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

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.

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

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.

The 2023 Community Read program is designed to help our community by creating community dialogue around themes of friendship and promoting a community of readers, learners and creating a platform for discussion. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation and National Endowment for the Humanities, the Library is able to give away a limited number of books at our branch locations. Beginning February 1, 2023 customers can request a free copy of one of the four Community Read titles to keep.

Book pick up will continue while supplies last. Call or visit your local branch location for more information. Each of the four Community Read titles are available for checkout in our collection as well with a Library card.

Everyone in the community can participate in Community Read: read a book, share perspectives, attend a program, engage on social media and build a stronger community together.

Visit the Community Read page for additional information, to register for programs take join the Community Read challenge today.

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

Diversity in Children’s Literature has been an on and off topic of discussion in the literacy and education field for some time now. There has been a significant disparity in literary representation seen across the United States in classrooms, curriculum, and libraries for as far back as I can remember. As a child, rarely seeing a character that I can physically relate to, became the norm. I was an adult before I knew that these books existed. 

The National African American Read-In, is an initiative created in 1990, to promote children’s books that feature African American characters in a normal way, and books that are written by African American authors. This initiative takes place during Black History Month, for the entire month, every year. 

This year, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is hosting our 3rd Annual Celebration of the National African American Read-In, for the first time in person. We will be hosting an event open to the public on Saturday, February 18th, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. It will be held at Sugar Creek Charter Elementary (4101 N. Tryon Street). 

Join us for workshops for all ages (registration required), live performances, traditional storytelling, a free food truck (while supplies last) and so much more.  

We hope to see you there! 

*Written by Lisa Swayne Proud of the Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association*

The Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association was thrilled to be gifted the old Penguin sign, but how could we best honor and display the sign? After a lot of starts, stops, discussions and Board votes, we found the perfect solution with the help of the Plaza Midwood Merchants Association and WhirlyPig Design.

Together and just in time for PMNA’s 50th anniversary, we’re creating a permanent Plaza Midwood exhibit at the Plaza Midwood Branch of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. In addition to the Penguin sign, the exhibit will include old business signs that neighbor Murray Chapple of WhirlyPig Design has collected over the years: the 1510 antiques, City Supply and Fresh Produce.

"As a community hub, our goal is to create a welcoming space that reflects the diversity and unique character of the neighborhood. The Library is proud to preserve the rich history of Plaza Midwood through this new exhibit," said Catherine Haydon, Plaza Midwood Library Manager.

We’re thrilled the Plaza Midwood Library has agreed to host this exhibit. Plus, add to it! Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room staff is curating historic Plaza Midwood photography to be displayed with the old business signs. The new exhibit will also include pieces that the very first PMNA President Mary Anne Hammond donated like the old trolley track that ran down Central Avenue and a copy of PMNA’s very first neighborhood directory.

Thank you to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library for hosting the exhibit, WhirlyPig Design for installing all of the pieces and PMNA for funding the project. We can’t wait for the neighborhood to see it

This blog was written by children’s author Charlitta Hatch to promote the National African American Read In on February 18, 2023.

As a mother of two young children, I am constantly reading all types of books to my son and daughter. They range from books on animals, trucks, and unicorns. Some of the books have only pictures and we make up our own story. Some are books with diverse characters. Some you may call boy books and others you may call girl books. If in those books, you see images of only girls cooking, then what does that tell girls? What message does that also send to boys? The images tell a story about what our children can be and also tell a story of what others can or cannot be. As an author, consultant, and parent, here are 3 things to consider when thinking about whether the books you expose your children to matter.

1. When we can relate to the content, we become more interested in the journey that the characters will take. The journeys the characters take can also shape the journey we believe we can take.  Providing diverse and relatable reading content for children can reinforce positive self-images, principles of diversity, and introduce children to others who are different.
2. Books are one of the tools that help children develop an awareness and recognition of diversity early in life. In 2006, a study of 36 infants showed that children develop a bias towards their own race as early as three to six months of age. In 2018, a study found that preschool-aged children were better able to understand the moral of a story and apply it to real-life situations when the story was presented with human characters rather than animal characters.
3. In 2014 and 2018, studies showed the impact that a single storybook reading can have on a young child. For example, after hearing a story some participants would make comments such as, “I have a frisbee at home,” connecting the story to their own lives through the presence of a particular object without ever mentioning the characters within the story. It is important to have diverse authors and illustrators a part of the diverse story telling so that the store is authentic. Children connect with different components of the children’s books beyond the character’s name and race. To increase interest and ensure the content is relatable, representation at the writing and drawing tables is key.

