# Celebrate Reading, Women, and Pop Culture this March!
Did you know? March 3-9 is Celebrate Reading Week in Jacksonville! This year's theme, Where the Wild Books Are, is designed to take our City's youngest readers on adventures with fictional and real-life animals to show them just how exciting reading and learning can be! There will be programs and events at libraries and locations across Jacksonville all week long.
If you're a parent, teacher, or just a concerned citizen looking for ways to support literacy initiatives in Jacksonville: Join us at a special Screening Room on March 8 where we'll watch and discuss the film: The Truth About Reading: The Invisible Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight. A panel of local experts will be on hand to talk about what Jacksonville is doing to tackle illiteracy.
This month, we're focusing on Junior and Teen Lit Chats and preparing for the arrival of James Patterson in April. But don't worry, there are still lots of great adult programs - including a special Women's History Month (and mystery writer) themed Screening Room!
Be the first to know about upcoming Lit Chat author events, Writer's Lab workshops, and more!
# Jax Pop Con - All-Ages Pop Culture and Fandom Event
Dust off those capes, grab your favorite set of dice, and start your next adventure downtown at the Main Library on Saturday, March 23, 2024, from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. You're invited to an all-new event inspired by library comic cons of the past. It's a celebration of all the books, comics, video games, TV shows, and movies you love with cosplay contests, one-shot D&D sessions, video game tournaments and so much more!
# Writer's Lab Workshop: Authors Roundtable
Publishing Companies and Agents - Saturday, March 2 at 10:15 a.m.
Through a Q&A-style lecture, you will learn about different types of publishing (and how to spot scams), get tips for building your publication history, and receive key how-tos for submitting a manuscript. Authors Roundtable is a local 501C3 that supports authors in reaching their highest potential.
Meeting on the first Saturday of every month at the Main Library, authors participate in educational forums, workshops, classes, and events. Check out what they have in store for April!
# Writer's Lab Workshop: Play Your Story
For many, learning to write and outline your story can be a daunting task. But what if it could be a game? Embark on a unique storytelling journey on Saturday, March 16, 10:30 a.m. at Main Library as we discover the art of crafting compelling narratives using the unique power of various tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. Whether you're a new writer or a pro, this workshop is designed to unlock your creative potential and guide you in using solo roleplaying as a tool to outline and write captivating stories.
Instructor Michael Regina is the author and illustrator of The Sleepover and the Webtoons featured series, Adamsville. Michael will return to the Main Library for Jax Pop Con the following Saturday. Look for his booth on the First Floor with the other featured authors and artists.
# Screening Room: The Truth About Reading
What is Jacksonville doing for kids who struggle to read and write? Watch the eye-opening documentary, The Truth About Reading: The Invisible Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight, from Emmy Award-winning director, Nick Nanton, on Friday, March 8, at 6 p.m. at the Main Library.
The screening will be followed by an important discussion with a panel of local experts about the illiteracy problem in Jacksonville, facilitated by Nancy Barnard, Director of Educational Development Services at Hope Haven.
This program is a part of Jacksonville's Celebrate Reading Week (March 3-9) and follows the recent launch of Mayor Deegan's River City Readers, a citywide literacy challenge for students of all ages.
# Screening Room: Women of Mystery
Tuesday, March 26, at 5:30 p.m. at Regency Square Branch, watch and discuss the film Women of Mystery: Three Writers Who Forever Changed Detective Fiction with discussion leader and bestselling mystery novelist J.D. Allen. Released in 2000 by New Day Films, Women of Mystery explores the writing of Sara Paretksy, Sue Grafton, and Marcia Muller. Allen is best known for the "Sin City Investigations" series that was nominated for the Shamus Award.
# Teen Lit Chat with Bethany Baptiste
Bethany Baptiste grew up in Jacksonville where she thrived on southern food and stories. Now, she is a preschool inclusion specialist by day and a young adult SFF novelist by night. If she’s not writing an inclusion support plan or a story, she does retail therapy in Florida bookstores and takes scheduled naps with her two chaotic evil dogs. Spend time with Bethany as she talks about her much-buzzed-about debut YA book, The Poisons We Drink on Wednesday, March 27, at 4:30 p.m. at Brentwood Branch!
Note: Teen Lit Chat is intended for a teen audience. Fans over the age of 18 are more than welcome to attend but the interview questions and discussion will be crafted with teen readers in mind.
# Lit Chat Interview with James Patterson
James Patterson, the most popular storyteller of our time, is coming to the Main Library on Monday, April 8, at 7 p.m.! He is on tour to promote his new release, The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians. He says their stories are better than the bestsellers! An important note: After the interview, Mr. Patterson will ONLY be signing copies of The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians. No other books will be signed. The auditorium is currently FULL but you can join the waitlist or register to attend the livestream.
Register or join the waitlist!
As this event is occurring on the release date, the book is available for pre-order from San Marco Books and More. Books are available for pre-order from San Marco Books and More for pick-up at the event and books will be available to purchase on-site.
# Great Decisions: NATO's Future
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has come under increased scrutiny, not because NATO troops are involved in the conflict, but because of its role in relations between Russia and its neighbors. Will expanding membership in NATO protect countries, or will it further provoke Russia? Mary Avery, Senior Diplomatic Fellow at UNF, leads the discussion on Thursday, March 28, at 7 p.m. at Webb Wesconnett Library.
Great Decisions is America's largest discussion program on world affairs. Each meeting begins with a 30-minute film on a topic important to American foreign policy decisions, followed by a discussion.
# Life Lit FREE Workshops
Life Lit are free workshops offered by trained professionals and volunteers that focus on improving your day-to-day life. These programs cover a wide range of workshops from gardening to small business needs. No need to bring anything but yourself to participate!
Business & Money Matters:
- How Money Works with Luke Wittig - Monday, March 25, at 6 p.m., at Webb Wesconnett
- How Money Works with Luke Wittig - Tuesday, March 26, at 6:30 p.m., at University Park
- Legal Aid with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid - Wednesday, March 27, at 4:30 p.m. at Brown Eastside
DIY Gardening:
- Springing into Summer with UF/IFAS - Tuesday, March 12, at 6 p.m., at Murray Hill
- Right Plant, Right Place with UF/IFAS - Monday, March 25, at 6 p.m., at Argyle Library
- Right Plant, Right Place with UF/IFAS - Monday, March 25, at 6:30 p.m., at University Park
- Carefree Gardening with UF/IFAS - Tuesday, March 26, at 7 p.m., at Southeast Library
# Library Book Club Meetings in March
If you're a parent, you know how important it is for your kids to see you reading for enjoyment. But as adults, we're all reading role models! So, in addition to attending all of the fun, bookish programs and events this Celebrate Reading Week: Consider joining a Library Book Club this month! It's a great way to model reading for the next generation of bookworms and support literacy and lifelong learning!
Join a Library Book Club in March!
# Jax Stacks Adult Reading Challenge + Virtual Book Club
We've got a fresh new set of 16 Jax Stacks Reading Challenge categories for 2024! While many of the categories are designed to broaden your reading horizons and get you to try something new, others are going to match up with books you're probably planning to read anyway. Either way, you'll have fun and read some great books! To make it easy, we've printed up Jax Stacks Bookmarks to help you keep track of the categories you've crossed off. Pick one up at your local library.
We will discuss "A Book You Read as a Child" live on Zoom on Tuesday, Mar. 5 at 6:30 p.m.
