special collections

What does a pencil and an audio cassette have in common? If you know you know... but you're definitely also going to want to check out the newly expanded Memory Lab at Main Library! Learn more at our next Memory Lab Open House on Wednesday, May 1, from 6-8:30 p.m. (during Art Walk). You can also stop by any time the Main Library is open for a demo! The Memory Lab is located on the fourth floor of the Main Library in Special Collections (next to the Ansbacher Map Room).

Special Collections at Jacksonville Public Library is a place to ask questions, trace your family roots, research the history of your home, explore old city maps and directories, and so much more! You, your story, and your questions are always welcome. Special Collections is located on the Fourth Floor of the Main Library and is open to the public during library hours. Appointments are not required but you can call ahead or book online if you need a research guide, a tour of the department, or help using the equipment in the Memory Lab.

Do you have boxes of old photographs? Home movies on VHS? Mixed tapes on cassette? Have you ever wanted to convert them to an easily stored and sharable digital format? How does "for FREE" sound?

The countdown to our City’s bicentennial has begun! How will you celebrate Jacksonville’s 200-year anniversary? The Library’s doing what it does best: sharing and collecting stories! We hope you’ll join us for "Jacksonville Origins: A Talk with Emily Lisska" on Saturday, June 11 at 1 p.m. And leave your mark on Jacksonville's history: Add your story, your family history, and your vision for the future of this Bold City to the Library's permanent collection!

Joseph E. Lee is a prominent figure in Jacksonville history. He holds the distinction of having been the City's first Black lawyer as well as having left a legacy of commitment to public service and community. Jacksonville Public Library was recently able to digitize an extensive collection of Joseph E. Lee's professional and personal correspondence, dating from 1877 – 1882. These papers help paint a clearer picture of the man and his accomplishments.

What do you like people to know about you another 80 years from now?

How have you shaped – or been shaped by – this Bold City?

To celebrate the City's upcoming Bicentennial, the Jacksonville Public Library will be doing what it does best: Collecting stories, preserving history, and sharing what it finds with the community. But we need your help!