Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is committed to providing our customers assistance and guidance even when we are not physically open. Our Job Help Center is available digitally to assist with your career and job seeking needs.

We will continue to update our Job Help Center Virtual Job Board daily with new employment opportunities. New jobs can be accessed here

Job Help Center staff can also provide feedback and guidance via our resume review process, where you can submit your resume to [email protected]  and we will review it, provide notes and feedback within 3-4 business days.

If you need additional employment information or resources, please access the North Carolina Employment Security Commission for all of your employment needs.

Additional resources:
Access NC job postings and information here

Throughout Charlotte, 3D printers are whirring around the clock. Eight of them belong to your Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the phrase “we’re all in this together” has never been more apparent. A shortage of personal protective equipment for health care workers has brought together a local and national community of “makers” to fill the gap between supply and demand with creativity and collaboration.

On Monday, a surgeon from Atrium Health sent an email to Seth Ervin, the Library’s Innovation Leader, asking about the Library’s 3D printer capacity. Using a design from a local doctor, she was seeking community help in printing materials to assemble face shields urgently needed in area hospitals.

With libraries closed and the city sheltering in place, 3D printers were quickly moved from Library makerspaces to staff members’ homes, and round-the-clock production began immediately.

Aubrey Hedrick, the Library’s Makerspace Coordinator, oversees the Library’s involvement. Each mask requires a faceplate mechanism, printed on the 3D printers. The parts are collected in batches and brought to a centralized area where they are sanitized and assembled with a face shield cut of clear plastic. Library printers can produce parts for about 20 masks each day. “We are contributing to a much larger community effort, with participants ranging from local makers to professional designers, led by a team from UNC Charlotte, Charlotte Latin, and Discovery Place Education. They’ve formed a group called Charlotte MEDI (Medical Emergency Device Innovation) and have reached out into the maker community to build a solid process and infrastructure to make it all happen. The Library is glad to help.”

The Library team began using Library supplies, but those are quickly running out. Charlotte MEDI has set up a gofundme campaign, and donations will be used for purchasing 3D filament, PETG sheeting (for the face shield) and elastic, which is already becoming hard to find. The group is also working on scaling up production by involving area manufacturing companies with injection molding capabilities. Today, the group’s goal is to produce 1,000 masks per week. With injection molding, that can increase tenfold.

Printers are whirring. We’re in this together.

Library makerspaces began in 2015 with an investment in innovation from the Knight Foundation. The latest is at the newly renovated North County Regional location, outfitted with a generous gift from Lowe’s Corporation.

Since 1996, April has been designated National Poetry Month by the Academy of American Poets.  The purpose of this monthlong celebration is to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry in the United States. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is offering a variety of online poetry programs during April to celebrate.

National Poetry Month each April is the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K-12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, bloggers, and, of course, poets marking poetry's important place in our culture and our lives. 

On April 21, Charlotte Readers Podcast, named best podcast in Charlotte 2019 by Queen City Nerve, will host five Queen City poets, who share their love of poetry and their poetry journeys and perform two of their poems.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and Charlotte Readers Podcast partnered to bring these local poets to the podcast stage in celebration of National Poetry Month. You will hear poetry by Bluz, Jay Ward, Kathie Collins, Kia Flow and Shane Manier. 

About the poets --

Bluz:

slam champion, spoken word artist, Emmy award winner and coach of SlamCharlotte, a competitive poetry team that won multiple National Poetry Slam  championships

Jay Ward:

poet and teaching artist, youth slam poetry coach and winner of National Poetry Slam and Individual World Poetry Slam championships.

Kathie Collins:

a published poet, student of Jungian psychology, graduate instructor and co-founder of Charlotte Center for Literary Arts.

Kia Flow:

poet, author, stage performer, National Poetry Slam championship team member and recipient of Poet of Influence award by The Jax Poetry Fest

Shane Manier:

creative coach, artist, live event painter, poetry mentor, National Spoken Word Poet and youngest poet to  be inducted into the Poetry Council of North Carolina

Be sure to check our social media channels for special sneak previews leading up to the poetry panel discussion podcast.

The panel discussion with the local poets will be available on the Charlotte Readers podcast on April 21. 

National Poetry Month Booklist

Please watch the Library website for updates on events and available resources.

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 virtual programming for children, teens and adults. See a complete listing of this upcoming programming for the week of 4/6/2020 below. Click the corresponding links for more information and register for programs where applicable.

