NOTE: This story, originally published on January 26, 2021 with The Daily Tar Heel, was reposted with permission.

As students face boredom while quarantining — sometimes in their own childhood bedrooms — many are revisiting the novels they loved growing up. 

From Hogwarts to District 13, here are the books bringing students back to their younger years: 

Standout series 

First-year biology and psychology major Samara Galo’s favorite series from the past is "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." She said quarantine has given her the drive to start reading again.

"('Percy Jackson') is on my list of books to read, so I’m definitely looking forward to reading them, especially since the third spinoff series is officially done," Galo said. "It'd be interesting to start from the beginning and then get read to the new ones.”

Books like the "Percy Jackson" series, "Harry Potter," "The Hunger Games" and "The Mortal Instruments" are standout series among many students. Although these novels give readers a fun way to pass the time, they are directed at younger reading levels and may not be the first choice for college students.

Sophomore psychology major Katherine Swaringen reread "The Mortal Instruments" series eight times when she was younger. Today, Swaringen still reads as much as she can.

“My desire to read is through the roof,” Swaringen said. “I am so bored during quarantine, I read all the time. I read on my iPad Mini and I keep getting notifications saying, ‘You've reached your record of how much you've read in a day.’”

Sophomore Megan Wagner said she had difficulty sitting down and reading, but found joy in knowing the outcome of books she once read. 

”It’s nice if you can reread things because we’re living in a time where we don’t know what the outcome is going to be," Wagner said. "When you revisit things, you know what’s going to happen and so you can enjoy it without that stress."

Lessons from faraway lands 

Meanwhile, first-year Ronik Grewal’s book of choice was "Steelheart," a science-fiction book he first read in eighth grade. He said it taught him that everyone has gifts and talents that make them unique.

“I read it again a month or two ago,” Grewal said. “I saw a deeper meaning to the book that I didn't see when I was younger. When I was young, I just thought it was about them saving humanity, but there are some underlying themes that are moral lessons.”

First-year media and journalism major Grace Cleveland said it has been about a year since she read "The Hunger Games," her favorite series. But the current social climate has made her want to read it again.

“I feel like we've been living through one of those less high-quality dystopias," Cleveland said. "It feels like we're in a bad novel, and it's finally over.”

Cleveland's favorite books have also helped her through turbulent times.

“They've kept me hopeful through all of this,” Cleveland said. “These heroes and heroines face such adversity and they overcome it. And I figure if they can do it, then the least I can do is get through this.”

Imagining being a demigod, wizard or adventurer may be an escape from reality, but even the nostalgia of a familiar book can help students get through a tough time.

“I really appreciate books,” Swaringen said. “You don't really have to live completely in the moment all the time, you can escape with it, and considering everything that's going on, I think everyone needs a break.”

Explore the books that are helping UNC students cope in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library catalog with the book list below:

Covid Coping at Chapel Hill : Lucy Smithwick & friends revisit childhood novels

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This blog was written by Lucy Smithwick, East Mecklenbury High School 2020 graduate, student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library customer.

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

What’s with all the hype about Black women’s hair? It’s the evolution of plastic barrettes and ballies and  hot combs on stovetops, to sitting on the porch getting braids or spending an entire Saturday in the salon. It’s self-expression, a culture, and a commitment to defining oneself unapologetically. 

In recent years there has been a societal shift in which many Black women have “returned to their roots” to embrace their natural hair. Hair that is not chemically straightened but rather curly, kinky, wavy, coiled, or locked. Depending on who you ask, the natural hair movement has been both championed and criticized but has also undoubtedly inspired a generation of bloggers, vloggers, influencers, and even a hashtag, #TeamNatural. Natural hair, though, hasn’t always been en vogue. 

Finger waves, hair weaves, extensions, box braids, Jheri curls, roller sets, and relaxers are among the myriad ways Black women have coiffed their tresses throughout the decades. Often, society would deem more elaborate styles as less than professional. Natural hair is sometimes viewed as less kempt, a distraction, or simply less than. 

