Jacksonville Public Library Blog

Find Your New Favorite Book Club this July

Join a Book Club

Looking for some great reads and good company? Find your community at a Library Book Club this July. Whether you're participating in our Jax Stacks Reading Challenge or you just want to know what other book lovers in Jacksonville are reading (and discussing), you're bound to find something to enjoy!

July Art Walk: Art Tours, Zinester Meetup, Board Games & More!

We Are Open for Art Walk

Celebrate our community's deep pool of creative talent with us on the first Wednesday of each month in Downtown Jacksonville! The Main Library stays open until 9 p.m. for the festivities! We are conveniently located directly across from James Weldon Johnson Park, one of Art Walk's two major hubs of activity. This month, check out local art in the gallery, join the zinesters meeting and collaborating in the Zine Zone, or sign up for an art tour.

Lit Chat Interview with "Prairie Man" Author Dean Butler

Lit Chat Interview with Dean Butler

Dean Butler is an actor, producer, and director best known for his role as Almanzo Wilder (the man Laura Ingalls married) in Little House on the Prairie, based on the beloved Little House book series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. He appeared in the final four seasons of the show, the spin-off show Little House: A New Beginning, and the three post-series TV movies. Meet him live on Zoom as he talks about his new memoir, Prairie Man.

2024 Summer Reading Recommendations for Kids, Teens and Adults

River City Readers Join the Challenge. Read 20 minutes per day. June 3 - August 3.

Make the Library - and reading - part of your summer from June 3 through August 3! Our theme this year, Adventure Begins at Your Library, invites you to read, play and explore together with interactive performances, fun programs, hands-on activities, and, of course, all kinds of books! 

Create Your Business Plan this Summer with Help from the Library

Small Business and Side Hustles Library U newsletter

According to the U. S. Small Business Administration, a business plan is a strategic tool that shapes the trajectory of your business over the next 3-5 years. It's a written guide that outlines how your business will generate revenue and expand. The library provides a wealth of databases to support your business planning. This month, we're featuring the Business Plan Handbook Series available through GALE as well as some helpful books and LinkedIn Learning courses.

Books to Celebrate Juneteenth Freedom Day

All libraries will be closed on June 19 for Juneteenth Freedom Day. Digital Library open 24/7.

We love to share selections that demonstrate the range of our collection all year and we encourage you to explore these books with us this month! Considered the longest-running African American holiday, Juneteenth has been celebrated by African Americans since the 1800s and became a federal holiday in 2021. A combination of the words "June" and "nineteenth," it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas.  

If You Like Our "Live from the Library" Shows, You'll Love These Books

Live from the Library June - July

Ready for something magical, inspiring, and a whole lot of fun? Live from the Library is a series of engaging and educational performances - happening all summer long at your local libraries! Designed for children ages 5-12 and their families, you'll meet and learn from exciting musicians, clever scientists, caring animal handlers, crafty magicians, and more!

Books for Kids and Dads to Celebrate Father's Day

Father's Day Books for Kids and Dads

Jacksonville Public Library has a great collection of books about fatherhood that kids and their dads are sure to love! Of course, summer is a great time to spend time reading as a family. Not only does it help prevent learning loss while the kids are out of school for the summer, it gives kids and dads an opportunity for quality time and connection. You can listen to an audiobook together in the car on your next road trip. Or grab a book of spooky ghost stories to read around the campfire! 

Staff Picks Book Review - The Woman by Kristin Hannah

Library Staff Picks graphic for a book review

Frances McGrath, known to her friends as Frankie, was raised to idolize military service. One wall of her father's office in their California home is referred to as the "wall of heroes", displaying the McGrath men who served with distinction in America's various conflicts.

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