Learn more about online programming by clicking here

Monday 4/6

Family Storytime - 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  Learn More

Mindful Monday -12 p.m. (Adult programming)  Register

Book a Librarian - My Next Step – 12 p.m.  (Teen programming)   Register

Book a Librarian - My Next Step – 1 p.m. (Teen programming)  Register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   Register

Book a Librarian - General Reference – 2:30 p.m.   REgister

Online Listen and Move Storytime – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  Learn More

Tuesday 4/7               

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

Aprendiendo Juntos en Casa – 10 a.m. (information to be emailed to prior participants)

Learning Circle: The Science of Well-Being – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  Register

Book a Librarian - My Next Step – 12 p.m. (Teen programming)  Register

Creating Virtual Resumes with the Job Help Center – 1 p.m. (Teen and Adult programming)   Register

Book a Librarian - My Next Step – 1 p.m.  (Teen programming)   Register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   Register

Book a Librarian - General Reference – 2:30 p.m.   Register

Book a Librarian - Children's Reference – 3 p.m.  Register

Book a Librarian - Children's Reference – 3:30 p.m.   Register

WFAE Presents: Podcasting 101 – 6:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   Register

Wednesday 4/8

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

Poetry in Pajamas – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  Register

Book a Librarian - My Next Step – 12 p.m. (Teen programming)  Register

Book a Librarian - My Next Step – 1 p.m. (Teen programming)   Register

Learning Circle: Intro to HTML and CSS – 1 p.m. (Adult programming)  Learn More

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   Register

Book a Librarian - General Reference – 2:30 p.m.   Register

Basics of Active Reading for Parents – 3 p.m. (Adult programming)  Register

Online Listen and Move Storytime – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   Learn More

Thursday 4/9

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

Write Like You Mean It – 10 a.m. (Adult programming)  Learn More

Aprendiendo Juntos en Casa – 10 a.m. (information to be emailed to prior participants)

e-Resource Highlight Video for Adults – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  Learn More

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  Learn More

Book a Librarian - My Next Step – 12 p.m. (Teen programming)  Register

Creating Virtual Resumes with the Job Help Center – 1 p.m. (Adult and Teen programming)   Register

Book a Librarian - My Next Step – 1 p.m. (Teen programming)  Register

Active Reading Mentor Training – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)   Register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   Register

Book a Librarian - General Reference – 2:30 p.m.   Register

Book a Librarian - Children's Reference – 3 p.m.   Register

Book a Librarian - Children's Reference – 3:30 p.m.   Register

Friday 4/10 - Library Holiday, no programming

Saturday 4/11

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

Read Like A Star Book Club – 10 a.m. (Adult programming)   Learn More

You’re doing a great job social distancing, but what happens when you start to run out of ideas? Or maybe you’ve read everything on your wish list for the wonderful e-books and e-audiobooks you’re downloading from Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s digital resources.  

One of many great online resources the Library offers is Universal Class. Universal Class provides 540 self-paced courses and offers learners the opportunity to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) as well as certificates of completion. It’s a wonderful asset if you want to further your education or need to brush up on work skills, but you might be surprised to learn that there’s much more to Universal Class than that. 

Pet and Animal Care 

Dog lovers will find several courses to help with your “new coworker,” from Dog Training 101 and Advanced Dog Training to Dog Grooming and Dog Psychology. If you enjoy hearing the twitter of birds, consider learning about Bird Watching and then spend some time admiring your backyard visitors or learn more about marine life, snakes or wildlife rehabilitation. 

 

Cooking and Baking 

Many of us want to become better cooks or bakers, but don’t usually have the time. Universal Class can teach you basic cooking and baking skills or you can take a more tailored class on baking bread, pies or cookies; cake decorating; or even Italian and Tex Mex cooking. Feel free to share your new skills with your favorite Library staffers when we re-open! 

Mix it Up 

Looking for something a little off the wall? How about a course on Dream Interpretation or Haunted Places? Or maybe, after you’ve thrown out everything that doesn’t bring you joy, you can learn How to Decorate a Room or Feng Shui techniques and then do some interior re-designing of your own.  

Looking for something considered to be more traditional?  Get your creativity going with drawing, knitting or writing classes.  

All you need to explore all of this (and more) is your Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card. Don’t have one? You can apply online and start enjoying everything the Library has to offer from home. 

In 1875, St. Peter’s Hospital, the first non-military hospital in North Carolina, was founded to serve the underprivileged Charlotte community.  

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1910 

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church formed the Church Aid Society after an inspiring message by Reverend Benjamin Bronson on taking care of the underprivileged and sick in Charlotte’s community. Patients were first treated at the church, but Jane Wilkes and other Church Aid Society women recognized the need for a hospital setting to better serve their patients.   

