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

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The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Job Help Center offers practical advice for college students considering internships.

5 ways an internship can create opportunities for success

August 28, 2019

What’s one more thing to add to an already hectic schedule during your final year of college? An internship. Sure, the idea of partying and celebrating your forthcoming freedom from school seems enticing, but snagging an internship (when a student works for an organization -- paid or unpaid, providing an opportunity to gain valuable experience, learn new and useful skills and make priceless connections) is beneficial in the long run. An internship can last anywhere from three to six months, so it doesn’t take up your entire final year of college. Think about all the things that you’ve learned as a student and the advantage an internship will provide when you finally enter the workforce.

Here are some great reasons to consider an internship:

  • Gaining valuable experience - This is your chance to “try out” the job or career of your choice. You also gain skills that you can only learn on the job and you’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate them. The individuals you work with during your internship can vouch for your skills and experience as professional references in the future.
  • Spruce up your resume - This is important. College is a great way to start the journey to your dream career by participating in clubs and organizations, but viable experience as an intern could catch the eye of a potential employer, giving you an edge over others in the job market.
  • Developing skills – Despite feeling like you’ve learned everything, your skillset is limited when you first finish school. An internship will help develop and enhance both soft and hard skills. Today’s employers are just as interested in your soft or transferable skills as they are in job-specific skills. 
  • Building relevant relationships - Networking is a vital skill to have in the job market. The relationships that you build while interning are critical to your future success.
  • Meet your mentor – You’ll need direction and one of the best ways to get that is to acquire a mentor. Many people meet their mentors during their internship. Mentors are experienced and trusted advisers -- they are among the key relationships you’ll form because they work with you to ensure your growth and success. Mentorship is not a one-way relationship -- it requires give, take and nurturing to be effective.  

Interested in interning? Learning more about finding an internship is as easy as visiting your college career center. The staff can help you succeed by connecting you to resources. Your school also may have a partnership with large corporations and medium-sized businesses to offer internships to students just like you.

It’s important that students seeking to move into the workforce after school take advantage of internships because they create opportunities for individuals long after completion. Finding a job fresh out of school can be tough, so the more experience you can add to the work experience section of your resume, the better.

But, don’t be mistaken. Internships are not all fun and games. They are meant to test your ability to work a job and give you hands-on, industry-specific experience. An internship is a real-time, and real-life, simulation of what you’ve learned in class.

Now, take the first step into your future and sign up for an internship!

 

This blog was written by De'Trice Fox

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Girls Rock Charlotte takes over Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

Girls Rock Charlotte takes over the Library

September 3, 2019

Did you know? Of the top 100 grossing films of 2018, women represented only:

  • 4% of directors
  • 15% of writers
  • 3% of cinematographers
  • 18% of producers
  • 18% of executive producers
  • 14% of editors

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library recently formed a partnership with Girls Rock Charlotte (GRC), a non-profit organization that has been working to change the statistics of women's roles in film. GRC’s mission is to amplify the confidence of girls and gender diverse youth through the power of music and film. Last year was their first summer to host a film camp, giving youth ages 11-18 the opportunity to learn a new career and become the voice of the next generation in filmmaking. This year, the camp was hosted by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The partnership began at Independence Regional Library branch with a series of Screen Writing 101 workshops.  The scripts for the films were chosen by camp leadership such as GRC Executive Director, Kelly Finley,  and a Women’s and Gender Studies professor at UNCC. Finley met with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Chief Innovation Officer, Seth Ervin, to discuss the camps innovative approach to creating job opportunities for young people and making a positive change in the film industry. Ervin has also brought other film making opportunities to the library for teens and adults, including a partnership with the Unconventional Film School.

Finley’s vision for the camp is to create a curriculum that can be shared to other Girls Rock organizations across the country. Finley said about the library partnership, “It was inspiring to see our young filmmakers not only discover the art and skills of filmmaking but also to discover how the library has the resources and staff to help them pursue their projects and aspirations."

During the week of July 28 – August 3, girls and female filmmaker volunteers gathered in meeting spaces at Main Library and ImaginOn to learn the roles of director, camera, editor, art director, lighting, sound and more. Staffing the camp with all women filmmakers was especially difficult. Jolly Dale, a producer for "The Walking Dead" and the GRC Film Camp Director said, “Finding female film professionals is difficult in general because there just aren’t that many of them. Finding female film professionals to also give up their time and employment for a day or more to volunteer with GRC Film Camp is even more challenging - because those few are in high demand in the industry. With Film Camp, we’re trying to grow the percentage of women working in media, and in the process, effect change in how women and women’s issues are represented on screen.”

