Adult Programs

There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace: Life in the Negro Baseball Leagues chronicles the rich history of Black baseball and examines the re-integration of the game. Narrated by James Earl Jones, this hour long documentary, produced by Refocus Digital Media, LLC, features interviews with baseball Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, James ‘Cool Papa’ Bell, Buck Leonard, Judy Johnson, Monte Irvin and Ray Dandridge. Watch and discuss on Tuesday, February 25 at Highlands Library with Armand Rosamilia.

Join us Wednesday, February 12, at 7 p.m. at the Southeast Library for a Lit Chat Interview with celebrated historical fiction author Jennifer Coburn and Jane R. Wood, followed by 20 minutes of audience Q&A. A book signing will follow, with books available for sale on site by local bookstore the BookMark.

February is Library Lover's Month - a time to celebrate libraries and the people who use them. So stop in and check out a book (or twelve). If you're a book lover, you might also consider joining one (or more) of our Library Book Clubs. It's a great way to meet people and get more book recommendations. If you're busy or just looking for more accessible options, we've got plenty of digital apps and resources like Libby, hoopla Digital and Kanopy that you can use from home.

Meet the authors that everyone's talking about - from New York Times bestsellers to up-and-coming local writers. This month, meet the author of the new book, Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany. This Lit Chat Interview is a 60-minute (virtual) program consisting of a 40-minute conversation between author Dr. Rebecca Brenner Graham and Professor Jennie Ziegler, followed by 20 minutes of audience Q&A.

Meet the authors that everyone's talking about - from New York Times bestsellers to up-and-coming local writers. Did you know that all of our Lit Chat authors' books count toward your Jax Stacks Reading Challenge completion? Find out what authors we're hosting this month and join in on the fun! 

The mission of the Foreign Policy Association today, as it has been for over 100 years, is to serve as a catalyst for developing awareness, understanding, and informed opinion on U.S. foreign policy and global issues. That's why they created Great Decisions, America's largest discussion program on world affairs. Every year, discussion topics are chosen by a panel of experts and discussed in libraries, schools and community centers across the United States. Each meeting begins with a 20-minute video lecture on a topic, followed by a facilitator-led discussion with a local subject-matter expert.

Are you signing up for the Jax Stacks Reading Challenge in 2025? We've got 16 brand-new challenge categories. Get out of your comfort zone and try something new or cross a book you've been meaning to read off your to-be-read list! Just make sure it fits one of the categories! The challenge is simple: You pick the 12 categories that interest you most and just start reading. Of course, one of those categories is "A book read by a Library Book Club in 2025." So, just by joining one of these groups, you're already 1/12 of the way to completing this challenge!

Jacksonville Public Library is commemorating the 75th anniversary of San Marco Branch Library with a series of public programs focused on the past, present and future of the neighborhood. This year-long celebration of the San Marco community, its residents and their library officially kicks off this January!

We've got 16 new categories for 2025 - along with some great book recommendations to get you started. Start with the categories that interest you most and see how far you get! If you read just one book this year, you're a Jax Stacks reader! To officially complete the challenge, read at least 12 books from 12 of the categories listed below. If you need help keeping track, pick up a Jax Stacks Reading Challenge bookmark - available at your local library.

Join us on Friday, December 6, from 1-3 p.m. at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens in Riverside for a spirited discussion of Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer! There is no charge for admission if you're registered for the book club. We'll start off by taking a tour of the Spirit in the Land exhibit before talking about the book. Plus, find out what books our Library Book Clubs are reading and discussing!