*Written by Alesha Lackey, Regional Branch Manager at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library*

Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library is gearing up for the 2023 Community Christmas Celebration! The event, held on Sunday, December 10, 2023, is an opportunity for the community to connect with the Library, local Black-owned businesses, and community resources while celebrating the holiday season.

The celebration is an afternoon of fun for the whole family with music, food, fellowship and an opportunity to have a photo taken with Allegra Westbrooks’s own soulful Santa.

The event will highlight local businesses like Chef Aniah Franklin of Chef FLii & Flight Crew. Franklin, a UNCC alum, has been a personal chef since 2017. North Carolina authors, Xavier Zsarmani, Sr. and Xavier Zsarmani, Jr. will read their debut picture book, How to Catch a Bully Fish.

Repeat vendor, Archive CLT will provide hot chocolate and coffee for the event. When asked to participate again this year, Terry said, “I am ready to put back on my green and red and celebrate with you all! We had so much fun last year!”

Opera Carolina in association with the Arts and Sciences Council will present Musical Storytime with a special performance of Hansel and Gretel. Participants will even be able to decorate their gingerbread-man-inspired cookies from Smallcakes Utopia. There will also be a special appearance by The Grinch!

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is committed to equitable practices.  Located on Beatties Ford Road, Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library serves a diverse community. This event celebrates diversity and all vendors, presenters, and community partners who will participate were intentionally selected with that in mind.

Learn more and let us know you are coming by clicking this link.  

Written by Mario Lopez, Library Communications Specialist

For many, adjusting to and thriving in a new role can be a process that takes a really, really, long time. And for some, the transition is seamless as the role fits who they are. In this case, this individual thrives in doing their job and the effort to do so is pure. This is the story of Andrea Davis. 

In 2021, Andrea Davis earned her master’s degree in library science from North Carolina Central University. Up until that point she had been a teacher’s aide but would soon shift her professional focus toward her genuine passion for public libraries.  

Relocating from Wilmington, NC, Andrea joined Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in December 2022 coming on board as an Adult Services Librarian at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library. 

Since joining the team at AWR, Andrea has become involved in just about everything her schedule will allow. She leads a book club called Turning Pages which was birthed out of Main Library in 2009 and was intended for unhoused individuals. And whereas most book clubs meet monthly, this group meets weekly.  

She also manages a monthly arts and crafts program where she assembles and distributes craft kits for Library customers of all ages. The kits have become so popular that she’s increased the distribution count by 50% over the past several months. She even has a participant who makes the trek from Davidson each month just to grab one. 

Additionally, Andrea supports the Tech Titans program and she more recently participated in an outreach effort with E2D where 80 laptops were distributed to residents at the Gilfield Park Apartments - a new Charlotte community for senior citizens who are 55 and older.  

Looking to continue adding to her already sturdy list of job responsibilities, Andrea grew curious about the idea of activating a community endeavor centered around agriculture. “My penchant for gardening has always been a constant in my life,” she says.

When Andrea moved to Charlotte, she joined the Lincoln Heights Community Garden where it was suggested that she explore opportunities to engage the edible landscape and orchard installation projects. She wasted no time in doing just that. 

Earlier this year, she was awarded a Flight Fund Grant for a program series called All Things Gardening. Through the program, Library customers at AWR received hands-on instruction on basic gardening including soil prep and making compost. 

Fast forward to now, six raised garden beds have been installed in the courtyard of her Library branch. This edible landscape is a collaboration between AWR, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Health Department, the agriculture department at Johnson C. Smith University, and the Males Place – a male mentorship nonprofit organization. 

“My immediate next step for the raised bed installation is to fill the garden beds with a diverse array of produce, herbs, and flowers tailored to this specific zone,” Andrea notes. “The harvested yields will catalyze positive change in impoverished communities. And by granting access to fresh, locally cultivated produce, we envision not only addressing food insecurity but also promoting self-sufficiency and supporting environmental sustainability.” 

Pride and passion are just a couple of character traits that are immediately evident in Andrea, especially when it comes to her work at the Library. 

“Just shy of her first anniversary with CML, Andrea has made her mark at AWR and in the Beatties Ford Road Community,” says Branch Manager Alesha Lackey. “With her edible landscape project, she has worked hard to create a community garden where Library customers will have access to organically grown fruit, vegetables, and herbs. I am excited to see what she will do next!”

Yet in all that she does, Andrea always expresses her heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated CML staff across the agency. She recognizes that the successful implementation of the edible landscape installation would not have been possible without the autonomy and open-mindedness fostered within the organization.

“The collaborative spirit and support from everyone involved has played a crucial role in bringing this initiative to fruition,” she adds. “This transformative project stands as a true reflection of CML's mission to improve lives and build a stronger community.”  