I challenge you to reflect on the images that dominate the various forms of media, specifically children’s books. I know that representation matters, and I know that reading is fundamental. What changes can we make to forming a positive self-identity? Can we change the narrative from Black boys being known as thugs and athletes to literary scholars? Is the first step critically thinking about the children’s books we have in our home and classroom libraries?

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This year, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is hosting our 3^rd Annual Celebration of the National African American Read-In, for the first time in person. We will be hosting an event open to the public on Saturday February 18^th, from 10am-2pm. It will be held at Sugar Creek Charter Elementary (4101 N. Tryon Street). 

Join us for workshops for all ages (registration required), live performances, traditional storytelling, a free food truck (while supplies last) and so much more.  

We hope to see you there! 

This blog was written and contributed by local author Kristi Cruise to promote the National African American Read In on February 18, 2023.

I have published eight books, and counting, for literacy leadership company Living Libraries. Seven of those books feature bilingual text, six feature children of color on the cover and all eight of those books feature minority children as lead protagonists. Why? Because the mainstream children’s book industry is in many ways white-washed and it’s time we start talking about it. Representation is important. Children of color deserve and NEED to see themselves in children’s books.

For 10 years in my previous role, I led the largest book up-cycling distribution organization in Charlotte, NC. I started this non-profit humbly out of my garage following the housing recession of 2008. The organization grew quickly to distributing 20,000+ free books a month all coming from children who have simply outgrown them, going to children living primarily in Charlotte’s pre-identified book deserts. According to data from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, 75% of elementary children in the district identify as “one or more minority” races, yet the books they were receiving from our organization to create at-home libraries featured 95%+ Caucasian characters. Even the human cartoon characters where were almost all undoubtedly white. And this is none one’s fault, in my opinion, as these precious books that children love and then love again were simply coming from Charlotte homes and reflected the homes they came from, but we cannot ignore the fact that minority children, at home and at school, are too often looking at books that feature children who do not look like them. This we believe can lead to a disconnect with reading and learning in general. 

When children receive books that feature predominately white characters, several things happen. White children are conditioned to think subliminally, “Oh, I must be superior, as clearly I am on the covers of all the books.” Minority children, conversely, may unconsciously think, “What is wrong with me? I don’t look like the kids in these books.” This kind of underlying, subliminal, unconscious racism is plaguing our country and I, along with others, am invested in working to do something positive about it.  

I am a white woman with three white children whom have access to more than enough books featuring children that look just like them. I feel it’s my duty to give my children access to books featuring children of color, because they also need to experience this reality. I can’t tell you how powerful it was when I gave my five-year-old daughter a book called Unicorn Dreams which featured an African American girl on the cover. Up until that point she had never seen a Black girl on a book with a unicorn before. This comes as no surprise to the author, Lawrence Gordon, because he couldn’t find one either – that’s why he wrote it.  

All my books feature children of color because representation is important and moving forward will feature bilingual text as well. I do this not because these characters represent my own children, but rather because they don’t.  

I wholeheartedly support the National African American Read In (NAARI), because, the NAARI goes a long way to helping our community understand why it’s so important that children of color, and all children get to see African Americans and other minorities celebrated in books. Until we can advocate for more representation in books, we have not gotten to the root cause of racism in America. Look at a string of TV commercials on just about any network coming into any home and you will find diversity abounds, because it reflects the colorful world we live in. The same should also be said of children’s bookshelves in any given home. The solution is simple: support diversity in children’s literature, support diversity driven authors who write them. It’s as easy as buying, borrowing or simply reading a diverse book to a child.  

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This year, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is hosting our 3^rd Annual Celebration of the National African American Read-In, for the first time in person. We will be hosting an event open to the public on Saturday February 18^th, from 10am-2pm. It will be held at Sugar Creek Charter Elementary (4101 N. Tryon Street). 

Join us for workshops for all ages (registration required), live performances, traditional storytelling, a free food truck (while supplies last) and so much more.  

We hope to see you there!