All Library locations and book drops will be closed on March 29th and March 31st for Good Friday and Easter. 

210 of 1211 results
Thumbnail
Get to know the SouthPark Regional community with the Library's WelcomeCLT program.

Get to know the SouthPark Regional community

May 3, 2022

SouthPark Regional Library can be found on the corner of Colony Rd and Carnegie Blvd. With over 26,000 square feet, there are spaces for studying, working, and browsing the collection. When you walk in, you will find our expanded Children’s Area, Community Room, and Café seating area. The upper floor houses our Computer Lab, makerspace, Teen Area and study rooms. Also on the second floor, the world language collection includes Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese, as well as Chinese, French, German and Spanish titles for children.

The SouthPark Mall is considered a staple of the SouthPark area. It is home to a variety of stores and restaurants. Whether you are looking to shop, grab a bite to eat, or just take a walk, SouthPark Mall is the place. Beside the SouthPark Mall stands Symphony Park, a large grassy lawn that holds many concerts and events throughout the year. Beginning in June, Symphony Park hosts the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Pops series, featuring a variety of music from popular cinematic soundtracks to opera performances.

If you are looking to go outdoors, check out nearby Park Road Park. The 72-acre park holds baseball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, a volleyball court and a playground. Scenic walking trails surround a centrally located lake with piers. The area is also home to nearby Little Sugar Creek Greenway. The Little Sugar Creek Greenway, beginning at Tyvola Rd, runs for 4.8 miles. The greenway accommodates walkers, runners and bikers alike. It even includes a bridge connecting over to Park Road Park.

The Levine Jewish Community Center is a diverse, inclusive, multi-cultural community center, open to everyone of all faiths. The Levine JCC has a fitness center with indoor basketball courts, racquetball courts, tennis courts, and indoor and outdoor pools. The facilities host sports programs for youth and adults, summer camps, and cultural arts activities. The surrounding Shalom Park holds the Jewish Federation for Greater Charlotte, Jewish Family Services, Temple Beth El, Temple Israel, the Foundation of Shalom Park, the Charlotte Jewish Preschool, the Charlotte Jewish Day School, and the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, as well as the Center for Jewish Education, Temple Beth El, Temple Israel, the Foundation of Shalom Park, the Charlotte Jewish Preschool, the Charlotte Jewish Day School, the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, and the Center for Jewish Education and the Center for Jewish Education.

The Mint Museum Randolph, located around 15 minutes away, has galleries with the art of the ancient Americas, ceramics and decorative arts, and European and African art, among other collections. Located in what was the original branch of the United States Mint, the Mint Museum Randolph opened in 1936 as North Carolina’s first art museum. Additional areas of interest within the museum include a reference library, a theater featuring lectures and performances, and a museum store. Visit on Wednesday evenings from 5-9 p.m. for free admission!

With a variety of restaurant options available around the area, it is no surprise that the SouthPark staff have a few favorites. Renaissance Patisserie is a local café that offers French pastries, traditional baguettes, and the home of Charlotte's only Kouign "Queen" Amann. Another favorite is Milk Cha Cha, a boba tea shop providing a unique experience by using fresh fruits, fresh dairy and premium loose-leaf teas. The area is also home to Café Monte, a French Bistro serving classic Provence-style dishes and pastries made using local ingredients.

New to Charlotte? Explore other neighborhoods through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library blog and WelcomeCLT, a digital space created for newcomers to Charlotte.

 

Resources:

---

This blog post was written by Kristin Wilkins, library assistant for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Thumbnail

Celebrate the real Cinco de Mayo

May 5, 2022

When you think of May 5, does your mouth water in anticipation of the food, libations and festivities that generally accompany the holiday? If so, it's time to learn the significance behind modern-day Cinco de Mayo celebrations. More than a flavorful fiesta – Cinco's historical significance is important and relevant to events still affecting the country today. While Cinco de Mayo celebrations are prominent in the United States, May 5 is not as widely celebrated in its land of origin.

