Jacksonville Public Library Blog

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.

Books to Celebrate Arab American 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. Every April, we are encouraged to celebrate the Arab American community’s rich heritage, history, and hopes as well as their many contributions to our country. There are more than 3.5 million Arab Americans who are currently living in the United States.

Junior Lit Chat Author Talk with Lena Shaqareq

From a wild and wacky journey through the world of poetry with playful monsters and aliens to an inspirational, rhyming children's book about fireflies working together to bring light to the sun: local author Lena Shaqareq's Stanza Extravaganza and How the Sun Got its Light are two great ways to share the joy of poetry with your children. Meet the author from 1 to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at Pablo Creek Regional Library. Note: A limited number of copies of How the Sun Got It's Light will be given away to school-age children in attendance.

Free Tax Preparation Available With AARP

The Jacksonville Public Library is proud to partner with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) TaxAide during the tax season each year to provide FREE tax preparation. Taxes will be prepared BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. The scheduling system goes live January 15 for appointments starting February 1.

History Chat: The Life and Poetry of Matthew R. Ward

In 1916, the Chicago Defender published an unknown local tailor's poem, "Bound for the Promised Land." This scathing indictment of the Jim Crow South spread like wildfire and became a rallying cry for Black southerners who risked it all to seek greater opportunity in the north. Learn more about the man and the poem that sparked a movement at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at the Main Library.