Jacksonville Public Library Blog

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! 

This June: Author Talks, Workshops, Book Clubs and More for Adults

Library U: Adult Programs

This month, you have the chance to meet a buzzed-about debut author and an award-winning graphic novelist in our popular Lit Chat Interview series. Or, you can make your first self-published zine or learn how to format any work for print with our Writer's Lab Workshop series. Plus, there are 15 Library Book Club meetings, Life Lit gardening and small business workshops, and more! 

Third Annual Duval Comic and Zine Fest at the Main Library

DCAZ Fest (Duval Comic and Zine Fest) June 15th 11 AM - 5 PM Jacksonville Public Library Main

The Main Library is proud to host the third annual Duval Comic and Zine Fest in downtown Jacksonville on Saturday, June 15, from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. A celebration of independent publishing featuring local creators of self-published zines, comics, alternative press, and DIY media, the event will feature over 50 tablers, a risograph printing activity, a Writer's Lab workshop, and a Lit Chat with graphic novelist Nate Powell. The event is and all programs are free to attend!

Lit Chat with Award-Winning Graphic Novelist Nate Powell

Lit Chat Interview with Nate Powell

Nate Powell is a National Book Award-winning cartoonist who began self-publishing as an Arkansas teenager in 1992. His work includes the new graphic novel Fall Through and a new comics adaptation of James Loewen’s influential Lies My Teacher Told Me, as well as Save It For Later, civil rights icon John Lewis’s March trilogy, Come Again, Two Dead and more.

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