In addition to the filmmakers who helped lead the camp, campers had the opportunity during lunch each day to meet local women in media such as news anchors Michelle Boudin, Ruby Durhan and Lisha Scott from WCBC, and Christine Moore, a director who has worked on projects such as The Wire, CSI, and Treme.

In just the span of one short week, thirty-two campers filmed, edited and premiered four three-minute short films. The screening took place at Spirit Square just six short days after the camp began. To learn more about Girls Rock Charlotte, please visit their website, or to learn more about filmmaking programs happening at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, please visit our online calendar. Below are the completed films:  

Ria "RIA" was written by Alice Loder, who attended the library Screen Writing 101 Workshop at the library last May. A sophisticated script about a young woman who has chosen to go “off the grid” by getting rid of all her worldly possessions. This script utilized spaces through out Main Library, including The Mecklenburg Room inside the Carolina Room.

Shush Written by Jillian Ruvalcaba, "Shush," was filmed entirely in The Loft at ImaginOn. The script highlighted themes of bullying and being open to new people. 

The Burning Haunt "The Burning Haunt," written by Holly Walker, was the most difficult film to shoot in terms of location as it utilized locations at Main Library, The Loft and the Children’s Theater in ImaginOn. The main character in this script encounters a ghost who died in a fire after being locked in a bathroom at school.

The Perfect Girl The final film titled "The Perfect Girl," written by Jada Bennett, was filmed entirely at Main Library. This crew was made up entirely of campers who attended last year’s film camp. The campers on this crew all aspire to attend film school and have a career in film. The script is about a young girl who struggles with body dysmorphia.  

 

Resources: https://womenandhollywood.com/ https://www.girlsrockclt.org/ https://vimeo.com/channels/1291690

This blog was written by Lonna Vines. Vines is a Children’s Librarian at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and a member of leadership for Girls Rock Charlotte. She performed as the Assistant Camp Director, Cast Coordinator and Library Liason during the week of camp. 

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North County Regional Library Re-opens; Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

North County Regional re-opens - We missed you, too!

September 3, 2019

Welcome (back) to North County Regional Library!

We missed you, too!

North County Regional Library will re-open on Monday, October 7, 2019 at 9 a.m.

The branch, which was closed in July 2018 for renovations, is an essential connector in the community. The Library will offer services, programs, Wi-Fi and computer use, along with a wide selection of books and audio visual materials including DVDs, CDs and audiobooks. Thank you for your patience during our renovation.

What's new at North County Regional Library? 

North County Regional Library (located at 16550 Holly Crest Lane, Huntersville, 28078) increased by 1,860 square feet to nearly 24,860 square feet and now includes redesigned spaces for children and teens, including a new Teen Loft, a makerspace room, an expanded community room, individual and group study rooms and collaborative spaces, a vending café, and a patio and terrace. Features include free Wi-Fi, audio-visual capabilities and a public computer lab. A new exterior book/materials drop is part of the new traffic flow in the parking lot. The North County Regional Library is also updated with an efficient checkout system using radio frequency identification (RFID) and an automated materials handling (AMH) unit.

We also welcome a new branch leader for North County Regional Library – Amanda Corbett. She is excited to meet all of you and welcome you (back) to our beautiful new facility.

Library Hours

Starting October 7, North County Regional Library will resume normal operating hours. The Library will be open Mondays through Thursdays 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and Sundays 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Hours may vary in summer. 

Library Holds and Pick-ups

As of October 7, North County Regional will once again receive and distribute reserved items. When you’re in Bibliocommons reserving an item, you can choose a location from the drop-down list. Note: North County Regional will not be added back in until October 7, so if you try to add this location before that date, the location will not appear. 

Returning books and materials to North County book/materials-drop

One of North County Regional's newest features is an exterior drive-through book/materials drop with a new traffic flow in the parking lot to accommodate this improvement. (Book/materials drop open October 7.) Please watch for and follow the directional signs.

There were also major upgrades to the HVAC system to ensure efficient operations and user comfort. Public funding for the North County Regional project was approved in 2014 by Mecklenburg County and cost approximately $6.78 million. The project was managed by Mecklenburg County’s Asset and Facility Management Team, the architect was McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture and Optima Engineering, and the builder/contractor was Encompass Building Group. The North County Regional renovation is the second of several projects for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system; Morrison Regional Library was renovated and re-opened in 2017, and South County Regional Library is scheduled to close later this year for renovations.