So, why is May 5 important? It was on that day in 1862 that the Mexican army defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla during the French-Mexican war. Although Mexicans won that battle, the French returned to capture Puebla the following year. The battle at Puebla is significant because it established Mexico as a force to be reckoned with. In fact, five years later, Mexicans troops proved their resiliency against foreign domination again by overthrowing the government and reestablishing themselves as an independent republic.

And, while it is customary in the U.S. to throw large, Mexican-themed parties, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Mexico mainly in the state of Puebla with military parades and battle reenactments.

Ultimately, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the bravery, culture, traditions, folklore and contributions of the Mexican people and their descendants to societies across the world. To learn more about Mexican culture, including food, folklore and more, check out our Celebrate Cinco de Mayo book list.

Photo credit: public domain

Thumbnail
Learning with the Library is always in style

Learning with the Library is always in style

May 11, 2022

As somebody who loves fashion and is a working designer, it can be equal parts exhilarating and daunting to keep up with the latest industry practices. The dizzying world of high fashion is ever changing with new design processes, technology and trends popping up every few months. Fast fashion and the internet have completely changed the fashion landscape and it can be a strenuous process sifting through the thousands of blogs, websites and Op-Ed pieces to find reliable information about the latest fashion news. Sure, there are plenty of reference books in Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s catalog about fashion from a historical perspective, but what about resources for the modern designer? You may not think of your local library as a place where you can get those resources, but you’d be mistaken. What if I told you that you can get access to intensive coursework covering all aspects of the fashion design process, taught by industry leaders for FREE? You can with access to LinkedIn Learning through the Library’s catalog of digital resources.

        

(l to r): showing some of my designs at a recent fashion show, and in my home studio working on a pattern

LinkedIn Learning is an online educational site that includes over 3,000 courses in popular fields like web design, web development, IT, education/instruction, media production, and yes, fashion design. There are several different learning paths you can take and I chose the path called “Become a Fashion Designer.” This 20-hour course is filled with videos and learning activities in subjects like color theory, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, pattern design and much more. Twenty hours may sound like a lot of time to invest, but the lessons are broken up into sub-categories ranging from one to four minutes each. Each course is self-guided and taught by industry leaders that know everything from the basics to the latest techniques. I love the flexibility to start and stop whenever I feel and not lose my progress, which is perfect for working professionals. I’ve even been able to watch a few courses while on the treadmill at the gym or while sewing a project at home.

Upon completion of the course, you receive a LinkedIn Learning Certificate showing that you have successfully completed the lessons and now have mastery of that skill. This is great to add to your resume or LinkedIn profile as a professional tool. The best part is that all of this was free to me (and to you too) just by using my Library card. Don’t have one? Get your own here.

Want to get started on your own learning track? Checkout LinkedIn Learning today.

Access LinkedIn Learning

--

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

Thumbnail
"The Fight Against Hate Crimes" is a new book, released earlier this year and available at the Library.

Massacre causes far-reaching aftermaths of terror

May 31, 2022

It happened again on Saturday May 14, another mass murder by a gunman in the United States. This time in Buffalo, New York, African Americans were targeted at a grocery store with 10 dying. A young white adult was charged with the shooting and arrested on the scene.

The accused killer currently faces first-degree murder charges. Due to the nature of the crime, NPR reported “Officials have said they are investigating the mass shooting as a racially motivated hate crime and are also considering a terrorism charge. Separately, the FBI is investigating the shooting as both a hate crime and racially motivated violent extremism.”

Hate crimes are defined as “crimes committed on the basis of the victim’s perceived or actual race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability,” at the federal level by the Department of Justice and most states use similar wording in their laws.

