All Jacksonville Public Library locations are closed Thursday, Nov. 28 and Friday, Nov. 29 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Learn how to grow your own garden or 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.
The writer/editor relationship can be a bountifully productive, creative collaboration. It can also leave both parties frustrated with each other and the resulting manuscript. Join us as we expel some myths about the author/editor relationship and expand your publishing knowhow with author/editor Jessica Hatch at our next Writer's Lab workshop! Or, meet local civil rights activist and author, Rodney L. Hurst, Sr. and hear about his latest book, Black and Brilliant.
The holiday season is here... and with it, hearty Thanksgiving feasts and other tasty holiday treats! Whatever you're celebrating and wherever you're starting on your cooking journey, we've got some great cookbooks to guide new cooks and to inspire "seasoned" pros. Whether you're looking for a new cookie recipe to wow your family and friends or you're on the hunt for a cookbook that really gets into the "meat" of turkey prep... You'll find tons of great cookbooks on the shelves or even on digital library apps like hoopla Digital and Libby by Overdrive!
Whether you're a fan of L. Frank Baum's classic Oz books, Gregory Maguire's Wicked series, the much-beloved (and long-running) Broadway musical, or the brand-new film adaptation: You'll be tickled practically pink with all the Wicked read-alikes on the shelves at the Library! Between "Popular" and fun witchy read-alikes to gravity and genre-defying fractured fairy tales, we've got something for old fans and new (even if you're really green).
Join us on Friday, December 6, from 1-3 p.m. at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens in Riverside for a spirited discussion of Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer! There is no charge for admission if you're registered for the book club. We'll start off by taking a tour of the Spirit in the Land exhibit before talking about the book. Plus, find out what books our Library Book Clubs are reading and discussing!
The writer/editor relationship can be a bountifully productive, creative collaboration. It can also leave both parties frustrated with each other and the resulting manuscript. Whether you're an aspiring author reaching out to literary agents, who will likely request a revision pass before sending your manuscript out on submission; an indie writer wondering how best to use your time and money to hire a freelance editor; or a writer doing their best with a round of self-revision, there's something in this hour-long, virtual workshop for you.
As the sixteen-year-old President of the Jacksonville Youth Council NAACP, he was one of the leaders of the 1960 sit-in demonstrations that culminated in the infamous and violent Ax Handle Saturday. Hurst's first book, the award-winning "It Was Never About a Hot Dog and a Coke®!", tells that story. Hurst’s fourth book, "Black and Brilliant" (written for 12-18 year-olds), dives deeper into bigotry, segregation and racism he experienced as a pre-teen and a teenager in Jacksonville.
While May is Small Business Month, November is pretty BIG for small businesses, too. First, there's Small Business Saturday on November 30 and this year marks the 15th anniversary! It's a great way for your customers and community to show their support - and get a much needed financial injection at the end of the year. This year's theme is: "One Day Makes a Difference." What else could you do this month to make a difference in your small business?
Jacksonville Public Library is commemorating the 75th anniversary of San Marco Branch Library with a Call for Memories and a series of public programs focused on the past, present and future of the neighborhood. This year-long celebration of the San Marco community, its residents and their library officially kicks off January 3, 2025. But you can start donating your family's photos and contributing your library stories to the San Marco Memories display right now!
Nonfiction books help us understand our history and our world, dive deep into subjects that inspire and entertain us, and open our minds to the lived experience of others. November is National Nonfiction Month and November 7 is National Nonfiction Day! Mark the occasion with a new memoir, science or history book on a topic you've been meaning to explore! Our librarians have put together a few suggestions to get you started.