In pre-colonial Africa, a person’s hair could tell her story, get it, “hair-story.” Hair could signify a person’s familial lineage, social status and marital status — it could even indicate mourning or fertility. During the Middle Passage, the hair of enslaved men, women, and children was shaved. This act was one of many that attempted to erase their culture and dehumanize them as well. When the hair grew back, it was often plaited or braided in rows. Cornrows could have intricate codes that helped guide the enslaved to freedom. 

In Louisiana, in the 1700s, Tignon Law dictated that women of color wear scarves, kerchiefs, or other head coverings in public. Head coverings indicated that the wearer was a member of the slave class, yet the law was the same for the free and enslaved alike. 

Black women’s hair is a big deal financially also. The first self-made female millionaire, Madam C.J. Walker, made her fortune through the production and sale of her own haircare line. Walker built a beauty empire that employed and educated thousands of Black women through her factory, hair salon, and beauty school.

Though the embracing of one’s natural hair is cause for celebration, Black women still find themselves at the center of criticism and controversy regarding their strands. Take, for example, the story of Chasity Jones, who, in 2010, had a job offer withdrawn after she refused to cut her locs. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a suit on Jones’s behalf in 2013 and lost. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling and dismissed the case in 2016. Then, Rhonda Lee was fired from her job as a meteorologist in 2012 after she responded to a comment on social media in which a viewer suggested she grow out her short afro or wear a wig to cover it while on air. Corallys Ortiz, another meteorologist in Jackson, Tennessee, also received negative commentary on her hair in 2018 when a viewer left a voicemail telling her to wear her hair “more normal” followed by a racial slur. Times are changing, though. Tashara Parker, another reporter, went viral after wearing a natural bun style on the air in Texas in 2020. She received lots of positive comments, along with a smattering of negative ones. 

On September 21, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed The CROWN Act. The CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” is a law that seeks to prohibit race-based hair discrimination, namely the denial of employment and educational opportunities because of hair texture or hairstyles, including braids, locs, twists, etc. The bill was originally introduced by U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey in 2019. At present, only seven states have passed it as law. In ten states, including North Carolina, The CROWN Act has been filed in one or more cities, but not statewide. The CROWN Act is law in Durham, NC, and Greensboro, NC. 

To learn more about the about Black Hair, please view the booklist Women’s History Month: In Celebration of Black Women’s Hair.  

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This blog post was written by Alesha Lackey, children’s services manager at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library. 

This blog was written as part of the 2021 Community Read program. Learn more about Community Read and take the pledge here.

Do you remember how you got home from school in junior high? Maybe you walked, got a ride, or took the bus. Whatever your journey looked like, I think we can all recall that joyous feeling of freedom at the end of the day.

Jason Reynolds perfectly captures the ‘walking home after middle school’ experience in his book, Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks, the Community Read 2021 preteen selection. Each chapter of this middle-grade book takes the reader down a different city block and introduces new characters. Readers young and old will enjoy the diverse characters’ lives and nuanced relationships – and will relate to the universality of the familiar shared experiences. Take the Community Read pledge and read Look Both Ways (and the other selected titles), then, hear from the author at a special appearance by Jason Reynolds on March 17!

There are so many ways to engage with Community Read all month. Sign up for the Community Read challenge then choose from the wide range of online programs for school-age kids, inspired by Look Both Ways. You can learn about dog safety from the Humane Society of Charlotte, create a kindness rock, or cozy up and just share a chapter with others.

Families can read the Community Read picture book title, You Matter, at storytime, teens and adults can get ready for a special appearance by signature title, I’m Not Dying With You Tonight, authors Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal.  Adults who want to learn more about our companion title, Just Mercy can attend a book talk or a book club. For the entire month of March, the Library offers Community Read inspired programs and events. Click here for a calendar.

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is committed to addressing issues of racism and social justice—one important step we can take towards positive change is to explore different perspectives. The selected Community Read titles aim to help readers of all ages take a walk in someone else’s shoes. We hope you will join us on this journey!

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This blog was written by Tara Kehoe, children’s librarian at SouthPark Regional Library

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has business resources available in digital formats to support you and your business.  This is the second in a series of three blogs about the Library’s digital business resources.

