See yourself changing jobs or finding the career of your dreams in 2020? We can help.

First Mondays Employer Spotlight is a monthly hiring event in the Job Help Center at Main Library, typically showcasing 2-3 employers at a time. However, the inaugural First Monday 2020 event on January 6, 2020, will be held at Main Library from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and feature more than 15 employers to kick off the new decade with big opportunities.

The companies currently scheduled to host a table at the event (subject to change) are:

• Carowinds
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
• ConferenceDirect
• Elite Resources Premier Staffing
• Grace-Mar Services
• LSG Sky Chefs
• Occupancy Heroes Inc.
• Parks and Recreation Mecklenburg County
• PromoWorks
• QuikTrip
• Snyder's lance-/Campbell Soup
• The Princeton Review
• The Reserves Network
• United States Postal Service
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• YMCA of Greater Charlotte

Come out and discover what could be your next career! Learn more about the event here.

What is Library Codelab?

Library Codelab is a technology series based on the concepts of accessibility, collaboration and fun.  Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and community partners will offer monthly meetups for adults to explore different coding languages through projects and hands-on practice. We offer resources, motivation and access to a community of coders in a non-intimidating environment. At each meeting, we focus on a different coding language or concept and work together on a project.

The meetings are intended as an introduction to a concept, so you understand it enough to supplement the class time with self-paced learning (such as Codecademy, Udacity, Lynda.com). For example, in our JavaScript 101 class, we'll introduce you to JavaScript, use W3Schools to practice together, build a JavaScript function that produces a pop-up on a webpage, then respond to user input. We will meet monthly at different locations throughout Charlotte.

Who is Library Codelab for?

This group is meant for adults with an interest in coding or those who have tried to learn on their own but want or need more support as they learn. If you don't feel ready to attend some of the major Charlotte tech Meetups (Charlotte Devs, Code for Charlotte, Queen City Bytes, etc.) but still want to learn, this is the group for you. Our group allows you to learn from other beginners and ask all the questions. It can also be a great environment for getting a taste of different coding languages to help you decide what you might like to deep dive into. It's really meant as a first step into the world of learning to code.

Do I have to know how to code to join?

Absolutely not. You do need to have relatively good computer skills and a love for technology—but you don't have to know anything about coding before you come. At each meeting we tackle a topic as if we’ve never seen it before, but if you have, it can be great review and help you grasp a topic completely. Most members have tried to learn code on their own, or are at least familiar with HTML, but have struggled with learning it alone or aren’t sure where to go next in their coding journey. Join us at our next meetup to explore all that Library Codelab has to offer!

Upcoming events

Library Codelab: Intro to Web Concepts & Tech Careers​ –  Beatties Ford Regional Library, Randolph Room – 2412 Beatties Ford Rd.

This introductory workshop covers the fundamentals of web development in layman terms. This is a no-code workshop. It covers basic concepts like the difference between a client and a server, the difference between backend and front end code, and the typical web development team. The course also includes a brief overview of modern web concepts including cloud/DevOps.

Other Info

The final 30 minutes of the workshop will be dedicated to a round table discussion and open Q&A about tech careers/working in the field. If you have questions around getting started, resources, languages and tools to use, this will be a great time to get them answered. The presenters of this portion of the session currently work in the field and have non-traditional (bootcamp and/or self taught) backgrounds. Their experience includes front end, full stack development, and distributed database knowledge. This class is for people with little technical experience, or those just starting to explore opportunities in the technical field.

Register here  January 25, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Library Codelab: Intro to Web Concepts & Tech Careers – Beatties Ford Regional Library, Community Room B

Join us at this program if you are familiar with web concepts, but would like the opportunity to have an intimate, round-table discussion specifically on careers in technology.

Other Info

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS: Cristina Veale is a Developer Advocate at DataStax, QCB Organizer, and Engagement Director of Fleurix Conference. The first meetup she ever attended was an Intro to Web Concepts course(!) which spurred her interest towards frontend development. Cristina has been developing web applications, teaching, and advocating for underrepresented groups in technology for the past five years and counting. Louise Clark is a front end developer at Duke Energy. She decided to switch careers and become a developer after more than a decade of teaching Latin American history at local universities. Louise also has three kids who think it's entirely possible she might code the next Minecraft game someday.

Register here  January 28, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

Library Codelab: Intro to Programming with QC Bytes​ – Independence Regional, IB Community Room – 6000 Conference Dr.

