SUMMER SUNDAYS: All Library locations will be closed on Sundays from May 26 through September 1.

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Get to know the Davidson Library community

Get to know the Davidson Library community

April 11, 2022

The Davidson Library is located in the heart of the town of Davidson at the north end of Mecklenburg County. The town of Davidson is a small, close-knit community of approximately 15,000 residents. Davidson Library sits on the Village Green in the Davidson Historic District along Main Street. Lined with an eclectic assortment of shops and restaurants, there is plenty to see and do, including the beloved independent bookstore across the street from the library: Main Street Books. Many residents found their way to Davidson via Davidson College or in retirement.

The Town of Davidson embraces the outdoors. It is important to residents to be a highly walkable town with plenty of sidewalks and bike lanes. Davidson Parks and Recreation maintains several area parks and a historic site, Beaver Dam Plantation. There is a mini-park for toddlers, the Mary Beaty Tot Lot, just across Main Street, behind Summit Coffee. And Roosevelt Wilson Park is just a few blocks behind Main Street. 

Davidson is a town for foodies. Also on Main Street are delicious local restaurants such as the famous Kindred, the historic Davidson Soda Shop diner, Famous Toastery and farm-to-table Pickled Peach. Further up the road are local favorites Whit's Frozen Custard and Sabi Asian Bistro.

An Ode to the College Town of Davidson | Our StateThe Town of Davidson has an active calendar of events for residents. In the spring, people enjoy coming together for April is for Arts and ReadDavidson in April and Town Day in May. During the summer, everyone enjoys an outdoor concert series called Concerts on The Green that takes place from the "stage" (front porch) of the Davidson Library. Fourth of July is a festive affair in Davidson too. In late fall, everyone gathers to give candy to festive children during the Halloween March, followed closely by Christmas in Davidson and the North Mecklenburg Christmas Parade right after Thanksgiving.

New to Charlotte-Mecklenburg? The Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson and LiveDavidson have resources to help if needed. The Town of Davidson government offices also offers an annual Civics 101 class to introduce new residents to all that Davidson has to offer. Explore other Charlotte neighborhoods, including nearby neighbor Cornelius, through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library blog and WelcomeCLT, a digital space created for newcomers to Charlotte.

Resources:

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Blog post written by Marie Harris, library manager for Davidson Branch at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Summer Break at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library returns June 1, 2022

April 26, 2022

Summer is a great time for families to spend time together and develop a love of reading and learning. Summer should be all about fun and our Summer Break program can help provide opportunities to read, be creative, develop social skills, learn new things, and so much more! This year, help us read 10 million minutes between June 1 and August 13 as a community!  

Summer Break: Read, Learn, Explore is available online.  

Summer Break includes six activities in addition to reading that help families and communities connect and learn new things. Play and Write are even Every Child Ready to Read pre-literacy skills! Also, the Queen Charlotte activity category has been added this year!  

  • Read books, graphic novels, e-books or magazines, or listen to an audiobook. It all counts! 

  • Create: try a new recipe, make a video, organize a space in your house or room, learn a craft or hobby. These are just a few ideas to get those creative juices flowing! 

  • Explore: discover a new Library resource, find your new favorite book with our booklists, attend an online concert or play, make the time to explore your world. 

  • Give: here is your opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. Chat with a friend or family member, donate to a nonprofit, or send a food delivery to your local emergency responders; the possibilities are endless. 

  • Play: ride a bike or take a walk, play a sport, take a yoga or exercise class, play a game, just have fun! 

  • Write: send a card to a friend or family member, create a book list using Bibliocommons (the Library’s online catalog), attend a writing workshop with your local library.   

  • Queen Charlotte: find Queen Charlotte at your local branch, visit the Queen Charlotte Walks in Her Garden statue, or take a selfie with Queen Charlotte.  

 

Summer Reading 

Enjoy reading this summer with a good book, graphic novel, audiobook or ebook! The Library is full of fun, engaging books. Don’t know what to read? Librarians are ready to help. There is nothing we like more than talking about books. Stop by your nearest Library for recommendations or visit our online catalog. You can also receive a personal reading list created by Library staff by filling out a Find Your Next Read form (Ages 0 – 18, Teens and Adults). 

The Library also offers a wide variety of programs: everything from storytimes and book clubs, to programs helping you plan for college and career.  

