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This blog was updated September 5, 2023 to reflect current Census data.

This blog was written by Darrell Anderson, marketing and communications specialist for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

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 157,118 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. 

Looking for events around town? Check out the Latin American Coalition's 33nd Festival Latinoamericano on September 23, 2023 in Charlotte's east side and the 11th annual Hola Charlotte Festival hosted by Norsan Media in Uptown Charlotte on October 7, 2023.

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

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This blog was written by Darrell Anderson, marketing and communications specialist for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library offers a variety of ways to immerse students in 15 different languages including Spanish, Chinese, German, and others. Along with physical copies of books, audio books, magazines, etc., the Library has the following resources and services available to support the development of educational bilingual learning:

CultureGrams details daily life and culture, including history, customs and lifestyles on more than 200 countries. You can browse by Region, Country or Continent. Use the built-in translate tool to read information in other languages.

Access

 

Kanopy Kids informs and assists in developing empathy, mindfulness and self-esteem through entertaining and educational videos. Categories include TV Series, Learning Languages, Animated Storybooks, Anime, Classic Films and Movies.

Access

 

MakeMake is a collection of e-books in Spanish for youth ages 3-15. Additionally, the interface is in Spanish and most titles are books written by Latin American writers. Click “Explorar” to expand the browsing options. Accessible on your phone or tablet.

Access

 

NC Kids Digital Library offers e-books, audiobooks, streaming videos and Read-Alongs. This collection was specifically designed for pre-K through 4th grade. The advanced search feature allows filtering by subject, language, reading level, format and much more.

Access

 

TumbleBooks is a collection of animated, talking picture books. TumbleBooks can be read by you or to you! The collection includes story books, non-fiction books, graphic novels, puzzles and games. Go to the Language “Learning Tab” to see books in French and Spanish.

Access

 

Tutor.com offers free homework help from a live, online, qualified tutor—up to 10 free tutoring sessions each week! Students can get help in English or Spanish in a wide range of subjects including math, science, English, social studies and essay review. Tutors available from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Access

 

Transparent Language combines robust courses, supplemental vocabulary, extensive grammar resources and mobile apps for a complete language-learning experience.

Access

 

World Book Encyclopedia Online includes games, stories and activities. Information is read aloud when “moused over” or touched. Go to the “Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos” for Spanish content.

Access

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This blog post was written by Sally Deason, Librarian for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The Mint Hill Branch Library is in the heart of Mint Hill and has been the home away from home for Mint Hill residents for over 60 years.  As the first town founded in Mecklenburg County, Mint Hill took shape in 1750 and built a solid community foundation. Mint Hill’s growing population now boasts over 26,000 diverse residents. Once a hub of farming and dairy production, Mint Hill is still surrounded by farmland and heavily wooded neighborhoods. It offers homegrown entertainment in a quiet community.  

Part of the Charlotte metropolitan, the hopping suburb of Mint Hill is settled just outside of the city in the southeastern portion of Mecklenburg County.  Popular town activities include the annual Mint Hill Madness festival, Scarecrow contest, weekly farmers market, Christmas parade and more.  The Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce supports new businesses and promotes all commerce in the area as well as highlights nonprofit organizations. The Town Hall sits just down the road from the library in a recently constructed facility. Adjacent to that, is the new police station. All of these are within walking distance to neighborhoods, banks, shops, restaurants (including the Carolina Creamery- yum) and your local library! Don’t forget to dig up some old-time fun with the Mint Hill Historical Society.  

Just outside of the main intersection of Lawyers Road and Matthews-Mint Hill Rd, you will find several wonderful parks. Both the Mint Hill Park on Wilgrove as well as the Mint Hill Veterans Memorial Parks are maintained by the town of Mint Hill. The new Stevens Creek Nature Preserve is part of the Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation division. All offer wonderful outdoor options for the family. Further towards Albemarle Road you will find the Simmons YMCA with the New Americans Welcome Center. The closest US Post Office is near the intersection of Lawyers Road and Wilson Grove Road, but there is a blue mailbox in front of the Mint Hill Barber Shop.  