Queen City Bytes is partnering with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library to bring you a Winter Coding series! Snacks will be provided. You are encouraged to bring your own laptop and charger. Variables? Loops? Syntax? It sounds complicated, but programming is simply providing instructions to a computer. Similar to a person following a recipe, a computer needs to be told step by step what to do in a way it can understand. In this workshop you will learn more about the basics of programming and logic. Attendees will gain exposure to creating flow charts, writing code snippets, and a general approach for building a program.

Other Info

This workshop is designed for those completely new to programming. A laptop is recommended, however the library will be able to provide one if needed. All resources will be shared via the library's mailing list and on www.meetup.com/qc-bytes.

Register here  February 1, 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Library Codelab: Intro to Programming/Open Lab – Plaza Midwood Library, Community Room, – 1623 Central Avenue

Curious about learning to code, but don't know where to start? Join us for this introductory class focused on how the web works, programming logic and and intro to common programming languages. No computer is needed for this class. Beginners are welcome.

Register here  February 5, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Want to learn more?
Join our email list here or find us on Meetup here.

Welcome to the second week of Summer Break! We hope your summer is off to a great start and you're recording all of the time you've spent reading and learning.  As a reminder, Summer Break  2019  began on June 1, 2019  and will run through August 10, 2019.  If you have any questions about Summer Break, check out how the program works and sign up here.  

Looking for Reading Suggestions?  

We all know reading is important, but did you know that kids and teens who do not read over the summer may experience 2-3 months of learning loss by the time school starts in the fall? Reading is just as important for adults because it keeps adult brains flexible and nimble. Plus, adults who read serve as great role models for kids. That's why we recommend 20 minutes of reading per day for everyone all summer.   

We know that it can be hard to come up with a list of great books to read, so Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff are here to help. We have updated our reading lists for kids, teens and adults so that you can keep your brains active. Staff at your local library can also help you with book recommendations. Continue reading and remember to enter your reading time in your Summer Break account!  

Teen Book Finder by YALSA - Teens searching for their next great read have a new tool linked within the Resources page. The Teen Book Finder by YALSA facilitates searching of YALSA Award winners, books and media lists. Teens can search over 4,000 titles specifically written for teens 12 to 18 years of age by award, author, genre or award year. Cover art and brief blurbs are sure to help connect teens with their next great reads! 

Novelist Plus - Still feeling stumped? Readers of all ages are sure to connect with a terrific title by searching within Novelist Plus, also available through the Resources page. Search your favorite title, genre, or author to find a read-alike, browse subject-specific lists or try getting really detailed with an advanced search for your next read. Novelist Plus has something for even the most discerning of readers!  

Exciting Programs - Though our Summer Break 2019 program can be completed entirely online, our libraries are hosting some wonderful programs this summer. Check out some of our upcoming programs at branches around the county on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library program calendar.  

Comments? Questions?  

Are you having problems with the Summer Break 2019 website or your account?  Do you have questions about the program? Feel free to stop by your local library branch for assistance, give us a call at 704-416-0101 or email us at  [email protected]  for help or feedback.  

Would you ever consider treating your appreciation of reading mystery books like a college course? You may be exposed to a wide-range of historical and modern mysteries in “The Secrets of Great Mystery and Suspense Fiction” video series available on Kanopy. Kanopy is a video streaming service, offering more than 30,000 independent and documentary films. “The Great Courses” series is included with a cardholder’s access to the service. The series contains 36 college-level lectures in digital formats and this course about crime fiction.  

Hosted by David Schmid, an associate professor of English at the University of Buffalo, the lectures average 31 minutes each. Well-versed on the subjects, Schmid has written and edited several books and publications about crime and popular fiction.  

During the first lecture, various genres of fiction are mentioned. Schmid identifies mystery fiction as the catch-all for all types whether "cozy," "hard-boiled," "historical" or others with, typically, a "whodunit" theme. Conversely, suspense fiction "arguably contains no mystery at all, because we know the identity of the criminal from the beginning of the story," Schmid said. In any regard, Schmid concludes that these books "have some element of mystery that's meant to challenge and to entertain us."

