This year, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is proud to celebrate the American Library Association’s Banned Book Week with our Freedom to Read Week. This year's annual celebration will be held September 26-October 2, 2021 and will include programming for all ages that spotlight current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools.

Register an event (or two) and join us in celebrating our freedom to read!

Banned Book Week Trivia (Online)
Monday, September 27, 2021, at 6 p.m.

Calling all fans of controversial reads! Come join us for an hour of online trivia as we celebrate Freedom to Read Week! Test your knowledge of banned and challenged books.

You can have as many participants on your team as you like, but only one person will share responses per team. Only 10 "teams" may register.

This program will be provided by Mint Hill library staff and is recommended for teens and adults. Register here.
 

Banned Books Week: Make-and-Take a Tote (Outdoor)
SouthPark Regional Library
Monday, September 27, 2021, at 6 p.m.

Make-and-take your own "Banned Books" tote bag using screen printing materials. Celebrate your intellectual freedom by engaging in fun literacy activities.  Suitable for all ages, (recommended that children participating are age 7 and up.)  Registration opens at 9 a.m. on September 13.

This event will be held outside.

Banned Book Week Digital Escape Room (Online)
Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at 4 p.m.

Compete against others in a digital escape room. Who will escape first?

This program will be provided by [branch name] library staff and is recommended for teens ages 12 to 18. Register here.

Banned Book Week Teen Trivia (Online)
Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at 4 p.m.

Test your knowledge of banned and challenged books. Winners of our virtual trivia will win a prize kit, which will be available at North County Regional Library!

This program will be provided by North County Regional library staff, and is recommended for teens ages 13 to 18. Register here.

Banned Book Week: Teen Bingo (Online)
Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at 6 p.m.

Join us for an hour of virtual bingo! Test your knowledge of banned and challenged books. Winners of our virtual bingo will take home a prize kit, which will be available at Sugar Creek Library*!

This program will be provided by Sugar Creek library staff and is recommended for teens ages 13 to 18. Register here.

*Bingo kits are available for pick up at the Sugar Creek Library.

Banned Books Bingo (Online)
Wednesday, September 29, at 2 p.m.

What do the Harry Potter series, Captain Underpants, A Wrinkle in Time, and the Goosebumps series all have in common? They are on the top list of the most frequently banned books in America. We'll discuss book banning and the dangers of censorship for upper elementary schoolers.

Automatically generated Bingo cards will be emailed to the address on file 24 hours in advance of the event, so please be prepared to print or copy. Bingo winners will receive a free chapter book from a collection of select popular titles, courtesy of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. This program will be provided by ImaginOn Library staff.

Register here.

Banned Books Week Kahoot! Trivia
Wednesday September 29, 2021, at 6 p.m.

Join us for Trivia Night using Kahoot! Learn some new fun facts or show off how much you know on your own.
Learn more (and brush up on some useful info!) at Banned Books Week.

Register here.

--

This blog was written by Taylor Gantt, marketing & communications intern at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is excited to announce our newest resource, Black Life in America. Black Life in America is a unique digital archive covering the African American experience from the early 18th century to the present day. This primary source collection offers a window into centuries of African American history, culture, and daily life from more than 19,000 American and global newspapers including over 400 current and historical Black publications. Updated daily, Black Life in America provides critical perspectives on the experiences of being Black in America. 

Black Life in America provides full text searching as well as access to content organized by era for easy browsing or choose from nearly 800 suggested searches such as "Emancipation Proclamation," "Brown v. Board of Education," and "Black Lives Matter."  This video gives a detailed overview of how to use Black Life in America.

Black Life in America supports discussions and research around social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. It also illustrates the significant impacts African Americans have had on culture, the arts, sciences, politics, religion, and more.

Black Life in America can be found on Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Resources page.  Access all the Library’s resources for free with your library card. Don’t have one? Sign up here! If you need help, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff are available by email, chat, and phone.   

--

This blog was written by Amy Richard, digital collections coordinator at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

As both a Charlotte Mecklenburg Library employee and customer, I’ve always known how valuable the Library is to me. Over the years, I have borrowed countless books, attended plenty of Saturday morning storytimes with my children and furthered my own learning through the amazing online resources available.

Thanks to the value calculator that the Library has made available, I was recently able to place a monetary amount on the many resources and services I have received from the Library and it is staggering. I have saved an estimated $46,915 (and counting) by using Charlotte Mecklenburg Library!

I have checked out close to 3,000 books from the Library- a number I know because it is stored in my borrower record. But that is just physical books and does not include the items I’ve checked out using Hoopla, Overdrive, and NC Digital Kids, which I use regularly. I also use Kanopy for watching animated videos of their favorite books with my children, LinkedIn Learning for my own professional development and the list goes on.

