Jacksonville Public Library Blog

Whether you are curious about writing or a seasoned author, the Authors Roundtable welcomes writers at all stages to provide education, information, networking, and support. We invite you to attend and participate in educational forums, workshops, classes, and events. Join us on the first Saturday of each month, from 10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. You must have a library card and pre-register to attend.

Historian Richard Webb chats about his book Boats Against the Current. He presents a case for Westport, Connecticut as the real setting of one of America's most famous novels, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Boats Against the Current is a large-format book that includes compelling stories about Scott, Zelda, and their wealthy neighbor the model for Jay Gatsby. Illustrated with period newspaper clippings, items from Fitzgerald family scrapbooks, and never-before-seen photos, the book also recounts Webb’s process of making a companion documentary film with Robert Steven Williams.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates date in 1865 – nearly two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation – when the last of the enslaved communities in Texas learned the Civil War had ended and that they were free. Celebrated on June 19, the term is a combination of June and nineteenth and has become a celebration of independence, the fight for equality, and Black culture.

The month of June just got even hotter with the newest YA releases! From a chilling murder mystery like The Box in the Woods to an action-packed graphic novel Warriors: Winds of Change to a heartwarming LGBTQIA+ romance Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun, there is something exciting for everyone. As an added bonus, these books can aid you in our annual Summer Reading program. Our Summer Reading program is available for all ages and you could win awesome prizes!