Adult Programs 2023

Summer is almost here and so are a ton of great programs! There are three - count them THREE - awesome Lit Chats in June, a Writer’s Lab doubleheader, and our newest Book Club at Pablo Creek! If you're not sure what to read this summer, we've got some great book recommendations for you on our blog.

In June, we'll announce the dates for Jax Book Fest 2023 and the three authors who'll be headlining that event! Join us at Lit Chats and Writer's Labs this summer and be sure to follow our social media (and read your emails) for the BIG reveal.

Whether it's a sizzling summer romance for that much-deserved day at the beach, a cozy mystery for that long flight or night in... or the perfect nonfiction audiobook for that cross-country road trip - you can count on the Library to have all of the hottest titles! And with all the money you save from those FREE books, that just means more money towards your next vacation (or stay-cation)! 

Book your next visit to the Library. Find your next read and chat with your fellow readers this summer at a Library Book Club near you!

Join us for a Lit Chat Interview with graphic novelist Leela Corman. She'll be in conversation with local podcaster Badr Milligan live at the Main Library during the second annual Duval Comic and Zine Fest on Saturday, June 10, at 1:30 p.m. Corman is a founding instructor of the Sequential Artists Workshop in Gainesville, Florida, and an instructor at Rhode Island School of Design. DCAZ Fest is a celebration for self-publishing that brings together local comic and zine makers with fans of underground art, alternative press and DIY media. Chair seating will be guaranteed to those who register for the in-person program and there will also be standing room available at the event.

Join us for a panel discussion on Saturday, June 10 from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. during Duval Comic and Zine Fest to discuss do-it-yourself culture and inspiration within the context of self-made media like zines, comics and printmaking.

New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean joins us at the Main Library in June for two days of bookish excitement! Readers can check out our Lit Chat Interview with her on Friday evening, and writers can attend a Writer’s Lab workshop on Saturday morning. We’d love to see you at both!

In this workshop, you will learn how to construct a query synopsis for submission to a literary agent or publishing house editor. You will leave knowing how to create a blueprint of your story with key elements of fiction revealed in a narrative format, the purpose of a novel synopsis, the components of a selling synopsis, the ideal synopsis length, and more.

May is Preservation Month, a time to celebrate and do our part to save historic places for the purpose of instilling community pride. The theme this year is “People Saving Places," a national high-five to everyone doing the great work of saving places—in ways big and small—and inspiring others to do the same. Jacksonville Public Library is kicking celebrations off with a lively, wide-ranging discussion about Jacksonville's history and architecture with Wayne Wood and Tim Gilmore on Saturday, May 6 at 2 p.m. at the Main Library.

May is a really fun time for comic book fans. The first Saturday of the month is Free Comic Book Day (at participating comic book retailers). Over 2000 stores take part annually! Of course, you can check out comics for free any day at the Library (or download them instantly on your favorite device with Hoopla)! Plus, you can meet other comic fans at Willow Branch Library for ComiClub to talk about a wide variety of comics and graphic novels. In addition to superhero comics, they also discuss horror, slice-of-life, nonfiction, and other genres! Beyond the Panel, another graphic novel book club is coming soon to Pablo Creek Library!

Anyone can be a writer – even an accomplished chef! The first step is deciding what you'll write about. It could be something you're passionate about or particularly skilled in... Or could it simply be the book (or cookbook) you think is missing from the world!

If you’ve ever wondered how a cookbook comes together and what it takes to write one, here's your chance to ask a local expert!

Jessica Q. Stark is the author of Buffalo Girl (BOA Editions, forthcoming April 2023), Savage Pageant (Birds, LLC, 2020) and four poetry chapbooks, including INNANET (The Offending Adam, 2021). Savage Pageant was named one of the “Best Books of 2020” in The Boston Globe and in Hyperallergic. Her poetry has most recently appeared or is forthcoming in Best American Poetry, Poetry Society of America, Pleiades, The Southeast Review, Carolina Quarterly, The Boiler, Tupelo Quarterly, Glass Poetry Journal, among others. She is a Poetry Editor at AGNI and is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of North Florida.