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Celebrate STEAM Month throughout October with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library!

Celebrating STEAM Month with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

September 30, 2020

Leaves are changing, fall is in the air and, at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, that means STEAM Month is here! Search the Library's calendar for all STEAM-related events here, or visit your favorite branch to find out what is happening during October as we celebrate STEAM Month. In the meantime, get ready to celebrate science, technology, engineering and math with these books!

Science Is Magic by Steve Mould

Try exploring experiments with your young scientist at home. Science Is Magic by Steve Mould is loaded with entertaining and educational ideas. The improbable nature of each experiment makes it seem like a magician’s trick, but a section on each experiment called, “The Science Part” explains exactly how and why the action happens. Mould presents natural wonders and explores the science of classic magicians and mysteries between experiments. He also includes an experiment based on scientific observation he made himself! The experiments are based around ordinary household items. Most of them can be performed by children alone, but an easily-recognized logo indicates when parental involvement might be necessary. Prepare to be amazed as you discover Science Is Magic!

100 Things to Know About Numbers, Computers, and Coding by Alice James

Recognizing how technology and math interact – and how they fit into the world as a whole – is crucial. 100 Things to Know About Numbers, Computers, and Coding by Alice James, Eddie Reynolds, Minna Lacey, Rose Hall and Alex Frith, helps kids develop that understanding in a fast-paced, fact-and-fun-filled way. Big, colorful infographics are sure to capture the interest of kids captivated by coding. There are even two ways to read this – in a linear fashion from Infographic 1 to Infographic 100, or by skipping around between infographics. From Pythagoras to Pascal’s Triangle to pixels, the facts presented here are sure to keep school-age kids occupied for hours.

Skyscraper by Jorey Hurley

Even the youngest engineers are sure to love Skyscraper by Jorey Hurley. Colorful, one-word and two-page spreads chronicle the construction process from demolition to completion. A glossary at the end, complete with images, offers extra detail including exact vocabulary for all the heavy equipment and their pivotal roles in the building process. This deceptively simple, beautifully illustrated book is sure to foster fascinating conversation!

Which One Doesn’t Belong: Playing with Shapes by Christopher Danielson

Keep the conversation going with Which One Doesn’t Belong: Playing with Shapes by Christopher Danielson. Colorful arrays of four shapes present the questions, “Which one of these is different from the others, and why?” The book models possible thought processes for identifying the unique shape, then presents more shape sets for further consideration. With no right-or-wrong answers but lots to talk about, it works well for both one-on-one reading and whole-family interaction. In 2017, it won a Mathical Book Prize. An edition released in 2019 updates the color palate but maintains the excellent conversation-starting content.

Find these great books and get ready for STEAM month at your local branch!

This blog was written by Larisa Martin of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Teens get real on the issues concerning them with ImaginOn’s upcoming Teen Summit

Real talk for teens at ImaginOn’s Teen Summit

September 30, 2020

This year has been hard. It has challenged our hope, resiliency and our optimism. If there's one thing this year has proven, it's that, when we work together and unite with a focus on justice and equality, actionable change is possible.

Being a teenager is challenging enough without feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders and, even worse, not being able to do anything to lighten that load. That's what ImaginOn's Real Talk and Teen Summit programs want to accomplish. There is power in youth. There is power in unbridled imagination. These are complex problems, and complex problems require creative, unique solutions.

This isn't a burden you have to carry by yourself. From mental health, confronting authority, gender identity and feeling othered, we've gathered experts from different fields who will help us navigate these trying topics.

The issues of today are going to be iterations of the issues of tomorrow. We're facing these battles, and we're tasked with finding enduring solutions. Setting a groundwork of knowledge and experience exploring these topics is necessary to understand how we got where we are and where we want to go.

Please join us for the Teen Summit:

Boost Hope for A Better Tomorrow Teen Summit

Thursday, October 8, 5-6 p.m.

A community discussion is an opportunity for youth to engage our panel experts around current social issues within society. Our goal is to have a discussion of empowering our youth towards creating awareness around matters considering them. Our panel experts will consist of teen community leaders and educators throughout Mecklenburg County.

This blog was written by Alana Esposito, a VolunTeen for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Get homework help in every subject with the Library’s selection of digital resources.

Get help in every subject with digital resources from the Library

October 1, 2020

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

Looking for resources to help your student with online learning? Get homework help in every subject with the Library’s selection of digital resources. Find everything you need from online research texts and earth and space science help, to encyclopedias and cultural studies resources, all free with a Library card or ONE Access account. The key to student success is just a click away. Check out our homework help resources below:

Credo Reference

Credo is an easy-to-use tool for starting research. Gather background information on your topic from hundreds of full-text encyclopedias, dictionaries, quotations, and subject-specific titles, as well as 500,000+ images and audio files and over 1,000 videos.

Access

CultureGrams

CultureGrams, gives you the world at your fingertips. CultureGrams goes beyond basic facts and figures with local perspectives on more than 200 countries, detailing daily life and culture, including history, customs, and lifestyles.

Access

PowerKnowledge Earth & Space Science

An online Earth & Space science resource specifically designed for learners in grades 3 to 6. Informs about earth cycles, ecosystems and biomes, rocks, environmental issues, space and more.

Access

PowerKnowledge Life Science

An online Life Science resource specifically designed for learners in grades 3 to 6. Topics include animals, endangered and extinct species, food chains, green living, habitats, human body, plants and more.

Access

PowerKnowledge Physical Science

An online Physical Science resource specifically designed for learners in grades 3 to 6. Topics include atoms, molecules, elements and the periodic table, energy and matter, force and motion and temperature and measurement.

Access

Scholastic Go!

Scholastic GO! contains more than 115,000 articles covering every core-curriculum subject. The articles and their illustrations are derived from the content of seven Scholastic encyclopedia databases: Encyclopedia Americana, Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, The New Book of Knowledge, America the Beautiful, Lands and Peoples, Amazing Animals of the World, and The New Book of Popular Science.

Access

World Book Encyclopedia Online

World Book Encylopedia Online is a dynamic and interactive online encyclopedia for young students to adults. Includes Spanish version, as well as access to e-books for homework help and research projects, grades K-12.

Access

Stay connected while staying home with virtual programming from the Library.

Virtual Programming from the Library - Week of 10/5/20

October 2, 2020

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 10/5/2020 below. Click the corresponding links for more information and register for programs where applicable.

Learn more about online programming by clicking here

Monday 10/5

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming) learn more

Book a Librarian - Nonprofit Services – 11 a.m. (Adult programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m. (Children's programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Parent Lunch & Learn: Using Library Resources to Enhance Your Child's Learning – 12 p.m. (Adult programming) register

Mindful Mondays - Guided Relaxation and Meditation – 12 p.m. (Adult programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 3 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Stronger Together: Support for your Job Search – 4 p.m. (Adult programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m. (Children's programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Tuesday 10/6

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming) learn more

Digital Literacy: Presentation Software: Designing with Canva – 11 a.m. (Adult programming) register

Book a Librarian - Nonprofit Services – 11 a.m. (Adult programming) register

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m. (Children's programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m. (Children's programming) register

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

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m. (Children's programming) register

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

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m. (Children's programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m. (Children's programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming) register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m. (Children's programming) register

SAT, ACT, and Admissions in the Time of COVID – 6 p.m. (Teen programming) register

Sparking Creativity for Teens – 6 p.m. (Teen programming) register

Creating Resumes with the Job Help Center – 6:30 p.m. (Adult programming) register

Wednesday 10/7