Library U

Morally gray Black witches. Sisterhood. Politics and rebellion. The Poisons We Drink is a potent YA debut from Jacksonville's own Bethany Baptiste... about a world where love potions are weaponized against hate and prejudice, sisterhood is unbreakable, and self-love is life and death. Join the Teen Lit Chat Interview this March. A limited number of copies of the book will be given away to participants (first come, first served).

Life Lit are free workshops offered by trained professionals and volunteers that focus on improving your day-to-day life. These programs cover a wide range of workshops from gardening to small business needs. No need to bring anything but yourself to participate!

Did you know? March 3-9 is Celebrate Reading Week in Jacksonville! This year's theme, Where the Wild Books Are, is designed to take our City's youngest readers on adventures with fictional and real-life animals to show them just how exciting reading and learning can be! There will be programs and events at libraries and locations across Jacksonville all week long. But don't worry, there are also lots of great adult programs!

Jacksonville Public Library and Hope Haven invite you to watch the eye-opening documentary, The Truth About Reading: The Invisible Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight, from Emmy Award-winning director, Nick Nanton. The screening will be followed by an important discussion with a panel of local experts about what Jacksonville is doing for kids who struggle to read and write.

Did you know? March 3-9 is Celebrate Reading Week in Jacksonville! This year's theme, Where the Wild Books Are, is designed to take our City's youngest readers on adventures with fictional and real-life animals to show them just how exciting reading and learning can be! If you're a parent, you know how important it is for your kids to see you reading for enjoyment. But as adults, we're all reading role models! So, in addition to attending all of these fun, bookish programs and events as a family: Why not join a Library Book Club and model reading for the next generation of bookworms?!

For many, learning to write and outline your story can be a daunting task. But what if it could be a game? Embark on a unique storytelling journey as we discover the art of crafting compelling narratives using the unique power of various tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. Whether you're a brand new writer or a pro, this workshop is designed to unlock your creative potential and guide you in using solo roleplaying as a tool to outline and write captivating stories.

"In October 1997, the town of Ringgold in northwest Georgia was shaken by reports of a murder in its midst. A dead woman was found in Alvin Ridley's house - and even more shockingly, she was the wife no one knew he had." Georgia attorney-turned-writer, McCracken Poston Jr., joins us live via Zoom to tell the story behind one of his most famous defense cases and his upcoming book, Zenith Man: Death, Love and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom.

February is Black History Month and Small Business and Side Hustles has some advice from a local small business owner. Twyla Prindle is the founder of Kash Kids, Inc. and author of more than a dozen financial literacy books for kids. Her best-known work is Where Is My Money? She is one of North Florida’s leading advocates for teaching children financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills.

The Friends of the Bill Brinton Murray Hill Library are sponsoring a special Lit Chat Interview with local poet Michelle Lizet Flores live at the Library this February! Michelle will chat with fellow poet and Lit Chat alum, Jessica Q. Stark, about her latest book of poetry.

Released in 2024 by Hal Jacobs, Just Another Bombing?: This is Donal and Iona's Story takes audiences on a poignant journey through a little-known incident of the 1960s Civil Rights era. Iona Godfrey King and her son Donal Godfrey share their deeply moving account of surviving the Klan bombing of their home with three other family members on February 16, 1964, in Jacksonville, Fla. The reason for the bombing? Six-year-old Donal was the first Black student to enroll in the neighborhood Lackawanna Elementary School. Watch and discuss at the Bill Brinton Murray Hill Branch Library this Black History Month.