As far as the incredible programs that the Library offers, any parent of a young child knows there’s no monetary value you can place on attending Family Storytime on a rainy morning! The Library has always been a destination for my family, whether it is for storytime or a special event like EpicFest, a family literary festival held in the fall.

Since the onset of the pandemic, the Library has helped me feel connected at times when the prevailing tone in our world was one of isolation and disconnection. The Library’s quick shift to online programming made it possible for me to tune in to guest lecturers, activists and artists through the Library’s Engage 2020 initiative last year.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is constantly adapting to meet our needs as users, whether it is through virtual programming, increased access to technology for community members who need it most, job help resources, parent education and more.

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. If you don’t already have a library card, I encourage you to get one and see how much value it will add to your life — you will be astounded!

CLICK HERE to sign up for a Library card and download the CMLibrary mobile app on your tablet or smartphone. Use the app to place holds, access resources and much more.

--

This blog was written by Walker Doermann, librarian at SouthPark Regional Library

“The vote is precious. It is the most powerful, non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.”

That statement came from the late John Robert Lewis and can be attributed as one of his life’s missions. For years, Blacks in Southern states encountered obstacles to vote including poll taxes, literacy tests, intimidation and even violence. As a young man in 1965, Lewis helped lead the student protest march from Selma, Alabama for Black voting rights. The march became particularly newsworthy because the participants were attacked by state troopers while being filmed for television – the attack later became known as “Bloody Sunday.” Lewis was among the injured. Months later, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, new legislation to prohibit racial discrimination in voting.

The significance of voting took a different turn in Lewis’s life as he successfully entered politics. The civil rights activist served in the House of Representatives for the 5th congressional district in Georgia from 1987 until he died in 2020. The statesman and Democrat held several leadership roles in his party and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 from President Barack Obama.       

Today, Lewis’s life and name are making a full circle in the fight for the vote for African-Americans. A new proposed bill to booster the 1965 Voting Rights Act is the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021.

And so, the question may be asked, is history repeating itself here?

Many supporters of the new bill would say the answer is “yes.” In a National Public Radio podcast about the Voting Rights Act of 1965, it reported in 2013 that two Supreme Court decisions weakened it. The Shelby County v. Holder verdict “derailed the Justice Department’s system for preapproving election changes in jurisdictions with a history of discrimination, putting a heavy burden on the federal government to identify any such changes and sue to prevent them from taking effect.” So, states could pass new restrictions on voting.

The second case in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee impeded the Justice Department further by weakening legal authority to challenge voting laws that discriminate based on race, color and language minority status. Therefore, states were enabled to “raise concerns about voter fraud to justify their election changes without having to prove any such fraud existed.”

According to the Brennan Center for Justice in 2021 alone, 18 states have enacted laws to make voting more difficult. That contrasts to 25 states expanding with 54 voting laws, but the South is well-presented in the first part of the study (not the Carolinas, though).

The public and Congress are following this issue with some interest. USA Today reported that thousands of engaged citizens had joined in marking the 58th anniversary of the March on Washington to demonstrate voting rights on August 28 in select cities. Along with the bill named for Lewis was another proposed voting rights bill to accompany it, the For the People Act, which includes expanding opportunities to register and vote. Regarding Congress in this process, the Democrats in the House have supported the bills but need Republican support in the Senate. That appears dubious, although this fight has always been tough.

To explore the background for this issue, visit this booklist of Library books and streaming videos.  

--

This blog was written by Lawrence Turner, librarian at South County Regional.

Step into the Independence Regional Library and discover a unique and beautiful space with a team of people ready and willing to serve their community. Independence Regional is nestled on a triangular, park-like setting at the corner of Monroe Road and Conference Drive (just south of Independence Boulevard). The exterior stucco building with its fading mustard yellow hue may not attract your attention. More than likely, it’ll make you look away. But don’t be fooled into thinking there’s nothing here to see, because what you’ll encounter inside could possibly be the best part of your day.

A bit of history tells us that Independence Regional opened its doors in the store-front shopping center on Independence Blvd. in 1974. Then in 1996, the library was moved to its current location. The building was originally a church depository and so, underwent extensive remodeling for a beautiful, and spacious new location!

