

August 2, 2022

This blog was written by Serena Guest, library collections associate, at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

In June, Beyoncé released the song "Break My Soul." Over a stirring house beat, she sings about looking for motivation and a new foundation. It's an inspirational song that was much needed for so many of us. If you enjoy this song and you’re looking for your own motivation and new foundation, I've put together a list of suggested titles you might enjoy. You can also listen to "Break My Soul" for free on Freegal - all you need is your Library card!

The perfect booklist for Beyoncé fans:

Fat, Crazy, & Tired by Van Lathan Jr.
The Power of Self-Discipline by Peter Hollins
Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King
Self-care for Black Women by Oludara Adeeyo
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD
Atomic Habits by James Clear

How did your summer reading goal turn out? Check out the results of the 2022 Summer Break challenge.

Summer Break 2022 Wrap up

August 8, 2022

Oh, where has the time gone?

It’s a wrap for Summer Break 2022. Thank you to all of those who participated in the 2022 Summer Break Challenge. Queen Charlotte collected her earned prizes. Have you? Please collect any earned prizes by August 20, 2022, at your local branch location. Charlotte Football Club winners will be selected from completers by a drawing via Beanstack on August 15, 2022 and will be contacted via email.

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