The Charlotte Neighborhood History Toolkit can help you answer those questions and more. The Toolkit offers tips on using Newspapers, City Directories, Plat Maps, Property Deeds and Building Permits to uncover the history around us.
November 14, 2024
This blog post was written by Hannah Simmons, staff member at North County Regional branch.
Happy International Games Month (IGM), it’s time to celebrate!
What is IGM you ask? Well, it started in 2007 as an attempt to set a world record for the most people playing the same game at the same time in libraries worldwide. Now, every November, the American Library Association partners with volunteers all across the globe to promote gaming and community.
Here at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, we have already had some amazing celebrations for IGM! These include Disney Bingo at South Boulevard, Wordle and Waffles at Independence Regional, Board Game Breakouts at multiple sites, and an amazing Game Night at the Library with our community partner POTIONS AND PIXELS at University City!
(above) highlights of IGM programs so far this month.
But don’t worry, there are still lots of opportunities to get in on the fun. Join us for International Games Night at The Market on 7th Street, the Pokemon Library League at Allegra Westbrooks, the Cozy Gaming Cafe at Steele Creek, try out one of our many Chess Clubs to test your strategy, or join a session of Dewey and Dragons to quest for adventure! You can explore our Events to find the perfect gaming opportunity for you!
Gaming brings people together in a special way. Come be part of this special IGM celebration with us!
A special thank you to all our staff, volunteers, and community partners who have worked so hard to make International Games Month fun for all participants! And thank YOU for joining us!
October 2, 2024
For a list of all 33 early voting locations in Mecklenburg County can be found here.
For more information on voting in the upcoming election please see the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections site here.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is hosting early voting once again at several of its sites. See below for dates, times and locations.
Weekdays: 10/17 – 11/1, 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays: 10/19, 10/26, & 11/2; 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Sundays: 10/20 & 10/27, 1p.m. – 5 p.m.
Learn more about North Carolina's 2024 election at the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative's Election Hub.
October 8, 2024
Welcome to October and those cool fall days and even cooler evenings. It’s a busy month, with first quarter (the longest one!) ending on November 1, not to mention Halloween! Give yourself an early treat by checking out the new releases coming to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library on Wowbrary, a newsletter released every Wednesday. You can get ahead of the crowd by placing holds on new releases that we’ve ordered but haven’t put on the shelves yet! For example, you can place a hold on the cookbook, Does This Taste Funny? by Stephen Colbert, or the new Louis Bayard novel about Oscar Wilde and his family (The Wildes), plus so much more. Keep reading below for additional unbe'leaf'able programs, resources, and services for ONE Access Teachers!
Every October we celebrate STEAM Month at all Library locations, where we place a special emphasis on science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics to spark interest and excitement in STEAM fields that will last all year! If your school is hosting a STEAM Night this month – or in the future – please consider inviting Charlotte Mecklenburg Library to your event. We can provide a table of giveaways and a STEAM craft. We would love to connect with your school community!
STEAM Month Programs for All Ages
STEAM Month Book List for All Ages
October is the beginning of early voting at a public library near you. Early voting begins Wednesday, October 17th and runs through Saturday, November 2nd. On election day (Tuesday, November 5th) voters must vote at the polls – the libraries will NOT have voting on that day with the exception of University City Regional Library, which serves as a precinct.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has many programs and resources scheduled around the theme of voting. Sugar Creek Library has partnered with GenerationNation Kids Voting to provide a series of programs for children to learn what's on the ballot, how to find and analyze information about candidates, understand the roles of different government offices, and take informed civic action by making your voice heard in the student vote. The Children's Theatre of Charlotte, housed in partnership with ImaginOn Library, is performing Grace for President, a performance adapted from the book, Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio.
Check out Upcoming Civic Engagement Programs for All Ages
Just for ONE Access Teachers: Worried about misinformation, especially during an election season? News Literacy Project provides lesson plans for educators, programs such as the RumorGuard (which lists misinformation and misleading claims and states the facts about those claims), and infographics and posters on topics from AI and the First Amendment to how to determine if a news source is legitimate. These resources are appropriate for students in grades 4 and up.
EpicFest is an extraordinary, free literary festival that joyfully connects children, teens and families with books and the people who write them through activities that encourage a love of reading and learning. Nationally recognized children’s and young adult authors and illustrators will spend two days in Charlotte to share their latest books, experiences and passion for libraries with kids of all ages. Authors and illustrators will visit select Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools on November 8 to speak with students, and will headline a daylong literary festival at ImaginOn on November 9th, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Featured authors include: Meera Sriram, JaNay Brown-Wood, Kelly Starling Lyons, Nina Mata, Peter Raymundo, John Patrick Green, Tracey West, and Greg Foley.
A special performance of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by The Children's Theatre will occur from 12-1 p.m. as well. You will not want to miss this! Thank you in advance for sharing this information with your students and their families!
Students can receive academic support in many ways at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library! Please direct families to any public library location for additional practice in a variety of subjects.
Student Success Centers are now open at Library locations! Students in K-5th grades are invited to visit when Student Success Centers are open for students to receive help with an assignment, practice a skill, or get connected to professional tutoring via Tutor.com. No registration is required, and trained volunteers are ready!
Student Success Printable Flyer for Students
In addition to Student Success Centers, the Reading Buddies program provides a safe space for students to share in the joy and power of reading with a trained volunteer! Volunteers ask questions, build vocabulary, and connect to the child's world while taking turns reading with students in elementary school grades. Invite students to register today!
Reading Buddies Printable Flyer for Students
National Children’s Magazine Month is this month and CML has many children’s magazines available through Libby. Younger elementary students can access Ranger Rick, Chickadee, and National Geographic Kids and older students may enjoy the Minecraft magazines or Girls’ Life - and there’s so much more! (There are lots of magazines for adults, too!) Click on Collections, then choose Magazines. Next, scroll down to Kids & Teens to see the choices. Use your ONE Access login for an easy check out.
One number equals access, and that means access to the Library's resources and programs for the classroom! Check out the ONE Access Guide for Schools to read more about this special partnership, and click the buttons below to view student resources.
Find poems written by African-American authors between 1750-1900.
Find poems written by American authors between 1650-1920.
Find poems written by British authors between 600 to 1900.