Read Part One: Small business support from the Library - Resources

Remember the library catalog on the left?  Library catalogs have come a long way!  Our library catalog is a robust tool to help customers find books, audiobooks, videos, and more to check out from the Library. 

This blog will focus on Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s online catalog and how to search for business titles available in e-book and downloadable audiobook, recommended lists, and programs.

Searching the catalog

Searching the library catalog is like doing a search in Google or any other search engine.  The search box is located at the top.  You have the option to search the catalog or events (more on that later).  You can search the catalog by keyword (shown above), title, author, subject, tag, or list.  Use the drop-down beside “keyword” to change the search.  If you don’t know the title or author’s name, a keyword search is the easiest way to start.  Let’s search for materials in the library catalog on leadership.  As you type, the catalog will suggest titles it thinks you are looking for.  If you see your title, click on it and it will search for that title.  If you are just looking for leadership as a keyword, ignore those suggestions and click the red magnifying glass to execute the search.

Results are displayed based on the best match for your search.  The items at the top of the search results will be those that contain your exact search text, in the exact order you typed them (if you used more than one word). After exact matches, words in the title are given a priority, followed by author name, headings, and tags. Popular titles appear ahead of less popular ones.

As you can see from our search, the Library has over 6,000 items related to leadership!  The filters on the left side of the results will help you narrow down your results.  You can use as many filters as you want.

Let’s apply some filters.  I want to find e-books on leadership that are new to the Library in the past 90 days.  Find and select the filter for e-books under Format.  The filter “New at the Library” allows you to filter items by when they were added to the catalog.  Applying that filter narrows our search to 212 items.  That’s more manageable.  But what if I decide I still want to filter for e-books published in 2020?  Scroll down the page to the filter “Published Date,” expand the filter, and select “2020.”  Now we’ve got a list of 61 items.  Click on a title to learn more details.  To check out an e-book or audiobook, follow the link provided in the catalog.

Another way to search the catalog is the Advanced Search.  The Advanced Search allows you to add all your search parameters at one time before executing the search.  You can still filter the results if you need to.  Let’s do the same kind of search in Advanced Search. 

Use the form to construct your search.  Enter “leadership” in the keyword search box.  Use the drop-down menu for Audience to select “Adult.”  In Date Published, limit your search by entering “2020” and “2021.”  Scroll down and select “e-book” in the Format limit.  Click Search.  The results display 631 items.  Use the filters on the left to narrow down your results even more.

For more help using the library catalog, click “Help” located at the top right of the page.

Recommendations from Staff

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff create lists and recommendations in our catalog to help customers discover materials on specific topics.  Think of it like a virtual display you would see in a branch.

Searching for lists is very similar to searching for materials.

Instead of searching the catalog by keyword, change the drop-down to “List.”  Use the search box to enter keywords that describe the kind of list you want.  Our Library staff tag their lists with #cmlibrarysuggests.  Include this tag in your search box if you want lists by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff.  In the example above, “#cmlibrarysuggests business” will search for lists that include the #cmlibrarysuggests tag and the keyword business. 

The results will display lists created by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library that have the keyword “business.”    Find a list that interests you and click on it.  Here are a few staff lists to get you started:

• Business e-books and audios – No.1
• Business e-books and audios – No.2
• Nonprofit basics
• Best business audiobooks

Find Library programs

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library catalog can also be searched for library programs.

Instead of searching the catalog, change the drop-down menu to “Events.”  In the search box, enter keywords for the type of program you are interested in.  For example, type book club, story time, or resume.  The example above uses the keyword “business.”  Press the red magnifying glass to execute your search.

Results will display programs scheduled at the Library based on your keyword(s).  Use the filters on the left to narrow down your results.  With programs, you may want to filter by audience or event type.  Currently, all Charlotte Mecklenburg Library programs are virtual.  As the Library resumes to normal operations, you can use the location filter to find programs at your preferred branch.

Access all the Library’s resources for free with your library card.  Don’t have one?  Sign up here!  If you need more help with the resources covered in this blog, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff are available to help by email, chat, and phone. 

Coming Soon!

