Did you know the Library offers databases on science? Try out one or more of these digital resources for free with your Library card and learn something new! 

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the July 1969 moon landing by exploring the great digital resources Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has on science. Our databases - for all ages - can help you explore everything from how the moon causes ocean tides,  in-depth history behind NASA’s space program and discover other science topics. 

What can research do? Economists have said that a third to a half of U.S. economic growth has resulted from basic research since World War II. The cars and trains that got you where you are today, your smart phones, the energy that lights your room, the clothes you wear, the food you eat: all of these were developed and improved through research. 

All databases and resources can be accessed using your Charlotte Mecklenburg Library or ONE Access™ card number.  

PebbleGo Science 

PebbleGo Science is a research tool targeted for children grades K-3 that covers key topics in life sciences, physical sciences , Earth and space science, and engineering and technology applications of science.  This online resource contains leveled text, simple navigation, and read-aloud audio accompany articles.  

Click here to explore 

PowerKnowledge Earth and Space Science 

This database is an online Earth & Space science resource specifically designed for learners in grades 3 to 6. Use this online resource to learn more about earth cycles, ecosystems and biomes, rocks, energy and matter, maps, natural disaster, environmental issues, space and more. It offers games and ideas for science fair projects and experiments, and presents information in text and video. 

Click here to explore 

PowerKnowledge Life Science 

This online resource, targeted for learners in grades 3 to 6,  focused on Life Science. Topics include animals, endangered and extinct species, food chains, green living, habitats, the human body, plants and more. The site offers games, brain teasers, ideas for science fair projects and experiments, and presents information in text and video.

Click here to explore  

PowerKnowledge Physical Science 

This is an online Physical Science resource designed for learners in grades 3 to 6. Topics include atoms, molecules, elements and the periodic table, energy and matter, force and motion,  temperature and measurement, and more. The site offers games, brain teasers, ideas for science fair projects and experiments, and presents information in text and video. 

 Click here to explore 

Science in Context 

This database is targeted to adults and provides reference content for many topics of interest A to Z – from 3D printing to fluid dynamics, from bees to metabolism, and from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to zoology. Plus, you’ll also find access to magazines, journals, news sources, experiments, and more. Science In Context covers earth science, life science, space, technology, mathematics, science history, and biography. 

Click here to explore 

Welcome to Week 9 of Summer Break!

Summer Break may be Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s summer learning program, but it wouldn’t be possible without the strong support we receive from our sponsors. We thank these sponsors for their support, which helps the Library improve lives and build a stronger community.

Summer Break got off to a sweet start thanks to Wendy’s! A coupon for a complimentary Junior Frosty provided the perfect sign-up incentive for participants of all ages. Wendy’s has been a long-time sponsor of summer learning programs at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Thank you, Wendy’s, for your support of Summer Break!

For the second year, the Library has been honored to partner with Carowinds. Not only does Carowinds generously donate tickets to encourage our community to read and learn all summer long, but they celebrate literacy during Library Week – where library cardholders receive discounted tickets and enjoy storytimes at the theme park. Thank you, Carowinds!

An important partner in all Library ventures is the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation. Their support this year has been crucial in facilitating programs reaching all populations – from infant storytimes and programs for people with special needs to outreach to the elderly. Thank you, Library Foundation, for contributing to the ongoing success of Summer Break!

Comments? Questions?

Are you having problems with the Summer Break website or your account? Do you have questions about the program? Feel free to stop by your local library for assistance, give us a call at 704-416-0101 or email us at [email protected].

Both West Boulevard Library and University City Regional Library are working with local organizations to provide meals to children during the summer months.

West Boulevard Library

 West Boulevard Library is partnering with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) to serve as a meal site for the CMS' Summer Food Service Program, which is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered through the NC Department of Public Instruction.

The Summer Food Service Program provides nutritious meals at no cost to help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow throughout the summer months when they are out of school. Through the program, children ages 1-18 receive meals at no cost and all meals meet nutrition standards based on federal guidelines. 

West Boulevard is serving as a site only on Thursdays, with lunch served from 1:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Library also offers programs for children that begin after lunch ends.

Teresa Cain, children’s librarian at West Boulevard participated in a similar program at a Virginia library. Last summer, she took branch leader LaJuan Pringle and fellow librarian Abrar Alkusaimi to see the program in action at Social Services. After seeing the impact of the program, Pringle knew this would be a great fit for the community West Boulevard serves. Cain then worked with CMS Summer Food Services to offer it at West Boulevard. 2019 is the first year Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is participating in this program.

Cain says, “Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ Summer Food Services is  eager to work with libraries. All their other locations serve meals every weekday. When I told them that we only had staffing to handle a once a week program, they made a special exception for us. They're hoping to include more Library locations next year.”

The Library has quite a few families who attend every single lunch program which, according to the experts, indicates that they are seriously in need of help.

Cain adds, “As soon as we started promoting the Free Lunch programs, our customers, even those who don't have children were so excited. They felt we really understood the needs of the community we are serving, needs that go outside the boundaries of typical library services. Even people who did not stand to benefit from the program really appreciated that we were offering it.” 

So what are people saying about the impact of the program at West Boulevard?

Jose, the CMS driver/server, said, he “…loves coming to our location. Every single one of our kids said "thank you" when given a meal. This almost never happens at other locations.” Jose wants to come back again next year.

“The Library offers program after the lunch, and most of the families stay, even the families who have never been to a library program before. It's been a great way to build relationships with new customers in the community and to introduce them to all the possibilities that are available for free at the library. Says Cain, “We see many customers who originally just came for free lunches take advantage of other programs and using computers or free Wi-Fi.”

Working with CMS and offering the free lunch program is just the tip of what the Library can do with community partners.

The lunch program began at West Boulevard Library on June 13, 2019 and ended August 1, 2019. The branch plans to participate next year. 

