Jacksonville Public Library Blog

Build Your Small Business or Side Hustle in 2024

Nearly a quarter of US consumers (23%) are considering starting a new business in 2024, according to findings from the Entrepreneurship in 2024 Report commissioned by Intuit QuickBooks in December 2023. Over 4,500 respondents on a survey say business ownership is a better way to build personal wealth in 2024 than buying a home. If you are one of the 23% of consumers starting a business or if you already have a business and are working on improvements, the Library can help!

Books and More at the Mandarin Friends January Book Sale

Graphic for Friends of the Mandarin Library Book Sale.

If your New Year's resolution is to read more or you are aiming to complete our Jax Stacks 2024 Reading Challenge, visit the Friends of the Mandarin Library's used book sale on January 26 and 27 to find your next favorite author. Both days of the sale are open to all, but membership is encouraged and appreciated. You can join at the door for $10. Proceeds from sales and memberships are used to enhance programs and services at the Mandarin Library. The sale will include gently used adult fiction, nonfiction, children and young adult titles, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, and more.

Celebrating Winnie-the-Pooh on the Author's Birthday

Did you know Winnie-the-Pooh from the Hundred Acre Wood was inspired by a real-life black bear who lived at the London Zoo during World War I? The book's author, A. A. Milne, even had a son named Christopher Robin! National Winnie the Pooh Day commemorates author A. A. Milne's birthday on January 18, 1882. So, grab some honey, and your favorite Pooh Bear book, and join us in celebrating this "silly old bear" and the author who originally brought him and his pals to life.

Meet Bestselling Author & Emmy-Winning Director Jeffrey Blount

What would you do if you suffered a sudden, severe, and highly publicized fall from grace? Would you run? Seek out a quiet life of anonymity and seclusion? Or would you find a way to redeem yourself? Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way is a mesmerizing look at one man’s fall from grace and the age-old struggle for redemption. Meet the author, Jeffrey Blount, at our next Lit Chat Interview, live at the Pablo Creek Regional Library.

Calling All Performers: Showcase Your Talents at the Library!

Call for Performers: Live from the Library

Are you interested in performing at Jacksonville Public Library? We are always looking for engaging and entertaining performers! ve from the Library performances are an hour in length, have an audience of 30 to 50 participants, and target children ages five through twelve. During school breaks (summer, winter, and spring), we may schedule multiple performances at any of our 21 branches across Jacksonville, FL.

Books to Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. & MLK Day of Service

Martin Luther King Jr Day. Image features a quote from the "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service (MLK Day) is the only federal holiday that is also designated by Congress as a national day of service – a “day on, not a day off." By participating in service projects, we can bridge divides, heal wounds, and create lasting change that will benefit our community for years to come. If you're looking to build bridges, Jacksonville Public Library also has an AMAZING collection of books featuring stories and information written by and about people from varied backgrounds, races, ethnicities, life experiences, and viewpoints. 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 week.

Forward Thinking: Panel Discussion Promoting Unity in Our Community

OneJax and Interfaith Center will bring a panel of interfaith leaders to the Main Library on Thursday, January 18 at 7 p.m. for a 60-minute discussion promoting unity in our community. They will address antisemitism and other topics impacting our area including prejudices in faith, race, ethnicity, LGBTQ+, gender, and diverse abilities. The program is the fifth and final community panel in a speaker series1 that started in September 2023.

Junior Lit Chat with Karen S. Chow + Get a FREE Copy of Miracle

"When her father dies, Amie’s ability to play music dies, too. Nothing short of a miracle can bring back what she has lost." Karen S. Chow's lyrical narrative, Miracle, is a story about the complexity of grief - told in a way that's accessible to children. Learn more about this remarkable book at a special author event intended for kids, ages 5-12.

Travel Across Space and Time: Read A Book In Honor of Sci Fi Day!

Do you like exploring strange new worlds with your favorite away team? Do you dress up as one of those space wizards with laser swords from a galaxy far, far away? Do you like time travel, alternate universes, steampunk, and robots? National Science Fiction Day is celebrated (unofficially) every January 2 by fans across the U.S. If you're looking for your next escape into fantastical, futuristic worlds filled with advanced technology, we've got some great recommendations to get you started!

January Art Walk: Create an Eight-Page Mini Zine or Comic

Celebrate our community's deep pool of creative talent with us on the first Wednesday of each month in Downtown Jacksonville! The Main Library stays open until 9 p.m. for the festivities! We are conveniently located directly across from James Weldon Johnson Park, one of Art Walk's two major hubs of activity. Not only that, there is usually local art on display, zinesters meeting and collaborating on the first floor, tabletop gamers doing one-shot adventures, and special drop-in activities going on in the Teen Room.