Mayor Deegan's River City Readers

School starts next week here in Duval County. Have you picked up all of the supplies on your list? If you haven't signed yourself or your kids up for a library card, you are missing one of the best (and free) resources available! Not only does a library card give you access to free books, movies, and music but there are also some lesser-known benefits you should know about!

At Jacksonville Public Library, we celebrate book lovers every day! Not only do we have all the best books - available in hardcover, paperback, large print, and audiobook formats - but you also have access to digital formats through Libby, hoopla, Tumblebook, and Biblioboard Library. We also have a year-round reading challenge for adults designed to expand your reading horizons and we participate in Mayor Deegan's River City Readers city-wide literacy challenge. If you want to interact with other book lovers outside of big events like Jax Book Fest, you can also join a Library Book Club and get even more book recommendations from readers just like you! 

International Moon Day is observed annually on July 20. It marks the anniversary of the first landing by humans on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 lunar mission in 1969. Whether you take this opportunity to learn more about the moon landing, astronauts, and NASA or you spend the day reading some fun (or fantastical) books inspired by space exploration - the staff of Jacksonville Public Library has some great recommendations to get you started.

July is Graphic Novels in Libraries Month! Started in 2019 by Booklist (the American Library Association's review journal) to bring attention to and promote the growing graphic novel and comics collections in our nation’s libraries, this month-long celebration coincides with the world’s biggest fandom event, San Diego Comic Con. At Jacksonville Public Library, we celebrate graphic novels all year round! We have a monthly Comic Club (Graphic Novel Book Club) at the Willow Branch Library. Join a Library Book Club today and get even more book recommendations from readers just like you!

There are so many traditions when it comes to the Fourth of July. Why not create a new one by adding a few books to your day with family wherever you may find yourself? At Jacksonville Public Library we have a variety of books you can choose from chosen by our awesome librarians! You'll be sure to find something you love to read with your little ones.

We love to share selections that demonstrate the range of our collection all year and we encourage you to explore these books with us this month! Considered the longest-running African American holiday, Juneteenth has been celebrated by African Americans since the 1800s and became a federal holiday in 2021. A combination of the words "June" and "nineteenth," it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas.  

This month, we've put together a list of books by and about Muslim Americans. These books are available in multiple formats and cover various topics, from history and biography to fiction and poetry. 

Jacksonville Public Library has a great collection of books about fatherhood that kids and their dads are sure to love! Of course, summer is a great time to spend time reading as a family. Not only does it help prevent learning loss while the kids are out of school for the summer, it gives kids and dads an opportunity for quality time and connection. You can listen to an audiobook together in the car on your next road trip. Or grab a book of spooky ghost stories to read around the campfire! 

Preserving Remembered Moments: The Memory Lab Exhibit at Duval County Courthouse