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Summer Break at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library returns June 1, 2022

April 26, 2022

Summer is a great time for families to spend time together and develop a love of reading and learning. Summer should be all about fun and our Summer Break program can help provide opportunities to read, be creative, develop social skills, learn new things, and so much more! This year, help us read 10 million minutes between June 1 and August 13 as a community!

Summer Break: Read, Learn, Explore is available online.

Summer Break includes six activities in addition to reading that help families and communities connect and learn new things. Play and Write are even Every Child Ready to Read pre-literacy skills! Also, the Queen Charlotte activity category has been added this year!

Read books, graphic novels, e-books or magazines, or listen to an audiobook. It all counts!
Create: try a new recipe, make a video, organize a space in your house or room, learn a craft or hobby. These are just a few ideas to get those creative juices flowing!
Explore: discover a new Library resource, find your new favorite book with our booklists, attend an online concert or play, make the time to explore your world.

Give: here is your opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. Chat with a friend or family member, donate to a nonprofit, or send a food delivery to your local emergency responders; the possibilities are endless.
Play: ride a bike or take a walk, play a sport, take a yoga or exercise class, play a game, just have fun!
Write: send a card to a friend or family member, create a book list using Bibliocommons (the Library’s online catalog), attend a writing workshop with your local library.
Queen Charlotte: find Queen Charlotte at your local branch, visit the Queen Charlotte Walks in Her Garden statue, or take a selfie with Queen Charlotte.

Summer Reading

Enjoy reading this summer with a good book, graphic novel, audiobook or ebook! The Library is full of fun, engaging books. Don’t know what to read? Librarians are ready to help. There is nothing we like more than talking about books. Stop by your nearest Library for recommendations or visit our online catalog. You can also receive a personal reading list created by Library staff by filling out a Find Your Next Read form (Ages 0 – 18, Teens and Adults).

The Library also offers a wide variety of programs: everything from storytimes and book clubs, to programs helping you plan for college and career.

This summer, take the time to find the perfect place to read outside. Will you choose a park, a garden, your backyard, or some other amazing location? Take a picture and share on social media with the hashtags #cmlsummerbreak, #cmlibrary

Queen Charlotte is looking forward to participating in this year’s Summer Break, “I hope many of my royal subjects will participate in Summer Break. I’m looking forward to signing up my 15 children and reading outside in the lovely garden.”

Comments? Questions?  

Are you having problems with the Summer Break 2022 website or your account?  Do you have questions about the program?  Feel free to chat with us online or email us at [email protected] for help or feedback.  

The 2022 Summer Break program is brought to you by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library with additional support from Wendy’s, Charlotte Football Club's Greater Goals and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation.

This blog was written by Whitney Lebron, children's services librarian at Steele Creek Library.

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Don’t Throw That Away! A Spring-Cleaning Guide to Preserving Your Family History

April 16, 2025

This blog post was originally written by Shelia Bumgarner, edited and updated by Chauna Carr, RSCR Digital Production Librarian

Spring is a time for fresh starts and often, fresh piles of old stuff! While you’re sorting through closets, attics, and boxes of family mementos this season, don’t be too quick to toss things out. Some of those forgotten items may be more than just clutter; they could be important pieces of your family’s story or local history.

The Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room is here to help you figure out what to keep, what to toss, and what to consider donating. Plus, we’ll share how you can preserve those meaningful items for years to come.

What to Keep (and How to Keep It Safe)

Not sure if something’s worth keeping? When in doubt, hold onto anything with:

Names, dates, or locations written on it
Local or regional relevance (especially Charlotte/Mecklenburg County)
Clear connections to your family’s story
Visual or handwritten elements—photos, letters, drawings, etc.

Once you've decided to keep something, follow these basic care tips:

1. Handle items with care
Use two hands when lifting fragile objects and avoid excessive bending or folding. Take your time when turning pages, unrolling documents, or unfolding old fabrics. If it feels brittle, it probably is.

2. Wear gloves
Nitrile gloves are best for handling photographs, negatives, or anything with delicate surfaces. Clean, dry hands work in a pinch. And don’t forget to identify who’s in your photographs—use a soft pencil on the back, not ink!

3. Work in a clean space
Keep snacks, drinks, and clutter far away from your materials. Work on a clean, flat surface with plenty of light and room to move things gently.

4. Skip the tape and glue and metal fasteners.
Avoid using adhesives like Scotch tape, rubber cement, and Elmer’s glue. These can yellow, dry out, and stain your materials over time. If something needs repair, use archival-quality products or consult a conservator. Steer clear of metal fasteners like paper clips, staples, and pins. These can rust, snag, or tear delicate documents. Instead, use plastic paper clips or archival-quality folders to group materials safely.

5. Store smart
Acid-free boxes, folders, and sleeves provide the best protection. Don’t overstuff boxes, and remember: books, diaries, and albums should be stored flat—not upright, to prevent stress on the spine. Label clearly and store in a cool, dry, and dark space (think bedroom closet or under-the-bed storage).

🚫 Avoid attics, basements, garages, and direct sunlight.

