Anyone looking for new mysteries this spring can find good options in the Library catalog. This includes the next title in the long-running, private-detective Ali Reynolds series and the last book of the Inspector Tao Yun Shan novels. Here are those titles and a few others to consider:

The A List: An Ali Reynolds Mystery

Writer Judith A. Janice jumps back into Ali Reynold’s previous career as a television news anchor for the latest story in this long-running series. Today, private investigator and cybersecurity company owner, Reynolds lives and works in Sedona, Arizona, where she’s recently married and owns a new house. Ten years ago, though, she worked in Los Angeles where her last news story led to the arrest and imprisonment of a prominent doctor for medical malpractice and, ultimately, a murder charge. That imprisoned doctor still harbors a vengeful anger against those viewed responsible for his fate. He even has a tattooed list of the initials of his enemies to cross off his self-styled Annihilation List. And, as expected, Reynolds’s initials are on the list.  This novel is 14 in  in the series and available in regular, large print, eBook and audiobook formats.       

Bloody January 

It’s 1973 and Glasgow, Scotland is a noir-infused backdrop for the investigations of Detective Harry McCoy into a seemingly quick case. Tipped about a planned killing of a young woman, which occurs the next day by a young man who shoots her in public and then shoots himself, the events appear to be only a sad tragedy. McCoy is convinced otherwise and travels deep into the city’s criminal underworld for answers. Accompanied by a new partner, Watson, through his probes, McCoy believes he is on the right track. His investigation leads to the super-rich Dunlop family with ties to a secret society steeped in criminal activity. However, the investigation stalls as McCoy tries to make his case stick, but he is not deterred. Bloody January is the first of the Harry McCoy series by Alan Parks. The second book is February’s Son. Both titles are available in regular print and e-book formats.     

Bones of the Earth

Inspector Shan Tao Yun, a one-time Beijing, China, law officer who is now exiled to Tibet, continues his law enforcement in his new rural home. Requested to view the execution of a Tibetan for corruption, Shan later suspects the government's actions were not genuine as he’s discovers the deaths of others hidden by the execution. The apparent murders include other Tibetans and an American archaeology student working to protect an ancient shire. Moreover, Shan’s mission is elevated as he accepts the assistance of the American’s angry father to find the truth. All the while, Shan is conflicted by the government, justice and helping his citizens. This novel is the 10th and final of the series. The Library system has eight books in the series by writer Eliot Pattison. 

Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce

Mahalia's Sweet Tea is extra busy serving meals during a huge hair convention in Prince George's County, Maryland. Restaurant manager Halia Watkins has as much work as she can handle when a famous beauty mogul, Monique Depree, arrives and creates an additional buzz in the community. The result is shocking as Depree is shot dead and the death uncovers relationships filled with strife. Enter Watkins and her cousin, Wavonne, to serve as amateur sleuths. Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce is the third of the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery series by writer A. L. Herbert. The Library offers all three novels.  

Something Read Something Dead: A Lighthouse Library Mystery

Who would tamper with gluten-free treats and kill during a bridal shower? Lucy Richardson, cousin to bride-to-be Josie, oversees the shower to help ease family tension over the coming days. It appears the bride's modest wedding plans are in jeopardy by certain family members. The peace-treaty attempts in the bridal shower fail miserably as a cousin dies and Josie is under police suspicion. Under these circumstances, Lucy, as an amateur sleuth, helps her cousin, to find the killer. Writer Eva Gates has five books in this mystery series and Something Read Something Dead is the latest. The Library has four of the five books set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  

On April 22, 2019, Librarian, Dr. Tom Cole, Archivist, Sydney Vaile, Librarian, Shelia Bumgarner and Assistant, Meghan Bowden of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room celebrated National Preservation Week by conducting an inventory of all of the items in the historic Dowd House on behalf of Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation.

This is the last remaining structure associated with Camp Greene, a World War I training camp that was located in Charlotte from 1917-1919. In return, the department received hundreds of personal artifacts of soldiers stationed at Camp Greene, including medals, pay books, equipment and helmets The department also received 85 photographs. These items will become part of the archives.

The department has the largest collection of Camp Greene memorabilia and photographs in the country.

(Already read Part II? Jump ahead to Part III.)

NOTE: This post is part two in a four-part series that explores the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Click here to read part one.

Eleven days after the adoption of the Mecklenburg Declaration, another document emerged called the Mecklenburg Resolves. The Mecklenburg Resolves, created by the Mecklenburg County Committee of Safety on or after May 20, 1775, was adopted by that same committee on May 31, 1775.