Part Three – Business e-books, digital magazines, and downloadable audiobooks

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 This blog was written by Amy Richard, digital collections coordinator at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has business resources available in digital formats to support you and your business.  This is the third in a series of three blogs about the Library’s digital business resources.

Part One: Small business support from the Library - Resources

Part Two: Find business materials and programs in our catalog

Are you planning to start a new business?  Are you a manager that wants to improve your communication skills?  Or do you just want to figure out how to run your online meetings more efficiently?  Each month Charlotte Mecklenburg Library adds new e-books, digital magazines, and downloadable audiobooks titles related to starting your own business, managing, and leading employees, marketing your business, investing, and more.  Do you know how to find them? 

OverDrive/Libby

OverDrive is a collection of e-books, magazines, and audiobooks on a wide variety of subjects and genres.  This is where to go to find the New York Times bestsellers or other popular materials.  OverDrive most closely mimics a traditional library in that you can check out items and place a hold.  Read about Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s OverDrive collection and how to get started here.  Libby is OverDrive's app. 

If you are looking for a specific title, you can use the search feature by clicking the magnifying glass in the top right corner of every page.  If you want to see all the business books in one place, check out our Business room in OverDrive.  Click on “Business” to open the page.

The Business room is organized with curated subject collections to help you discover e-books and audiobooks.  Choose from topics such as “Just added,” “Stay Well and Work from Home,” “Women in Business,” “Marketing,” or “Leadership Lessons.”  New collections and books are added monthly. 

You can also browse the entire collection by subject.  Click “Subjects” from any page and then narrow your focus by clicking on business.  Within business you can filter even more by selecting a subject heading on the left side of the page.

   

Business Magazines in OverDrive

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library recently added digital magazines to OverDrive.  Read about it here.  The Library has many popular business and finance magazines available on OverDrive.  Some of the most popular include: The Economist, Apple Magazine, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Fast Company, and Entrepreneur Magazine.  To find magazines in OverDrive, click on “Magazines” in the navigation bar.  Scroll to find the “Business and Finance” collection.

hoopla

hoopla allows library customers to instantly borrow e-books, comics, audiobooks, music, movies, and television —no holds, and no waiting!  Learn more about hoopla’s collection and how to get started here.

After signing into hoopla, you can search by keyword, title, author, or format.  The search box is in the middle top of the screen.  If you know the title, type it in the search box.  Hoopla makes browsing easy.  To the left of the search box is the Browse feature.   Click the down arrow beside Browse to expand the menu.  Click on the type of media you are looking for: audiobook, movies, music, comics, e-books, or television.  Click on “e-book”.  The e-books page displays the most popular e-books being used by hoopla customers.  Click on categories to find business books.

The top e-book categories will be shown and then all categories.  Categories are in alphabetical order.  Think of categories like subjects or topics of interest.  Click on the category “Business & Economics.” 

The Business and Economics page will display more subjects or topics of interest to narrow down your search.  Or keep scrolling for the most popular books in this category.  You can also use the filters on the side to narrow your search by release date, date added, and language.

Gale e-books

Gale e-books offers a collection of specialized e-books on a variety of topics.  What’s really special about Gale e-books is that it contains all 50 volumes of the Business Plans Handbook.  The Business Plans Handbook contains actual business plans compiled by, and aimed at, entrepreneurs seeking funding for small businesses.  Samples plans are taken from businesses in the manufacturing, retail, and service industries and serve as examples of how to approach, structure, and compose business plans.  You can find our Gale e-books resource on the Library’s Resource page.  After accessing Gale e-books, click “Business” under “Browse Collections.”  Click on the Business Plans Handbook cover to access the 50 volumes.

Access all the Library’s resources for free with your library card.  Don’t have one?  Sign up here!  If you need more help with the resources covered in this blog, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff are available to help by email, chat, and phone. 

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 This blog was written by Amy Richard, digital collections coordinator at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

Since 1996, April has been designated National Poetry Month by the Academy of American Poets.  The purpose of this month-long celebration is to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry in the United States. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is offering a variety of online poetry programs during April to celebrate.

National Poetry Month each April is the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K-12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, bloggers, and, of course, poets marking poetry's important place in our culture and our lives. 