As the crime investigation of the incident is underway the nation’s stunned reaction may be fading, but the affected community is processing and coping. Buffalo as a whole, of course, is affected, yet the attack was in a predominately Black neighborhood in one of the nation’s most racially segregated cities by news accounts. The shooting stings Blacks for being singled out only for their race and the result for many may be traumatizing. And granted, the nation has had recent tragic news stories of other racial minorities preyed upon too for hateful reasons. However for Blacks, the massacre double downs on the attitudes of otherness in the United States and being vulnerable. As expected, a new Washington Post and Ipsos poll of African American residents find a noticeable dip of 43% to 34% to the question whether it is a good time to be Black in America today.

A People magazine report of the story shared the anguish by one woman’s plea. “[Inside] Buffalo’s True Bethel Church, the pain was raw and personal. ‘One young lady at church on Sunday had lost a family member,’ explained Bishop Darius Pridgen. ‘She hollered out over and over, ‘Why? Why do they hate us so much?’”   

 Connecting some dots as to why such extreme violent acts occur may be found in reading about the topic of hate crime in the Library.  Check this booklist for books to read, including several written specifically for the teenage audience. These books are based on the church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina at Mother Emanuel AME Church and detail grief, healing and forgiveness for some victims involved. Readers would likely find some circumstances echo what occurred in Buffalo.

An additional catalog subject search for “hate crime” can find resources including more e-book and video entries that focus on different populations and attitudes as well as true crime stories and novels.   

--

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

Thumbnail
Queen Charlotte and her family are signed up for Summer Break, are you?  Everyone from adults to babies are welcome to participate in Summer Break 2022!

Queen Charlotte signs up for Summer Break

May 31, 2022

It's that wonderful time of year - Summer Break! Take you and your family’s summer learning to the next level with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Summer Break 2022 Challenge. Our summer learning challenge starts June 1 and ends August 13. The community is challenged to read 10 million minutes together.

Register for the challenge online by visiting our website or downloading the app, Beanstack Tracker. Your free account allows you to track reading time and learning activities to earn prizes and collect virtual badges. Even tracking Queen Charlotte can be logged into Beanstack as an activity. Find Queen Charlotte at your local branch, visit the Queen Charlotte Walks in Her Garden statue in uptown Charlotte, or take a selfie with Queen Charlotte. The possibilities of reaching 1,200 points to complete the summer break challenge are endless!

 

Exciting Programs

Though our Summer Break 2022 program can be completed entirely online, our libraries are hosting some wonderful programs this summer. Check out these upcoming programs that you can attend in person, as well as access from home. We have something for everyone!

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.  

Thumbnail
The Library has everything you need to start a successful business

The Library has everything you need to start a successful business

May 31, 2022

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has amazing business resources. Many people are not aware that the Library has anything beyond children’s storytimes and novels. But if you are thinking about starting a business or have an ongoing business and would like to expand, we have data for you. Your taxes have paid for these resources, so why pay someone else to gather what you already have access to?

Can you use a list of businesses? Data Axle Reference Solutions is a business directory for the entire United States. You can select the industry, the geography, the number of employees and then create a list of businesses with contact names, addresses, phone numbers and more.

Do you need to know what’s going on in your industry or your customer’s industry? ABI/Inform Collection has industry reports from Dun & Bradstreet, Plunkett, and other global publishers. These show the state of the industry, regulations, challenges, opportunities, ratios, and what’s on leadership’s radar.

Will you be selling to a select demographic? SimplyAnalytics allows you to create maps to show dense geographic areas where your potential clients live. There are 8,000+ variables of age, income, housing, spending habits, and so much more you can map or put into spreadsheets to analyze. 

These are only 3 of several resources available to use for your business planning. 

You don’t have to spend hours watching tutorials or reading instructions to use these databases. Book a 1-hour time slot for a 1-on-1 video call with a librarian here. Pick a session that suits your schedule and register. You’ll receive an email with the Zoom link for that session.