University City Regional Library

Kids Eat Free at Atrium Health University City is a service the hospital provides for all kids ages 18 and younger. They provide two free healthy meals (breakfast and lunch) daily Monday through Friday.  University City Regional Library, in its third years with the program, works with Atrium Health and Sodexo to educate and entertain children partaking in the free meals.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, University City Regional Library sets up an information table and interactive activities from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the children who come to the hospital for a meal.  They also take books for kids to read as well.   

Jonita Edmonds, University City Regional Library’s branch leader, shared this story from one of the library’s visits at the hospital: “One day our librarians brought LEGOs and Alpha-Bots to a table at Kids Eat Free. Several groups of kids walked past, excited to see the LEGOs, and with one group, the leader told the kids they needed to eat before joining the activity. After eating, the group hurried back to interact at the table. One of the doctors came out and asked them friendly questions while playing. With each group of children, we were able to share library programs and resources, and parents were excited to know that we had LEGOs and other activities at the library. Some families said they would head to the library after eating for entertainment.”

The Kids Eat Free program kicked off on June 10 and ends on August 22, 2019.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (originally known as “Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies”) were invented by Ruth Wakefield circa 1938. Aside from being recognized as the creator of this delicious treat, Wakefield is also known for running the Toll House Restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts from 1938-1967 with her husband, Kenneth.  

The reason for the esteemed cookie’s creation varies. Some believe that Wakefield ran out of nuts and substituted small pieces baker’s chocolate, and others think an industrial mixer bumped a shelf with chocolate, while being moved, and caused chocolate to fall into the cookie dough. Perhaps the more realistic story is that Wakefield created the Chocolate Chip Cookie “by dint of training, talent, and hard work”, knowing that the combination of these ingredients would live on as an American classic.   

In 1939, Wakefield sold Nestlé the rights to reprint her cookie recipe on their packages for $1. Story has it that she got free chocolate for life -- not a bad deal in our opinion.  

Interestingly enough, Wakefield’s Chocolate Chip Cookies also served a patriotic purpose. The dawning of World War II made these cookies more popular with wives, mothers, aunts, nieces, sisters and girlfriends baking and sending them to American soldiers overseas. The Toll House Restaurant sent thousands of Chocolate Chip Cookies for wartime consumption.  

After the war ended, Pillsbury and Nestlé both popularized refrigerated cookie dough while Nabisco, Famous Amos, Mrs. Fields and David’s Cookies eventually sold pre-made cookies in grocery stores in the 1950s.  

“This compulsory school education seems to be failing a large percentage of these children. It’s not coming through on its promise to educate. We’re at the library showing we can create a learning environment in which children can have a good feeling about reading, and we found that they responded in a remarkable way.” - Dennis Martin, Public Librarian 

In 1979, a Los Angeles public librarian named Dennis Martin used Wakefield’s cookie to incentivize children to learn how to read. Martin founded the “Super Reader” program, which rewarded children with Chocolate Chip Cookies for reading library books.  

The results of the three-month program revealed that circulation of children’s books at one of the suburban branches increased by 86 percent, with over 500 children earning cookies. This was particularly exciting news given that, at that time, most children in LA schools did not read at their grade level.  

Although there was controversy over incentivizing reading in this way, Martin’s library program gained the support of public school teachers and helped to change the trend of children’s literacy programs. Reading Clinic Director at CSU-LA, Delwyn Schubert, explained, “I do feel extrinsic rewards have their place... [Youngsters] have to be primed a bit. In Mr. Martin’s case, the cookie is like the primer. Then once the youngster gets reading, maybe he will read for his own sake and the reward will be intrinsic.” 

Martin did clarify saying that the reward program would not fix the root of the reading problem, but that it was a sweet way to start trying.  

Want to bake some your own version of Chocolate Chip Cookies? Try out some of these recipes created by local Charlotteans. Recipe books are housed in the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room on the third floor of Main Library. 

Recipe #1

Recipe #2

Recipe #3

Recipe #4

Citations: 

Associated Press. “He Used Cookie Bribes to get Kids to Read.” Charlotte Observer. (Charlotte, NC), May 3, 1979. Accessed July 2019. 

Michaud, Jon. “Sweet Morsels: A History of the Chocolate Chip Cookie.” Culture Desk. The New Yorker. December 19, 2013. Accessed July 2019.  

Public Library of Charlotte Mecklenburg County. Public Librarians Cook Marvelous Creations: Now you can cook like a librarian! Charlotte, NC: Staff Organization of PLCMC, 2002. (NCR 641.59756 P976) 

Roberts, Sam. “Overlooked No More: Ruth Wakefield, Who Invented the Chocolate Chip Cookie.” New York Times. (New York, New York), March 22, 2018. Accessed July 2019. 

The Guild of Discovery Place and Charlotte Nature Museum. Recipes & Reminiscences: Celebrating 50 Years. (Kearney, NE: Morris Press Cookbooks, 2011. (NCR 641.59756 R297) 

The Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. Charlotte Cooks Again. Charlotte, NC: The Junior League of Charlotte, North Carolina, 1981. (NCR 641.59756 M43c J95ca 1999) 

The Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. Dining By Fireflies: Unexpected Pleasures of the New South. Charlotte, NC: The Junior League of Charlotte, North Carolina, 1994. (NCR 641.59756 Dining OVERSIZE) 

National Night Out is a nationwide event that promotes community awareness and builds police-community relationships. This annual event began in 1984 and is held in more than 20,000 communities and neighborhoods across the United States and Canada. 

More than 70 events are being held around Mecklenburg County this year; find an event near you here, or check with your neighborhood association’s social media. Check the social media app NextDoor for events, alerts and news unique to your neighborhood. It’s also a great way to find events hosted by your local library! 

Here are some ways the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library branches will participate this year:

The Matthews Library will participate in the town of Matthew’s National Night Out event on the Town Green--right outside the library. Community organizations, including the Matthews Police Department’s K-9 unit, will be on hand to share information about keeping your neighborhood safe. Stop by the library tent or head inside the library to say hello to your neighbors and staff, learn about upcoming library programs and escape the summer heat!  

