Outreach Services
Outreach is for everyone!
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s services extend beyond our physical locations. We are committed to providing all community members access to our staff, resources, and services. Our goal is to provide services to some of the highest need and under-served populations in our community. Whether a person is homebound, in senior housing, within correctional facilities, living with disabilities, living in transition, or new Americans, Outreach Services brings the Library experience and resources to the community.
Community Read
Contact: Pamela McCarter
Phone: 704-416-4662
Contact Outreach Services
Each year, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library hosts a big, exciting, community-wide book club known as Community Read. Everyone in the community can participate: read a book, share perspectives, attend a program, engage on social media and build a stronger community together. Join the conversations, #communityread.
Connections that Count/Conexiones que Cuentan
Contact: Veronica Corral
Phone: 704-416-0557
Contact Outreach Services/Contacto Servicios de Alcance
Locations/Ubicacións: Independence Regional, Cornelius, Scaleybark, Sugar Creek and Steele Creek
To address school readiness of Spanish speaking children, the Library has implemented Connections that Count. Our mission is to prepare children ages 0-5 to enter school. We provide literacy training for families, encouraging the formation of “neighborhood teachers” for the children of their communities. The programs are conducted in Spanish, but all are welcome to attend. Connections that Count is free of charge. There is no prior registration required for participation.
Día
Contact: Veronica Corral
Phone: 704-416-0557
Contact Outreach Services/Contacto Servicios de Alcance
Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros is a very successful event that Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has celebrated since 1998. The Library has promoted Día state-wide with Pat Mora, author and founder of the national event. This celebration has experienced great growth and expansion. It began as a storytelling celebration, and today, it is an impactful community cultural celebration. This is a wonderful, low cost way for children and families to celebrate.
Latino Outreach Services
Contact: Irania Patterson
Phone: 704-416-0557
Contact Outreach Services/Contacto Servicios de Alcance
The Library offers specialized programs for Spanish speaking adults. These programs include activities at the Shamrock International Senior Center, Spanish Language classes, ESL, the annual celebration of "Con A de Arte" and book club meetings at a local jail.
Programa para los adultos en español CMLibrary ofrece programas especializados para adultos en español. Estos programs incluyen;actividades con los señores de la tecera edad en el Shamrock International senior Center, clases de espanol, ESL, la celebración anual del festival "Con A de Arte" y club de lectores en la cárcel local.
Community Bookshelf
Contact: Emily Little
Phone: 704-416-4623
Contact Outreach Services
The Community Bookshelf is a program designed to provide literacy enriched areas in community centers for children and youth. This initiative includes community awareness, book distribution and opportunities for families to strengthen their literacy skills together. We place free bookshelves in high traffic communities with little resources. Children are able to take home and keep a book that they find on the community bookshelf, to help start or build an at home library.
Our Community Bookshelves are located at the following locations below:
- International House (1817 Central Ave. #215)
- Atrium Rehabilitation Pediatrics Speech Therapy (427 N. Wendover Rd.)
- Charlotte Family Housing Plaza Place ( 2410 The Plaza)
- Charlotte Family Housing-St. Johns Baptist Church (300 Hawthorne Lane)
- The Relatives On Ramp (2219 Freedom Dr.)
- Safe Alliance (2 Locations) (601 E. 5th Street Ste 400)
- Barbershop Books (Multiple Locations)
Senior Outreach Services
Contact: Amrita Patel
Phone: 704-416-4621
Contact Outreach Services
Senior Outreach Services visits adult day cares, senior citizen nutrition programs, nursing homes, independent senior housing communities and jails to deliver literacy, workforce development and lifelong learning activities. Offerings include: memory kits that can be loaned to senior center activity directors and engaging workshops for center director and participants on Library services and resources.
Services to Correctional Facilities
Contact: Pamela McCarter
Phone: 704-416-4662
Contact Outreach Services
Outreach Services meets the Library needs of residents of correctional facilities in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, in collaboration with Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Department.
Homebound Services/Library by Mail
The Library by Mail service is no longer accepting new homebound patrons. Current Library by Mail customers will still be able to use the program and there are options available for digital resources.
- Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's E-books & More
- BARD: Braille and Audio Reading Download
- National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
- North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Questions?
Contact: Pamela McCarter, Interim Assistant Director-Outreach
Phone: 704-416-4662
Contact Outreach Services
Barbershop Books
This summer, four library systems launched new initiatives focused on expanding reading opportunities for children with the help of a vital community hub, the barbershop. The Barbershop Books program model centers the barber as a trusted messenger for Black boys that enter their space.