Library U

Nikesha Elise Williams has been featured at the library as a Writer’s Lab workshop instructor and Lit Chat interviewer many times over the last two years. Now she takes on the role of featured author in our next Lit Chat! Join us at the Highlands Library to learn about Nikesha’s journey as an award-winning self-published author, journalist, and podcaster.

You’ve written a polished story or two or ten and you feel confident that it’s time to share your work with the world. You’ve heard about self-publishing, but is it the right fit for you, financially? Join us for a Writer’s Lab with local author Siera London that covers the basics of the indie publishing business and what you should consider before jumping in.

In July we continue to help you hone the skills you need in your yard or outdoor space! Join us for workshops with our friends from the UF Extension office that will teach you all about plants and bugs in your garden.

July is sizzling with our newest book club, Between the Covers Romance Readers! Join us for a steamy read or check out one of our other 11 book clubs for a book that speaks to you.

Join the Jacksonville Public Library as we watch the last episode of PBS’ Asian Americans series! After the film, we will hear from guest speaker Dr. Tes Tuason from the University of North Florida who will talk about community building, identity, and cultural education in Asian American communities.    

Kick-off the summer season and join one of our 11 book clubs in June! From serious memoirs to glitzy mysteries, one of these clubs will speak to you!

Check out the list of book clubs below and join your fellow readers for a great chat!

Celebrate Historic Preservation Month at the Brown Eastside Library on Tuesday, May 24! A panel of preservation experts will discuss the various processes that go into preserving historic neighborhoods, challenges, and preservation trends in our city. The program will wrap up with an audience Q&A session! 

Brit Bennett wowed readers in 2016 with her debut novel, The Mothers, and again in 2020 with her New York Times number-one bestselling novel The Vanishing Half. If you were one of those readers, you now have a chance to meet Brit Bennett in person at the library! Come hear about her books and writing process, and get a chance to ask her questions during our Q&A session.

In her new book of historic photographs, Jada Wright-Greene celebrates the homes of African Americans throughout the state, including cabins, shotgun homes, and two-story residences in Jacksonville and beach homes in American Beach and Butler Beach. Join us to learn more about these homes and the process of researching their histories!

If you love living in Florida, and love to be annoyed at “Florida Man”, you will definitely want to check out our upcoming Lit Chat with New York Times bestselling author Craig Pittman! Pittman writes fondly of the strange state we call home and all the interesting people who make it famous. Thanks to the Friends of the Beaches Branch Library for sponsoring this author talk!