The Myers Park Library will join Grier Park apartments for their 36^th Annual National Night-Out Celebration event on Tuesday, August 6 from 5-8 p.m. The Library will table the event, providing literacy activities, giveaways, registering attendees for Summer Break and for Library cards.

The Davidson Library will attend the town of Davidson’s National Night Out. The Library will table this event, providing Library information and an activity for kids.  This event is from 5-7 p.m. and the town will provide FREE food!

Sugar Creek Library will participate in Hidden Valley National Night Out from 4-8 p.m., University City Regional Library will join the Hammond Lake Community on Rubin Lura Court from 6-8 p.m. and the West Boulevard Library will participate in National Night Out festivities at the Arbor Glen Outreach Center.

You can also participate by leaving your porch light on from 7-10 p.m. This symbol of awareness serves as a welcoming and friendly signal to your neighbors. 

Check out these community-building ideas and resources—all free with your library card:

• Hold a backyard Movie Night with family-friendly movies from Hoopla!  We recommend Swiss Family Robinson or The Shaggy Dog.   
• Get to know your neighbors on your street by throwing a progressive dinner; every household makes a different course of the meal.  Try The Southern Living Party Cookbook for menus and inspiration.
• Host a block party with recipes from Nancy Vienneau’s Third Thursday Community Potluck Cookbook or Ashley English’s Handmade Gatherings. 
• Meet your friendly neighborhood firefighters from Station 24 at South County Regional Library Monday, August 19 at 10 a.m.
• August is a great time for an ice cream social! If you don’t have an ice cream machine, make more than 100 frozen treats with Leslie Bilderback’s No-churn Ice Cream.
• Start a neighborhood book club with a free book club kit available for checkout! See a full list of titles here. 
• Attend a lecture by our Historian-in-Residence Tom Hanchett. He’ll be at our Steele Creek, Morrison and Myers Park libraries this fall speaking about the history of various Charlotte neighborhoods. 
• Enhance your neighborhood or community by attending workshops provided by the City of Charlotte. Attend a pre-registration workshop or learn more about the program here. 
• Support your local small businesses by starting your own business! Learn how to get started by attending SCORE workshops at various library branches throughout the year or Aspire Community Capital workshop at our West Boulevard Library.

Build a safer, stronger neighborhood with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library!

It’s been 30 years since “Do the Right Thing,” a Spike Lee Joint, hit the big screen.

If ever there were a time to relive the hype, the time is now. Considered controversial at the time of its release in 1989, “Do the Right Thing” is a film that dives deep into issues centered on race, politics and what it means to “fight the power” of the establishment. Viewers of the film get to explore rich, cultural themes and experience hot-button issues from gentrification to socioeconomic nuances that are still relevant in today’s world.

The film, centered in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, tells the story of the hottest day of the year, when hatred, bigotry and tempers boil over into physical violence. This film, the first in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's "View the Right Thing" film and discussion series, stars Spike Lee, Rosie Perez, Danny Aiello, Samuel L. Jackson and more.

During the film series, attendees will have the opportunity to explore both the work of Spike Lee and other filmmakers inspired by his work.

Please note that all screenings will take place at Beatties Ford Road Regional Library except for the first and final movies of the series which will be shown at Hickory Grove Library and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture respectively. The complete schedule for the series can be found here or as follows:

1. Saturday, August 17, 2019

“Do the Right Thing” at 1 p.m. at Hickory Grove Library

2. Saturday, September 21, 2019

“Get on the Bus” at 1 p.m.

3. Saturday, October 19, 2019

“School Daze” at 1 p.m.

4. Saturday, November 16, 2019

“Higher Learning” 1 p.m.

5. Saturday, December 21, 2019

“Boyz n the Hood” at 1 p.m.

6. Saturday, January 18, 2020

“Eve’s Bayou” at 1 p.m.

7. Saturday, February 15, 2020

"Malcolm X" at 1 p.m. at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

All films in the series will be followed by discussion. Courteous and respectful dialogue is encouraged.

We look forward to “Viewing the Right Thing” with you!

They call it “The Huge One.”

Most Charlotte Mecklenburg Library locations have a small selection of books for sale year-round. But once a year, Independence Regional Library holds a sale worthy of a special trip. The Big Book Sale began in 2016 and it’s grown exponentially every year since – this year it will take over the Library’s lobby for four days: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 through Saturday, August 24, 2019.

Why buy books where you can borrow them for free? Library staff member Helaine Kranz explains: “People are looking for something special. Some are teachers or parents, building a classroom or home library. Others are collectors, looking for an unexpected treasure. One customer found a vinyl record she’d been searching for, another purchased a signed copy of Jimmy Carter’s autobiography. It’s the Library version of Pawn Stars – you never know what you’ll find!”

 

Library staff collects books, records, CDs, VHS tapes and DVDs for the sale all year – many are donated by patrons or “weeded” from the Library’s collection, and staff put aside antique, signed, or rare books for a special collections table. Most materials will sell for under $1, with specialty items priced accordingly.

Revenue from the Big Book Sale – and all book sales – support the whole Library system. Together with other branch revenue like fines and fees, book sale proceeds support systemwide needs like maintenance, training and travel, marketing and professional development.

Kranz beams as she reflects: “Customers really look forward to this, and it’s so satisfying for us to see people find an item with special meaning for them. The Big Sale brings us all joy.”

And that’s huge.

Bookmobiles are an effective way to provide equitable access to library resources and services in rural communities. These “libraries on wheels” visit schools, retirement centers, and other hard-to-reach communities that may otherwise not have access to a library.