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

Resources:

Mint Hill Branch Library | 6840 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd, Mint Hill, NC 28227 | 704-416-5200

Chamber of Commerce | 7900 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd bldg 2 ste b, Mint Hill, NC 28227 |704-573-8282

Mint Hill Parks & Recreation | 4430 Mint Hill Village Lane, Mint Hill, NC 28227 | 704-545-9726

Mint Hill Police Department | 7151 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd. Mint Hill, NC 28227 | 704-545-1085

Mint Hill Women’s Club | MHWC at 14601 Barney Dr, Mint Hill NC 28227

Mint Hill Historical Society | 7601 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd, Mint Hill, NC 28227 | 704-583-0726

Servant’s Heart | N 9229, Lawyers Rd, Mint Hill, NC 28227 | 704-680-6533

Simmons YMCA | 6824 Democracy Dr, Charlotte, NC 28212 | 704-716-6600

Town of Mint Hill | 4430 Mint Hill Village Lane, Mint Hill, NC 28227 | 704-545-9726

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It’s Spooky Season at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library! Let us help you build a spooky collection of e-books, audiobooks music and more with our digital resource, hoopla. Ready to have a spooktacular time? Check out these curated playlists and booklists below:

 

Paranormal Romance: Access here
  Best of hoopla: Horror: Access Here

Halloween Party Playlists: Access here

Halloween for Kids: Access here

Supernatural Scares: Access here

 

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This blog post was written by Jennifer Williams-Cannon, Librarian for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Spreading awareness about Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and how it affects children and adults can bring answers and solutions to those that have difficulty processing sensory input. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library offers an impressive collection of resources for those living with SPD, their parents, educators, and professionals. There are numerous tools in a variety of formats which include books, eBooks, audiobooks, and DVDs. Click on the link to view our recommendations for National Sensory Awareness Month.

Sensory Awareness Books for Children

Sensory Awareness Resources for Parents

What is Sensory Processing?

Sensory Processing Disorder affects the nervous system and interferes with the body's ability to receive messages from the senses. Sensory processing issues arise when these messages are misinterpreted, resulting in difficulties organizing and processing everyday environmental stimuli. This includes our traditional, five senses of sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell. However, we also have proprioceptive (sensations from the muscle and joint movements within our bodies) and vestibular sensory systems (feeling of our bodies in relation to the space around us). Our bodies are constantly receiving sensory information, processing the input, and adjusting our responses, without us even realizing this is happening. Sensory Processing Disorder affects this series of events, causing difficulty responding to the incoming messages throughout the day.

How does Sensory Processing Disorder affect people?

Sensory Processing Disorder can disrupt a person’s everyday life, especially with motor and behavioral functions. Seemingly routine activities can be more difficult. Sensory overload can affect attention span, coordination, and impulsivity as an individual tries to regulate the sensations they feel. Symptoms of Sensory Processing Disorder, like those of most disorders, can occur within a broad spectrum. While most of us have occasional difficulties processing sensory information, for those with SPD, these difficulties could significantly unsettle a person’s everyday life. Listed below are some examples of behaviors:

Sensory-avoidant behaviors could include:

• Difficulty with haircuts, washing or brushing hair
• Difficulty with grooming, tolerating baths, washing face, trimming nails
• Uneasiness with brushing and flossing teeth
• Acute awareness of background noises
• Refusal to wear certain clothing, often pulling or tugging on the clothing
• Upset by unexpected touch
• Very cautious, not willing to take risks
• Difficulty tolerating a loud, crowded environment
• Prefer stationary activities – avoids running, climbing, jumping, etc.
• Picky eaters-food sensitivities
• Gagging to certain food smells or textures

Sensory-seeking behaviors could include:

• Standing too close to others when speaking (having a hard time understanding personal space)
• Difficulty with balancing, following a sequence of movements (ex. “Simon Says” game)
• Constantly chewing on non-food items (ex. clothes)
• Enjoying loud noise when it is inappropriate
• Stomping or dragging feet when walking (coordination challenges)
• Enjoying bumping or crashing into others (prefers lots of “rough play”)
• Unnecessary roughness with toys, ripping paper
• Poor fine motor skills, difficulty with handwriting
• Providing pressure or squeezing certain parts of the body

For more information about National Sensory Awareness Month, check out the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation by visiting https://www.spdfoundation.net/

Source: Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation https://www.spdfoundation.net

