This blog was written by Serena Guest, library collections associate, at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Did you know that with your Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card you have access to over 30,000 independent movies and documentaries? Kanopy offers a multitude of titles for your viewing pleasure and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library customers can view up to 6 films per month. Learn more about Kanopy here.

Check out the top five titles Charlotte Mecklenburg Library users have viewed and enjoyed over the past month:

As They Made Us (2022) - Abigail (Dianna Agron), a divorced mother of two, who is struggling to balance the dynamic forces within her dysfunctional family as she attempts to cultivate new love. This movie is rated R.

A Promise (2013) - Alan Rickman stars in this simmering early 20^th- century love story about a triangle between an aging factory owner, his young bride (Rebecca Hall) and his handsome protégé. This movie is rated R.

Spencer (2021) The marriage of Princess Diana (Kristen Stewart) and Prince Charles (Jack Farthing) has long since grown cold. Though rumors of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for Christmas festivities at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate. But this year, things will be profoundly different. Spencer is the imagining of what might have happened during those few fateful days. This movie is rated R.

God’s Pocket (2014) - Philip Seymour Hoffman and Christina Hendricks star in this deliciously twisted comedy about life and death on the mean streets of Philadelphia. This movie is rated R.

Monster Be Good! (2012) - With Monster Be Good!, little ones are invited to lead some wily monsters into becoming more well-behaved happy creatures. This short kids movie is rated G and also available in Spanish and Hindi.

Happy viewing!

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 online programming for children, teens and adults. See a complete listing of this upcoming programming for the week of 12/28/2020 below. Click the corresponding links for more information and register for programs where applicable.

Learn more about online programming by clicking here

Monday 12/28

LIBRARY CLOSED- NO PROGRAMMING

Tuesday 12/29       

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

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult 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 – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

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

Creating Resumes for the Job Help Center – 2 p.m. (Adult 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

Hear Me Now: Letter Writing for Change – 3 p.m. (Adult 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

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

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

Wednesday 12/30

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

Active Reading Family Workshop- Part 2 – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday 12/31

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

One-on-One EReader Tutoring – 10 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.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

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

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

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

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

Friday 1/1

LIBRARY CLOSED- NO PROGRAMMING

Saturday 1/2

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

2020 is coming at an end, so let's take a look at which books were the most popular with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library readers this year. We pulled circulation data for our adult fiction (both print and digital), adult nonfiction, young adult fiction and children’s books.

A few listings stood out this year:

• There are three holdovers from last year’s fiction lists.  Where the Crawdads Sing, Little Fires Everywhere and Nine Perfect Strangers made the list again. Little Fires Everywhere makes its third appearance in a row on this list.
   
• Where the Crawdads Sing was the most popular novel in both the physical and digital formats for the second year in a row.
   
• Michelle Obama’s Becoming was the third most popular print nonfiction book this year after finishing first last year. It will be interesting to see if President Obama’s memoir can make a similar impact over the next two years.
   
• Four of the top ten digital nonfiction titles are social justice, anti-racism and equity titles. This is likely due to the social justice and anti-racism movements across the country and in our community. It’s also due to the commitment made by the Library to offer more titles and access to titles on social justice, anti-racism and equity. We purchased unlimited digital access to seven titles on these topics and also increased print purchases. The unlimited access contributed to the four titles being in the top 10 of digital nonfiction. The titles were also popular in print but they just didn’t make the top 10, but they were close.
   
• It’s another big year for Jeff Kinney and Mo Willems. They dominated the children’s books list again, as they have over the last few years.
   
• The young adult graphic novel Sisters is the first graphic novel to make the top ten list.
   

Adult Print Fiction

Find this list in our catalog

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
The Guardians by John Grisham
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Blue moon: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child
Walk the Wire by David Baldacci
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
A Minute to Midnight by David Baldacci
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
 

Adult Fiction Digital

Find this list in our catalog

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
The Guardians by John Grisham
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
 

Adult nonfiction Print

Find this list in our catalog

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
Too much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump
Becoming by Michelle Obama
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson
Talking to Strangers: What we Should Know About the People we Don’t Know by Malcolm Gladwell
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
Rage by Bob Woodward
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
The Room Where it Happened: a White House Memoir by John Bolton
 

Adult nonfiction Digital

Find this list in our catalog

White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin J. DiAngelo
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
How to Be an Antiracist by IbramX. Kendi
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell
I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
 

Children’s Fiction    

Find this list in our catalog

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball by Jeff Kinney
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown by Jeff Kinney
Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal by Jeff Kinney
Pigeon has to go to school! by Mo Willems
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley's Journal by Jeff Kinney
I Broke my Trunk! by Mo Willems
A Big Guy Took my Ball! by Mo Willems
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
Pete the Kitty Goes to the Doctor by Kim Dean
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney
           

Young Adult Fiction

Find this list in our catalog

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Sisters by Raina Telgemeier
The Tyrant's Tomb by Rick Riordan
American Royals by Katharine McGee
The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer
The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
One of us is Lying by Karen McManus
 

Be sure to access our catalog and start helping us compile next year’s list.
 