 

Meet our business Librarian

Mimi Curlee is a 30-year reference librarian who has shown hundreds of business people how to use these databases for their specific needs. She will be glad to work with you to find data you can use for your business success. Sign up for a 1-on-1 video call here.

Thumbnail
A photograph of Allegra Westbrooks at then Beatties Ford Road Regional Library

The pioneering woman: A history of Allegra Westbrooks

February 1, 2021

Allegra Westbrooks was the first African American public library supervisor in North Carolina. Ms. Westbrooks grew up in Fayetteville, NC where she spent her childhood peeking through the windows of white-only public libraries. Her mother, a schoolteacher, passed a love of books down to her. She attended Fayetteville State Teachers College and Atlanta University where she received a Bachelor of Science in library services. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brevard Street Library, 1944 

When she moved to Charlotte in 1947, only two libraries existed for the Black community: Brevard Street Library and its “sub-branch” in Fairview Homes Public Housing on Oaklawn Avenue. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Citizens Advisory Council meets with Allegra Westbrooks, Head of Negro Library Services  

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (then Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County) hired Ms. Westbrooks in 1947 as the head of Negro Library Services at the Brevard Street Library. To attract the Black community to these two branches, Ms. Westbrooks launched a campaign to host prominent speakers at Black churches “to sell the gospel of books and reading.” She also visited the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) and Girl Scouts to form coalitions to increase usage of the Black libraries. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Female librarians assisting children on the bookmobile, 1966 

Ms. Westbrooks influenced many people to go to libraries through her public efforts. Many community members remember her visting them with a bookmobile to inspire them to read. Ms. Westbrooks said, “It is gratifying, when you’ll be on the street and see somebody, and they say, 'I used the book mobile. I want you to meet my four children. I insist that they read'.” She would also pick up books that the Black community requested at Main Library once a week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Man entering Brevard Street Library, 1948

The library system was desegregated in 1956, but the Brevard Street Branch continued to operate until December of 1961 when it was closed and demolished as part of the Brooklyn area urban redevelopment project.

Ms. Westbrooks was promoted Head of Acquisitions in 1950 at Main Library. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library officially integrated on November 19, 1956.  Hoyt R. Galvin, director of libraries 1940-1971, spoke to her undeniable skills and knowledge:

“Her recommendations were good, and I was pleased to have her join our staff, but I didn’t realize the library and the community were getting a jewel. She carries a major responsibility for the countywide public library system in coordination of adult book selection and is head of all book acquisitions. In a day when 1,000 new book titles are published every day, this is a major task. There are subject specialists who know the literature of their field in a superior fashion, but Miss Westbrooks is the most knowledgeable all-around book specialist in North Carolina.”

Ms. Westbrooks’ career with the Library spanned 35 years, but her legacy continues today. She is not only honored for her incredible achievements as a pioneer in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system, but also for the many extracurricular activities and organizations she served on. In 1969, she was named “Outstanding Career Woman of 1969” at The Gold Rose Awards hosted by the White House Inn. 

--

This blog was written by Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room staff at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.  

Sources

Borden, Pat. “Retiring Worker symbol of change in local library.” The Charlotte Observer, February 10, 1984.

Osborne, Dorothy. “Top Career Woman Is ‘Giant For Good’.” The Charlotte Observer, October 17, 1969.

Perlmutti, David. “A love of books, nurtured by mother.” Black History Month, Crossing the Barrier, February 4, 2009.

Thumbnail
Helen Hope Kimbrough reflects on the impact of the recent Presidential Inauguration for her and her family.

An historic inauguration with a lasting impact

February 1, 2021

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.

I recall my first inaugural experience in 2009. My entire family (parents, sister, cousins, aunts, and uncles) traveled to Washington, DC to attend special events and witness President Barack Obama take the Oath of Office with First Lady Michelle Obama, and daughters, Malia and Sasha. As a mom, it was important to have my sons experience this historic moment and see a President who looked like them. As a family, we also knew the importance of sharing in this special time together particularly for our youngest generation who were filled with awe and excitement.