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This blog was written by Moriah Sharpe, a library assistant at the Matthews branch of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The Matthews Library is located in the heart of downtown Matthews in southeastern Mecklenburg County. Matthews has had a public library since the 1920s, and the current location was opened in 2001. The branch shares a building with the Matthews Town Hall, with the library on the first floor and Town Hall on the second. Just outside the building is a red caboose and the old Train Depot (now the Matthews Visitor Center). Due to Matthews’s history as a railroad-centric town and the nearby Depot and railroad tracks, the branch features many train-themed decorations, including train lights overhead in the center of the library and a train-shaped desk in the children’s area. Trains still come through Matthews regularly, and the sound of the train whistle can be heard throughout the library!

The new adult fiction and nonfiction sections are the first things that greet patrons as they walk through the front doors, along with several themed displays. The children’s area is to the right, including a play area and plenty of seating. The community room, which hosts many of the branch’s programs, is located in the back right corner of the library. Several shelves between the community room and the reference desk are home to the world language collection, which includes books in Spanish, Chinese, French, Gujarati, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Telugu, Russian, German, and Vietnamese. Some of the Matthews staff are also able to communicate with patrons in Spanish, French, German, Hindi, Urdu, and American Sign Language.

On the left side of the branch are the adult and young adult sections. The Teen Corner is to the far left, tucked behind the books on disc and adult fiction sections. Across the branch, patrons can utilize the quiet study area, located behind adult nonfiction, to focus on their work in a quieter area of the library.

Seating can be found throughout the library, ranging from tall, café-style tables to comfortable armchairs. Public computers are also available for use in the computer lab in the back of the branch and throughout the building. The Matthews library is also known for its fireplace! In the winter, pick out a good book and curl up in a squashy armchair by the roaring fire.

 

Matthews history is incorporated throughout the branch as well. The Matthews Heritage Museum maintains historical displays in the lobby and near the fireplace, highlighting various aspects of local life and history. At the back of the library, a large mural takes the viewer from the beginnings of the town (then called Stumptown) in 1805 to the opening of the Library/Town Hall building in 2001.

Matthews is home to approximately 30,000 people and counting, and the town offers plenty to do for residents and visitors alike. The Matthews Heritage Trail begins behind the library and extends through the historic Crestdale area before connecting to Four Mile Creek Greenway, a total distance of 3.5 miles. The Matthews post office is a short walk away from the library, just on the other side of the railroad tracks.

 Downtown Matthews is home to multiple restaurants, including Thai Taste, White Duck Taco, Grace O’Malley’s, and Pizza Peel, as well as Brakeman’s Coffee & Supply, Carolina Beer Temple, and Seaboard Taproom, which plays host to one of the library’s book clubs, Books on Tap. Renfrow Hardware has been serving Matthews since 1900, and every Saturday morning, the space next door fills up with the bustling Farmers’ Market. Catch a play at Matthews Playhouse, stop by Stumptown Park for concerts and special events, watch a game at the Sportsplex, or visit Squirrel Lake Park for Storytime in the Park with the Matthews children’s department.

Over Labor Day weekend, downtown Matthews is shut down for the annual Matthews Alive festival, featuring rides, games, concerts, local businesses, and plenty of fried food. Don’t miss the Matthews Alive parade on the Saturday before Labor Day. You may even spot some library staff in the parade!

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

Resources

• Matthews Library: 230 Matthews Station St. Matthews, NC 28105 | 704-416-5000
• Matthews Town Hall: 232 Matthews Station St. Matthews, NC 28105 | 704-847-4411
• Matthews Heritage Museum: 232 N Trade St. Matthews, NC 28105 | 704-708-4996
• Renfrow Hardware: 188 N Trade St. Matthews, NC 28105 | 704-847-4088
• Farmers’ Market: 188 N Trade St. Matthews, NC 28105 (next to Renfrow) | Saturdays
• Matthews Playhouse: 100 E McDowell St. Matthews, NC 28105 | 704-846-8343
• Sportsplex: 2425 Sports Pkwy. Matthews, NC 28105 | 980-314-7539

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Early Voting for the 2022 election starts Thursday, Oct. 20 at 8 a.m. and is open until Saturday, Nov. 5 at 3 p.m.. There are 24 early voting locations, which include these four Libraries:

• Allegra Westbrooks Regional (Beatties Ford Road) – 2412 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216
• Independence Regional Library - 6000 Conference Dr, Charlotte, NC 28212
• Matthews Library - 230 Matthews Station St, Matthews, NC 28105
• Mint Hill Library - 6840 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd,  Charlotte, NC 28227
• Mountain Island Library - 4420 Hoyt Gavin Way, Charlotte, NC 28214
• North County Regional Library - 16500 Holly Crest Ln, Huntersville, NC 28078
• South Boulevard Library - 4429 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28209
• South County Regional Library - 5801 Rea Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277
• South Park Regional Library - 7015 Carnegie Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28211
• West Boulevard Library - 2157 West Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28208

Voting hours will vary. For all 24 early voting locations and voting hours, please click here. 

The deadline to register in-person to vote is Friday, October 9, 2020. After the regular voter registration deadline of Friday, October 14, 2022, you can same-day register and vote at any of the early voting locations during the early voting period. This process is known as same-day registration. Same-day registrants must attest to their eligibility and provide proof of residence.

Looking for voting resources? The Library’s Engage 2020 has put together information here.

For more information, please visit the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections website here.

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This blog was written by Jasmine McNeil, outreach specialist for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The Black Entrepreneur Series (BE Series) highlights Black Businesses and business owners in the Charlotte area. Find out how these entrepreneurs got their start, by joining us every week for the month of February for in-depth interviews and Q&A.

WEEK 1 (2/1-2/4)

BE Series 2023: Simply Skin Face & Body Spa - Dr. Nicole Calhoun, owner of a well-known spa in South Charlotte. Find out how she got her start, some challenges along the way and her goals for the future.

WEEK 2 (2/6-2/11)

BE Series 2023: McNeil Pressure Washing LLC - Meet the owner/operator of a local family-owned business, Malcom McNeil. Find out what sets his company apart from similar businesses in the area, and how he got his start into entrepreneurship.

BE Series 2023: The Real Estate Butterfly Firm - Christy Mercer Forbes is the Owner/Broker of The Real Estate Butterfly Firm. Find out more about her business, and the moves she’s making to be successful.

 

WEEK 3: (2/13-2/17)

BE Series 2023: Monument Real Estate Partners - Meet Johnny Walker, a commercial Real Estate Broker. Find out about his road to success and get some great advice about how to become a successful business owner.

 

WEEK 4: (2/20-2/25)

BE Series 2023: Agape Therapeutic Wellness - Charday Graham discusses how she became the owner of her own mental health practice, and her journey to how she got to where she is now.

BE Series 2023: Royal Oils Grooming Company - Owner of Royal Oils Grooming Company, Andre Russell shares his beginning to entrepreneurship. Learn about his journey and his products.

 

View the entire BE Interview Series Playlist here

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This blog was written by Darrell Anderson, marketing & communications specialist for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The stock market can be intimidating. Getting help with financial planning and investments can be costly. Who do you trust, how much do you invest, when is the right time, how much do you need to start? Even DIY investing can be costly because of the fees associated with research sites. But, you can get started today with FREE resources available at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. All you need is your library card.

Access online investment resources for FREE

With your library card, you have access to several online resources to help you get started with smart investing.

Marketscope Advisor (CFRA) provides independent, differentiated and actionable analysis to help you make better investment and business decisions. Includes S&P Global’s Equity and Fund Research business, a leading provider of independent research and commentary with offerings focused on stocks, ETFs and mutual funds as well as sectors and industries.

Mergent Online is an electronic database that is easy to use and has global business and financial data for companies worldwide.

Morningstar Investment Research Center offers real-time investment research; access to financial information about publicly traded companies, company contact information, company profiles and analyst reports; and industry peer comparisons.

Value Line Investment Survey offers advice on which stocks to buy, hold and sell. Access investment advice on stocks, industries, mutual funds, options and convertibles.

Check out some useful reading materials

In addition to the online resources and programs, the Library offers FREE investment e-magazines, magazines, periodicals and books. Access The Economist, Forbes and Entrepreneur in magazine or e-magazine formats. Check out books like The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need by Andrew Tobias and The Handy Investing Answer Book by Paul Tucci for expert tips and tricks to make the best of your personal finances. Find these and more investment titles in our catalog.