This summer, take the time to find the perfect place to read outside. Will you choose a park, a garden, your backyard, or some other amazing location? Take a picture and share on social media with the hashtags  #cmlsummerbreak, #cmlibrary 

Queen Charlotte is looking forward to participating in this year’s Summer Break, “I hope many of my royal subjects will participate in Summer Break. I’m looking forward to signing up my 15 children and reading outside in the lovely garden.” 

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 chat with us online 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's Greater Goals and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation.   

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This blog was written by Whitney Lebron, children's services librarian at Steele Creek Library.

Celebrate your love of comics, graphic novels, fandom and more with Teen Geek Week!

Teen Geek Week is back at the Library

April 26, 2022

Missing your favorite Con?

Don’t worry - Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has you covered with Teen Geek Week happening May 1-7, 2022!

Throughout the week starting on Monday, May 2, check out a variety of online programs including BTS trivia, gaming, comic creations, paper circuits, writing fanfiction and more! Check out the full calendar below or search our online calendar for more details. Don’t miss out on everything else that will be happening on our CMLibrary Teens Instagram @cmlibraryteens that will feature a collection of Marvel-ous activities, gaming, cosplay tutorials and more!

And if you still can't get enough of Teen Geek Week, be sure to download one of the Teen Geek Week Activity Packs or grab one from the teen area in your branch!

Activity Packs

HARRY POTTER  |  ANIME/MANGA  |  STAR WARS  |  GAMING  |  MARVEL VS DC  |  TV/MOVIE  |  DISNEY

 

 VIRTUAL Teen geek week COSPLAY Showcase

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want to be featured on our CMLibrary Teens Instagram @cmlibraryteens for the Cosplay Showcase? The Teen Geek Week Cosplay Showcase is not a competition, but a way for you to show off your cosplay(s) online that you would like to bring to a con.

Participants must complete this form to enter!

A couple of rules before you submit your costume:

  • All cosplays must be appropriate for all ages. Please keep it PG-13.
  • Cosplays can be handmade or store-bought.
  • Must list full names of everyone in your entry.
  • Your video submission must be between 30-60 seconds. Pose, twirl and show off your cosplay.
  • Format requirements: 1080px by 1920px (standard size for most smartphones screens) MP4.
  • You must have parent/guardian approval to enter. By submitting your application, you are acknowledging you have parent/guardian approval to be featured on our website and social media!

The deadline for submission is Friday, May 6.

Follow us at @cmlibraryteens to stay connected, and never miss out on anything for teens at the Library ever again!

Teen Geek Week Online Programs

Virtual Scavenger Hunt: The adventure awaits! Throughout Mecklenburg County, there are some really cool Art Murals! Take a picture and share it with us for a chance to score one of our Geek Packs! Tag us on Instagram @cmlibraryteens by May 6, 2022, by using the hashtag #cmlibraryteengeekweek, for a chance to win a prize in our Raffle.

  • Harry Potter Teen Trivia

  • Teen Board Games
  • Anime Art Basics
  • STEAM 101: Paper Circuits Star Wars (South Boulevard)

  • Wordle Wednesday
  • Tween Trivia Throwdown: Star Wars
  • Teen Reading Rants (Graphic Novels and Comics)
  • Learn, Connect, Play: Among Us (South Boulevard)
  • Star Wars Day Trivia
  • Cosplay 101 with Hayley & Michael (Teens Live on Instagram)

  • Anime Art Coloring
  • THROH Pokémon Bingo
  • Let's Write Fanfiction!
  • Manga vs Anime
  • Dungeons and Dragons For Tweens!
  • Manga Mania Teen Comic Book Club (South Boulevard)

  • Fan - Art Friday
  • Free Comic Book Day (North County Regional Library)
  • Free Comic Book Day (Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library)
  • Teen Geek Club: Annual Superhero Assembly Mystery (South Boulevard)

 

  • Free Comic Book Day North County
  • Free Comic Book Day Allegra Westbrooks
  • Free Comic Book Day Steele Creek
  • Teen Geek Club: Superhero Assembly South Boulevard

ESCAPE ROOMS:

RESCUE BABY YODA ESCAPE ROOM  |  HARRY POTTER ESCAPE ROOM  |  HAMILTON ESCAPE ROOM 

HUNGER GAMES ESCAPE ROOM  |  RIVERDALE ESCAPE ROOM

RESOURCES

Comics

Cosplay:

Cosplay Tutorial Guides:

Videos Playlists:

Role Playing Games:

Teen Geek Week Discord Server

Can’t get enough of Teen Geek Week? Join our discord, our virtual hangout space to share, socialize and make new friends. It’s open to anyone in grades 6-12.

