Jacksonville Public Library Blog 2023 Archive

Celebrate Reading with NYT Bestselling Author 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!

April Library Programs for Adults: Authors, Writer's Lab and More!

April is National Poetry Month and we are featuring two awesome local poets in our Lit Chat Interview Series. It’s also a great month for Great Decisions, our film and discussion group about current events. And this month we welcome a new book club with a fantastic name – Shelf Conscious Book Club at Maxville! Check out all of our great adult programs happening this month!

25 Habits of Highly Successful Gardeners and More This April

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!

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.

Ladies Who Launch - Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs

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.

Grab Your Brackets And Some Books: It's Time 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?

How Reading Can Make You A Better Writer

For the Love of Books: Workshop with Jennifer Wolfe

As a writer, you've probably been told — time and again — that to grow your craft and become a better writer, you must read widely and often. That's why you got a library card, took the 2023 Jax Stacks Reading Challenge and joined a Library Book Club. Now what?

That's where Writer's Lab comes in!

Take your writing to the next level at a writing workshop with Jennifer Wolfe of Women Writing for (a) Change on March 25 at the Brown Eastside Branch Library! She'll show you how you can use your love of books to fuel your writing.

Learn About A Little Known Figure in Women's History

Lit Chat Interview with Christopher Gorham

For Women’s History Month, join us for a discussion about a little-known figure in American history, Anna Marie Rosenberg. Author Christopher Gorham in his book The Confidante highlights the contributions of Rosenberg, a Hungarian Jewish immigrant who became FDR’s “Mrs. Fix-It”. Gorham will discuss Rosenberg and the process of researching her in this Lit Chat Interview.

Celebrating Women Throughout History and Today

Join us in celebrating women and girls who have made (and keep making) history! From the brave women who fought for the right to vote, to artists, journalists and astronauts (and everything in between): Your Library has an amazing collection of books written by and about these phenomenal women and their contributions to US and world history.