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This blog was written by Ed McDonald, librarian, at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

It’s the most wonderful time of the year at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library! As the temperatures start plummeting, the “great indoors” are calling. ‘Tis the season for binging your favorite indie films and documentaries, and Kanopy is here to help. With a vast array of independent films, documentaries and children’s movies, there is something on Kanopy for the entire family. It’s true and completely free with your library card!

Check out the For the Holidays playlist on Kanopy to discover great holiday films to get you in the seasonal spirit.

Learn more about Kanopy  and checkout limits here. Need a library card? Sign up here. 

Happy Holidays from Charlotte Mecklenburg Library!

View Holiday Movies Playlist

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.

Recently, HBO Max aired The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion, a wonderful reminder of the excellence and portrayal of Black lives on television screens through the years. Indulging this taste of nostalgia was enough for me to reflect on the influence and impact Black representation through TV had on my life growing up in the 80s and 90s. My mother was a library staff member, and my whole life was surrounded by books. Still, I always loved the visual imagery and story of a good TV show, especially a Black one.

I was born in the 80s, so my palate for Black representation on TV shows up in my life to this day. I was privileged to grow up in an era where the onscreen expression of Black life and family surpassed the motif of the Black struggle which was prominently displayed in 1970s programs such as Good Times. Good Times was the first Black, two-parent family sitcom on television, and the show addressed serious topics that highlighted struggles with which Black families of the time could relate. While the portrayal of Black life on Good Times was just one perspective, the producers (who were mostly white) wanted to keep the narrative of the Black struggle going. This resulted in much controversy surrounding the storylines given to characters, and the actors were critical of the show's direction as well. They wanted to show Black people in more prominent roles that would have a lasting impact on generations to come.

Enter The Cosby Show in 1984. Although I was a terrible two when this show began, there is no denying the impact this show had on kids my age. When I was old enough to tell time, I made sure that I was sitting in front of the TV to view this show in syndication every week. The Cosby Show highlighted a different perspective of Black life than what was shown by Good Times. Both shows possess something magical and relatable - Black culture along a spectrum - Black culture is rich. Still tackling Black people's issues with a comedic tone and setting us up to learn lessons, this Black, two-parent family expanded the sphere of a Black family's lived experiences. While not precisely emulating my childhood family life, it greatly impacted how I see family dynamics and relationships — I grew up wanting to be a lawyer because of Claire Huxtable. Her role as a Black woman, mother and professional set the standard for me. Her "I'm every woman," graceful, powerful and strong demeanor captivated me in a way that helps me show up in spaces as a whole human. Representation did that.

The children on The Cosby Show were different, and I could see the personalities of Sandra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy reflected in the kids that I grew up around. Perhaps the Cosby kid's life that I followed most was that of Denise. Like many of my peers, I took the journey with her to Hillman College in the spin-off series, A Different World and I fell in love (it is my favorite TV show)! It exhibits the path that drove me to the halls of a higher learning institution; it forced me to independence and an experience that no one else in my family had yet taken. Because of A Different World, I dreamed bigger. I saw myself in each of the characters or what I thought I'd be one day. Those characters brought my dreams to life. Because of the representation that Dwayne, Whitley, Freddie, Kim, Ron, Jalisa and the rest of the gang displayed, I felt that going away to college was more attainable. I wanted it all! I wanted the experiences, I wanted to attend a historically Black college or university (HBCU) and to join a sorority all because of the impact and influence; most importantly, the representation of Black lives in these spaces. I learned that Black people are not monolithic - we all have different backgrounds and experiences that bind our Black existence and that is worthy of representation.

Now, I'm going to stop here at the most impactful Black television show in my life, but it’s certainly not the end of the representation that has been important for so many. I could go on, but I'm not trying to write a book - just a reflection of what Black representation did for my life.

However, I do want to briefly recognize some other shows as I close this article. Here’s a list of honorable mentions: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Living Single, Martin, Moesha, The Parent'Hood and Roc. All of these Black shows and more are where I saw myself and many others in my life. These shows are at the intersection of hope and, sometimes, reality. The lives of Black people on TV remind me that Black books, Black films, Black music, Black art, Black TV, Black plays, and Black lives matter—representation matters.

So, where did you find your inspiration and representation on the small screen? And how has it shown up in your life as an adult?

As for me, I couldn't imagine where I'd be if I didn't have the fictional visuals of Black people's experiences present through Black media - especially TV.

