Jacksonville Public Library Blog

Screening Room: Mele Murals by Tadashi Nakamura

Mele Murals is an award-winning documentary on the transformative power of modern graffiti art. Set against the resurgence of Hawaiian language and culture over the past two decades, the film shows how public art powerfully fuses with Native Hawaiian traditions to impact the youth, the town of Waimea, and most of all the artists. Watch and discuss the documentary film by Tadashi Nakamura at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, at the Main Library. The screening will be followed by a group conversation led with Kady Yellow.

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Jacksonville Public Library has an AMAZING collection of books featuring stories and information written by and about people from varied backgrounds, races, ethnicities, life experiences, and viewpoints. Throughout the month, the Library will highlight books in our collection by and about Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians including here on our blog, through book displays in your local library, and via reading challenges for all ages on Beanstack.

Writer's Lab Workshops in May + Cash Prizes for Indie Authors

Get help writing, publishing and marketing your own book with FREE Writer's Lab workshops! We've also got a ton of free resources like Pressbooks and Indie Author Project that will help you find new readers and make self-publishing easier.

Get Caught Reading One of These Great Book Club Picks in May

Did you know? May is "Get Caught Reading Month." A celebration promoting the joy and FUN of reading, it's a great way to show the little ones in your life that there are books out there for every person and every interest. Bonus: If you're a member of one of our Library Book Clubs, there's a pretty good chance you're going to get caught reading, or at the very least, caught talking about the book you've read! With so many great recommendations from Book Clubs across the City, you might just get caught reading and discussing multiple books!

Life Lab: Free Gardening, Online Banking and Business Classes in May

Learn how to grow your own garden, start a small business and take control of your health, career, and personal finances with free workshops at the Library! Life Lab programs are offered by trained professionals and aimed at improving your day-to-day life. This month, explore the benefits of fertilizer in your garden, get workforce ready, and learn the basics of entrepreneurship with free classes from our community partners.

Lit Chat Interview with Environmental Journalist Cynthia Barnett

Seashells have been the most coveted and collected of nature’s creations since the dawn of humanity. They were money before coins, jewelry before gems, art before canvas. In The Sound of the Sea: Seashells and the Fate of the Oceans, acclaimed environmental author Cynthia Barnett blends cultural history and science to trace our long love affair with seashells and the hidden lives of the mollusks that make them. Meet the author and learn more about her work on Saturday, May 10, at Main Library.

Preschool Palooza with Tow Truck Joe + Touch-a-Truck Event

Meet real-life community helper vehicles at our next Preschool Palooza with a Touch-a-Truck event inspired by Tow Truck Joe and his friend, Patch the Pup! Take a spin in a kid-sized electric car, tour the new River City Readers Bookmobile, get a free book and explore all things that "go" with plenty of transportation-themed activities! Get those wheels spinning and join us from 9 a.m. - noon on Saturday, May 3, at Lonnie C. Miller Regional Park, 7689 Price Rd.

10th Annual Beaches Library Comic Fest

Wear your best cape and cowl (or that really cool bow tie and fez) and join us for an all-ages, fandom-filled celebration of reading and pop culture! Beaches Library Comic Fest returns in 2025 for its 10th annual celebration on Saturday, May 3, from 1 – 4 p.m This FAN-tastic event is sponsored by Friends of the Beaches Branch Library and organized by your favorite librarians. It features some local cosplayers, gamers, and comic creators from the Beaches community and beyond.

The Friends of the South Mandarin Spring Book Sale

Friends of the South Mandarin Library Book Sale

Stock up and save on books, CDs, DVDs, and more - all while supporting your South Mandarin Branch Library! There's a wide selection of items for every age - children, teens and adults. The Friends of the South Mandarin Library's Fall Book Sale is located at 12125 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32223. All three days of the book sale are open to all, but membership is encouraged and appreciated. Proceeds from sales and memberships are used to enhance programs and services at the South Mandarin Library.

Get Inspired This Poetry Month With Help From the Library

April is National Poetry Month and we've got some great recommendations to get you inspired to write your own verses, including some poetry collections by locals like Jessica Q. Stark and Michelle Lizet Flores. Later this month, local author Lena Shaqareq joins us for a Junior Lit Chat Author Talk for children, ages 5-12. She'll be giving away copies of her rhyming children's book, How the Sun Got Its Light. Plus, we've got a special History Chat that explores the life and poetry of Matthew R. Ward and Jacksonville's role in the Great Migration.