Author Talk

Library U Adult Programs

April is National Poetry Month and we are featuring two awesome local poets in our Lit Chat Interview Series. It’s also a great month for Great Decisions, our film and discussion group about current events. And this month we welcome a new book club with a fantastic name – Shelf Conscious Book Club at Maxville! Check out all of our great adult programs happening this month!

Bigger Better Story Ideas: Junior Lit Chat Author Talk with Patricia J. Murphy

March 27 - April 1 is Celebrate Reading Week in Jacksonville! As an adult who loves reading, you already know the power of stories! You also know how important it is for everyone, but especially for children, to see themselves reflected in the pages of the books they read. Books can be mirrors for a child wondering where they fit in. They can also be windows, giving them a look at the lives of others. When we all have the power to tell our own stories, in our own voices, that's really something special.

Patricia J. Murphy is an award-winning children's author and a passionate literacy advocate who believes in giving children the tools they need to capture their big ideas and share them with the world.

Programs for adults

This March, hear about a fascinating and influential (but relatively unknown) figure in Women's History, learn how the group Women Writing for (a) Change takes inspiration and writing techniques from their favorite books at our next Writer's Lab Workshop and join a discussion group on US foreign policy with topics that affect women and girls here in America and around the world!

Lit Chat Interview with Christopher Gorham

For Women’s History Month, join us for a discussion about a little-known figure in American history, Anna Marie Rosenberg. Author Christopher Gorham in his book The Confidante highlights the contributions of Rosenberg, a Hungarian Jewish immigrant who became FDR’s “Mrs. Fix-It”. Gorham will discuss Rosenberg and the process of researching her in this Lit Chat Interview.

Lit Chat Interview with Jessica Hatch

Lit Chat Interview with Jessica Hatch, Thursday, February 23 at 6:30 p.m. This event will take place live at the Southeast Library and will be livestreamed online via Zoom. Books will be available to purchase on-site from Femme Fire Books or you can bring a copy purchased from your favorite bookseller.

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!

Lit Chat Interview with Michael Wiley

What does it take to write a compelling thriller, and then multiple compelling thriller series? Michael Wiley, a local author and professor, certainly knows! Join us to find out his writing secrets at our next Lit Chat Interview.

Lit Chat: An American Story Author Talk with Kwame Alexander and Dare Coulter

How do you talk to kids about slavery? In the new book, An American Story, New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander's unparalleled poetry combines with debut illustrator Dare Coulter's singular art to present a sweeping account of our country's founding. They'll join us, as part of their book tour, for an interview with Jacksonville's own Rahman Johnson to talk about how they put this book together and what they want readers to take away from it. The book and this interview program are intended for middle and high schoolers, educators, parents, and caregivers.

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