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This blog post was written by De’Trice Fox of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

John Price Carr (1854-1927) was born to Thomas Milton and Rebecca Price Carr in the Hopewell community of Mecklenburg County. His father was a Methodist minister and died at a young age, which forced Carr to quit school and financially support his family. Despite obstacles in his young life, he rose as a leader and successful businessman in Charlotte’s First Ward community.  

John Price Carr, photo courtesy of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room 

John Carr married Anna Elizabeth Little on February 14, 1878. Anna was the daughter of William Price and Hannah Sifford Little. Her father served as a Confederate soldier, was a farmer and former Mecklenburg County Sheriff.  

After their marriage, John Carr pursued several business opportunities. For a time, he raised and sold cattle alongside his brother, held an interest in a cotton gin, H.M. Bassamon & Co., and after selling this interest in 1891, he began buying land near North McDowell and E. 5th Street. By 1895, Carr owned and operated a moving company, in which he continued business throughout his life. When Presbyterian Hospital was about to close following a devastating fire in 1917, he and four other local businessmen stepped up to undersign a $40,000 loan to help the hospital buy the vacant Elizabeth College grounds. 

John Price Carr home, 200 N. McDowell, c. 1900 

John Price Carr’s moving business thrived, and he, Anna and their five children (Daisy Rebecca, Jonnie Little, Fannie Alice, Annie Price Wurzburg, and Laurie Milton), moved into a newly built house at 200 N. McDowell Street in 1904. After his death due to pneumonia in 1927, his family continued to live in their home until its sale in 1951. John Price Carr is buried in Elmwood Cemetery. 

The Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room houses the John Price Carr Family Papers, 1881-2008, which are only available for virtual research due to the COVID-19 crisis. Contact the Carolina Room’s Archivist for more information on how to access this collection: (704) 416-0150 or [email protected]. 

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This blog was written by Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room staff.

New year, new you? You bet. A new year gives us a chance to define, commit and achieve the personal goals that help us grow into better versions of ourselves. If you're looking for resources to help you set obtainable goals, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has you covered. 

Below, you'll find our list of recommended reads to take your 2021 resolutions from thoughts to reality. Click here to find the books on this list online in our catalog.
 

Self Care

The Self-Care Solution: A Year of Becoming Happier, Healthier and Fitter—one Month at a Time by Jennifer Ashton
Dr. Jennifer Ashton is at the top of her field as an ob-gyn and news correspondent. But even at the top there's still room to improve, and with The Self-Care Solution, she upends her life one month at a time, using her own experiences to help you improve your health and enhance your life.

Dr. Ashton becomes both researcher and subject as she focuses on twelve separate challenges. Beginning with a new area of focus each month, she guides you through the struggles she faces, the benefits she experiences and the science behind why each month's challenge--giving up alcohol, doing more push-ups, adopting an earlier bedtime, limiting technology--can lead to better health. Month by month, Dr. Ashton tackles a different area of wellness with the hope that the lessons she learns and the improved health she experiences will motivate her (and you) to make each change permanent. Throughout the book, she offers easy-to-comprehend health information about the particular challenge to help you understand its benefits and to stick with it. Whether it's adding cardio or learning how to meditate, Dr. Ashton makes these daily lifestyle choices and changes feel possible--and shows how beneficial a mindful lifestyle can be.
 

Financial Wellness

Bounce Back.  How to Rescue Your Finances During Tough Times by Mitch Horowitz
"BOUNCE BACK TO FINANCIAL, SPIRITUAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH WITH...FIVE POWERFUL CONDENSED CLASSICS."

The five works abridged and introduced by historian and New Thought scholar Mitch Horowitz in Bounce Back give you the greatest possible opportunity to navigate economic crisis and poise yourself for recovery.

Revolutionize your budgeting skills and be ready to take advantage of economic upswing with George S. Clason's classic guide to personal finance, The Richest Man in Babylon.

How to Attract Money is Joseph Murphy's most effective program of visualization. Offering specific prayers and affirmations, Murphy brings you closer to your goals and helps you attain the life you want.

Russell H. Conwell's motivational classic, Acres of Diamonds, teaches you to think in practical ways and transform seemingly modest ideas into large returns.

Transcendentalist philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson offers his principles for self-directed living in Power and Wealth, helping you focus and exert your will in the world.

Think and Grow Rich, the world's greatest book on successful living, provides Napoleon Hill's famous 13 steps to wealth and achievement. Open the door to financial empowerment and bounce back from challenging times with these great primers of self-potential.
 