The grand entrance at Independence is like no other Charlotte Mecklenburg Library location. The rotunda should not be overlooked, although some people may do so in their haste. Walk just a few steps in to the center and turn your eyes skyward to a spectacular dome. Surrounded by windows and suspended by thin metal strands is an Artichoke chandelier inspired by Danish designer Poul Henningsen. Continue to the right and encounter several more distinct beams of light (these are called Snowballs). Two North Carolina artists adorned one long section of wall space with an eye-catching nature scene using clay tiles as a backdrop. They magically blend with the view outside the windows. Take a minute to study them closely. The details will transport you back outdoors. During a quiet lull, our tin roof offers a crackling sound as if to say “welcome!”



In each wing of the library, there are statuesque white columns giving it the southern charm synonymous with this region. Do you know of any other Library locations with these bragging rights?  It’s one of the eastside’s hidden gems. We are the Independence Regional Library!

Last but certainly not least, are the people who make Independence Regional phenomenal. They are the bonus to your visit. They’re a diverse group of individuals with many passions and interests. They all come from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds which makes for interesting conversations. But most important is their common connections and desire to help any person who walks through the doors. They listen to your questions and help with the answers.

You’re cordially invited to drop by the Independence Regional Library for an amazing experience.

--

This blog was written by Alice Araiza, library assistant at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Independence Regional Library.

October is National Cookbook Month, and we want to inspire you to check out a new cookbook and try a new recipe. Today, many people look for new recipes on digital platforms like Pinterest or social media sites. How many of you have gotten sucked into watching recipe videos on Instagram or TikTok? I know I have!  And while that can be a great way to find new recipes or get ideas, we want to remind you that Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has TONS of cookbooks in both print and electronic formats. We have cookbooks for any type of cuisine you can imagine – Italian, Indian, Mediterranean, Soul Food, Chinese, seafood – the list could go on forever.

We also have any kind of diet-specific books you might be interested in – keto, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, low-carb, whole foods, paleo, etc. The Library has cookbooks for kids, for college students living on their own for the first time, families, empty nesters, literally anyone and everyone can find something that fits their lifestyle. Check out this list of cookbooks to get started or go to your local Library branch and find the cookbooks in 641.5 to see what new cooking adventures await you!

Join our social media challenge!

During the month of October, for National Cookbook Month, CMLibrary would like to invite you to check out a new cookbook, try a new recipe, and post about it on social media. Please share a photo or short video of the cookbook and your finished recipe on the social platform of your choice (or more) and tag us @cmlibrary (be sure to use the following hashtags: #cmlibrary #cmlibrarycooking #cmlibrarycooks. Be sure to follow us on social media – Charlotte Mecklenburg Library on Facebook, @cmlibrary on Instagram and @cmlibrary on Twitter so you can see all our social media posts during National Cookbook Month and all year long.

--

This blog was written by Jessica Brewer, librarian at Mint Hill Library

October is STEAM month and that means systemwide, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (CML) will be hosting plenty of exciting and engaging STEAM programs for young children, preteens and teens. Books are a great way to introduce young readers to science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Representation in these books is also essential to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, creative designers and artists for social change. Encouraging and exposing young Black children to characters that look like them can help to visualize and understand that they can grow up to be great creators and problem solvers in our world.

Check out some of these books at CML that encourage learning science and other academic disciplines for pre-k through 4th grade with Black children as the main characters or subject of the book.

Lonnie Johnson's Super-soaking Stream of Inventions written by Chris Barton and illustrated by Don Tate

In this biography, learn about the NASA engineer, Lonnie Johnson.  As a kid, he participated in science competitions and grew up to become a great inventor. One of his most significant interventions was the Super Soaker water gun. (1st-4th grade)

Rocket Says Look Up! by Nathan Bryon, illustrated by Dapo Adeola

Rocket is fascinated with staring at the sky with her telescope before bedtime each night. She becomes totally excited about the possibility of witnessing meteor showers and creates flyers to pass out to neighbors in her community. Her big brother is annoyed with her antics but has to stick around to help her out anyway. The historical references to past events and the astronaut Mae Jemison provide a great learning opportunity to expand on this subject. (Prek-2nd)

I Want to Be a Doctor, written by Laura Driscoll and illustrated by Catalina Echeverri

This book is a part of the I Can Read! Series. In this series, a young and curious big sister asks many questions when she goes with her family to the hospital because her younger brother Jack injured his foot. She learns a lot about different doctors and their specialties. The illustrations are inviting and welcoming to readers. At the back of the book, readers will find a list of doctors. (PreK-1st grade)

My Rainy Day Rocket Ship, written by Markette Sheppard and illustrated by Charly Palmer