Jane Wilkes (1827-1913) 

St. Peter’s underwent several location changes and renovations in its operation. In 1875-1876, the hospital rented two rooms in Mr. Ferdinand Kuester’s home on East Seventh Street between College Street and the North Carolina Railroad. While serving patients at this location, St. Peter’s Hospital came to be known as the Charlotte Home and Hospital, which only served white patients (Jane Wilkes later aided in the fundraising and founding of Good Samaritan Hospital in 1892 to serve the black community). 

St. Peter’s Hospital, 1907 

In 1877, a single story, four-bedroom permanent facility was built on the corner of Sixth and Popular Streets. In 1907, the facility expanded to twenty-one rooms, five baths, seven closets and several storage rooms. By 1899, Charlotte Home and Hospital returned to its original name, St. Peter’s Hospital, after the organization amended its charter. 

Donations from St. Peter’s Episcopal Church board members and their belief in strengthening Charlotte’s healthcare system enabled the hospital to stay open as their services rapidly expanded. The success of the hospital soon attracted people as far away as New Hampshire and Alabama.  

Charlotte Memorial Hospital, 1940 

With many patients visiting from other states, St. Peter’s eventually expanded to the edges of its property lot in 1935. Five years later, the hospital moved to Memorial Hospital due , in part, to the trustees of St. Peter's Hospital, who worked to form the new medical facility. Today, it is known as Atrium Health (formerly named Carolinas Medical Center). 

St. Peter’s Hospital served patients in the Charlotte community for 60 years and became one of the most recognizable hospitals in the southeast. After much expansion and growth over the years, the hospital is now known as the Carolinas Medical Center. 

--

Sources 

Houser, Jeffrey. St. Peter’s Hospital, Charlotte’s First Civilian Hospital. Charlotte Museum of History. Accessed March 2020. https://charlottemuseum.org/st-peters-hospital-charlottes-first-civilian-hospital/ 

Photos courtesy of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. 

St. Peter’s Hospital. CMStory.org. Accessed March 2020. https://www.cmstory.org/exhibits/turn-20th-century-life-charlotte-1900-1910-medicine/st-peters-hospital 

Don’t forget!

Library Week at Carowinds is next week.  And by the way, we’ll have Storytimes too!

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library cardholders can get discounted tickets to the Carowinds theme park from July 22, 2019 through July 28, 2019.

To purchase discounted tickets, Library cardholders can click the button below and login with the username CM and password LIBRARY (case sensitive).

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

PURCHASE CAROWINDS LIBRARY WEEK TICKETS

Storytimes at Carowinds!

During Library Week, the Library will provide three Storytimes each day of the week at the Peanuts in the Camp Theater.  Hang out with all your favorite Peanuts pals and participate in Storytime with some of the library’s best staff!

• Monday, July 22, 2019 – 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 23, 2019 – 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 24, 2019 – 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, July 25, 2019 – 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• Friday, July 26, 2019 – 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Check out what’s going on at the Library!

Summer Break Events

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].

On July 20, 1969, two American astronauts became the first humans to set foot on the moon. That was 50 years ago.

For nine days in the month of July, 1969, the people of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County followed the Apollo 11 Mission with breathless attention. Like other Americans, they knew this was the culmination of a decade of effort. After the turbulence of the 1960s, many hungered for a story of ingenuity, determination and bravery that all could celebrate together. 

In keeping with NASA’s policy of openness about the space program, much of the voyage was shown and analyzed on television. Every moment was fraught with peril. The deaths of the three astronauts of Apollo One, a year and a half prior, confirmed that the risks were real. One local resident, interviewed years later by the Charlotte Observer, recalled “marveling at the minute-by-minute planning and waiting in suspense.” (Ann Doss Helms, “Man on Moon, Wonder in Gaston” Charlotte Observer, July 20, 1989, p.1 of Gaston Observer section.)  

The actual moonwalk lasted from 11:00 p.m. Sunday night to 1:00 a.m. Monday morning. President Nixon informally declared July 21, 1969, “Moonday.” North Carolina state workers got the day off, but others reported to work bleary-eyed. The Observer reported that traffic was light uptown and that the Apollo mission was “all anyone could talk about." (“In Charlotte, N.C., Moon-Struck Relief . . . Sighs,” Charlotte Observer, July 22, 1969, p.9A) 

The Welch family owned a dance studio in Shelby, NC, in 1969. A photograph of their tribute to the Apollo 11 Mission was printed in the Charlotte Observer on July 25, the day after splashdown. 

“’We were together, but separated, like Columbia and Eagle,’ said Welch.”  

Charlotte Observer, July 25, 1969, p.9A 

One local boy turned eleven years old on the weekend of the moon landing. His family created a three-foot high birthday cake in the shape of a Saturn rocket. “When the candles that formed the numerals “11” were touched off, the burn was so intense that the “O” in Apollo was badly scorched.” (“Birthday Blastoff,” Charlotte Observer, July 24, 1969, p.1B)

Fortunately, the real Apollo 11 suffered no such fate, fulfilling the hopes of all who watched. 

