What will this year be like for you? If you're looking to break away from scrolling through news feeds and getting lost in endless casual games on your phone, check out this walk through your day. If the Library can help you be more successful in 2021, we'd love to be part of your story.
May 2021 be filled with health, happiness, and many memorable library experiences! Happy New Year from the Jacksonville Public Library!
Many adult learners in Jacksonville look to the Library for help. Because of the pandemic, students were relieved when the Library's Center for Adult Learning launched virtual classes and Conversation Groups. They were able to reconnect with classmates and instructors and regain momentum as soon as the library was able to reopen. "Unintended Consequences of Learning at the Library" is a series of stories highlighting student achievement in the face of unexpected obstacles. Sometimes, it is the students who end up doing the teaching - as instructor Naomi Chase points out in this #MondayMotivation blog.
Jacksonville judge, justice of the peace, and philanthropist Dorcas Drake was perhaps best known for starting the Dorcas Drake Christmas Party and Toy Drive, which made the holiday season a little brighter for Jacksonville’s children from 1957 until 2003. This special "Throwback Thursday" celebrates this remarkable and kind woman. The toy drive and party was eventually replaced by the Children's Christmas Party of Jacksonville (which was first held in 1999). But Dorcas Drake's light and legacy is undeniable.
Many adult learners in Jacksonville look to the Library for help. When the pandemic forced cancellation of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and GED® classes, instructors in the Library’s Center for Adult Learning guided their students to try other online library resources. Stories in this series entitled, “Unintended Consequences of Learning at the Library,” describe some of our successes in light of 2020’s greatest challenge.
When the Jacksonville Public Library shut down in March of 2020 due to the global pandemic, students in our ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Language) classes at JPL's Center for Adult Learning (CAL) were hit especially hard. Fortunately, CAL responded to the disruption soon after the Library began its reopening processes. We launched our pilot Summer Session of ESOL Virtual Classes in August. Despite the somewhat steep learning curve, CAL staff and its students comfortably navigated this new technology, specifically virtual meetings and Google Classrooms. We believe this is a testament to the connections we made prior to the shutdown and the resiliency displayed by our students.
All Jacksonville Public Libraries throughout Duval county will be giving away free face coverings starting Friday, December 11.
The holiday season may look a lot different this year. That doesn’t mean we can’t find reasons to celebrate, though! The Library has got you covered with a multi-cultural holiday booklist with recipes that are sure to liven up your festivities. There’s even plant-based and vegan options. Whether you learn how to re-create some of those traditional dishes your family has made over the years or you find something new to experiment with this year, you'll find tons of delicious recipes to keep you inspired and well-fed.
Human Rights Day is observed every year on December 10 — the day the United Nations General Assembly, in 1948, proclaimed the inalienable rights to which everyone is entitled as a human being and adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The purpose of the document was to create equal opportunities for all - regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status - and to re-build the world through this lens of interconnectedness and shared humanity.
The holiday season is a wonderful time of year but it can also be extremely stressful, even for kids. Luckily, we have a way to help you and the family get into those feelings of comfort and joy in no time and that is of course through BOOKS! We’ve put together a booklist that explores traditions from different cultures, takes you on a life-changing quest to the North Pole, and sends you on an enchanting adventure as the lead ballet dancer in The Nutcracker. So, get the pine-scented candles going, light the tree, find the most comfortable spot in the house and start reading your way through these holiday books.
When the Jacksonville Public Library shut down in March of 2020 due to the global pandemic, students in our ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Language) classes at JPL's Center for Adult Learning (CAL) were hit especially hard. Their learning was truncated and more importantly, our students who are adult immigrants were also suddenly separated from friends and teachers they’d come to rely on in a country that was still foreign to them. When CAL launched its pilot Summer Session of ESOL Virtual Classes in August, this critical lifeline was restored, literally and linguistically.