While participating in Teen Geek Week Discord Server, moderators will hold participants to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library guidelines as well as the Discord Guidelines in order to create an affirming environment for all participants.

Users will have to agree to the Server guidelines when they join before they can join the discussion. Violation of Center or Discord guidelines can result in removal from the server.

JOIN OUR DISCORD

 *Note: You may be subject to screening to confirm your identity before being granted full server access.

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Thsi blog was written bu Kiara Garrett, teen service specialist for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Get help finding your next career with free digital resources from the Library.

Get help finding your next career with free digital resources from the Library

May 2, 2022

Are you looking to jumpstart a new career but don't know where to begin? Maybe you're wanting to move up in a current role or try something new altogether. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is here to help by offering access to a variety of great online resources to help you on your way. Continue reading to learn about some of the wonderful free resources available to you with your Library card.

LinkedIn Learning - 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.  

Ferguson's Career Guidance Center - Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center is a comprehensive resource for career exploration and planning that allows users to quickly find the valuable career information they need, whether it’s industry and professions articles, school planning resources, or skills and career advice.

Learning Express - Suite of highly-acclaimed eLearning solutions which provide interactive tutorials, practice tests, e-books, flashcards and articles for academic skill-building, standardized test preparation, career development and more.

LibGuide: Careers - LibGuides are a subject guide that pulls together all types of information about a particular subject or topic.  Charlotte Mecklenburg Library LibGuides contain information about our Library's resources (books, databases, etc.) and web sites that are relevant to the subject or topic.  

Tutor.com - Adult learners can get help in English and Spanish. Tutors are available for career help, including resume review, job searching and interview preparation. Tutors can also help with GED and Citizenship preparation, and essay review. Additionally, tutors can help adult learners with back to school needs.

 

Get to know the SouthPark Regional community with the Library's WelcomeCLT program.

Get to know the SouthPark Regional community

May 3, 2022

SouthPark Regional Library can be found on the corner of Colony Rd and Carnegie Blvd. With over 26,000 square feet, there are spaces for studying, working, and browsing the collection. When you walk in, you will find our expanded Children’s Area, Community Room, and Café seating area. The upper floor houses our Computer Lab, makerspace, Teen Area and study rooms. Also on the second floor, the world language collection includes Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese, as well as Chinese, French, German and Spanish titles for children.

The SouthPark Mall is considered a staple of the SouthPark area. It is home to a variety of stores and restaurants. Whether you are looking to shop, grab a bite to eat, or just take a walk, SouthPark Mall is the place. Beside the SouthPark Mall stands Symphony Park, a large grassy lawn that holds many concerts and events throughout the year. Beginning in June, Symphony Park hosts the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Pops series, featuring a variety of music from popular cinematic soundtracks to opera performances.

If you are looking to go outdoors, check out nearby Park Road Park. The 72-acre park holds baseball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, a volleyball court and a playground. Scenic walking trails surround a centrally located lake with piers. The area is also home to nearby Little Sugar Creek Greenway. The Little Sugar Creek Greenway, beginning at Tyvola Rd, runs for 4.8 miles. The greenway accommodates walkers, runners and bikers alike. It even includes a bridge connecting over to Park Road Park.

The Levine Jewish Community Center is a diverse, inclusive, multi-cultural community center, open to everyone of all faiths. The Levine JCC has a fitness center with indoor basketball courts, racquetball courts, tennis courts, and indoor and outdoor pools. The facilities host sports programs for youth and adults, summer camps, and cultural arts activities. The surrounding Shalom Park holds the Jewish Federation for Greater Charlotte, Jewish Family Services, Temple Beth El, Temple Israel, the Foundation of Shalom Park, the Charlotte Jewish Preschool, the Charlotte Jewish Day School, and the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, as well as the Center for Jewish Education, Temple Beth El, Temple Israel, the Foundation of Shalom Park, the Charlotte Jewish Preschool, the Charlotte Jewish Day School, the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, and the Center for Jewish Education and the Center for Jewish Education.

The Mint Museum Randolph, located around 15 minutes away, has galleries with the art of the ancient Americas, ceramics and decorative arts, and European and African art, among other collections. Located in what was the original branch of the United States Mint, the Mint Museum Randolph opened in 1936 as North Carolina’s first art museum. Additional areas of interest within the museum include a reference library, a theater featuring lectures and performances, and a museum store. Visit on Wednesday evenings from 5-9 p.m. for free admission!

