Jacksonville Public Library Blog 2023 Archive

Meet Over 80 Local Authors September 23 at Jax Book Fest

Jax Book Fest Main Event September 23

Jax Book Fest is back at the Main Library and better than ever! Join us for the Main Event on Saturday, September 23 from 10 a.m. -3 p.m. for an awesome lineup of New York Times bestselling authors and DOZENS of local authors! See who's scheduled to appear!

Books Aplenty at the Friends of the Mandarin Library Used Book Sale

Graphic for Friends of the Mandarin Library Book Sale.  Find a great read while supporting the Mandarin Branch Library.  September 22 from 10 am to 4 pm and September 23 from 10 am to 3 pm.

Find your next great read at the Friends of the Mandarin Library's book sale! Both days of the sale are open to all, but membership is encouraged and appreciated.  You can join at the door for $10. Proceeds from sales and memberships are used to enhance programs and services at the Mandarin Library.

The sale will include gently used adult fiction, nonfiction, children and young adult titles, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, and more.

We Are Open for Exhibits: September Art Walk at the Main Library

We Are Open for Art Walk

Jacksonville Public Library is one of 50 U.S. libraries selected to host Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum that examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. Join us on Wednesday, September 6 from 6-8 p.m. (during Art Walk) for an Opening Reception at the Main Library! Enjoy light refreshments and music and get information about upcoming events.

Staff Picks Book Review - Revisiting Joe Hill’s Heart Shaped Box

Library Staff Picks graphic for a book review

Whenever I am in the mood for a creepy read, I pick up a copy Joe Hill’s Heart Shaped Box. This is my scary story comfort food. In this story, the reader is transported into the very unsettling world of Jude Coyne, an aging rock musician with a macabre collection that will make your skin crawl.

Staff Picks Book Review - Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Library Staff Picks graphic for a book review

Angeline Boulley’s critically acclaimed novel starts out with most of the things the average teenager is concerned with: dating, friendships, school, sports, and family relationships. The tone of the book switches about a quarter of the way through with a gunshot that takes away Daunis’ closest friend and the innocence of her small community

Staff Picks Genre Study - Jacksonville Public Library Local Author Collection

Library Staff Picks for a genre study

Whether you're seeking captivating fiction, enlightening non-fiction, or engaging poetry, this sampling from the Jacksonville Public Library’s Local Author Collection celebrates the unique perspectives and stories that make our city a rich source of literary inspiration. With thought-provoking narratives and engaging poetry that resonates with the ebb and flow of the St. Johns River, these pages encapsulate the very essence of our city.

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month

In conjunction with the American Library Association, Mayor Donna Deegan and Jacksonville's City Council have proclaimed September Library Card Sign-Up Month (see legislation below)! The Mayor and City Council know how valuable library cards are and want everyone to encourage their friends and neighbors without cards to get one so they can enjoy the world of access Jacksonville Public Library provides. 

Jax Stacks Book Recommendations: A book with a non-human protagonist

Jax Stacks Reading Challenge 2023

Welcome to a new month of the 2023 Jax Stacks Reading Challenge! We are going to give you suggestions for each* category in the challenge every month so that you always have a great library book waiting for you when you need it. Plus, you can share what you're reading with other Jax Stacks readers at our monthly Jax Stacks Reading Challenge Book Club. Note: Our September meeting takes place at the Southeast Regional Library!

Lit Chat with Up-And-Coming Local Author Sohrab Homi Fracis

Lit chat interview with Sohrab Homi Fracis

The big names headlining Jax Book Fest were all little names, once, which is why we’re always delighted to spotlight our local up-and-coming authors! Newly award-winning author Sohrab Homi Fracis kicks off our Book Fest week with an interview about his latest book and what it means to be a writer today.

Adult Programs for September: A Traveling Exhibit and Jax Book Fest

Library U: Adult Programs

It's September, which means we're that much closer to Halloween... and the return of Jax Book Fest to the Main Library! This year, our headliner is none other than Joe Hill, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Horns, Heart-Shaped Box, and The Fireman. Hill is also the co-creator of the Eisner Award-winning series Locke & Key, now streaming on Netflix!

Not a horror fan? There will be DOZENS of local authors at the Main Library on Saturday, September 23. So, you're bound to find something to add to your TBR pile. We also have Life Lit workshops with fall gardening tips, book clubs to join, and a ton of writing and publishing workshops!  

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