Colorized image of the Public Library of Charlotte’s bookmobile, 1966

Historical Context of the Bookmobile Program

“...the bookmobile rolls along through this rural State, and in its wake wells of water for thirsty minds spring up in the desert...” -Charlotte Observer, January 17, 1937

In 1937, nearly two million North Carolina residents lived in “literary deserts,” areas where books and other reading materials are difficult to obtain. Only 87 public libraries existed in the state at that time, with a combined collection of 744,369 volumes. In response to these startling statistics, The Citizens Library Movement sought to improve and create access to library books through a mobile library service. They partnered with the North Carolina Library Commission to request $150,000 in state funds to fuel their efforts.

State aid not only supported the mobile library program but also covered operational expenses for libraries that could only afford to stay open for several hours a week. The funds helped increase and stabilize collection management budgets as well. [1]

Where the Rubber Meets the Road, 1937-1942

Charlotte Public Library bookmobile, c1937​

“...And there are those who would stand out and shade their eyes down the dusty roads and watch for the advent of a bookmobile with anticipation as keen as a kid looking for Santa Claus.” -Charlotte Observer, February 4, 1939

Charlotte's first bookmobile was introduced in December 1937 under the leadership of James E. Gourley, Director of the Charlotte Public Library. The North Carolina Library Commission funded a two-month trial of the service, which allowed library users to borrow “as many books as your family can read in two weeks.” The bookmobile stacked its shelves with approximately 1,000 books from the central branch and journeyed to rural areas, such as Croft, Caldwell, Cornelius, Davidson, and Huntersville, with the hope of extending services to other rural communities after the two-month trial ended. [2]

Gaston County heavily influenced the adoption of the mobile library in Mecklenburg County, proving the importance of “the distribution of books by bookmobile to every nook and cranny of the county,” a conclusion also made by the Charlotte Public Library. [3]

Hotel Charlotte, 1928. Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The mobile library experiment proved to be successful, as the Charlotte community fiercely loved the bookmobile. In March 1938 after the trial ended, Governor Hoey addressed a group of “library enthusiasts” from twenty-eight North Carolina counties at Hotel Charlotte. During this meeting, notable speakers, including Charlotte Public Library’s James E. Gourley, requested an annual sum of $300,000 for two years to “equalize public library service in the State.” [4]

Governor Hoey used the state’s shocking illiteracy rates as the driving argument for the continuation of the mobile library service, which visited the rural communities where illiteracy rates were highest:

“Since more than one half of the State’s population live in the rural communities, anything that will increase the reading in those communities will be of tremendous value...and the extension of adequate library facilities into the rural areas will do much toward advancing the interests of North Carolina.”         - Governor Hoey, Charlotte Observer, March 27, 1938

Successful in their efforts, the bookmobile program continued. Charlotte Public Library received two bookmobiles. By the end of 1938, the Library established 37 deposit stations in homes and stores around Mecklenburg County. [5]

Flying Officers reading on base, November 1942. Photo courtesy of Morris Code, Vol.1, No.17.

“If the Charlotte airbase soldiers become stoop-shouldered and begin wearing horn-rimmed glasses, you can blame the bookmobile...” -Charlotte Observer, September 17, 1941

In addition to serving rural communities, the Library’s bookmobile also served soldiers at the airbase on the outskirts of Charlotte as part of the “Keep ‘em Reading” campaign. (The airbase became known as Morris Field in 1942 to honor Major William C. Morris.) This bookmobile, provided by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in July 1941 and driven by Librarian Carolyn Gregory, was one of two bookmobiles used by the Library at that time. The military men appreciated Gregory’s memory of their names and book preferences. She frequently mentioned the airbase was her favorite stop of all. Her nickname eventually became “Ma,” a name and role she cherished at the base. [6]

The bookmobile visited the airbase every Wednesday and Saturday. Among the most popular books included: “adventure novels of Zane Grey and James Oliver Curwood, the flashing swordplay of Rafael Sabatini, travel, and textbooks in trigonometry, geometry, physics, radio, electricity, history, and Spanish grammar.” [7]

Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Observer, November 30, 1941.

Bookmobiles greatly increased the circulation of the Library’s materials. During the week of November 20, 1941, alone, circulation nearly doubled, thanks to Library Director Hoyt Galvin placing signs that said “Mobile Branch, Charlotte Public library, Visits Here” along the bookmobile’s regular routes. [8] From 1937-to 1941, nearly 7,000 books circulated due to the efforts of the mobile library service. [9]

The winter months proved more difficult for the bookmobile due to icy road conditions. Because the mobile library was a “fresh air business,” Library staff had to get creative when dealing with windy weather. Librarian Carolyn Gregory and Director Hoyt Galvin designed a makeshift wind-breaking device to place behind the card table she set up at each stop while on duty. It consisted of three fire screens and an army blanket. [10]

Rocky Road, 1943-1948

In October 1942, the WPA withdrew the bookmobile used by the Charlotte Public Library for 15 months because of WPA staff shortages and increasing demand from other WPA-related projects. The bookmobile had performed wonderfully in the Charlotte community, logging hundreds of new cardholders and thousands of borrowed books. [11]

Several months later in January 1943, the Women’s Auxiliary Board of Charlotte Memorial Hospital purchased a bookmobile; the Library supplied the books, and the Auxiliary provided volunteer drivers. [12] By April 1945, the Auxiliary volunteers donated a portion of nearly 9,000 hours (shared among receptionists, a sewing group, and the chapel committee) to the Charlotte Public Library’s bookmobile service. [13]

Marcellus Turner, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library CEO/Chief Librarian, with a check from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, June 2021. Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The General Assembly authorized an election in 1947 for Mecklenburg County to vote for the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) department to contribute five percent of its profits to the Library. The Library saw its first check-in in October 1948, which ultimately funded the purchase of two bookmobiles in 1949. Both bookmobiles cost a grand total of $27,500. [14]

One of the bookmobiles replaced the nine-year-old bookmobile lovingly named Puddle-Jumper, and the other was designated for the Black community. [15] The Library still receives an annual payment from the ABC department to this day.

Bookmobiles for All, 1948-1966

Brevard Street Library, 1944. Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.​

Library Director Hoyt Galvin hoped to use the additional funds from the ABC department to improve the Brevard Street Library (1905-1961), the first public library for the Black community in the state. He hired Allegra Westbrooks, the first African American public library supervisor in North Carolina, in 1947.