With a variety of restaurant options available around the area, it is no surprise that the SouthPark staff have a few favorites. Renaissance Patisserie is a local café that offers French pastries, traditional baguettes, and the home of Charlotte's only Kouign "Queen" Amann. Another favorite is Milk Cha Cha, a boba tea shop providing a unique experience by using fresh fruits, fresh dairy and premium loose-leaf teas. The area is also home to Café Monte, a French Bistro serving classic Provence-style dishes and pastries made using local ingredients.

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

 

Resources:

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This blog post was written by Kristin Wilkins, library assistant for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Celebrate the real Cinco de Mayo

May 5, 2022

When you think of May 5, does your mouth water in anticipation of the food, libations and festivities that generally accompany the holiday? If so, it's time to learn the significance behind modern-day Cinco de Mayo celebrations. More than a flavorful fiesta – Cinco's historical significance is important and relevant to events still affecting the country today. While Cinco de Mayo celebrations are prominent in the United States, May 5 is not as widely celebrated in its land of origin.

So, why is May 5 important? It was on that day in 1862 that the Mexican army defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla during the French-Mexican war. Although Mexicans won that battle, the French returned to capture Puebla the following year. The battle at Puebla is significant because it established Mexico as a force to be reckoned with. In fact, five years later, Mexicans troops proved their resiliency against foreign domination again by overthrowing the government and reestablishing themselves as an independent republic.

And, while it is customary in the U.S. to throw large, Mexican-themed parties, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Mexico mainly in the state of Puebla with military parades and battle reenactments.

Ultimately, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the bravery, culture, traditions, folklore and contributions of the Mexican people and their descendants to societies across the world. To learn more about Mexican culture, including food, folklore and more, check out our Celebrate Cinco de Mayo book list.

Photo credit: public domain

Learning with the Library is always in style

Learning with the Library is always in style

May 11, 2022

As somebody who loves fashion and is a working designer, it can be equal parts exhilarating and daunting to keep up with the latest industry practices. The dizzying world of high fashion is ever changing with new design processes, technology and trends popping up every few months. Fast fashion and the internet have completely changed the fashion landscape and it can be a strenuous process sifting through the thousands of blogs, websites and Op-Ed pieces to find reliable information about the latest fashion news. Sure, there are plenty of reference books in Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s catalog about fashion from a historical perspective, but what about resources for the modern designer? You may not think of your local library as a place where you can get those resources, but you’d be mistaken. What if I told you that you can get access to intensive coursework covering all aspects of the fashion design process, taught by industry leaders for FREE? You can with access to LinkedIn Learning through the Library’s catalog of digital resources.

        

(l to r): showing some of my designs at a recent fashion show, and in my home studio working on a pattern

LinkedIn Learning is an online educational site that includes over 3,000 courses in popular fields like web design, web development, IT, education/instruction, media production, and yes, fashion design. There are several different learning paths you can take and I chose the path called “Become a Fashion Designer.” This 20-hour course is filled with videos and learning activities in subjects like color theory, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, pattern design and much more. Twenty hours may sound like a lot of time to invest, but the lessons are broken up into sub-categories ranging from one to four minutes each. Each course is self-guided and taught by industry leaders that know everything from the basics to the latest techniques. I love the flexibility to start and stop whenever I feel and not lose my progress, which is perfect for working professionals. I’ve even been able to watch a few courses while on the treadmill at the gym or while sewing a project at home.

Upon completion of the course, you receive a LinkedIn Learning Certificate showing that you have successfully completed the lessons and now have mastery of that skill. This is great to add to your resume or LinkedIn profile as a professional tool. The best part is that all of this was free to me (and to you too) just by using my Library card. Don’t have one? Get your own here.

Want to get started on your own learning track? Checkout LinkedIn Learning today.

Access LinkedIn Learning

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

"The Fight Against Hate Crimes" is a new book, released earlier this year and available at the Library.

Massacre causes far-reaching aftermaths of terror

May 31, 2022

It happened again on Saturday May 14, another mass murder by a gunman in the United States. This time in Buffalo, New York, African Americans were targeted at a grocery store with 10 dying. A young white adult was charged with the shooting and arrested on the scene.

The accused killer currently faces first-degree murder charges. Due to the nature of the crime, NPR reported “Officials have said they are investigating the mass shooting as a racially motivated hate crime and are also considering a terrorism charge. Separately, the FBI is investigating the shooting as both a hate crime and racially motivated violent extremism.”

