Jacksonville Public Library Blog

Fourth of July Books for Kids

How does your family celebrate our nation's independence? Maybe you wake up early on the Fourth of July to bake that all-American apple pie? Or do you spend the whole morning preparing for that big barbeque in the backyard or picnic in the park? Of course, there are also parades and fireworks and all sorts of fun traditions! The Library has books (for all ages) that reflect the grand diversity and the rich tapestry that make our country and our community here in Jacksonville so great. We've highlighted a few of those books (for young readers) here!

Staff Picks Genre Study – Quick and Easy Cooking

Staff Picks Genre Study book list graphic

With the introduction of the TV dinner in 1954 and the popularization of the microwave oven in American households twenty years later, the terms “quick” and “easy” are as much a part of the American diet as hamburgers and hotdogs. Even when something comes out of the traditional oven rather than the microwave, it is often a premade casserole prepared by the industrious Mrs. Stouffer.

Jax Stacks Book Recommendations: A Book by a 2023 Lit Chat Author

Welcome to a new month of the 2023 Jax Stacks Reading Challenge! We are going to give you suggestions for each* category in the challenge every month so that you always have a great library book waiting for you when you need it. Plus, you can share what you're reading with other Jax Stacks readers at our monthly Jax Stacks Reading Challenge Book Club. Note: Our July meeting takes place at the Southeast Regional Library!

Staff Picks Book Review - Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams

Library Staff Picks graphic for a book review

Rarely does a reader get the pleasure of experiencing a character such as Ruth Macallister. The driving force behind New York's Hudson Modeling Agency, Ruth is as confident, sarcastic, and stubborn as any man she might encounter in her Cold War era world.

Adult Programs this July: Authors, Book Clubs, History Chats and More!

We are really excited to bring a different kind of Writer’s Lab to the Library this month – a three-hour workshop on creating a Dungeons & Dragons campaign with a Wizards of the Coast employee! We also have great summery Lit Chats, gardening workshops for everyone, and 16 book clubs to check out. And, of course, the Jax Stacks Reading Challenge continues (with new prizes up for grabs)!

Staff Picks Book Review - The World of OZ in Popular Culture

Few images from film and books are as easily recognizable as the yellow brick road or the Emerald City. Few characters resonate so universally as the wizard behind the curtain, the cowardly lion, or the witless scarecrow. It all goes back to the nearly unparalleled imagination of one man who wanted to create a gentler fairy story than the scary ones he had read.

Staff Book Review - Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World by Irene Moreu Vallejo

If I had a dollar for every time a library customer told me how much they love books, I would be a wealthy man. Those living now don't realize how privileged they are to be alive in an era with books and a population with the literacy level we have achieved. In her title Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World, international author Irene Moreu Valleho demonstrates how the book itself was instrumental in the advancement of mankind.

Lit Chat with Beatriz Williams for Historical Fiction Lovers

Lit Chat Interview with Beatriz Williams

Are you a fan of historical fiction? Then you'll want to register for our next Lit Chat Interview! We are excited to announce that Beatriz Williams has made Jacksonville Public Library an official stop on her latest book tour! She's got a brand new, ravishing summer read that transports readers back to a midcentury New England in the years following the Second World War. Rich with secrets and Cold War intrigue, The Beach at Summerly "weaves two standbys of summer fiction into one escapist story," (New York Times book review).

Join us for a Life Lit Program in July!

Do you have questions about invasive or aggressive plants? Curious about integrating wildflowers into your landscape to help pollinators? Avoid common garden mistakes and learn how to grow a Florida-friendly yard with help from Master Gardeners and our friends at the UF Extension Office! And if you want to be the first to know about new workshops and locations, sign up for our Life Lit mailing list!

JaxKids Book Club Summer Storytimes

Jax Kids Book Club: Find Storytimes near you

Make plans to read, play, explore and have fun with other Pre-K friends and families this summer at the Library! We will have a special JaxKids Book Club summer storytime every week just for you. Grab your friends and join us for storytime and activities based on your JaxKids Book Club books!