Mom says there is no outside playtime on this rainy day as a young boy uses his imagination to build a rocket ship inside his home using a pair of swimming trunks, goggles, socks, and more. The colorful illustrations and science concepts will encourage young kids to imagine having their own rocket ship and travel to faraway planets. (PreK-1st grade)

The Girl With a Mind for Math The Story of Raye Montague, written by Julia Finley Mosca and illustrated by Daniel Rieley

Read this biography to learn about the fascinating life of Raye Montague, a mathematician extraordinaire. As a young girl, she was inspired to become an engineer after visiting a German submarine and grew up to make significant contributions in the engineering industry. (K- 2nd)

Be sure to look out for the HallowSTEAM for Preschoolers program on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, at 10:30 AM, which will feature the book Ada Twist Scientist, written by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts. Ada Twist is a young and curious Black girl that wonders how things work. She finds great joy diving into experimental science projects that perplex her mom, dad, and older brother. This preschool program will help to show and encourage diversity in science with a likable character. This book is recommended for the PreK-2nd grades. During this program, preschoolers will be exposed to basic science concepts and can participate in some hands-on activities. The activity bags will be available for pickup at University City Regional Library. Please visit cmlibrary.org for registration and more information about the program.

--

This blog was written by Alicia Finley, children's librarian at University City Regional Library.

This blog was written as part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Black Lives Matter program initiative. Learn  more about the program and corresponding events here.

It is October, and the Supreme Court is back in session garnering its expected news headlines. Some are watching, though, with a heightened sense of concern and Irv Gornstein, executive director of Georgetown University’s Supreme Court Institute, is one of them. He fears the overwhelming switch in recent years to a majority conservative court can hurt the court’s credibility with the public.

“I think we may have come to a turning point. If within a span of a few terms we see sweeping right-side decisions over left-side dissents on every one of the most politically divisive issues of our time—voting, guns, abortion, religion, affirmative action—perception of the court may be permanently altered,” Gornstein said in an interview with the Associated Press.

Point taken. Would those decisions fairly represent the greater American public? Would they be respected and upheld?

Gornstein’s observations may be spot on or off the mark. Regardless, Supreme Court decisions impact the public for decades, and Black U.S. citizens would be significantly affected. The “divisive issues of our time” mentioned by the professor can jolt Black Americans in safety, economic status, and citizenship conditions. Affirmative action is readily associated with African Americans as a court issue. Still, voting rights is an old policy fight that has received renewed attention, detailed in a Library blog last month.

One book in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library collection, on Account of Race: the Supreme Court, White Supremacy, and the Ravaging of the African American Voting Rights by Lawrence Goldstone, examines the Supreme Court’s past decisions have not spread the right to vote for Blacks. Book critics commend accessible writing and in-depth research. Doubtless, those unfamiliar with the Court’s decision-making past may come to understand how it can operate and remain a substantial force in public conduct.

Goldstone’s book is included in a new booklist about the power the court has specifically affecting Blacks. The booklist consists of a separate book about the only Black Supreme Court justices, the revered, late Thurgood Marshall and his successor, the controversial Clarence Thomas, the current longest-serving justice.

--

This blog was written by Lawrence Turner,  adult services librarian at South County Regional Library.

On October 29, 2021 at 5 p.m., Main Library will close to the public. We look forward to reopening a reimagined destination library to serve the Charlotte Mecklenburg community for decades to come. During this period, we know this closure will impact how customers use library services Uptown. Building a newly designed Main Library will allow us to serve customers and Mecklenburg County in better and more advanced ways. The new Main Library will continue the community and neighborhood tradition of having a trusted public library in the same place that it has stood for 118 years. The new Main Library will be designed with customer and community interests and input in mind. Funding for the project is provided through a public-private convention with generous support from Mecklenburg County and private donors.

As always, customers can visit any of our 19 Library locations throughout Mecklenburg County to access helpful resources, programs and services. Throughout the closure period, we also ensure convenient library access through two interim Uptown locations for which we will soon share opening dates. Until then, we are excited to provide a glance at the services we will offer at each location. They are as follows:

CMLibrary @ Founders Hall, located at 100 North Tryon Street in suite 290, will be a hub for Library users to retrieve materials on hold, browse and check out materials from a select, popular collection, return materials, obtain Library cards and search the catalog. 

CMLibrary @ College Street, located at 406 N College Street (in the fellowship hall at First United Presbyterian Church), will provide Library users a space to study, sit, read and more. This location will be equipped with publicly accessible Wi-Fi and computers, as well as a variety of programs, resources and services including job help and career services, and printing and copying.