When’s the celebration?

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library will host a Fall Fest and Grand Re-Opening at North County Regional Library with a ribbon cutting ceremony and lots of activities inside and outside the branch on Saturday, October 26, 2019, beginning at 10 a.m.

Click here for details!  

See you at North County Regional soon!

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Charlotte Journalism Collaborative

The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative

September 4, 2019

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has been involved with the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative since its beginning in the summer of 2018. The Library’s Innovation department set out to see if a public library could leverage its staff, resources, and digital presence to make a difference in the local news ecosystem.  It turns out that yes, it can.

The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative (CJC) is made up of several key journalistic partners and institutions including: The Charlotte Observer, La Noticia, Queen City Metro, Qnotes, WCNC, WFAE, The Knight School of Communication at Queens University, Free Press, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. This CJC is committed to delivering ‘solutions journalism’ to the local community around the affordable housing issues within our county. 

Solutions journalism is a discipline in journalism that seeks to cover a more comprehensive view of reality, not just covering the problems in the community, but taking it a step forward to showcase the solution, implementation, results and gained insights as communities rally to solve key issues in the community.  The data around this practice is impressive as seen in the reporting from the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin– readers of solutions journalism pieces usually find the quality of the article to be better, show greater engagement and increase interest in the topic, as well as boosting their positivity. It should also be noted that the CJC is an official part of the Solutions Journalism Network whose mission “is to spread the practice of solutions journalism and rebalance the news so that every day people are exposed to stories that help them understand problems and challenges and show potential ways to respond.”

So what have we been working on? Through the Digital Branch platform, the Library is hosting the Collaborative’s website at www.charlottejournalism.org. There you will find a showcase of solutions journalism pieces around affordable housing, highlighting the solutions our community is working on to remedy this systemic problem. More stories will be posted and be sure to follow the library’s social media for more updates.

The CJC is also planning to host a community conversation about affordable housing on October 13, 2019 at ImaginOn: The Joe and Joan Martin Center to highlight local people who are making a difference in the affordable housing conversation, along with groundbreaking solutions.  If you know someone who is making a difference in this area, please consider nominating them as an Affordable Housing Hero during the month of September.  Nominated members of the community will be recognized and celebrated at the October 13 event.

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Join the Library as we celebrate Dia, a celebration of children, reading and culture

Prepare for the bilingual book fair at the Library

January 30, 2019

i Prepárate para la Feria del Libro!

As part of its celebration of “El Día de los Niños/El Día de los Libros (Children’s Day/Book Day)," Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, in conjunction with the Artist Studio Project present the 2nd Annual "Cervantino Bilingual Book Fair" on Saturday, April 20, 2019. As part of the Artist Studio Project's Annual El Quixote Festival, the Library invites authors of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, satire and anthology (Spanish, English – bilingual) to read, promote, sell and sign their books at the Book Fair.

The purpose of the "Cervantino Bilingual Book Fair" is to provide authors an outlet to build a fan base, create social networks and establish contacts with other authors. The event is free, but participants who wish to exhibit, sell or share their work must register here by March 1, 2019. For more information about this program, visit iamquixote.com

“We're excited to bring our Cervantino Bilingual Book Fair to the Queen City,” says Rafael A. Osuba, artistic director of the Artist Studio Project. “We can't think of a better partner than Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, as this is exactly what libraries should be doing: opening and creating opportunities for members of the community while providing access to community resources. Our goal and hope is to bring the community together by a shared passion for books, storytelling and reading as we work together to make North Carolina a great place to live.”

“El Día de los Niños/El Día de los Libros (Children’s Day/Book Day)", also known as Día, emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds with events at select Library locations and community agencies throughout April.

The Library has promoted Día since 1998, and the celebration has experienced great growth and expansion throughout the years. What began as a storytelling celebration has now evolved into an impactful community cultural celebration.

For more information about the Día program from Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, visit here

 

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Warm up from cold winter days with simmering soup recipes

Soup-er Bowl Sunday

January 31, 2019

It’s finally here, the holiday we’ve been waiting for all year: Soup-er Bowl Sunday!

Patriots and Rams aside, this soupy celebration is the real party during the cold, wintry months.

