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2025 Summer Bookmark Contest for Children and Teens

June 4, 2025

This blog was written by Jesse Isley, children's services manager for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

This spring, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library hosted our second annual bookmark contest for children and teens in grades K-12 to showcase the creativity of our community. We were excited to expand the contest this year to include middle and high school students, and we loved hosting the contest itself in March as part of our celebration of Community Read! 


We received over 1,100 bookmark entries—including hundreds from local schools and classrooms that teachers graciously dropped off for students. Themes included everything from love of books and reading (which made our hearts so happy!) to nature, animals, positive messages, and the celebration of summer. We also got to see unique materials used to complete the challenge with watercolors, stickers, and photography all submitted this year.

 

While it was a difficult task, we worked hard to narrow down the entries for final selection by our judges. We were so lucky to have 2 local artists judge the contest this year! To Melody Cassen and Chris Georgalas, we are so grateful for your support of our community and for your willingness to take on the hardest job of selecting winners for each range of grade levels. We greatly appreciate the judges sharing their time and expertise. Here is some of the feedback they shared:


“I loved the theme of these bookmarks—positive, universal that can apply to anyone.”


“It was hard for me to judge these as they were all so imaginative and genuine!”


“I congratulate all of the artists. It’s important for all of the creatives involved to know that they are unique in what they dream, and it is a gift they have to share with the world.”


We are thrilled to announce the winners below and first runners up below. Copies of the winning bookmarks will be available to pick up in every library location while supplies last. A huge thank you to our community for your response to this contest, and CONGRATULATIONS to our winners.
 

Winning Bookmarks: (l-r) Zoie Parikh, Laurel Martinez, Josephine M. & Hayden Jenkins
Bookmark Runner Ups: (l-r) Adair J., Lila Russell, Liam Christy, Ever Farley

Step into a story with Free RPG Day

June 6, 2025

This blog post was written by Laura Carroll, a staff member at the Mint Hill branch.

 

Join us for Free RPG Day on June 21st from 11am-4pm at our new University City Library location!

 

Free RPG Day is a world-wide celebration of role-playing games (RPGs). Role-playing games encourage collaboration, storytelling, and imagination as you take on the role of a character in a fictional environment.

 

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is celebrating its second year of Free RPG Day. This year’s event will feature sword fighting, costume design (cosplay), and, of course, games! We’re also excited to welcome community partners like the Athena Alliance, the Black Gamer League, and the International Game Developers Association at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte among many others.

 

New to RPGs? We’ll have workshops where you can make a D&D character and paint a mini-fig. You can even join a game for beginner players or try your hand at sword fighting.

 

Want to level up your gaming skills? We have a game development workshop and a panel discussion on creating inclusive game spaces. We’ll have lots of gaming tables for you to join – including several different TTRPGs.

 

Feeling crafty? Join us in our Makerspace to 3D print, use a heat press, or make a button. Craving adventure? Swordwind Historical Martial Arts will present a sword fighting demonstration. There will also be giveaways, information about local gaming organizations, and a gaming lounge!

 

Whether you are a seasoned gamer or a new adventurer, we hope you’ll enjoy this special celebration of storytelling and exploration! Find all the details here on our calendar. 

Behind the Vault Doors: The Rose Leary Love Papers

March 12, 2025

This blog post was originally written by Julie Zwetolitz, former Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room Intern, and edited and updated by Chauna Carr, RSCR Digital Production Librarian.


Rose Leary Love was a teacher, poet, musician, and writer born in 1898 in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina’s Second Ward. A dedicated educator, she taught in both Greensboro and Charlotte public schools from 1925 to 1964. She also spent a year teaching in Indonesia while her husband, an instructor at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University), participated in a technical assistance mission.

Rose Leary Love, Rose Leary Love Papers, 1930-1994, Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room

Love’s passion for reading and writing was deeply influenced by her parents, John and Nannie Leary. Her father was a lawyer, and her mother was a schoolteacher at Myers Street and Second Ward schools. Throughout her life, Love published numerous poems and songs and authored two children's books, Nebraska and His Granny and A Collection of Folklore. She also contributed to the North Carolina Teachers Record.

