Jacksonville Public Library Blog

Editing Workshop for Writers with Jessica Hatch

Writer's Lab: I've Written a Book... Now What? Workshop with Jessica Hatch.

You’ve crafted your characters or researched your subjects, found a great hook, and written tens of thousands of words in the process. Are you done with your book? Not quite yet! Now it’s time to look over every chapter and edit it to make it shine! You can do this yourself or bring in the professionals, and one of those professionals is here to help you figure it out!

Staff Picks Book Review - The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

Library Staff Picks graphic for a book review

T.J. Klune’s 2021 novel The House in the Cerulean Sea is about a middle-aged man who finds belonging where he least expects it. It won the RUSA Reading List award for outstanding fantasy fiction, as well as the Alex Award for its appeal to young adults. The story follows Linus Baker, a scrupulous caseworker for DICOMY, the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. His job is to inspect schools for the magical, ensuring that everything is up-to-code per RULES AND REGULATIONS.

Celebrating Black History and Imagining a Better Future

Black History and Futures Month

Black History Month is a celebration of the achievements and contributions of Black individuals and a reminder to us all that to learn from and about our history. Black Futures Month takes a forward-looking spin, focusing on uplifting contemporary Black creators and leaders and the ongoing work of racial justice. Both are observed in February. Throughout the month, the Library will highlight books in our collection by and about people in the African American community. Check a few of these out below and join us at one of our Kids and Teens programs, with themes and stories in celebration of Black History (and Black Futures) Month.

Jax Stacks Book Recommendations: A book in a genre you don't usually read

Jax Stacks Reading Challenge 2023

Welcome to the 2023 Jax Stacks Reading Challenge! This year 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. Check our blog every month for a new round of ideas, and feel free to share your progress and recommendations on social media using #jaxstacks.

Make Your Own Film Festival

2023 Jacksonville Film Festival

The Main Library will be one of the venues for the Jacksonville Film Festival this year, February 3 - 5, 2023. We asked some Library customers what their favorite film from the Library's collection is, and why they would recommend it to others. They offered some excellent suggestions, so we thought we'd share them with you so you could have your own little film festival whenever you like. 

Join a History Chat, Author Talk or Editing Workshop this February

Programs for Adults

There are many book-related holidays, but the one that’s close to our hearts happens in February. That’s right, we’re talking about Library Lovers’ Month, an annual celebration of libraries (and the bookworms who frequent them).

We're showing our amazing adult customers some appreciation with these exciting programs!

Meet an Award-Winning Author of 45 Nonfiction Books for Kids

Junior Lit Chat with Jennifer Swanson

Sticky feet that climb anything. Trunk-like robotic arms. Super-sensitive hearing. What is this? Some kind of new superhero? No! These are all examples of REAL technology made with bionics/biomimicry. In this fun and interactive presentation by children’s science author Jennifer Swanson, you will get an inside look at many awesome inventions being created by engineers right now! Be one of the first 30 children at the event and receive a FREE copy of Beastly Bionics to keep!

Read Survivor Stories This Holocaust Remembrance Day

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Six million Jewish people were killed by the Nazis and their collaborators during the Second World War, along with millions from other persecuted groups.  International Holocaust Remembrance Day is dedicated to keeping the memory of this horrific loss of human life alive and to shine a light on the dangers of failing to learn from history. It is observed on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Staff Picks Book Review - Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Lisa Sterle

Library Staff Picks graphic for a book review

Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Lisa Sterle synergize their storytelling skills in Squad, a graphic novel about a group of bloodthirsty werewolves who hunt sexual predators. Becca is the new girl at Piedmont High. With no friends and a deep hunger to belong, she is over the moon when Marley, Arianna, and Amanda—the most popular girls in school - invite her to join the pack.

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