This past year has presented many challenges and concerns for our community and the world. We have witnessed the horrors of terrorism and war in Gaza and Israel, sparking fear, outrage, and extraordinary acts of courage and compassion too. In these uncertain times, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, like libraries across the globe, plays a unique and crucial role.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is a safe space for diverse voices. We are committed to providing Mecklenburg County residents with varying viewpoints, even when they may challenge personal values. Let us be clear, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library strongly condemns violence and all forms of hate, including antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, homophobia, and any other hostilities that erode our society’s common humanity.

The Library provides free and open access to information and ideas, a principle essential to our American democracy and the pursuit of knowledge for all. Our comprehensive collection of materials presents a wide range of knowledge and perspectives, supporting an individual’s personal growth and understanding. Through our diverse programming, we create opportunities for the community to learn and understand together.

In 2024, we are committed to partnering with experts and community leaders to co-create programs that foster open discussion and dialogue around issues and challenges impacting our community. Our goal is to improve lives, cultivate empathy, and build a stronger community. We’ll be sharing more about specific programs, but expect us to lead hard and difficult discussions.

As a learning institution, the Library not only provides information to the public, but also actively seeks to enhance the knowledge of our staff and leadership through continued education and community engagement. We have and are learning with you. We don’t have all the answers, but together, we can surely work towards civil dialogue to shape a better future.

We sincerely appreciate the public’s ongoing support as we continue this important work in the community.

Marcellus Turner

CEO & Chief Librarian

Written by Maggie Bean, Library Foundation Communications Director

As we bid farewell to another year, it’s time to unveil what our customers checked out the most in 2023 starting with the top circulator in each genre:

Best in Genre

Fiction
Verity by Colleen Hoover

Nonfiction
Spare by Prince Harry

Children
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Diper Överlöde by Jeff Kinney

YA
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Audiobook
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Libby by Overdrive Magazine
The New Yorker

Top Five in Genre

Fiction

1. Verity by Colleen Hoover
2. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
3. Happy Place by Emily Henry
4. It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover
5. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Nonfiction

1. Spare by Prince Harry
2. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy
3. Maybe You Should Talk To Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
4. Atomic Habits by James Clear
5. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir by Matthew Perry

Children’s

1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Diper Överlöde by Jeff Kinney
2. The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster! By Mo Willems
3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer by Jeff Kinney
4. Pete the Cat Plays Hide-and-Seek by Kimberly & James Dean
5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School by Jeff Kinney

Young Adult

1. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
2. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
3. It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
4. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
5. We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

Audiobook

1. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
2. Spare by Prince Harry
3. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
4. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
5. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy

Libby by Overdrive Magazines

1. The New Yorker
2. US Weekly
3. Prevention
4. The Week Magazine
5. HGTV Magazine

Written by Randi Smith, South County Regional Library

Each morning as the South County Regional Library branch opens, patrons make their way through the building finding places to sit and work, browsing collections, and utilizing public computers and resources. Some of these patrons are here nearly every day, walking by our brightly decorated room and silently wondering: What exactly IS a Makerspace?

If you are one of those patrons, at South County or any other branch, or if you just happened across this post and find yourself asking the same question, you’ve come to the right place!

A Makerspace is a dedicated space for creativity and innovation. We utilize equipment and resources to get creative and bring your ideas to life! The possibilities are truly endless; from 3D printing prototypes to making personalized gifts, to designing t-shirts for your small business or recreational sports team, Makerspaces exist to create equitable access to resources and empower the community to create and innovate!

You can find dedicated Makerspace Studios at South County Regional, SouthPark Regional, North County Regional, and ImaginOn; although you can find makerspace programming at many more branches! Each Makerspace Studio features 3D Printers, Vinyl Cutters, Heat Presses, and Sewing Machines. Additionally, South County Regional also houses an Epilog Laser Cutter that can cut and engrave wood, North County Regional has a Button Maker, Cricut, and Embroidery Machine, and ImaginOn features a production studio.

If you want to start creating, contact the Makerspace at your preferred branch and ask about how to get started! South County Regional has one-on-one appointments available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays as well as various monthly guided workshops! You can tour the South County Makerspace every Wednesday from 1:00 – 3:00 PM or make an appointment at picktime.com/sormakerspace. 

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s construction of the future University City Regional Library location is now underway with an anticipated completion time in 2025. While poor weather conditions caused the groundbreaking event to be canceled, the project continues to move forward.

The University City branch is one of the most visited libraries in the CML system. Last fiscal year, it circulated nearly 300,000 materials and hosted over 15,000 customers in its programs.

The new facility will be located less than a mile from the current facility on Waters Edge Village Drive in the new Waters Edge development along JW Clay Boulevard.

“This new facility has the customer in mind with generous spaces for dedicated program areas, a large community room, new and ample technology, and flexible meeting spaces, along with comfortable individual and group-size reading and study spaces,” Library CEO Marcellus Turner said.   

Mecklenburg County approved a $39.6 million capital ordinance for the project in 2022, which allows the Library to purchase the land, building and various needs such as furniture, fixtures, equipment and technology necessary to open to the public.

For more information on the University City Regional Library Project, visit here.