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Come explore the Matthews Library with WelcomeCLT.

Come explore the Matthews Library with WelcomeCLT

October 13, 2022

This blog was written by Moriah Sharpe, a library assistant at the Matthews branch of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The Matthews Library is located in the heart of downtown Matthews in southeastern Mecklenburg County. Matthews has had a public library since the 1920s, and the current location was opened in 2001. The branch shares a building with the Matthews Town Hall, with the library on the first floor and Town Hall on the second. Just outside the building is a red caboose and the old Train Depot (now the Matthews Visitor Center). Due to Matthews’s history as a railroad-centric town and the nearby Depot and railroad tracks, the branch features many train-themed decorations, including train lights overhead in the center of the library and a train-shaped desk in the children’s area. Trains still come through Matthews regularly, and the sound of the train whistle can be heard throughout the library!

Matthews Train Depot Jigsaw PuzzleThe new adult fiction and nonfiction sections are the first things that greet patrons as they walk through the front doors, along with several themed displays. The children’s area is to the right, including a play area and plenty of seating. The community room, which hosts many of the branch’s programs, is located in the back right corner of the library. Several shelves between the community room and the reference desk are home to the world language collection, which includes books in Spanish, Chinese, French, Gujarati, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Telugu, Russian, German, and Vietnamese. Some of the Matthews staff are also able to communicate with patrons in Spanish, French, German, Hindi, Urdu, and American Sign Language.

On the left side of the branch are the adult and young adult sections. The Teen Corner is to the far left, tucked behind the books on disc and adult fiction sections. Across the branch, patrons can utilize the quiet study area, located behind adult nonfiction, to focus on their work in a quieter area of the library.

What's your favorite place at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library? | Charlotte Mecklenburg LibrarySeating can be found throughout the library, ranging from tall, café-style tables to comfortable armchairs. Public computers are also available for use in the computer lab in the back of the branch and throughout the building. The Matthews library is also known for its fireplace! In the winter, pick out a good book and curl up in a squashy armchair by the roaring fire.

 

Matthews history is incorporated throughout the branch as well. The Matthews Heritage Museum maintains historical displays in the lobby and near the fireplace, highlighting various aspects of local life and history. At the back of the library, a large mural takes the viewer from the beginnings of the town (then called Stumptown) in 1805 to the opening of the Library/Town Hall building in 2001.

Matthews is home to approximately 30,000 people and counting, and the town offers plenty to do for residents and visitors alike. The Matthews Heritage Trail begins behind the library and extends through the historic Crestdale area before connecting to Four Mile Creek Greenway, a total distance of 3.5 miles. The Matthews post office is a short walk away from the library, just on the other side of the railroad tracks.

 Downtown Matthews is home to multiple restaurants, including Thai Taste, White Duck Taco, Grace O’Malley’s, and Pizza Peel, as well as Brakeman’s Coffee & Supply, Carolina Beer Temple, and Seaboard Taproom, which plays host to one of the library’s book clubs, Books on Tap. Renfrow Hardware has been serving Matthews since 1900, and every Saturday morning, the space next door fills up with the bustling Farmers’ Market. Catch a play at Matthews Playhouse, stop by Stumptown Park for concerts and special events, watch a game at the Sportsplex, or visit Squirrel Lake Park for Storytime in the Park with the Matthews children’s department.

Matthews Alive festival returns after two year hiatus | WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte's NPR News SourceOver Labor Day weekend, downtown Matthews is shut down for the annual Matthews Alive festival, featuring rides, games, concerts, local businesses, and plenty of fried food. Don’t miss the Matthews Alive parade on the Saturday before Labor Day. You may even spot some library staff in the parade!

New to Charlotte? Explore other neighborhoods through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library blog and WelcomeCLT, a digital space created for newcomers to Charlotte.

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