A great soup recipe makes the most out of basic ingredients like beans, lentils and fresh or frozen vegetables. Throw in a few spices in your pantry, and you have a wallet-friendly main dish that’s healthier than the ones from the can. Keep reading for creative recipes to ‘bowl’ you over! 

"Souper” selections

  • A Southerner will tell you “Pot Likker Soup” isn't a misspelling but a delicious ham and greens soup. Try this recipe and more favorites in Nancie McDermott’s Southern Soups & Stews
  • Chili just tastes better when it’s cooked in a cast iron pot. Try the recipe from The Best of Lodge cookbook by the makers of the beloved cast iron cookware. 
  • Use your high-speed blender for more than just smoothies with soup recipes from Vanessa Simkins’ Power Blender Revolution
  • The Hungarian “Night Owl” Soup featured in An Exaltation of Soups is great for hangovers (we hear) or any other ailments!
  • Soup swaps are the new cookie swap!  Kathy Gunst’s Soup Swap is full of recipes like Sopa de Lima and Chorizo and Clam Stew to exchange with your neighbors and friends. 
  • Keep with your new year’s resolutions by incorporating recipes from the American Heart Association’s Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook or EatingWell Soups
  • Try the coconut pumpkin curry soup from the latest issue of Rachel Ray Every Day. Read this and all your favorite magazines for free with your Library card on RBDigital!
  • Mystery lovers, stir up trouble with Connie Archer’s cozy mysteries A Broth of Betrayal, A Clue In The Stew and Ladle To The Grave.

A ladle full of learning

There’s more to a good soup recipe than dumping ingredients in a pot and hoping for the best. Improve your cooking skills with these resources: 

  • Get a free private chef lesson with step-by-step cooking instructions on Films on Demand.
  • Through Universal Class, learn to make gazpacho in Spanish Cooking 101 or hearty Italian one-pot soup meals in Italian Cooking 101—all free with your Library card!

For younger readers

  • Follow along with the video of the children’s classic Stone Soup in American Sign Language. If you want to learn more about signing, take our free sign language class at the Matthews Library, beginning Feb. 6, 2019. 
  • Rescue Max the Duck in the children’s favorite Duck Soup. Adults can check out the Marx Brothers’ classic DVD, as well.
  • Teach the entire family new languages with a bilingual picture book like Dādī Mām̐ Kā Śanivāra Kā Sūpa or La Soupe Du Samedi De Grand-mére, Hindi and French versions of Grandma’s Saturday Soup.   
  • Our children’s librarians put together this list of their favorite books about soup. 
  • Homeschool families can attend the rally at ImaginOn: The Joe and Joan Martin Center on March 6, 2019.  Listen to the classic Stone Soup and explore STEAM activities. 

Whether you’re making a touchdown-worthy steaming bowl of soup or reading the classic Stone Soup with your children, happy Soup-er Bowl Sunday from your friends at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library!

P.S. Remember to stay tuned for Community Read in March and check your local library calendars for events in your neighborhood. 

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mysteries, favorites, 2018

Favorite 2018 mysteries return with new stories

February 12, 2019

There’s bound to be a great pleasure in playing catch-up with the recommended “best books” of the previous year. That’s even more true when a handful of those books are mysteries. The trade magazine, Library Journal,  recently named its 2018 favorites in the December issue, and we’ve compiled three of our favorites here. Happy reading!

Big City Private Investigator:  Broken Places introduces Cass Raines, an African-American Chicago police officer turned private detective. She launches an investigation into the death of a local priest, who served as her surrogate father, when she finds him dead in his church next to the body of a young gang member. Earlier, the priest had asked Raines to investigate vandalism at his church. Now, she suspects the worse. What follows is a lively, realistic story with a relentless detective following the trail wherever it takes her. This book is written by Tracy P. Clark, and the next book in the series is scheduled for a May 2019 release.

Amateur Sleuth in Early Twentieth Century: A Death of No Importance features maid Jane Prescott intruding into the murder investigation of a high-society playboy. Set in 1910 Manhattan, Prescott joins the Benchley family to work as its new maid. The playboy, Norrie Newsome, is dating the family’s youngest daughter, Charlotte. That is, before Prescott finds him dead in the family’s library. The crime is big news for the New York City press. With the murder at a Christmas Eve ball, and multiple murder suspects revealed, the crime offers the opportunity for a long series of news stories. However, Prescott tries to solve the case before her employer continues to sink amid the scandal and gets help from one resourceful reporter. This is the first adult fiction novel by Mariah Fredericks, who had previously written young adult novels. The next book in the series is scheduled for an April 2019 release.