At that time, only two Black libraries existed in Mecklenburg County--Brevard Street and its “sub-branch” on Oaklawn Avenue. Ms. Westbrooks advocated for the purchase of a bookmobile for the Black community, a dream that came true on December 5, 1949. [16]

Interior of the bookmobile, 1966. Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The bookmobile had the capability to handle about 3,000 books and was fully operational with adequate lighting, reading space, and enough power to project motion pictures. [17] Ms. Westbrooks' proposed bookmobile route included stops at 12^th and Alexander Streets, West Hill and Mint Streets, Beatty’s Ford Road and Mattoon Street, Grier Heights, Statesville Terrace, York Road, and multiple other predominately Black neighborhoods in the county. [18]

Colorized image of the PLCMC bookmobile, 1966. Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

“It is gratifying, when you’ll be on the street and see somebody, and they say, 'I used the bookmobile. I want you to meet my four children. I insist that they read'.” -Allegra Westbrooks

Ms. Westbrooks influenced countless people in the Black community to go to libraries through her public service. People remember her visiting them with a bookmobile to inspire them to read. She would also pick up books that her patrons requested at Main Library once a week.

Brevard Street Library, c1947

The bookmobile resulted in increased circulation of Brevard Street Library materials, with November 1948 monthly statistics totaling 3,445, and November 1949 monthly statistics totaling 4,180. The 2,500 square foot branch proved too tiny for the frequent patrons, so Ms. Westbrooks recalls “the crowded conditions in the library make it necessary to ask persons to check out books and move on so that others may enter.” [19]

Charlotte’s public library system officially integrated in November 1956, but the Brevard Street Branch continued to operate until December of 1961 when it was closed and demolished as part of the Brooklyn urban redevelopment project. [20]

Back to Square One, 1966-2021

One librarian who operated a bookmobile throughout the 1950s described the work as “glorified missionary work,” and that she “couldn’t do better business or have a greater following if she had an ice cream wagon.” [21] The overwhelming popularity of the bookmobiles made the retirement of the two bookmobiles in 1966 extra disappointing.

The decision was not easy to make, but due to the growing expenses to operate the vehicles, the Library had little choice in the matter.

Looking “Foreword,” 2021 and beyond

Mobile Library, 2021. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library places great importance on improving lives and building a stronger community. Director Caitlin Moen described the mobile library service in an official statement: “The new Mobile Library expands and deepens the Library’s ability to reach into high need areas of the community, providing access to free resources, programs and technology, particularly where limited physical or digital access to Library services exist. This access will help create pathways for citizens to learn and grow, gaining success in school, in their careers, and beyond.”

Collage of the new Mobile Library, 2021. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Our new bookmobile offers the following features:

• Shelving for a sizeable collection.
• An entrance and exit for easy customer flow through the vehicle
• An ADA compatible wheelchair lift
• Four mobile collection carts for pop up collections and displays
• A mobile technology cart to be equipped with laptops, Chromebooks, tablets and other technology.
• An air filtration system to help mitigate COVID-19 and other pathogens
• An onboard and external A/V system equipped with an external 65-inch display, and two additional displays inside.
• A speaker system with microphones for programming both inside and outside the vehicle.
• A diesel generator and a power inverter supported by four solar panels on the roof of the vehicle.  This means our vehicle comes with lots of power and plugs for extra flexibility!
• 360-degree backup and side cameras to ensure safe parking and navigation.

The Mobile Library of today strives to provide equitable access to the underserved and underrepresented communities of Mecklenburg County. In the words of William Shakespeare, “What’s past is prologue.” And so, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s bookmobile journey continues!

--- This blog was written by Sydney Carroll, Archivist of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room.

Footnotes

[1] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), January 17, 1937: 63. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F7AC23928DF%402428551-15E3EBB49AF23875%4062-15E3EBB49AF23875%40.

[2] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), December 2, 1937: 3. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F7E8E938003%402428870-15E3EBB57AE3E5BB%402-15E3EBB57AE3E5BB%40.

[3] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), July 28, 1937: 10. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F82B2F74FAF%402428743-15E3EBC385AB9ACC%409-15E3EBC385AB9ACC%40.

[4] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), March 27, 1938: 23. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F7FF075EB0B%402428985-15E3EBBDE645BB68%4022-15E3EBBDE645BB68%40.

[5] Ryckman, Patricia. “Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County: A Century of Service.” Charlotte, N.C.: Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, 1989.

[6] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), February 10, 1942: 6. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F969D1C3A7C%402430401-15E3EBDA369620FA%405-15E3EBDA369620FA%40.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), November 20, 1941: 12. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F9595CCECED%402430319-15E3EBE530C592C3%4011-15E3EBE530C592C3%40.

[9] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), November 30, 1941: 15. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F9596838AD7%402430329-15E3EBE548945201%4014-15E3EBE548945201%40.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), October 16, 1942: 30. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F99CDD33BB5%402430649-15E3EBE6CF4E4B32%4029-15E3EBE6CF4E4B32%40.

[12] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), January 21, 1943: 11. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E3F0BF73D3C837%402430746-15E3EBDBA7D7A791%4010-15E3EBDBA7D7A791%40.

[13] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), April 20, 1945: 21. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E3F0D08E6DF4A7%402431566-1604902CAFDF846A%4020-1604902CAFDF846A%40.

[14] Ryckman, Patricia. “Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County: A Century of Service.”

[15] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), October 19, 1948: 12. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24FAC7192B6AB%402432844-1604904181FE53BF%4011-1604904181FE53BF%40.

[16] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), December 23, 1949: 16. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F9B8A73B044%402433274-1604905606B5F952%4015-1604905606B5F952%40.

[17] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), April 28, 1949: 20. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24FA9547A0DE3%402433035-1604904B5256A446%4019-1604904B5256A446%40.

