Jacksonville Public Library Blog

Go "Back to School" with the Library and Learn Small Business Skills

August is back-to-school month here in Florida. Learning isn't just for the littles, though! As a small business owner or someone who's thinking about starting a small business, there are things you need to know, too! The public library is a great place to learn. Can't afford a college course? No problem! The best back-to-school supply that you or your kids could want is a Jacksonville Public Library card. Bonus: you don't have to wait for a tax-free holiday to pick one up! They're always free!

Read and Discuss Great Books at a Library Book Club this August

Summer may be winding down, but our Library Book Clubs keep heating up with the best book recommendations and discussions! And if you can't get enough reading and recommendations: There's also still plenty of time to finish the Jax Stacks Reading Challenge and pick up a few books from one of the three #1 New York Times bestselling authors who'll be headlining Jax Book Fest 2024.

Writer's Lab Workshops in August: Get Ready for Jax Book Fest

Are you an aspiring author? Thinking about self-publishing? Need tips for marketing your work? Learn how to get your book on the library's shelves and more! Get help writing, publishing, and marketing your own book with free workshops at the Library! There are two Writer's Lab workshops in August with our friends from the Authors Roundtable of Northeast Florida. Plus, information about this year's Jax Book Fest: Writer's Day is now live on our blog and events calendar. Save your seat now!

Tips and Tools for Conducting Market Research for Your Small Business

The use of zip codes as we know them started on July 1, 1963. Why is this string of numbers important to your business? The Library has many free tools like Data Axle Reference Solutions to help you with demographic research, small business marketing, and more. Read this month's Small Business & Side Hustles newsletter to learn how to conduct your own market research!

Celebrate the Anniversary of the Moon Landing with Books About Space

International Moon Day is observed annually on July 20. It marks the anniversary of the first landing by humans on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 lunar mission in 1969. Whether you take this opportunity to learn more about the moon landing, astronauts, and NASA or you spend the day reading some fun (or fantastical) books inspired by space exploration - the staff of Jacksonville Public Library has some great recommendations to get you started.

Shop the Big Bag Book Summer Sale and Support the Library!

Friends of Jacksonville Public Library Big Bag Book Sale July 18-20

Summer and reading just go together! But now, so do HOT deals on literal bags full of books! The Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library's semi-annual Big Bag Book Sale returns July 18-20 with fantastic deals on books, movies, audiobooks, records, jigsaw puzzles, and more. Not only can you fill a paper bag full of books for just $15 (already a great deal), but you can also get free bags of books, too! That's a lot of books!

Graphic Novels in Libraries Month

July is Graphic Novels in Libraries Month! Started in 2019 by Booklist (the American Library Association's review journal) to bring attention to and promote the growing graphic novel and comics collections in our nation’s libraries, this month-long celebration coincides with the world’s biggest fandom event, San Diego Comic Con. At Jacksonville Public Library, we celebrate graphic novels all year round! We have a monthly Comic Club (Graphic Novel Book Club) at the Willow Branch Library. Join a Library Book Club today and get even more book recommendations from readers just like you!

Books to Celebrate Disability Pride Month

Disability Pride Month is celebrated every year in July, in part, to celebrate the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law on July 26, 1990. It's a time to embrace and honor the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community. In Jacksonville, we commemorate the day with an annual Disability and Adaptive Recreation Expo at the Prime F. Osborn Convention Center. This year, Jacksonville Public Library is proud to launch our new and completely FREE Books by Mail service for Duval County residents who are unable to visit the Library due to a temporary or permanent disability or illness.

Now Available: Get Library Books By Mail Delivered FREE to Your Home

Are you or someone you know unable to visit the library due to a temporary or permanent disability or illness? Jacksonville Public Library now offers a FREE service that delivers books and other library materials by mail to Duval County residents via the United States Postal Service. Available materials include regular print books, large print books, audiobooks on CD, magazines, music CDs and DVDs.

Lit Chat Interview with Writer & Musician Daryl Gussin

Daryl Gussin is a writer and musician who has been awkwardly standing around at punk shows for the last twenty-something years. Thankfully at some point in his late teens, he decided to become a little more productive and has been working on zines, setting up shows, and playing in bands consecutively since then. In 2006, Daryl Gussin became integrally involved in the Razorcake fanzine where he is currently the managing editor.