6. Document as you go
Context is everything! A photo is more meaningful when you know who's in it, when it was taken, and why it matters. Jot down family stories, memories, names, and places while they’re still fresh in your mind—your future relatives will thank you.

What to Toss (With a Second Look)

We get it, not everything can (or should) be saved. But before you haul that box to the curb, consider:

Other homes for your stuff: Thrift stores, vintage shops, and specialty museums might want household items like linens, furniture, or art.
Appraisals: If an item looks valuable or unusual, it may be worth getting it professionally appraised.
Historical societies: Even if the Carolina Room can’t accept an item, other institutions might.

If your family materials help tell the story of Charlotte or Mecklenburg County, we’d love to hear from you. The Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room collects:

Audiovisuals and home videos
Business, club, and organization records
Family papers and correspondence
Maps and manuscripts
Music (recorded or produced in Charlotte)
Photographs and postcards

*All items must relate to Charlotte and Mecklenburg County history.

What we typically do not collect:

Family Bibles (except copies of genealogical pages)
Newspapers, Textbooks or Magazines (unless historical)
Polaroids, large scrapbooks, or oversized 3D items
Clothing or textiles (i.e. bedding, quilts, uniforms)

If you have something to share or want to learn more, email us at [email protected].

You can also explore our archival collections and digitized materials anytime by browsing our Finding Aids and The Vault.

Cover image caption: Members of Project ME Chapter participate in a clean-up at Keyway Apartments, c. 1975. African American Album Image Collection, AA.2004.05.0855.16, Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room.

"Get Curious" with the ImaginOn 2025 Summer Exhibit

May 13, 2025

English

This summer, ImaginOn is thrilled to host "Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!" from May 17th to August 23rd.

Explore the exhibit that introduces young children into the world of Curious George, leading visitors on a fun, meaningful adventures while emphasizing the central role that parents and caregivers play.

Based on the familiar characters in H.A. and Margret Rey’s classic stories and inspired by the animated television series on PBS KIDS, visitors can operate wheels to help George climb a building, sort and weigh fruits and vegetables at the produce stand, use science skills to putt a hole of mini golf, have their picture taken with the rocket from George’s space adventure, build a whirligig in the country, and visit the Museum within the Museum.

The 1,500 sq. ft. exhibit features:

• Apartment Building - Operate wheels to move George on pulleys from window to window. Climb the fire escape and climb inside to play with color, light and shadow.

• Sidewalk Produce Stand - Play customer or salesperson and explore shape, sorting, weighing and counting with fruit and vegetables.

• Construction Site - Design a building, make use of a bounty of building materials and get to work constructing different structures and using machines to move materials.

• City Park - Enjoy the urban green space: rest or give a hug to a full-size George and take a picture! Our youngest visitors will enjoy our busy wall activities for babies and toddlers.

• Mini Golf - Use pipes, ramps, funnels, turntables, bumpers and force to experiment with physics and engineering as you putt through three holes of mini golf.

• Space Rocket - Step up to the rocket Curious George took on his space adventure! Pose for a picture with George in his space suit and e-mail it home.

• Farm - Take a vacation to the country and visit the farm. Experience cause and effect and use wind power to move yard art like whirligigs, windmills, windsocks, and wind chimes. Build your own whirligig and care for the farm animals.

• Museum Within the Museum - Learn new things about George when you visit the Museum within the Museum. Follow H.A. and Margret Rey’s work, the escape from France to safety during World War II that saved the Curious George manuscript, and Curious George throughout the years.

Admission to the exhibit is free. The exhibit is open during ImaginOn building hours: Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday-Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. (ImaginOn is closed on Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day for summer hours). For more information, call 704-416-4600 or visit imaginon.org.

The summer exhibit at ImaginOn is funded through the Library’s Humanities Endowment Fund, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Information for Groups

Yes! Groups are welcome to visit “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!” after 12 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Maximum number of 30 children and one adult chaperone for every eight students. Reservations are neither required nor accepted and entry into the exhibit is always on a first-come, first-served basis. However, if you wish to combine your visit to the exhibit with any other building-wide activity, a group visit booking is required. You can make a request at imaginon.org/calendar/group-visits.

No, all visits to the exhibit happen on a first-come, first-served basis. Families are encouraged to take advantage of Family Time, if your schedule allows. (See below for details.)

Yes! Family Time for the “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!” exhibit is every Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. During this time, the exhibit is open just for children with their parents/caregivers. (Limit 5 children per adult.)

Children under age 8 must be always with a caregiver. Caregivers should be at least 12 years old and mature enough to follow ImaginOn rules and guidelines. Chaperones are required for all groups visiting ImaginOn and the exhibit.

Because visitor safety is our top priority, admittance into the exhibit is limited. This allows guests the ability to fully explore the exhibit at their own pace. If the exhibit is “full,” we have a queuing area where visitors can wait to enter the exhibit on a first-come, first-served basis. We have suggested activities to pass the time while you are in line.

"Curious George: Let's Get Curious!" will best be enjoyed by children 3-7 years old and their caregivers.