[18] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), March 9, 1949: 15. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24FA8F7A9DD01%402432985-16049049D4EA84A9%4014-16049049D4EA84A9%40.

[19] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), December 23, 1949

[20] Ryckman, Patricia. “Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County: A Century of Service.”

[21] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), June 17, 1960: 39. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F22B5DE010C%402437103-15E249FF0AF35320%4038-15E249FF0AF35320%40.



Bibliography

Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), February 4, 1939: 6. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15F6614CD140FE6A%402429299-15F6012A55D03F72%405-15F6012A55D03F72%40.

Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), September 17, 1941: 13. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F94E4E49118%402430255-15E3EBE18E7A4886%4012-15E3EBE18E7A4886%40.

Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), July 29, 1948: 27. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E3F0DFC7166689%402432762-1604903ACEB0627A%4026-1604903ACEB0627A%40.

Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), March 9, 1949: 28. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24FA8F7A9DD01%402432985-16049049D591D32B%4027-16049049D591D32B%40.

Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), March 24, 1949: 18. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24FA8F8C6A1B5%402433000-16049049F23A80AA%4017-16049049F23A80AA%40.

Bookmobiles are an effective way to provide equitable access to library resources and services in rural communities. These “libraries on wheels” visit schools, retirement centers, and other hard-to-reach communities that may otherwise not have access to a library.

Colorized image of the Public Library of Charlotte’s bookmobile, 1966

Historical Context of the Bookmobile Program

“...the bookmobile rolls along through this rural State, and in its wake wells of water for thirsty minds spring up in the desert...” -Charlotte Observer, January 17, 1937

In 1937, nearly two million North Carolina residents lived in “literary deserts,” areas where books and other reading materials are difficult to obtain. Only 87 public libraries existed in the state at that time, with a combined collection of 744,369 volumes. In response to these startling statistics, The Citizens Library Movement sought to improve and create access to library books through a mobile library service. They partnered with the North Carolina Library Commission to request $150,000 in state funds to fuel their efforts.

State aid not only supported the mobile library program but also covered operational expenses for libraries that could only afford to stay open for several hours a week. The funds helped increase and stabilize collection management budgets as well. [1]

Where the Rubber Meets the Road, 1937-1942

Charlotte Public Library bookmobile, c1937​

“...And there are those who would stand out and shade their eyes down the dusty roads and watch for the advent of a bookmobile with anticipation as keen as a kid looking for Santa Claus.” -Charlotte Observer, February 4, 1939

Charlotte's first bookmobile was introduced in December 1937 under the leadership of James E. Gourley, Director of the Charlotte Public Library. The North Carolina Library Commission funded a two-month trial of the service, which allowed library users to borrow “as many books as your family can read in two weeks.” The bookmobile stacked its shelves with approximately 1,000 books from the central branch and journeyed to rural areas, such as Croft, Caldwell, Cornelius, Davidson, and Huntersville, with the hope of extending services to other rural communities after the two-month trial ended. [2]

Gaston County heavily influenced the adoption of the mobile library in Mecklenburg County, proving the importance of “the distribution of books by bookmobile to every nook and cranny of the county,” a conclusion also made by the Charlotte Public Library. [3]

Hotel Charlotte, 1928. Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The mobile library experiment proved to be successful, as the Charlotte community fiercely loved the bookmobile. In March 1938 after the trial ended, Governor Hoey addressed a group of “library enthusiasts” from twenty-eight North Carolina counties at Hotel Charlotte. During this meeting, notable speakers, including Charlotte Public Library’s James E. Gourley, requested an annual sum of $300,000 for two years to “equalize public library service in the State.” [4]

Governor Hoey used the state’s shocking illiteracy rates as the driving argument for the continuation of the mobile library service, which visited the rural communities where illiteracy rates were highest:

“Since more than one half of the State’s population live in the rural communities, anything that will increase the reading in those communities will be of tremendous value...and the extension of adequate library facilities into the rural areas will do much toward advancing the interests of North Carolina.”  - Governor Hoey, Charlotte Observer, March 27, 1938

Successful in their efforts, the bookmobile program continued. Charlotte Public Library received two bookmobiles. By the end of 1938, the Library established 37 deposit stations in homes and stores around Mecklenburg County. [5]

Flying Officers reading on base, November 1942. Photo courtesy of Morris Code, Vol.1, No.17.

“If the Charlotte airbase soldiers become stoop-shouldered and begin wearing horn-rimmed glasses, you can blame the bookmobile...” -Charlotte Observer, September 17, 1941

In addition to serving rural communities, the Library’s bookmobile also served soldiers at the airbase on the outskirts of Charlotte as part of the “Keep ‘em Reading” campaign. (The airbase became known as Morris Field in 1942 to honor Major William C. Morris.) This bookmobile, provided by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in July 1941 and driven by Librarian Carolyn Gregory, was one of two bookmobiles used by the Library at that time. The military men appreciated Gregory’s memory of their names and book preferences. She frequently mentioned the airbase was her favorite stop of all. Her nickname eventually became “Ma,” a name and role she cherished at the base. [6]

The bookmobile visited the airbase every Wednesday and Saturday. Among the most popular books included: “adventure novels of Zane Grey and James Oliver Curwood, the flashing swordplay of Rafael Sabatini, travel, and textbooks in trigonometry, geometry, physics, radio, electricity, history, and Spanish grammar.” [7]

Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Observer, November 30, 1941.