Each summer Charlotte Mecklenburg Library encourages people of all ages to participate in our summer learning program, Summer Break: Read, Learn, Explore. There are lots of reasons why! We think one of the best parts of Summer Break is hearing from participants about all the wonderful, little, powerful or unexpected ways that the program has impacted their lives. From encouraging participants to further explore the city, to motivating students to read all summer long, we’ve compiled some notable stories. Keep reading for inspiration.  

Summer Break Keeps Kids Reading All Summer Long 

Last year, one family was able to visit Carowinds for the first time, thanks to Summer Break. This year, the kids reminded their mom about the Summer Break program! On the last day of school, they asked if she would bring them to the Library so they could register and get their coupons for a free Jr. Frosty from Wendy's. They have already completed the program, but the kids have promised to continue reading and logging their time each week so that they’ll be eligible to receive a Carowinds ticket again this summer. Way to go super summer readers! We’re glad our partnership with Carowinds is motivating you to read all summer long. 

For details on how you can become eligible for a Carowinds ticket check out our website for details. 

Summer Break Encourages Participants to Explore Their Community 

For one new-to-Charlotte mom and her family, Summer Break provided a great resource to not only get her child to read, but to help her learn about the area. Staff shared information with her about the Mint Museum’s free admission on Wednesday evenings and the four-mile greenway walk that was close by, both activities can count toward completion of Summer Break. The mom was super excited for her family to EXPLORE more of the city with help from our Summer Learning program.  

Look here for even more ways to explore this summer. 

Summer Break Waives Fines So You Can Read More 

A mother and her children visited the Library and discovered that, while they had been checking out a lot of library materials, they had also forgotten to return some books on time which accrued late fees. With Summer Break, the family received fine waivers just for signing up and they used those fine waivers to clear their library accounts. The kids were thrilled about the Wendy’s Jr. Frosty coupons and the opportunity to earn more prizes got them excited about reading over the summer. Thanks to the fine waivers, mom was able to let them check out all the books they wanted.  

Has Summer Break Made an Impact on You? 

If you have a story you’d like to share about Summer Break we’d love to hear it!  You can email us at [email protected], fill out the contact us form on our website or tell any staff member next time you visit the library! 

Did you know the Library offers databases on science? Try out one or more of these digital resources for free with your Library card and learn something new! 

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the July 1969 moon landing by exploring the great digital resources Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has on science. Our databases - for all ages - can help you explore everything from how the moon causes ocean tides,  in-depth history behind NASA’s space program and discover other science topics. 

What can research do? Economists have said that a third to a half of U.S. economic growth has resulted from basic research since World War II. The cars and trains that got you where you are today, your smart phones, the energy that lights your room, the clothes you wear, the food you eat: all of these were developed and improved through research. 

All databases and resources can be accessed using your Charlotte Mecklenburg Library or ONE Access™ card number.  

PebbleGo Science 

PebbleGo Science is a research tool targeted for children grades K-3 that covers key topics in life sciences, physical sciences , Earth and space science, and engineering and technology applications of science.  This online resource contains leveled text, simple navigation, and read-aloud audio accompany articles.  

Click here to explore 

PowerKnowledge Earth and Space Science 

This database is an online Earth & Space science resource specifically designed for learners in grades 3 to 6. Use this online resource to learn more about earth cycles, ecosystems and biomes, rocks, energy and matter, maps, natural disaster, environmental issues, space and more. It offers games and ideas for science fair projects and experiments, and presents information in text and video. 

Click here to explore 

PowerKnowledge Life Science 

This online resource, targeted for learners in grades 3 to 6,  focused on Life Science. Topics include animals, endangered and extinct species, food chains, green living, habitats, the human body, plants and more. The site offers games, brain teasers, ideas for science fair projects and experiments, and presents information in text and video.

Click here to explore  

PowerKnowledge Physical Science 

This is an online Physical Science resource designed for learners in grades 3 to 6. Topics include atoms, molecules, elements and the periodic table, energy and matter, force and motion,  temperature and measurement, and more. The site offers games, brain teasers, ideas for science fair projects and experiments, and presents information in text and video. 

 Click here to explore 

Science in Context 

This database is targeted to adults and provides reference content for many topics of interest A to Z – from 3D printing to fluid dynamics, from bees to metabolism, and from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to zoology. Plus, you’ll also find access to magazines, journals, news sources, experiments, and more. Science In Context covers earth science, life science, space, technology, mathematics, science history, and biography. 

Click here to explore