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.
 

OUTREACH EVENT REQUEST FORM

Community Read

Contact: Meryle Leonard
Phone: 704-416-0558
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: Meryle A. Leonard
Phone: 704-416-0558
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:  Jasmine McNeil
Phone: 704-416-0560
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)
• WIC Office-Executive Center Drive
• 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) 

Reading In Color

Contact: Jasmine McNeil
Phone: 704-416-0560
Contact Outreach Services

Reading in Color is a weekly Outreach program. Reading in color focuses on promoting diverse characters in books and bridging the gap between avid readers and reluctant readers. This program is a partnership between The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), and Communities in Schools (CIS). Through this program students gain/enhance literacy skills and improve their social and emotional skills. For more information on this program, please contact Jasmine McNeil. 

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.  Learn more.

• 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