Bookmobiles greatly increased the circulation of the Library’s materials. During the week of November 20, 1941, alone, circulation nearly doubled, thanks to Library Director Hoyt Galvin placing signs that said “Mobile Branch, Charlotte Public library, Visits Here” along the bookmobile’s regular routes. [8] From 1937-to 1941, nearly 7,000 books circulated due to the efforts of the mobile library service. [9]

The winter months proved more difficult for the bookmobile due to icy road conditions. Because the mobile library was a “fresh air business,” Library staff had to get creative when dealing with windy weather. Librarian Carolyn Gregory and Director Hoyt Galvin designed a makeshift wind-breaking device to place behind the card table she set up at each stop while on duty. It consisted of three fire screens and an army blanket. [10]

Rocky Road, 1943-1948

In October 1942, the WPA withdrew the bookmobile used by the Charlotte Public Library for 15 months because of WPA staff shortages and increasing demand from other WPA-related projects. The bookmobile had performed wonderfully in the Charlotte community, logging hundreds of new cardholders and thousands of borrowed books. [11]

Several months later in January 1943, the Women’s Auxiliary Board of Charlotte Memorial Hospital purchased a bookmobile; the Library supplied the books, and the Auxiliary provided volunteer drivers. [12] By April 1945, the Auxiliary volunteers donated a portion of nearly 9,000 hours (shared among receptionists, a sewing group, and the chapel committee) to the Charlotte Public Library’s bookmobile service. [13]

Marcellus Turner, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library CEO/Chief Librarian, with a check from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, June 2021. Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The General Assembly authorized an election in 1947 for Mecklenburg County to vote for the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) department to contribute five percent of its profits to the Library. The Library saw its first check in October 1948, which ultimately funded the purchase of two bookmobiles in 1949. Both bookmobiles cost a grand total of $27,500. [14]

One of the bookmobiles replaced the nine-year-old bookmobile lovingly named Puddle-Jumper, and the other was designated for the Black community. [15] The Library still receives an annual payment from the ABC department to this day.

Bookmobiles for All, 1948-1966

Brevard Street Library, 1944. Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.​

Library Director Hoyt Galvin hoped to use the additional funds from the ABC department to improve the Brevard Street Library (1905-1961), the first public library for the Black community in the state. He hired Allegra Westbrooks, the first African American public library supervisor in North Carolina, in 1947.

At that time, only two Black libraries existed in Mecklenburg County--Brevard Street and its “sub-branch” on Oaklawn Avenue. Ms. Westbrooks advocated for the purchase of a bookmobile for the Black community, a dream that came true on December 5, 1949. [16]

Interior of the bookmobile, 1966. Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The bookmobile had the capability to handle about 3,000 books and was fully operational with adequate lighting, reading space, and enough power to project motion pictures. [17] Ms. Westbrooks' proposed bookmobile route included stops at 12^th and Alexander Streets, West Hill and Mint Streets, Beatty’s Ford Road and Mattoon Street, Grier Heights, Statesville Terrace, York Road, and multiple other predominately Black neighborhoods in the county. [18]

Colorized image of the PLCMC bookmobile, 1966. Photo courtesy of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

“It is gratifying, when you’ll be on the street and see somebody, and they say, 'I used the bookmobile. I want you to meet my four children. I insist that they read'.” -Allegra Westbrooks

Ms. Westbrooks influenced countless people in the Black community to go to libraries through her public service. People remember her visiting them with a bookmobile to inspire them to read. She would also pick up books that her patrons requested at Main Library once a week.

Brevard Street Library, c1947

The bookmobile resulted in increased circulation of Brevard Street Library materials, with November 1948 monthly statistics totaling 3,445, and November 1949 monthly statistics totaling 4,180. The 2,500 square foot branch proved too tiny for the frequent patrons, so Ms. Westbrooks recalls “the crowded conditions in the library make it necessary to ask persons to check out books and move on so that others may enter.” [19]

Charlotte’s public library system officially integrated in November 1956, but the Brevard Street Branch continued to operate until December of 1961 when it was closed and demolished as part of the Brooklyn urban redevelopment project. [20]

Back to Square One, 1966-2021

One librarian who operated a bookmobile throughout the 1950s described the work as “glorified missionary work,” and that she “couldn’t do better business or have a greater following if she had an ice cream wagon.” [21] The overwhelming popularity of the bookmobiles made the retirement of the two bookmobiles in 1966 extra disappointing.

The decision was not easy to make, but due to the growing expenses to operate the vehicles, the Library had little choice in the matter.

Looking “Foreword,” 2021 and beyond

Mobile Library, 2021. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library places great importance on improving lives and building a stronger community. Director Caitlin Moen described the mobile library service in an official statement: “The new Mobile Library expands and deepens the Library’s ability to reach into high need areas of the community, providing access to free resources, programs and technology, particularly where limited physical or digital access to Library services exist. This access will help create pathways for citizens to learn and grow, gaining success in school, in their careers, and beyond.”

Collage of the new Mobile Library, 2021. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Our new bookmobile offers the following features:

• Shelving for a sizeable collection.
• An entrance and exit for easy customer flow through the vehicle
• An ADA compatible wheelchair lift
• Four mobile collection carts for pop up collections and displays
• A mobile technology cart to be equipped with laptops, Chromebooks, tablets and other technology.
• An air filtration system to help mitigate COVID-19 and other pathogens
• An onboard and external A/V system equipped with an external 65-inch display, and two additional displays inside.
• A speaker system with microphones for programming both inside and outside the vehicle.
• A diesel generator and a power inverter supported by four solar panels on the roof of the vehicle.  This means our vehicle comes with lots of power and plugs for extra flexibility!
• 360-degree backup and side cameras to ensure safe parking and navigation.

The Mobile Library of today strives to provide equitable access to the underserved and underrepresented communities of Mecklenburg County. In the words of William Shakespeare, “What’s past is prologue.” And so, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s bookmobile journey continues!

--- This blog was written by Sydney Carroll, Archivist of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room.

Footnotes

[1] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), January 17, 1937: 63. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F7AC23928DF%402428551-15E3EBB49AF23875%4062-15E3EBB49AF23875%40.

[2] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), December 2, 1937: 3. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F7E8E938003%402428870-15E3EBB57AE3E5BB%402-15E3EBB57AE3E5BB%40.

[3] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), July 28, 1937: 10. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F82B2F74FAF%402428743-15E3EBC385AB9ACC%409-15E3EBC385AB9ACC%40.