Cardholders will continue to have access to the same great programs and printed materials at all Charlotte Mecklenburg Library locations, as well as a growing digital collection that includes books, music, videos, research and leisure resources and more. We hope this information helps community members understand service options during the closure and keeps patrons engaged with the Library. The patronage of our customers is vitally important, so please read on for helpful information as well as other useful updates.

During the closure, we hope you will continue to use library services by connecting with another branch for browsing, borrowing, classes/workshops, family storytimes, and the many other ways you engage with your Library, or by using our online services at cmlibrary.org.

Other local branches near the Uptown area
There are other branch locations in proximity to the Uptown area that continue to offer a variety of online, virtual and limited outdoor programs, as well as access to extensive services and resources. We encourage Main Library customers to explore the option closest to them and to continue their library experiences at:

• Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library – 2412 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte 28216 (704) 416-3000
• Myers Park Library – 1361 Queens Road, Charlotte 28207 (704) 416-5800
• Plaza Midwood Library – 1623 Central Avenue, Charlotte 28205 (704) 416-6200
• South Boulevard Library – 4429 South Boulevard, Charlotte 28209 (704) 416-6400
• Sugar Creek Library – 4045 North Tryon Street, Suite A, Charlotte 28206 (704) 416-7000
• West Boulevard Library - 2157 West Boulevard, Charlotte 28208 (704) 416-7400

Library Holds and Pick-ups
As of October 15, 2021, Main Library will no longer be an available option for placing items on hold. Any items placed on hold for pick up at Main, before October 15, will be available through October 29, 2021. Items will then become available for pick up at Plaza Midwood Library beginning November 1, 2021. After October 15, cardholders who normally pick up materials at Main Library will be prompted to select a new holds pick-up location the next time they place a hold in the Library catalog

Customers who wish to choose a different location for their holds pick-up rather than Plaza Midwood Library, can do so in the following ways:

1. Request assistance from Library staff at any Charlotte Mecklenburg Library location; or
2. Call the Library at 704-416-0101

Click here to learn how to update your default holds pick-up location in the catalog.

Returning Books and Materials to the Main Library Book-drop
Please note that on October 29, Main Library will no longer accept book returns and the book drop return boxes will be closed. Customers can drop off items at any of our other 19 Library locations, including at the nearby ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center located at 300 East Seventh Street.

For more information, please visit our  Frequently Asked Questions

Want to learn more about our Building Projects? Click here

Thank you for your patience during the rebuilding of our new Main Library. We encourage customers to continue using a Charlotte Mecklenburg Library location – either at one of our other 19 locations or online at cmlibrary.org. We appreciate your patronage and support over the years at our Uptown location and look forward to welcoming everyone back to our new library in the future!

Main Library is located at 310 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, 28202. For information on all branch locations, click here.

November is an exciting month for aspiring writers!  November is National Novel Writing Month when writers worldwide write with a goal of ending the month with 50, 000 words of a brand-new novel.  Are you inspired to write the next great American novel?  Do you want to create a book of family history to share with cousins near and far?  The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has resources for every type of writer to get you started on your journey.

Digital Resources

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has resources to help you in writing, publishing, and sharing your creation. 

Pressbooks is an easy-to-use online software program that allows writers to create professional e-book and print ready files in ePUB, MOBI, and PDF formats.  Pressbooks covers all aspects of writing your book, start to finish.  All you need to get started is a library card!  Access Pressbooks from the Library’s Resources page and create a Biblioboard profile to get started. 

After creating your masterpiece, you can submit your work to be self-published using the Indie Author Project resource.  Submitting your work to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Indie Author Project resource can promote your work and increase readership.  After being vetted by Biblioboard, your work is added to the statewide Indie North Carolina Collection on Biblioboard Library.

Biblioboard Library is an e-book resource.  Content on Biblioboard Library includes titles from independently published authors in North Carolina, a curated K-12 Classroom Collection of literature, philosophy, history and geography topics, and other top independently published e-books.  E-books created by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library customers can be found here!  Biblioboard Library e-books are always available with no wait! 

Print Resources

Need some help getting started on your writing journey or just want to learn more about the writing craft?  Recommendations from Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff can be found in our catalog.

• Writing for Authors
• Editor Betsy Thorpe Recommends Writing Titles
• Memoir Writing Resources

Events and Programs

Want to connect with fellow local writers?  Attend one of our writing group programs!  Love poetry?  We have a program for you!  Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has programs and events for writers of all ages.  Explore our event calendar here.

Access all the Library’s resources for free with your library card.  Don’t have one?  Sign up here!  If you need more help with the resources covered in this blog, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff are available to help by email, chat, and phone. 

--

 This blog was written by Amy Richard, library collections manager at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.