The course begins with an examination of the first actual mystery novels including a focus on the trendsetter Edgar Allan Poe with his 1841 story, The Murders in the Rue Morgue. From this publication came elements borrowed repeatedly for mystery books including an eccentric amateur detective, an admiring sidekick and crime in an urban setting. Schmid discusses other writers’ contributions in the first lecture titled "Mystery Fiction's Secret Formula," but focuses on Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. Those three authors, with their detectives, C. Auguste Dupin for Poe, Sherlock Holmes for Doyle and Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple for Christie, emphasized their use of intelligence and logic to overcome any difficult mystery.

The breadth of scope for the following individual episodes is impressive. There are exciting topic titles such as “The Criminal,” “The Sidekick,” “The Locked Room,” “The Dime Novel,” “The Femme Fatale” and 30 more. The familiar subjects of detectives, private eyes and women in crime are also presented. Additionally, Schmid’s lectures stress the genre’s push to be innovative and remain popular. That results in crime fiction with different ethnic groups, the LGBT community and different settings around the world. The mystery reader is permitted, Schmid says, an armchair view of the world with a look at different societies through the issue of handling crime.     

Also, the professor conducts his lectures from a set which could serve as the stage for a 1930s private-eye office--perhaps, the office for Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade? As Schmid talks and occasionally walks around the set, one may notice an old manual typewriter, trench coat resting on a coat rack near wooden Venetian blinds and a chestnut-wood colored set walls.

A Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card opens a world of possibilities with countless materials, digital resources, programs and services available at no cost. This summer, thanks to a partnership with Carowinds, library cardholders can also get discounted tickets to the Carolinas’ favorite theme park during Library Week, July 22-28, 2019.

Celebrate libraries and literacy in our community, and take advantage of this special benefit!

Purchase your discounted tickets

Want to purchase discounted tickets for the special Library Week? In 2018, hundreds of cardholders took advantage of this special promotion!

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library cardholders can click the button below and login with the :

username CM

password LIBRARY (case sensitive)

Discounted tickets are good Monday, July 22 - Sunday, July 28, 2019.

PURCHASE CAROWINDS LIBRARY WEEK TICKETS

No library card? No problem!

Don’t have a library card? Free library cards are available to residents of Mecklenburg County, to those who live outside of Mecklenburg County but are Mecklenburg County property owners, and to students (of any age) enrolled in any private or public school in Mecklenburg County.

Apply for a library card using the form below, and take advantage of not only the Carowinds discount, but the many, many other benefits of a Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card.

Continue the fun all summer long

The Library and Carowinds formed a partnership in 2018 to encourage the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community to read and learn during Summer Break: Read, Learn, Explore, the Library’s summer learning program.

Summer Break participants who have entered their Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card number or One Access ID in the library card field on their account, complete the program by reading 20 hours OR by reading at least 10 hours and completing 10 learning activities AND log activities for 10 out of 10 weeks are eligible to receive a free ticket to Carowinds (while supplies last).

TRACK READING TIME AND ACTIVITIES ONLINE

Summer Break is made possible by a partnership with Carowinds. Additional support for the programs comes from Wendy's and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation. A special thank you to Carowinds for providing the additional benefit of discounted tickets to library cardholders in celebration of literacy!

Welcome to Week 3 of Summer Break! Did you know that people of all ages can participate in Summer Break program? We hope that all the members of your family are having a great time participating and logging reading time and activities. Summer Break 2019 will run from June 1, 2019 until August 10, 2019. If you have any questions about Summer Break, check out how the program works and sign up here.

Digital Branch

Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, but if you are ready to beat the heat, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has you covered. Stay in the cool air conditioning and access our digital branch any time! Available 24/7 here, the Digital Branch has a variety of offerings for all ages. Find fabulous reads, literacy extension activities, and Active Reading tips on the Storytime Train. Tune in and try out one of our podcasts. Get to know our users by viewing videos in “Telling Our Story,” or watch the dialogue develop around local hot topics in Community Conversations.The Digital Branch has something for everyone to enjoy, no matter the time or location!

ImagiCON 2019

Summer is a great time for kids to explore their creativity! Pencil in Saturday, July 20, as a date for people ages 0-18 and their families to do just that at our 4^th annual ImagiCON. Visit ImaginOn: The Joe and Joan Martin Center for a fun day exploring comic books, graphic novels, cosplay, gaming, and more. Meet artists, gaming technology leaders, and attend panels between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Find out more at ImaginOn’s website here.

Celebrate Library Week at Carowinds!