This document adopted a set of radical resolutions that fell short of an actual declaration of independence. The Resolves proclaimed that "all Laws...derived from the Authority of the King or Parliament, are annulled and vacated," and that the Provincial government "under the Great Continental Congress is invested with all legislative and executive Powers...and that no other Legislative or Executive does or can exist, at this Time, in any of these Colonies." The Resolves further suspended the actions of the royal military and civil officials, called for the other colonies to govern themselves through provincial congresses and arrest royal officials who continued their political duties in North Carolina. Following the Mecklenburg Resolves, similar lists were published by other North Carolina counties.

Newspapers published in 1775 document the Resolves. The text of the Resolves was lost after the American Revolution and not rediscovered until 1838.

Enjoying reading about the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence? Stay posted for installment three of this four-part series which leads up to Meck Dec Day on May 20. Expect the next installment in this series on Friday, May 17.

(Already read Part II? Jump ahead to Part IV.)

NOTE: This post is part three in a four-part series that explores the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.  Don’t forget to read parts one and two. 

Either these resolutions are a plagiarism from Mr. Jefferson's Declaration of Independence, or Mr. Jefferson's Declaration of Independence is a plagiarism from those resolutions.

—John Adams, August 21, 1819

The Mecklenburg Declaration and the Declaration of Independence had several similar phrases, including "dissolve the political bands which have connected," "absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the British Crown," "are, and of right ought to be" and "pledge to each other, our mutual cooperation, our lives, our fortunes, and our most sacred honor."

Did Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the American Declaration of Independence, use the Mecklenburg Declaration as a source? Had he seen the Mecklenburg Declaration? Was the language used in both documents common for the day?

Former President Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, suspected that the Mecklenburg Declaration was a hoax. John Adams agreed with Jefferson. When Adams read Dr. Alexander's 1819 article in a Massachusetts newspaper, he was astonished because he had never previously heard of the Mecklenburg Declaration. He immediately assumed, as he wrote a friend, that Jefferson had "copied the spirit, the sense, and the expressions of it verbatim into his Declaration of the 4th of July 1776." Adams had played a role in getting the Continental Congress to declare independence in 1776 and was, therefore, somewhat resentful that Jefferson received most of the praise. Adams sent a copy of the article to get Jefferson’s reaction.

Jefferson replied that, like Adams, he had never heard of the Mecklenburg Declaration before. Jefferson found it curious that historians of the American Revolution, even those from North Carolina and nearby Virginia, had never previously mentioned it. He also found it suspicious that the original was lost in a fire and that most of the eyewitnesses were now dead. Jefferson wrote that while he could not claim for certain that the Mecklenburg Declaration was a fabrication, "I shall believe it such until positive and solemn proof of its authenticity shall be produced."

Jefferson's argument, Adams wrote in reply, "has entirely convinced me that the Mecklenburg [sic] Resolutions are a fiction.” Thus began centuries of controversy.

North Carolina Senator Nathaniel Macon collected eyewitness testimony to the events described in the article. The then elderly witnesses did not agree with every detail, but they generally corroborated the story that a declaration of independence had been publicly read in Charlotte, although they were not all certain about the date. Perhaps most importantly, 88-year-old Captain James Jack was still alive and was able to confirm that he delivered a declaration of independence to the Continental Congress that had been adopted in May 1775.

Enjoying reading about the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence? Stay posted for installment three of this four-part series which leads up to Meck Dec Day on May 20. Expect the next installment in this series on Monday, May 20.

NOTE: This is the final installment in a four-part series that explores the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Click accordingly to read parts one, two and three. 

“The City of Charlotte has documented many celebrations of Meck Dec Day, with the first known celebration occurring in 1825. The Charlotte Observer frequently covered the events of Meck Dec Day in the daily paper….” Newspaper excerpt:

The Fireworks Tonight 5/20/1891 p.1 The expert sent here to superintend the fireworks display tonight has been hard at work all day, and has everything arranged for a great display. The display will be given at the graded school grounds, at 8 o’clock, and will be the most elaborate ever given in the State. Some of the bombs will go half a mile high, and that part of the show can be enjoyed by our neighbors for 20 miles around. The display last year was a magnificent one, but the display to be made tonight will be a still better one. The set pieces and the figures in the air will be worth seeing. Every visitor who sees the fireworks display will feel repaid by that show alone for the trip to Charlotte. Take THE NEWS’ word for that.

During the celebration, three balloons were released. One of the balloons had a deed to a lot in Dilworth:

BROWN GETS THE DEED. 5/21/1891 p.1 The Balloon is Found by the Side of the Beattie’s Ford Road Six Miles From Town, by J. E. Brown, Who Gets a Lot in Dilworth. One of the original features of the fireworks display last night, was the sending up of a balloon, to which was attached a tin box, bearing a certificate that the finder would be entitled to a deed for a lot in Dilworth. Three balloons were sent up. The certificate was carried by the second balloon. All three balloons sailed high over the city in a northwesterly direction. The first balloon landed at Biddleville. The second sailed out of sight; the third was burned by fireworks at a great height. This morning, as Mr. J. E. Brown, who lives near the Capp’s Hill Mine, was coming to town, his attention was attracted by a balloon lying in a field by the Beattie’s Ford Road six miles from town. He picked up the balloon and saw the tin box attached. He broke open the box and found the certificate entitling him to a lot in Dilworth. The certificate was signed by E. D. Latta, president and J. L. Chambers, secretary, and called for a deed to lot No. 2, in block 69. That block is located in the southern portion of Dilworth, and the lot fronts on Springville Avenue. It is one of the prettiest lots in Dilworth.