Español

Este verano, ImaginOn se complace en organizar «Curious George: Let’s Get Curious! (Jorge, el curioso: ¡seamos curiosos!)» desde el 17 de mayo hasta el 23 de agosto.

Explora la exposición que introduce a los niños al mundo de Curious George, dirigiendo a los visitantes hacia aventuras divertidas y relevantes al tiempo que enfatizan en la función central que cumplen los padres y los cuidadores.

Tomando como base los personajes conocidos de las historias clásicas de H.A. y Margret Rey e inspiradas en la serie animada para televisión de PBS KIDS, los visitantes pueden hacer funcionar ruedas para ayudar a George a subir un edificio, clasificar y pesar frutas y vegetales en un puesto de alimentos, usar habilidades científicas para embocar un hoyo en mini golf, tomarse una foto con el cohete de la aventura espacial de George, construir un molinete en el campo y visitar el Museo dentro del Museo.

La exposición de 1,500 pies cuadrados consta de lo siguiente:

• Edificio residencial: Haz funcionar ruedas para que George se mueva de ventana en ventana mediante poleas. Sube por la escalera de incendios y entra al edificio para jugar con el color, la luz y la sombra.

• Puesto de alimentos en la acera: Juega a ser cliente o vendedor y explora las formas, la clasificación, el peso y la cuenta de frutas y vegetales.

• Obra en construcción: Diseña un edificio, usa una variedad de materiales de construcción y trabaja en construir estructuras diferentes y usar máquinas para mover los materiales.

• Parque de la ciudad: Disfruta del espacio verde urbano: descansa o abraza a un George de tamaño real y ¡toma una fotografía! Nuestros visitantes más jóvenes disfrutarán nuestras actividades de pared para bebés y niños pequeños.

• Mini Golf: Usa tuberías, rampas, embudos, platos giratorios, defensas y oblígate a experimentar con la física y la ingeniería mientras juegas a embocar tres hoyos de mini golf.

• Cohete espacial: ¡Súbete al cohete que llevó a Curious George a su aventura espacial! Posa con George en su traje espacial, tómate una fotografía y envíala a casa por correo electrónico.

• Granja: Tómate vacaciones en el campo y visita la granja. Experimenta con la causa y el efecto y usa la energía del viento para mover arte de jardín como molinetes, molinos, mangas de viento y campanas de viento. Construye tu propio molinete y cuida a los animales de la granja.

• Museo dentro del Museo: Aprende cosas nuevas de George cuando visites el Museo dentro del Museo. Sigue el trabajo de H.A. y Margret Rey, la huida de Francia hacia la seguridad durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial que salvó el manuscrito de Curious George, y la evolución de Curious George con el transcurso de los años.

La entrada a la exposición es gratuita. La exposición está abierta durante los horarios de visita de ImaginOn: de lunes a jueves de 9 a. m. a 8 p. m., y viernes y sábados de 9 a. m. a 5 p. m. (ImaginOn estará cerrado los domingos desde el Día de Conmemoración de los Caídos hasta el Día del Trabajo por horario de verano). Para obtener más información, llame al 704-416-4600 o visite imaginon.org.

La exposición de verano en ImaginOn se financia a través del Fondo de dotación de Humanidades de la Biblioteca, con el apoyo del Fondo Nacional para las Humanidades.

Información para grupos:

¡Sí! Los grupos son bienvenidos para visitar «Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!» de lunes a sábado después de las 12 p. m. El número máximo de niños es 30 y un adulto acompañante por cada ocho estudiantes. No aceptamos ni solicitamos reservas y el ingreso a la exposición es siempre por orden de llegada. Sin embargo, si desea combinar su visita a la exposición con cualquier otra actividad del edificio, es necesario reservar una visita en grupo. Puede presentar la solicitud en imaginon.org/calendar/group-visits.

No, todas las visitas a la exposición ingresan según el orden de llegada. Alentamos a las familias a aprovechar Horario Familiar, si su horario se los permite. (Para saber más, ver a continuación).

¡Sí! El Horario Familiar para la exposición «Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!» es de lunes a sábado de 9 a. m. a 12 p. m. Durante este horario, la exposición está abierta solo para niños acompañados de sus padres o cuidadores. (Hay un límite de 5 niños por cada adulto).

Los niños menores de 8 años deben estar acompañados siempre de un cuidador. Los cuidadores deben tener 12 años de edad como mínimo y la madurez suficiente como para respetar las reglas y las directrices de ImaginOn. Los acompañantes son obligatorios para todos los grupos que visiten ImaginOn y la exposición.

Nuestra prioridad es la seguridad de nuestros visitantes, por lo que el ingreso a la exposición es limitado. Esto permite que los visitantes puedan explorar la exposición completa a su propio ritmo. Si la exposición está «completa», hay un área de fila donde los visitantes pueden esperar para ingresar a la exposición según el orden de llegada. Contamos con actividades sugeridas para pasar el tiempo mientras espera en fila.

«Curious George: Let's Get Curious!» le causará más deleite a los niños de entre 3 y 7 años de edad y sus cuidadores.