• April 1, join local poets for our Poetry Month Kickoff in an online poetry gathering on Gather.Town. Meet the poets, write your own poems or hear a few poems in an informal game-like setting. Then head into the main gathering for poems and more.

• April 8, Award-winning Charlotte-based spoken word poet and storyteller Hannah Hasan presents “I Love Us” with poems and stories from her new chapbook by the same name.

• April 16, join Poetry Beyond the Page, a panel discussion with local poets, to learn what happens with a poem after it’s written. 

Download the calendar for a full listing of National Poetry Month events happening at the Library here.

National Poetry Month Booklist

Be sure to watch our social media channels for special content from local poets -- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

Attention genealogists, historians, and other interested parties: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has recently added Fold3 Library Edition to its impressive list of online resources!

Fold3, a subsidiary of Ancestry.com, is an online database which provides access to US military records, including service and pension records for several significant historic wars. Some non-military records, such as census records, city directories, and naturalization records, are made available as well. Customers can also share stories and photographs or create online memorial pages for individual soldiers (Note: You may need to create a free Fold3 account to take advantage of all the features). Many of the military documents are offered exclusively via Fold3, making it a valuable research supplement to Ancestry.com.

For access, visit the Resources: A - Z List page on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library website. Scroll down to Fold3 Library Edition, click “Access now,” and enter your library card number or Student ID when prompted. This will bring you to the Fold3 home page with a prominent search bar. Customers can search by name, date, place, conflict/war, and more. It is advisable to begin with a simple name or keyword search, then narrow the results using the filters provided on the left-hand side of the page. More in-depth tutorials for using Fold3 can be found online at the Fold3 Training Center.

If you have additional questions about accessing or using Fold3 Library Edition, feel free to contact the librarians in the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room. They can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (704) 416-0150.

Don’t have a library card?  Sign up for one now!

We hope you will enjoy this new offering from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library!

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This blog was written by Meghan Bowden a librarian in the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

This blog was updated September 9, 2021 to reflect current data.

Did you know that Hispanic Americans make up the largest immigrant group in the United States? In Mecklenburg County, an estimated 14% of the population, or 152,925 residents, is Hispanic.

Each year, from September 15 to October 15, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library joins in the national celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, but we believe in celebrating el ritmo (the rhythm) of Hispanic culture yearlong! We honor the contributions of American citizens from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean, according to the Library of Congress’ official website.  Need resources or looking for ways to celebrate Hispanic culture and the Latinx community? We provide a few resources below.

Curious to learn about the rich, cultural presence and contributions of Hispanic people in the Queen City? Click here to read Con A de Arte: A history of Hispanic Presence in Charlotte which takes a closer look our culturally rich neighbors.

Looking for a great book that explores Hispanic culture? Click here to dive into curated book lists that cover topics for children, teens and adults – including detective and mystery fiction, Young Adult (YA) books with Latinx Voices and other Spanish-English bilingual reads.

In collaboration with Cine Casual (www.cinecasual.com), a Charlotte-based site that specializes in Ibero-American cinema, you can find a curated a list of books and films that tell the struggles of being Hispanic/Latinx in the United States, while also highlighting and celebrating the pride and accomplishments of the community.

As always, you can explore our calendar of events to see what programs and activities are coming up in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Need a place to start? Consider the upcoming virtual Plaza Midwood Book Club Crawl event taking place October 21, 2021 at 8 a.m.

Looking for events around town? Check out the Latin American Coalition's 31st Festival Latinoamericano on September 18-19, 2021. in Charlotte's east side and the 9th annual Hola Charlotte Festival hosted by Norsan Media in Uptown Charlotte on October 9, 2021.

We look forward to celebrating with you this month. Visit cmlibrary.org for more events, news and updates.

Did you know that you can continue to stay connected to the Library while staying home? How would you like to participate in a virtual storytime with your family or receive resume help all from the comfort of your couch? Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library every week for a wide range of virtual programming for children, teens and adults. See a complete listing of this upcoming programming for the week of 9/21/2020 below. Click the corresponding links for more information and register for programs where applicable.