In addition to offering free Carowinds tickets to eligible Summer Break participants, Carowinds also offers Library customers the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets and use them during Carowinds Library Week. This year Carowinds Library Week runs July 22-28. Purchase discounted tickets to be used during Library Week and help us celebrate Summer Break at Carowinds!

Click here to access the portal

User name: CM

Password: LIBRARY 

These are case sensitive.

Additional discounts may also be available through this portal throughout the summer.

Check Out Exciting Upcoming Programs! 

If you are looking for even more to do, all our branches have great programs throughout the summer. Did you know that attending a library event can count as a learning activity? Our libraries are hosting some wonderful programs this summer. Visit our online calendar to see a complete listing and register.

Remember: all libraries will be closed for July 4.

Comments? Questions?

Are you having problems with the Summer Break website or your account? Do you have questions about the program? Feel free to stop by your local library for assistance, give us a call at 704-416-0101 or email us at [email protected].

What does Landis Wade do?

Everything! And the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is thrilled to be along for the ride! If you’re local to Charlotte, the name “Landis” might ring a bell. An avid outdoorsman, public speaker, self-described "recovering  trial lawyer," award-winning author and host of the exciting Charlotte Readers Podcast, Landis is a native Charlottean (he graduated from Myers Park High School in 1975!) who’s making waves in the literary community. Even better? In spring 2019, the Library teamed up with him to host the Charlotte Readers Podcast!

Through the Charlotte Readers Podcast, Landis provides a platform where Charlotte-area authors, and those visiting the city, can “give voice to their written words” by reading or discussing their noteworthy works – published or emerging. Landis encourages guests to share stories and poems that evoke the emotions, followed by the kind of questions and answers that provide in-depth insight to the readings.

Hosting Charlotte Readers Podcast is a natural fit for the Library, which is an essential connector of a thriving community of readers, leaders and learners. It’s an opportunity to introduce the community to a variety of authors and writers through a growing medium in a location they can access without a subscription or special app.

Are you a fan of Landis? When he's not spending time with his beautiful wife, Janet, their two children, Jordan and Hamilin, or spending time at his cabin in the North Carolina mountains (where he likes to  read, write, hike, bike, golf and fly-fish), you can keep up with him and the latest episodes of theCharlotte Readers Podcast.

The seventh season of the Charlotte Readers Podcast begins in September 1, 2020. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE CURRENT SEASON AND ALL AVAILABLE EPISODES.

Also, be sure to follow the Charlotte Readers Podcast on social media:

Twitter: @charlottereader

Facebook: @charlottereaderspodcast

It’s week four of Summer Break! Hopefully you’ve been logging your reading time and activities, but if you haven’t, it’s not too late to enroll in the program and join in on the fun. You can even backdate your reading time to the start of the program, June 1. Keep reading, learning and exploring through the end of the program, August 10, 2019.

Making sure you get rewarded for a summer well spent

Library staff have been working hard preparing for Summer Break since September 2018 – developing recommended reading lists, engaging programs and fun incentives.

One of the biggest tasks for the team that manages the Summer Break program is choosing, ordering and sorting all the cool incentives you receive upon completion of the program. This year:

• babies and children earn a new, popular book;
• teens earn either a new, popular book OR a drawstring library tote;
• and adults earn either a car magnet OR notebook.

Once incentives are chosen, the team works with the Marketing and Communications Department to create and order lots of flyers, posters and other print materials to help us tell you all about the program. Printed pieces are sorted and distributed to all 20 library locations.

Staff then order what feels like an ocean of books for babies, children and teens. Each box must be opened, organized and sorted so that every library location has just the right selection of books for participants to choose from when they complete Summer Break.

Staff also sort drawstring book totes, notebooks and car magnets so that teen and adult completers have a variety of colors to choose from at their library location. Check out the beautiful bright yellow!

Once boxes are sorted and labeled, they are taken to the dock to be delivered to library locations.

A lot of hard work is put into Summer Break with the goal of participants enjoying the program and having fun reading and learning all summer long.

To learn more about how the Summer Break program works, and how you can sign up to participate, visit summerbreak.cmlibrary.org.

REMINDER: all library locations are closed for July 4.

Comments? Questions?

Are you having problems with the Summer Break website or your account? Do you have questions about the program? Feel free to stop by your local library for assistance, call 704-416-0101 or email [email protected].