Example of Rose Leary Love’s work, credited as song composer. From Rose Leary Love Papers, 1930-1994, Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room
Poem by Rose Leary Love. From Rose Leary Love Papers, 1930-1994, Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room

Her academic journey was equally impressive, as she attended Barber-Scotia Seminary, Johnson C. Smith University, Hampton Institute, and Columbia University.

Rose Leary’s childhood home on Boundary Street

Growing up in Brooklyn, Love’s family home was located near present-day Boundary Street and I-277. She described it as a “roomy and old-fashioned” house with a wrap-around porch, filled with children and a mother’s love. Bookshelves in their home overflowed with fiction, law, travel, history, religion, and music books. As a child, she attended Myers Street School, which now stands as the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center.

 

Love documented her childhood experiences in Brooklyn in her memoir, Plum Thickets and Field Daisies. After her passing in 1969, she left the original manuscript in the care of close friends. As Brooklyn changed and much of its history faded, the memoir’s historical significance grew. Recognizing its value, her friends donated it to the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room for archival preservation.

 

Since then, Plum Thickets and Field Daisies has become a crucial resource for students, scholars, and authors, aiding in research papers, doctoral theses, and even a theatrical script. The warmth, humor, and vivid recollections in her writings highlighted the importance of sharing her memories with a wider audience. In 1996, the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County published her memoir, ensuring her legacy would continue to inspire future generations. 

 

Search her finding aid here: Rose Leary Love and make an appointment with the Carolina Room to research her collections. Visit our page here for more resources.

Community Read: Chinese Art in Conversation

March 31, 2025

Not quite ready say goodbye to March - or our Community Read? Still have more questions about art, Chinese culture, or museums?

 

Take a look at our panel, which featured two experts on Chinese art in conversation with Anselm Smith, an Adult Services Library Associate at the Cornelius branch. The conversation touched on the history of the Zodiac heads that featured so prominently in the novel, the differences between Chinese and Western art, the tension between "regional" and "national" in Chinese art practices, the ideal museum, and more. 

Additionally, here are some further recommendations from our panelists:  

 

Dr. Ruiying Gao recommended Peter Hessler's Other Rivers: A Chinese Education, which has insight into the lives of two generations of Chinese students.

 

She's also looking forward to the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts’ exhibition of Japanese National Art Treasures. In particular, she's excited about Letter of Distress and Indignation, a calligraphy piece associated with Wang Xizhi (303-361), who is regarded as the greatest calligrapher in China. This specific piece was likely collected by the Japanese imperial house as early as the 8th century.

 

Dr. Yukina Zhang is a fan of LuYang's work, citing LuYang's play with gender, Traditional Chinese Medicine, spirituality, and the video games, anime, and manga subculture of the 1990s.

 

She also recommends the work of Lara Jaishree Netting. Her book, A Perpetual Fire: John C. Ferguson and His Quest for Chinese Art and Culture, looks at the life of an American collector of Chinese art who was discussed during the panel discussion and who serves as a model for Chinese-American friendship and appreciation.

 

For those in the area interested in Chinese bronzes, there will be a lecture by Dr. Pengliang Lu, Brooke Russell Astor Curator of Chinese Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, at Davidson College on Thursday, April 10, from 6:30 - 7:30.

 

See the flyer for more information! 

National Library Week 2025

April 7, 2025

National Library Week (NLW) is organized by the American Library Association (ALA) as "an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities." It is from April 6 to April 12.

 

We have prepared a series of images that highlight a few things that the Library offers the community!

Be sure to follow CML on social media and join the conversation by using the hashtag #NationalLibraryWeek

Summer VolunTeen Applications Opening Soon - Apply Today

April 15, 2025

Looking to earn community service hours this summer as a teen volunteer? Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is looking for responsible teens (ages 13-17) who enjoy working with the public, helping others, and giving back to their community. Applications open today, April 15th, at 3:30pm, which is when teens will be able to view available opportunities and apply. Applications will be accepted until the end of the month or until a branch reaches capacity. 

