Jacksonville Public Library Blog

25 Habits of Highly Successful Gardeners and More This April

Life Lit

Learn all about container gardening (with native plants) and other habits of highly successful gardeners with help from our friends at the UF Extension Office! And if you want to be the first to know about new workshops and locations, sign up for our Life Lit mailing list on the Library U enrollment page!

Drop Everything And Read in Downtown Jax April 1

Celebrate Reading Week Family Day April 1 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at James Weldon Johnson Park

Join us at James Weldon Johnson Park, across from the Main Library, on Saturday, April 1 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. for Family Reading Day with free book giveaways, fun activities, special guests and more! Come dressed as your favorite book character and join us for a parade around the park. Enjoy fun activities, face painting, balloon twisting, and so much more! Plus, start building your own home library you can read anytime you want with a free Book Giveaway sponsored by READ USA (until they run out)! Free boxed lunch from Firehouse Subs will be provided!

Join a Book Club this April

Join a Book Club at Jacksonville Public Library

April is a big month for readers! Not only are April showers are the perfect excuse to cancel all your plans, stay in and read a great book, but it's also National Poetry Month! Plus, there's World Book Day on April 23! We're also partial to National Library Week (April 23 - 29). This year, the theme is "There's More to the Story" and libraries are full of them (and a lot of other very cool things). 

So, what do you say? Want to join us at the Library to talk about books?

Help Your Kids Capture Their Big Ideas and Tell Their Story

Bigger Better Story Ideas: Junior Lit Chat Author Talk with Patricia J. Murphy

March 27 - April 1 is Celebrate Reading Week in Jacksonville! As an adult who loves reading, you already know the power of stories! You also know how important it is for everyone, but especially for children, to see themselves reflected in the pages of the books they read. Books can be mirrors for a child wondering where they fit in. They can also be windows, giving them a look at the lives of others. When we all have the power to tell our own stories, in our own voices, that's really something special.

Patricia J. Murphy is an award-winning children's author and a passionate literacy advocate who believes in giving children the tools they need to capture their big ideas and share them with the world.

Meet Local, Self-Published Zine and Comic Creators

Read Zines at the Jacksonville Public Library

The next Duval Comics and Zine (DCAZ) Fest is coming to the Main Library on Saturday, June 10 from 1 – 5 p.m. Get to know dozens of local creators of independent and self-published zines, mini-comics, small press, alternative press, underground art and DIY media. Located in the heart of downtown Jacksonville, the Main Library boasts the largest public collection of zines in the Southeast.

Ladies Who Launch - Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs

Small Business and Side Hustles - a Library U newsletter

It's 2023! Is this the year you... Make your hobby a side hustle? Start your own business? Or work on taking your business to the next level? This month's featured titles are full of practical advice and inspirational guides designed to help you achieve your goals — whether you're a #GirlBoss opening the door for future generations, a fledgling entrepreneur building your business, or a woman in the workforce looking to stand out.

Discover the Roots of the Most Critical Issues Facing America

Great Decisions Discussion Series

Great Decisions is a program created by the Foreign Policy Association. It is America's largest discussion program on world affairs. Each meeting begins with a 20-minute video on a discussion topic followed by a facilitator-led discussion on global issues.

Attend whichever meetings interest you! Topics for the Great Decisions 2023 series include War Crimes, Climate Mitigation, Politics in Latin America, Global Famine, China and the US, Economic Warfare, and more.

Meet the Bestselling Author of There There

Lit Chat Interview with Tommy Orange

March 27 - April 1 is Celebrate Reading Week in Jacksonville! The Jacksonville Public Library is partnering with the Kids Hope Alliance, Duval County Public Schools, READ USA, and several other organizations to showcase the power of reading for kids around the city.

You know the power of a good book. And if you're a parent, you know that it's important for your kids to see you reading for enjoyment. But as adults, we're all reading role models! The more we use the Library, talk about books, and attend awesome author events and book signings, the more literate (and well-read) Jacksonville becomes.

That's why we hope you'll celebrate reading with your community at a special event with bestselling author Tommy Orange!

Grab Your Brackets And Some Books: It's Time for March Madness!

Books to prepare for March Madness

March Madness has begun! Are you ready? The climax of the college basketball season brings with it great games, amazing athletes, and ultimately, an exciting Final Four showdown! Will your favorite team come out on top? Will their game be one for the history books?

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