[4] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), March 27, 1938: 23. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F7FF075EB0B%402428985-15E3EBBDE645BB68%4022-15E3EBBDE645BB68%40.

[5] Ryckman, Patricia. “Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County: A Century of Service.” Charlotte, N.C.: Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, 1989.

[6] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), February 10, 1942: 6. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F969D1C3A7C%402430401-15E3EBDA369620FA%405-15E3EBDA369620FA%40.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), November 20, 1941: 12. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F9595CCECED%402430319-15E3EBE530C592C3%4011-15E3EBE530C592C3%40.

[9] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), November 30, 1941: 15. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F9596838AD7%402430329-15E3EBE548945201%4014-15E3EBE548945201%40.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), October 16, 1942: 30. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F99CDD33BB5%402430649-15E3EBE6CF4E4B32%4029-15E3EBE6CF4E4B32%40.

[12] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), January 21, 1943: 11. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E3F0BF73D3C837%402430746-15E3EBDBA7D7A791%4010-15E3EBDBA7D7A791%40.

[13] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), April 20, 1945: 21. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E3F0D08E6DF4A7%402431566-1604902CAFDF846A%4020-1604902CAFDF846A%40.

[14] Ryckman, Patricia. “Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County: A Century of Service.”

[15] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), October 19, 1948: 12. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24FAC7192B6AB%402432844-1604904181FE53BF%4011-1604904181FE53BF%40.

[16] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), December 23, 1949: 16. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F9B8A73B044%402433274-1604905606B5F952%4015-1604905606B5F952%40.

[17] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), April 28, 1949: 20. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24FA9547A0DE3%402433035-1604904B5256A446%4019-1604904B5256A446%40.

[18] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), March 9, 1949: 15. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24FA8F7A9DD01%402432985-16049049D4EA84A9%4014-16049049D4EA84A9%40.

[19] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), December 23, 1949

[20] Ryckman, Patricia. “Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County: A Century of Service.”

[21] Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), June 17, 1960: 39. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F22B5DE010C%402437103-15E249FF0AF35320%4038-15E249FF0AF35320%40.



Bibliography

Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), February 4, 1939: 6. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15F6614CD140FE6A%402429299-15F6012A55D03F72%405-15F6012A55D03F72%40.

Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), September 17, 1941: 13. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24F94E4E49118%402430255-15E3EBE18E7A4886%4012-15E3EBE18E7A4886%40.

Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), July 29, 1948: 27. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E3F0DFC7166689%402432762-1604903ACEB0627A%4026-1604903ACEB0627A%40.

Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), March 9, 1949: 28. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24FA8F7A9DD01%402432985-16049049D591D32B%4027-16049049D591D32B%40.

Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), March 24, 1949: 18. NewsBank: America's News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A11260DC9BB798E30%40EANX-NB-15E24FA8F8C6A1B5%402433000-16049049F23A80AA%4017-16049049F23A80AA%40.

The University City Branch is located at 301 E. W.T. Harris Blvd next to the Atrium Health University City hospital and its medical offices. The 24,500 square-foot library has several spaces for you to work, use our computers, browse books, DVDs, and magazines while being a part of the vibrant University City community.

It is hard to feel down in our branch while you are surrounded by natural light and cheerful staff. The branch has colorful walls ranging from a trendy periwinkle to a lively chartreuse. Grab a book and lounge at a table to view the greenspace out one of our floor to ceiling windows. You may even spot a family of deer! 

Swing by the Children’s Area to dance on the cool underwater area rug or read a book in our treehouse. University City has a lot of children’s materials including more than fourteen shelves of graphic novels, educational computers, board books for babies and rentable tablets preloaded with educational apps. Teens can hang out and relax in the Teen Zone while adults browse the large print collection or magazines.  University City Regional Library has a diverse collection of books in international languages including Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Gujarati, French, Korean and other languages. We really have something for everyone!

The University City Library even houses a small art collection including community created pieces. Visit the branch to see a special art piece by NC artist, Jon Kuhn. The glass piece “Cubic Harmony” is a unique glass cube in the front of the building by the Circulation Desk. Make sure to visit during daylight to watch the cube sparkle and glimmer from the reflection of the sunlight through our sky lights.

University City Library staff love interacting with our community by taking part in several local festivals including Charlotte Kids Fest. Kids Fest is an annual celebration for the kids of Charlotte with fun and educational activity zones for children of all ages including a create and dance zone. The University City area also hosts the annual Wine Fest. Cresent Communities Wine Fest is a unique cultural event for the area featuring pop-up shops, fun dining experiences, live entertainment, and wine from several regional wineries.

After visiting University City Library, check out the boardwalk area to shop, dine and even ride a paddle boat. The Shoppes at University City Place is a staff favorite place to unwind and read during a lunch break. The boardwalk has benches overlooking the water where you can relax and interact with geese. The walking trail around the water is a wonderful place for a nice stroll while listening to one of the library’s new audiobooks. Visit the University City Partners  for exciting new details about the development in the area.

The University City area is home to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and more than 20 regional offices for Fortune 500 companies. You can access the library by riding the LYNX Blue Line Light Rail extension and walking a short distance. If you have out of town guests, check them into one of the neighboring hotels around the area. There is plenty to do in University City as it is located close to several highways.

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

Resources:

• University City Regional Branch – 301 E. W.T. Harris Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28262 | 704-416-7200
• University City Wine Festival – 8929 J M Keynes Dr Ste 315, Charlotte, NC 28262 | 704-549-4811
• Shoppes at University City Place – 8929 J M Keynes Dr, Charlotte, NC 28262 | 704-549-4811
• University City Partners – 8801 J M Keynes Dr #450, Charlotte, NC 28262 | 704-688-2483
• LYNX Blue Line Light Rail – Operates from ​I-485 at South Boulevard to UNC Charlotte’s main campus in University City

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This blog written by Leanda Gahegan, children’s librarian for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, with photographs provided by Everett Blackmon, access services manager for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.