Personal Development

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown, a leading expert on shame, authenticity and belonging, shares 10 guideposts on the power of Wholehearted living--a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
Gottlieb (Marry Him) provides a sparkling and sometimes moving account of her work as a psychotherapist, with the twist that she is in therapy herself. Interspersing chapters about her experiences as a patient with others about her work, she explains, "We are mirrors reflecting mirrors reflecting mirrors, showing one another what we can't yet see." By exploring her own struggles alongside those of her patients, Gottlieb simultaneously illuminates what it's like to be in and to give therapy. As she observes, "Everything we therapists do or say or feel as we sit with our patients is mediated by our histories; everything I've experienced will influence how I am in any given session at any given hour."

From "John," a successful TV producer who has walled himself away from other people, to "Julie," who has a terminal illness and is struggling to find her way through her life's closing chapters, Gottlieb portrays her patients, as well as herself as a patient, with compassion, humor and grace. For someone considering but hesitant to enter therapy, Gottlieb's thoughtful and compassionate work will calm anxieties about the process; for experienced therapists, it will provide an abundance of insights into their own work.
 

Adult Fiction

The Alchemist by Paul Coelho
This is a special 25th anniversary edition of Paulo Coelho’s extraordinary international bestselling phenomenon--the inspiring spiritual tale of self-discovery that has touched millions of lives around the world. Combing magic, mysticism, wisdom and wonder, The Alchemist has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations. Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different - and far more satisfying - than he ever imagined. Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, of recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, most importantly, to follow our dreams. 

My Grandmother Asked me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman
From the author of the internationally bestselling A Man Called Ove, this charming, warmhearted novel is about a young girl whose grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters, sending her on a journey that brings to life the world of her grandmother's fairy tales.
 

Young Adult (YA)

Top 10 tips for Developing Money Management Skills by Larry Gerber
Readers are encouraged to think about money as a tool such as a Swiss Army knife that can be used for many different tasks, to create things we want in our lives. Money is like a tool, in more ways than one. It is an all-purpose survival kit, because life gets tough without it. If we handle money carelessly, it can do serious damage. And just like any tool, sometimes it works great, sometimes it doesn't. The ten tips found in this book are ideas shared by many people, from billionaires to working-class moms, dad and kids. Readers will learn about spending, saving, investing, setting financial goals, budgeting, borrowing and seeking financial advice. Some tips involve doing specific things: writing, adding and subtracting. Others suggest ways of thinking about money and what we do with it. This volume is intended to help readers get the most out of this tool we call money, whether dealing with a lot of it, or just a little. Readers are encouraged to think further with 10 Great Questions to Ask an Economics/Finance teacher and Myths & Facts.
 

Children

B is for Breathe: The ABC’s of Coping with Fussy and Frustrating Feelings by Melissa Monroe Boyd
From the letter A to the letter Z, B is for Breathe celebrates the many ways children can express their feelings and develop coping skills at an early age. Through fun, cute and exciting illustrations, this colorful book teaches kids simple ways to cope with fussy and frustrating emotions. This book will inspire kids to discuss their feelings, show positive behaviors and practice calm down strategies.
 

If you Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall
Meeting children from around the world gave Caldecott Medalist Blackall (Hello Lighthouse) a vision of a book "that would bring us together," she explains in an author's note. This exquisite catalogue of human experience is the result. A child with an elfin red cap, white skin and black hair frames the story, addressing a "Visitor from Outer Space." Magnificent spreads journey through the solar system and descend toward the Earth's surface, zeroing in on a quilted landscape. Fragmentary, often droll descriptions of Earth-side existence follow, about bodies and aging, home and travel, eating and drinking ("Some of us have more food than others"), and relationships ("Sometimes we hurt each other. It's better when we help each other"). Wide-eyed human characters of varying shapes, ethnicities and abilities show kind regard for each other: a librarian offers a tissue to a man overcome, dinner table companions share animated conversation.

Even for the accomplished Blackall, the artwork is dazzling. Encyclopedic paintings of the natural world--birds, sea life, an acorn and more--are rendered in painstaking detail and brilliant colors. It is a book that can be shared with strangers, visitors, friends old and new--a work in which differences build to reveal an inclusive human family on a single, precious planet. 
 

A Year in  Our New Garden by Gerda Muller
Anna and Benjamin move with their parents to a new house in the middle of a busy city. The wonder of this house is that it includes a large garden among the tall apartment buildings. Muller explores the design and planting of this city garden through the eyes of the children. This title can be read to younger kids as the story of a family creating a garden.

Older readers will appreciate in-depth explanations about the actual components needed to design a real garden. The narrative follows the family as they move from planning to planting to harvest. Multiple illustrations cover each page. Larger drawings that show the garden as a whole are combined with small framed and unframed insets that highlight specific details. The beautifully detailed paintings invite close inspection as the seasons change and the children play, picnic, plant, harvest and enjoy the garden's wildlife.