Learn more about online programming by clicking here

Sunday 9/20

Engage 2020: Community Conversations - Local Voices Matter  register

Monday 9/21

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Online Listen and Move Storytime – 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Nonprofit Services – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Mindful Mondays - Guided Relaxation and Meditation  –  12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Stronger Together: Support for your Job Search – 4 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Teen Advisory Council: Your Voice Matters – 5 p.m. (Teen programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Do I Need an Editor?: Exploring the Different Types of Editing – 6 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Sustainable September: Reducing Your Waste – 6 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Planning for College with UNCC: College and Career Connections – 6 p.m.  (Teen programming)  register

Tuesday 9/22         

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  register

Cuentos Virtuales en Español - 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)   learn more

Getting Started with Microsoft Powerpoint – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Story Explorers Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Planning for College: Queens University of Charlotte – 6 p.m.  (Teen programming)  register

Adult Fanfiction Writing Group – 6 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Creating Resumes with the Job Help Center – 6:30 p.m.  (Adult programming)  register

Wednesday 9/23

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  register

Online Listen and Move Storytime – 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Nonprofit Services – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Teens Live on Instagram: Animal Crossing Perler Bead Art – 5 p.m.  (Teen programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Planning for College: Johnson C. Smith University – 6 p.m. (Teen programming)  register

Thursday 9/24

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  register

Cuentos en 2 idiomas: inglés y español - 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Learning Circle: American Sign Language – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Book Talk: Children's – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Teens Live on Instagram: Create Your Identity Map – 6 p.m. (Teen programming)  register

Remote Learning 101: Using Library Resources to Enhance Your Child's Learning – 6 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Friday 9/25

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Baby Storytime – 10:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Mindful Friday- Meditation for Wellness – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Saturday 9/26

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Writing Your Life: Turning Personal Stories into Universal Narratives – 10 a.m.  (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

As an avid reader and self-professed “library nerd,” Nicole Reynolds knows that knowledge is power, and a world of possibilities can be found with a library card. While serving as the technology director of Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy, a public, nonprofit K-8 charter school serving the special needs of highly gifted children here in Charlotte, Nicole understands the importance of her students having access to digital resources and technology during this time. As is the case with school systems across the country, the staff and students at Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy found themselves leveraging quality digital resources to further support the needs of their highly gifted students for the 2020-2021 school year.

Upon learning she could get every student and staff member in her school access to Library resources for FREE through ONE Access, Nicole contacted Martha Yesowitch, community partnerships leader for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, to get her students registered. ONE Access, or “One Number Equals Access,” uses students' school identification numbers as library cards to access Library research databases, borrow digital and print materials and much more. The program initially kicked off in 2015 when all Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students and teachers were enrolled. Since that time, the program has expanded to included universities, colleges, and charter and nonprofit schools.

“As a public, nonprofit K-8 charter school serving the special needs of highly gifted children in Charlotte, our partnership with ONE Access and the Library card program for students and teachers extends a deeper connection with quality resources for research and engagement that heightens their educational experience,” Nicole says. “Through this program, students, teachers, and families have access to resources that help create enriched digital learning experiences beyond the classroom setting.”

While Library locations are currently operating with limited in-person services, access to its vast catalogue of digital resources remains available online 24/7. It is a relief for both parents and students who now find themselves working outside of a “normal” classroom schedule. 

Nicole cites access to resources such as Tutor.com, the PowerKnowledge learning suite and the Library’s virtual one-on-one educational support programs as some of the most exciting benefits of getting her scholars library cards through ONE Access. Additionally, staff can now utilize various professional development and reference resources available through apps like NC Live, Universal Class and lynda.com through their ONE Access logins.

“The variety and depth of the ONE Access program helps to ensure our students can easily get what they need as part of their overall education and helps our teachers create more meaningful educational experiences,” she says. “On behalf of our entire school community, thank you Charlotte Mecklenburg Library for supporting local schools!”

If you’re a student or educator, check with your school to see if you already have a ONE Access account. If you are a parent or caregiver without a Library card, or know someone who doesn’t have one, join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and “get carded” today!

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This blog was written by Darrell Anderson of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.