Fast forward to Inauguration Day 2021. We reminisced and re-lived how we felt then and rejoiced again as we watched Madam Vice President Kamala Harris take her Oath of Office surrounded by her beautiful family. Although we were unable to gather in person, this occasion was enormous in nature with history being reshaped once again.

Just like my sons got to see their reflection in President Obama, now girls can see their reflection in Vice President Harris proving that the narrative can change. What a sight to behold! What a fervent expression of how every child can feel and see unlimited possibilities.

Historically, Black, brown, and indigenous people have often been relegated and made to feel that moments like this are reserved for just a few. Not so, I declare! These moments are for ALL.

--

This blog post was written by Helen Hope Kimbrough. Helen is a reading evangelist, literacy advocate, and racial equity champion. She serves as the Second Vice Chair of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation.

Thumbnail
Library on Call provides stories read aloud for seniors by calling a dedicated telephone number.

Library on Call – dial in and hear a story

February 3, 2021

Sometimes it’s just nice to sit back and listen to someone read you a story. That’s just what Library on Call plans to do.

Library on Call is an outreach service of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where customers can call a dedicated number to hear pre-recorded, frequently updated messages tailored for our senior audience.

Selections include short stories, poems, chapters from famous and popular books, jokes and more. At least one option will be offered in Spanish. Selections range in time from one to 30 minutes long. They can be heard any time, day or night, seven days a week.

To hear a story for yourself or play one for someone else, just dial (980) 331-7700. You'll hear an automated menu. Make your selection, sit back, and enjoy.

Thumbnail
One man reflects on the impact of seeing yourself represented in leadership positions at public institutions.

Representation matters

February 3, 2021

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.

I recently snapped a photo of myself and three other Black male co-workers as we were the only staff in the facility at the time. It was a moment of pride — and perhaps reckoning — for me to realize that in the 20+ years that I’ve worked in libraries, this was the only time I could recall working alongside all Black male colleagues. Truthfully, it was my first time working alongside all male colleagues, but the fact that we were all Black men was glaring. It took me back to a conversation I had a few years ago, when a young Black male asked me where I worked. When I told him where and what I did (I referred to myself as a librarian), his response was incredulous. He shared with me that he didn’t know of any librarians that looked “like him.” It was a sad acknowledgment, but not necessarily a surprising one.

From L-R, Kyle Hearns, Reggie Villegas, Kenya Sloan, LaJuan Pringle

Librarianship is one of the many career fields where Black representation lags. As Black Americans make up roughly 13% of the country’s population, 9% of librarians are Black according to the American Library Association, and out of credentialed librarians nationwide, Black male representation among this group is less than 1%. This issue has become well-known throughout the profession. The lack of Black males in librarianship has been well documented in numerous discussions and academic studies throughout the years. Some of the reasons cited for lack of Black males in the profession include:  

  • Black males may not see librarianship as a viable option when they are young. It’s during these years that many of us start to think about what we want to do or who we want to be in life. As I look back on my own story, my first job in high school was a library page. If it hadn’t been for my library work in high school, I’m certain I would have never entertained the thought of becoming a librarian as an adult.
  • Librarianship is a female dominated profession. Over 80% of librarians are women. There’s the belief that because women represent the overwhelming majority of librarians, it’s viewed as “woman’s” job. However, once you get past these stereotypes, librarianship is a great profession for anyone regardless of gender.

The lack of representation of Black males continues to be an issue for the library profession, but on the day we took the picture above, for me, it was a vision of what library staff could look like. In this vision, libraries would employ staff that reflect and, in many cases, look like the communities they serve. If I ever again see the young man I mentioned earlier, I’d like to invite him to West Boulevard for a visit. It would be great for him to see library employees who look like him.

--

This blog post was written by LaJuan Pringle, branch leader at West Boulevard Library.