 

If you do not see a position posted for your preferred location, then a position is no longer available, and you will need to apply to another location. While there are a limited number of opportunities, almost all locations are participating in this program. Teens may only apply to one location per semester. Please note that applying does not guarantee a position. 

 

After you apply, someone from the library will contact you to set up an interview if you meet qualifications. If you wish to inquire about your application, please reach out to the branch where you applied to follow up. Please apply on the Volunteer page. Click on Become a Volunteer and search for “Summer VolunTeen” opportunities. 

 

Still have questions? Check our VolunTeen FAQs for more details! We look forward to seeing your application soon! 

Celebrate National Volunteer Week April 20-26, 2025 with the Library

April 16, 2025

This blog was written by Chauna Wall, Volunteer Coordinator for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

 

Volunteering is vital, an essential workforce to a community’s wellbeing. So many local and national programs from education to disaster relief to the arts are underpinned by the contributions of volunteers. Volunteers of all ages foster a community of connection and engagement.

 

Today we enter a week-long celebration called  National Volunteer Week  which runs from  April 20 - April 26, 2025  

 

During this week we take the opportunity to shine a light on the people that inspire us to serve for the benefit of the greater good.   Volunteerism empowers individuals to find their purpose, to take their passion and turn it into meaningful change. When you answer the call to make a difference, we make progress in “Improving Lives and Building a Stronger Community”,  our core mission.

 

We celebrate our volunteers for giving their time and talents to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and the many volunteers who stand with us in promoting inclusion, education and literacy to the entire community.

 

Every day our volunteers inspire us and help us create a more educated and literate community. Never doubt you make a measurable difference. Last year 1,235 volunteers gave us over 25,000 hours which equates to a value of over $800,000! 

Arthur “Buzzy” W.
Volunteer at South County Regional Library

 

Our Portuguese, Spanish, and English Conversation Clubs have many dedicated members, and we have become friends. We have become family.  We help each other by listening to each other and we make new friends.

Ashlyn W.
Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

 

I appreciate meeting new people, making new connections and the ability to contribute and help others.

Becky G. 
Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

 

I worked for Mecklenburg County for 30+ years and I like giving back to the community. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, can make a great impact.

Carol L.
Volunteer at Independence Regional Library

 

I love being able to help make Library users feel more comfortable and supported.

Kathy M.
Reading Buddy at Mint Hill Library

 

It feels good to think someone might enjoy reading a little better because I volunteered.

Kay L. and Jack L.
Volunteers at South County Regional Library

 

I volunteer because I’ve always read, and libraries give people an opportunity to broaden their minds. - Kay

 

The Library is such a multifaceted resource that anything that I can do to make it more available to the community is worth my time and effort. - Jack

Lance W.
Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

 

Volunteering at the Library is a chance to give back. The staff at Mint Hill are wonderful!

Lee M.
Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

 

I’ve truly been blessed. I have always loved to read. I feel like I’m giving back some of the good things people have done for me.

Marianne L.
Volunteer at Matthews Library

 

Library books have always been a part of my life. As I grew older, I realized not everyone had access to books at home, but the Library filled that need. What could be a better way to give back to your community than to support the Library?

Meg S. and Winnie
Paws to Read Volunteers at ImaginOn

 

Helping young people practice their reading with Winnie unlocks a new confidence in reading and speaking skills that opens doors forever.

Pam M. and Seneca
Paws to Read volunteers at South County Regional Library

 

Seneca's enthusiasm, bright eyes, wagging tail, and willingness to bathe for her favorite volunteer destination keeps us coming back! Belly and ear scratches are in full abundance as well!

Robert M.
Paws to Read Volunteer at ImaginOn

 

No child should feel shame or fear when learning to read.

Sarah M.
Volunteer at ImaginOn

 

ImaginOn is such an amazing and creative space for kids, and the staff is very welcoming and kind.

Steven K.
Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

 

I love helping with Reading Buddies, the Student Success Center, Día and EpicFest.