As you’ve likely been able to infer, Meck Dec Day is a huge deal for Charlotteans. So much so, that the city asked and successfully hosted four United States presidents: William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Gerald Ford.

In 1995, the Meck Dec Day celebration was re-established to take place annually at Independence Square on the crossing of Trade and Tryon Streets in Uptown Charlotte. Independence Square has four statues, each in one corner of the square to represent Transportation, The Future, Commerce and Industry.

Happy Meck Dec Day!

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REFERENCES

Inscoe, Corey. 5 Things you Probably Didn’t Know about Meck Dec Day—and How To Celebrate this Weekend. Charlotte Five. Accessed May 2019. https://www.charlottefive.com/meck-dec-day-2017/

Kent, Tricia. Five Facts to Know About Meck Dec Day. UNC-Charlotte. Accessed May 2019. https://inside.uncc.edu/news-features/2018-05-18/five-facts-know-about-meck-dec-day

Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room. 1891 Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence Celebrations. CMStory. Accessed May 2019. https://www.cmstory.org/exhibits/mecklenburg-declaration-independence-celebration-timeline/1891-mecklenburg-declaration

Syfert, Scott. The First American Declaration of Independence? The Disputed History of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence of May 20, 1775. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland Company, Inc., 2014.

Williams, Jim. The Mecklenburg Declaration: The Celebrations. Mecklenburg Historical Association. Accessed May 2019. https://www.meckdec.org/declaration/the-celebrations

IMAGES

Captain Jack Statue. Image. Accessed May 2019.  https://www.mecknc.gov/ParkandRec/TrailOfHistory/Pages/CaptainJack.aspx

Mecklenburg Declaration Sidewalk Plaque. Image. Accessed May 2019.  https://www.cmstory.org/exhibits/robinson-spangler-north-carolina-room-image-collection-hornets-nest/mecklenburg-declaration

Mecklenburg Resolves. Image. Accessed May 2019.  https://archive.org/stream/documentsillustr00libr#page/6/mode/2up

North Carolina State Flag. Image. Accessed May 2019. https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/north-carolina/state-flag/flag-north-carolina

Crawl through a jungle cave and dig for treasure as you think about all you can be and do!

Have an out-of-this world, silly adventure with The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD® exhibit at ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center May 25 through Sept. 8, 2019.

The much-loved MR. POTATO HEAD character will lead young visitors and parents on a number of fun and educational adventures. From jungle safaris to archeological digs, each activity will provide children with engaging learning experiences.

The exotic and fanciful exhibit is designed to develop school readiness and academic skills for young children, focusing on literacy, problem solving, mathematics, science and social studies. It is based on developmental milestones set by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and national academic standards.

The 1,500-square-foot exhibit, targeted to children ages 3-8, was created by the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum in collaboration with PLAYSKOOL, the infant/preschool toy division of Hasbro, Inc.

Visitors will find interactive play areas within the exhibit, including:

WELCOME! – The fun begins with an awe-inspiring collection of MR. POTATO HEAD parts and accessories as well as an anthology to depict the character’s wild adventures.

SPUD QUEST – While on an archeological dig in search of the statue of King Tato, visitors will need to decipher “tatoglyphs” and solve mazes to find the statue’s secret caché. Guests will use special maps to explore the treasure chamber and excavate the dig site to uncover fun artifacts from the King’s past, while reconstructing the King’s crown and weighing the discoveries in MR. POTATO HEAD’s research tent.

SPUD SAFARI – While roaming jungles with MR. POTATO HEAD, visitors can enjoy a pretend mudslide or venture inside a cave in search of mysterious objects.  Guests should listen carefully to identify sounds in the jungle, discover camouflaged and hidden creatures, and gain a different perspective when they use special lenses and cameras to see the world through the eyes of silly birds, bugs and animals.

Plan your visit

Admission to the exhibit is free. The exhibit is open during ImaginOn building hours: Monday – Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday – Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. (ImaginOn is closed on Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day for summer hours.) but entry will close 30 minutes prior to building closing time. For more information, call 704-416-4600 or visit imaginon.org.