Hate crimes are defined as “crimes committed on the basis of the victim’s perceived or actual race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability,” at the federal level by the Department of Justice and most states use similar wording in their laws.

As the crime investigation of the incident is underway the nation’s stunned reaction may be fading, but the affected community is processing and coping. Buffalo as a whole, of course, is affected, yet the attack was in a predominately Black neighborhood in one of the nation’s most racially segregated cities by news accounts. The shooting stings Blacks for being singled out only for their race and the result for many may be traumatizing. And granted, the nation has had recent tragic news stories of other racial minorities preyed upon too for hateful reasons. However for Blacks, the massacre double downs on the attitudes of otherness in the United States and being vulnerable. As expected, a new Washington Post and Ipsos poll of African American residents find a noticeable dip of 43% to 34% to the question whether it is a good time to be Black in America today.

A People magazine report of the story shared the anguish by one woman’s plea. “[Inside] Buffalo’s True Bethel Church, the pain was raw and personal. ‘One young lady at church on Sunday had lost a family member,’ explained Bishop Darius Pridgen. ‘She hollered out over and over, ‘Why? Why do they hate us so much?’”   

 Connecting some dots as to why such extreme violent acts occur may be found in reading about the topic of hate crime in the Library.  Check this booklist for books to read, including several written specifically for the teenage audience. These books are based on the church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina at Mother Emanuel AME Church and detail grief, healing and forgiveness for some victims involved. Readers would likely find some circumstances echo what occurred in Buffalo.

An additional catalog subject search for “hate crime” can find resources including more e-book and video entries that focus on different populations and attitudes as well as true crime stories and novels.   

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

Queen Charlotte and her family are signed up for Summer Break, are you? Everyone from adults to babies are welcome to participate in Summer Break 2022!

Queen Charlotte signs up for Summer Break

May 31, 2022

It's that wonderful time of year - Summer Break! Take you and your family’s summer learning to the next level with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Summer Break 2022 Challenge. Our summer learning challenge starts June 1 and ends August 13. The community is challenged to read 10 million minutes together.

Register for the challenge online by visiting our website or downloading the app, Beanstack Tracker. Your free account allows you to track reading time and learning activities to earn prizes and collect virtual badges. Even tracking Queen Charlotte can be logged into Beanstack as an activity. Find Queen Charlotte at your local branch, visit the Queen Charlotte Walks in Her Garden statue in uptown Charlotte, or take a selfie with Queen Charlotte. The possibilities of reaching 1,200 points to complete the summer break challenge are endless!

 

Exciting Programs

Though our Summer Break 2022 program can be completed entirely online, our libraries are hosting some wonderful programs this summer. Check out these upcoming programs that you can attend in person, as well as access from home. We have something for everyone!

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 chat with us online or email us at [email protected] for help or feedback.

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

The Library has everything you need to start a successful business

The Library has everything you need to start a successful business

May 31, 2022

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has amazing business resources. Many people are not aware that the Library has anything beyond children’s storytimes and novels. But if you are thinking about starting a business or have an ongoing business and would like to expand, we have data for you. Your taxes have paid for these resources, so why pay someone else to gather what you already have access to?

Can you use a list of businesses? Data Axle Reference Solutions is a business directory for the entire United States. You can select the industry, the geography, the number of employees and then create a list of businesses with contact names, addresses, phone numbers and more.

Do you need to know what’s going on in your industry or your customer’s industry? ABI/Inform Collection has industry reports from Dun & Bradstreet, Plunkett, and other global publishers. These show the state of the industry, regulations, challenges, opportunities, ratios, and what’s on leadership’s radar.

Will you be selling to a select demographic? SimplyAnalytics allows you to create maps to show dense geographic areas where your potential clients live. There are 8,000+ variables of age, income, housing, spending habits, and so much more you can map or put into spreadsheets to analyze. 

These are only 3 of several resources available to use for your business planning. 

You don’t have to spend hours watching tutorials or reading instructions to use these databases. Book a 1-hour time slot for a 1-on-1 video call with a librarian here. Pick a session that suits your schedule and register. You’ll receive an email with the Zoom link for that session.

 

Meet our business Librarian

Mimi Curlee is a 30-year reference librarian who has shown hundreds of business people how to use these databases for their specific needs. She will be glad to work with you to find data you can use for your business success. Sign up for a 1-on-1 video call here.