Adult Programs 2024

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!

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!

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.

This month, catch up with Little House on the Prairie star Dean Butler for the release of his memoir and the show's 50th anniversary. Later in the month. learn how to make your own music fanzine with instructor Daryl Gussin in our Writer's Lab series. He returns later that same day for a Lit Chat Interview about music, zines and finding your community. Plus, there are 15 Library Book Club meetings, three Life Lit skills workshops, and more! 

Are you a big music fan? Do you go to concerts, join fan groups, and actively seek out other fans (in person or online) to geek out with about your favorite lyrics? Have you ever considered making your own fanzine? In this workshop, you'll tackle "fandom" as a creative avenue and learn how to build community through collaborative projects. Instructor Daryl Gussin will offer a historical and personal background on the medium and then guide participants through the hands-on process of zine-making.

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.

Looking for some great reads and good company? Find your community at a Library Book Club this July. Whether you're participating in our Jax Stacks Reading Challenge or you just want to know what other book lovers in Jacksonville are reading (and discussing), you're bound to find something to enjoy!

Dean Butler is an actor, producer, and director best known for his role as Almanzo Wilder (the man Laura Ingalls married) in Little House on the Prairie, based on the beloved Little House book series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. He appeared in the final four seasons of the show, the spin-off show Little House: A New Beginning, and the three post-series TV movies. Meet him live on Zoom as he talks about his new memoir, Prairie Man.

According to the U. S. Small Business Administration, a business plan is a strategic tool that shapes the trajectory of your business over the next 3-5 years. It's a written guide that outlines how your business will generate revenue and expand. The library provides a wealth of databases to support your business planning. This month, we're featuring the Business Plan Handbook Series available through GALE as well as some helpful books and LinkedIn Learning courses.

This month, you have the chance to meet a buzzed-about debut author and an award-winning graphic novelist in our popular Lit Chat Interview series. Or, you can make your first self-published zine or learn how to format any work for print with our Writer's Lab Workshop series. Plus, there are 15 Library Book Club meetings, Life Lit gardening and small business workshops, and more!