Information for groups

Can I bring a group? Yes! Groups are welcome to visit The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD exhibit after 12 p.m., Monday - Saturday. Reservations are neither required nor accepted and entry into The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD exhibit is always on a first-come, first-served basis. However, if you wish to combine your visit to the exhibit with any other building-wide activity, a group visit booking is required. You can make a request at  imaginon.org/calendar/group-visits.

Can a group make a reservation to visit The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD exhibit? No, all visits to the exhibit happen on a first-come, first-served basis. Families are encouraged to take advantage of Family Time, if your schedule allows. (See below for details.)

Is there a time when the exhibit is open just for families? Yes! Family Time for The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD exhibit is every Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. During this time, the exhibit is open just for children with their parents/caregivers. (Limit five (5) children per adult.)

Can children visit the exhibit by themselves? Children under age 8 must be with a caretaker at all times. Caretakers should be at least 12 years old and mature enough to follow ImaginOn rules and guidelines. Chaperones are required for all groups visiting ImaginOn and the exhibit.

What if the exhibit is full when I arrive? Because visitor safety is our top priority, admittance into the exhibit is limited. This allows guests the ability to fully explore the exhibit at their own pace. If the exhibit is “full,” we have a queuing area where visitors can wait to enter the exhibit on a first-come, first-served basis. We have suggested activities to pass the time while you are in line.

The summer exhibit at ImaginOn is funded through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Humanities Endowment Fund, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD exhibit was created by the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum in collaboration with Hasbro. MR. POTATO HEAD is a registered trademark of Hasbro, Inc. and is used with permission. © 2019 Hasbro. All rights reserved. The national exhibit tour is sponsored by the Northwestern Mutual Foundation, with additional support provided by Debra Altshul-Stark and Brian Stark, and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

Throughout the 6 classes offered in this program, seniors have access to hands-on learning in the areas of computer basics, web basics, Microsoft Word and Excel basics, mobile devices and library digital resources, and social media.

Not only will participants attend a graduation ceremony to celebrate their achievements, but they will also be more proficient in using a computer in their everyday life.

While the Library offers numerous programs to help with digital literacy, this program is unique. DigiLit Community takes the curriculum, staff and devices into the community to reach those who may face barriers in accessing a traditional library facility and program. Thanks to a new gift from the Van Every Foundation to support two portable computer labs, DigiLit will be in the community even more.

It also offers a structured sequential curriculum (as opposed to a one-time class) and individualized practice time to make the sessions relevant to the student's needs.

DigiLit Community helps advance the Library's overall mission to improve lives and build a stronger community.

More about Digital Inclusion at the Library

We asked Justin Perry to share his perspective on libraries, our city, and building a stronger community:

Born in Presbyterian hospital 38 years ago, a lot has changed in my hometown since 1980. It’s bigger and shinier, but also more divided in many ways.

We have a more picturesque skyline, more restaurants, and more big events. We also have more segregated schools, bigger gaps between haves and have nots, and greater social distance between different sets of people than ever.

However, as I walk down North Tryon Street in our rapidly growing uptown, I see a familiar face in a familiar place. 

As I step into the Main Library, I see an Irwin Avenue Elementary classmate who recently began working there. We share an embrace and experience instant nostalgia.

Immediately after, I see two Charlottes up close and personal. One man with tattered clothes, and luggage likely carrying all of his possessions is flanked by another wearing a suit, topcoat, and cuff links that likely retail for more than his contemporary’s possessions. While I could cynically discuss the realities of such gaps, I’d like to acknowledge the beauty of this hub that was central to my childhood providing both men with free and equitable access.

From expanded internet access, hard copy and audiobook versions of literature, staff members willing and able to provide historical presentations with primary sources, programming for children, and supports for adults at various reading levels, there’s no shortage of free offerings from the Library to the public.​

Unlike many parts of our society, the Library doesn’t focus on who you know, what “stock you come from,” or what you can offer it. The Library actually asks and answers the rare question of what it can do for you. In a society full of opportunities for division, the Library seeks to fill gaps that at times can seem overwhelming in a community that has just started facing some of these uncomfortable realities.

​On a Monday winter night in January, 1,200-1,500 people of various racial, socioeconomic, age, and ZIP code backgrounds packed into a congregation and overflow of First Baptist Church West to see Richard Rothstein and local community members discuss our affordable housing crisis and Rothstein’s book The Color of Law, detailing our government’s segregation of our nation. This response doesn’t occur without Charlotte Mecklenburg Library freely distributing the book at their various regional locations throughout the community.

Our largely divided community took a step in coming together for shared knowledge and a vital movement. While it will take sustained commitment to grow more intentionally, a vital cog in that growth being more equitable will be investment in growing our free, public Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system.

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Justin Perry is a therapist for people coping with mental health and substance use disorders. He is also an advocate and speaker on behalf of social justice and equity in education, housing and criminal justice throughout the Charlotte Mecklenburg region.