Nora M.
Paws to Read Volunteer at ImaginOn

 

A child may come in and be afraid of reading, so they will just pet the dog. Ultimately, they feel more comfortable and will find a book and sit and read.

Alicia, Volunteer at SouthPark Regional Library:

 

"I love children's literature, especially picture books with their creative writing and unbelievable illustrations. I also think children are funny. When you combine reading a funny book with a fun child...it makes the volunteer work a real joy! I love escaping with books and hope to inspire this generation to find joy in the words and illustrations of children's literature. Thank you to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system for making this possible."

 

Ben, Volunteer at SouthPark Regional Library:

 

"Technology can be daunting, but it's part of everyday life. I want people to feel more confident using their computers and phones. I don't know all the answers, so sometimes it becomes a quest with the person attending a class or tutoring session to see if we can find an answer or solution. The library offers Tech Titans 50+ programs, which is offered through a partnership with AARP, and it opened more ways I could volunteer."

 

Bernice Mar – CM Library Logistics Volunteer :

 

“Why do I want to volunteer? A strong library system is a vital part of every thriving community. This is a way for me to be an active part of a meaningful presence...an engine of sorts...that I believe is an essential, life-affirming resource that improves the quality-of-life for everyone (including non-library patrons).  As a child, the library is where I discovered that books opened a new and exciting world of stories, language, images, colors and patterns. It was such a treat to come home with a stack of new books to explore! That positive experience contributed to and blossomed into a lifelong love for reading, writing, learning, and self-expression. Eventually that led to a longstanding relationship with the Mecklenburg library system and its programs after moving to Charlotte two decades ago. “

 

 

You will see our VolunTeens and our adult volunteers helping with the following:

  • Adopt an Aisle which includes families and children 12 and under.
  • Tech tutoring classes and one on one learning
  • Leading writing groups
  • Training to be Reading Buddies and help with Student Success Centers  
  • Prepping for branch book sales
  • Shelving, pulling holds and helping with morning deliveries
  • English as a Second Language programs  
  • Stocking Free Little Libraries all over Mecklenburg County
  • The ever-popular Paws to Read program where even your trained dog can volunteer!

 

 If I may give a grateful nod to those of you who help our staff shelve in the children's department (which isn’t for the meek), and a special thank you to the 28  staff who have taken on the role of Volunteer Point Person (VPPs) who guide and engage with our volunteers daily. They have worked diligently to make the Library a great experience for our volunteers.  

 

Thank you for being a Library volunteer and helping deliver the magic of books, stories, technology and lifelong learning. You are a treasured and valuable part of our story.

Grand Opening of New University City Regional

January 28, 2025

This University City Regional branch closes for the final time on February 1 at 5:00 PM. The new University City Regional branch is located at 5528 Waters Edge Village Drive Charlotte, NC (behind the Applebee's on J.W. Clay Boulevard).


The Grand Opening will be on February 8 from 9:30am to 4:00pm. All invited to partake in the festivities. Activities for the day include family storytime, an Artist Talk with Anne Lemanski, Mother Minter, a 360 photo booth, gaming, a puppet show, music, a dance acrobatics performance, and face painting.

 

For details about specific events at the new University City Regional branch grand opening see this events page.

Sugar Creek Library Updates

February 3, 2025

UPCOMING MEETING

We want to know what you think! The new space will be filled with books and great staff. But, we want to know what else needs to go inside the new building and how it can best serve the community.

 

Join us to speak to the designers, and tell us what the new Library needs.

 

Tuesday, May 20
6:00p-8:00p
Sugar Creek Library
4045 N. Tryon St, Charlotte
Refreshments will be served

 

The Library is excited to share that the Sugar Creek branch will be getting a new location and a new building. Work on Sugar Creek will commence in early 2025 and the new building is scheduled to be completed in 2027.

 

The new library will double in size and is planned to be located near the Ella B Scarborough Community Resource Center. The architect selected for this project is Perkins + Will.

 

The Library is looking forward to sharing soon how the community can share thoughts and support for the new branch location.