Depression-Era Mystery: Death of a Rainmaker takes place in Vermillion, Okla., during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, when much of the Plains suffered from an extreme, prolonged dry spell. No rain has fallen in Jackson County for 240 days. Though, luck may come with a stranger visiting town with the promise to make the skies rain…for a price. His attempts are fruitless, of course, and after a tremendous dust storm, the man is found in dead in an alley. The town’s sheriff, Temple Jennings, investigates with his deputy and they arrest a suspect who winds up with an unusual champion for his innocence -- Jennings' wife, Etha. This book is written by Laurie Loewenstein, who’s writing the novel's sequel set four months later with a new murder occurring days after a train wreck in the Oklahoma town.   

You’ll have to wait until 2020 for this sequel, though.

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find out all you need to know about online dating with the Library

Online dating for valentine season

February 12, 2019

There once was a time when online dating was considered taboo and carried a stigma (it was only something  socially-awkward people might do). The good news is times have changed and options are available. According to a recent Eharmony.com article “10 Online Dating Statistics You Should Know,” 40 percent of Americans use online dating. Online dating can be convenient, budget-friendly and done in the convenience of your pajamas at home while watching Hoopla. Here are some resources to help you get started or simply be entertained.

Movies

One of the first movies about online dating is the classic You’ve Got Mail starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, available on DVD at the Library. The Sleepless in Seattle couple is back again in this frenemies-turn-lovers comedy. Other online dating movies available on DVD include A Case of You , Book Club , This Means War , Midnight Sun , Goodbye to All of That and Catfish. If you can’t find your DVD player, try Hoopla where you can stream movies like Two Night Stand  and Wrong Swipe.

 

 

If you are more in the mood for a page turner, check out these titles that feature online dating in the backdrop. My Favorite Half-night Stand by Christina Lauren, Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins, Love Rules by Joanna Coles, and The Devil You Know by Mary Monroe - all available in print. You can download Not Your Mother’s Rules by Ellen Fein, which is an updated version of the best seller The Rules by the same author that includes a section on online dating.

Before you decide to swipe right, there are plenty of how-to guides available on maneuvering the streets of online dating. Find out how to write a profile, stay safe and get the truth about the experience from many resources found in this Bibliocommons list here.  Good luck and happy dating!

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Library to undergo major systems upgrade on Feb. 25 and 26, 2019

Library system to undergo major system upgrade Feb. 25 and 26, 2019

February 14, 2019

Dear Library cardholders, customers and supporters,

Please be advised that due to a major computer system upgrade, a system-wide service interruption will occur on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 25 and 26, 2019.

Due to this upgrade, unfortunately all online and some money-related services will be affected. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by this interruption - it is unavoidable in this type of major system upgrade. Systems are expected to return online Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019.

During this time, all items and holds will be placed on a ‘holiday’ calendar, which means no items will be due nor will expire during this time. All affected dates will be extended to Feb. 28, 2019.

Services that will be offline or unavailable:

  • Most online resources will not be able to authenticate users because of the connection to our system. This includes e-books, audiobooks, journals, magazines, streaming music and videos. Affected vendors include, but are not limited to: CultureGrams, Freegal Music, Lynda.com, RBDigital, OverDrive, NCKids, NCLive, Mango Languages. (Only hoopla will be unaffected during this time.)
    • Note: Items or holds downloaded through one of these systems on or before Sunday, Feb. 24, will not be affected. However, online access to materials will not be available during this time.
  • Bibliocommons will have limited functionality only for item search (https://cmlibrary.bibliocommons.com)
  • Mobile app
  • Online/self-checkout
  • Online and in-person fees and fine payment
  • Interlibrary loans
  • Laptop checkout kiosks (at Morrison Regional and West Boulevard locations)
  • Card lookup
  • Book club kit system
  • TeleCirc

Services unaffected:

  • hoopla
  • Computer use in Library locations
  • Wi-Fi
  • Materials checked out by circulation staff
  • Payments for book sale items and room reserve

Also, as of Feb. 25, 2019, the classic catalog option will no longer be available (hip.cmlibrary.org). After that date, you should use the Bibliocommons link for account information.

Again, thank you for your patience during this system upgrade as we return to providing high-quality services to you. We expect all processes to return online on Feb. 27, 2019.