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Capturing History with the Living Archives project

April 5, 2024

We invite you to come and join us for a special event revealing the Living Archives Mural to be hosted at Lions Services on April 18, 2024 at 11 a.m. 

 

Register Here

 

Over the last three years, the Living Archives project successfully collected stories of marginalized communities in Mecklenburg County through the COVID-19 pandemic. Those stories - in the form of video, audio, art, text and more - will be preserved by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's digital archive, Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, in perpetuity. Focused on equity, the project gathered stories from Black, Hispanic, Asian and Indigenous residents with a focus on those who are essential workers, housing insecure, immigrants, formerly incarcerated residents, small business owners, families with children, teens, college students, the elderly, LGBTQIA, veterans and people with disabilities. The initial project goal was to collect 200 stories and currently, we have been able to collect over 340+ stories, going well above and beyond what we first imagined. Transitioning from a story collection phase, the project shifted gears towards a more community-focused phase where community focused exhibits were available to the public, events and programming provided, as well as the completion of a permanent mural.

 

By uniting these stories in a single artwork, our mural recognizes our shared experiences. The vibrant imagery highlights the themes often shared in the narratives – themes of self-reflection, community commitment, and the weight of uncertainty – echoing and amplifying the viewers own pandemic story. The Living Archives Mural stands as a testament to the enduring values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and a legacy for the entire County, ensuring that the stories of our neighbors will be preserved and celebrated for generations to come.

 

Local artist Abel Jackson is responsible for the mural which is located at Lions Services Inc. at 4600 N Tryon. Continue reading to learn more about the different components of the mural in his own words:

 

Mockup of the Living Archives mural at Lions Services by artist Abel Jackson

“Each person is symbolic of various emotions and experiences. I tried to capture a variety of emotions in each person. Each individual gives some representation of ethnicity/ race and gender in hopes of displaying diversity:

 

  • Black man representing vision impaired and essential worker. This design illustrates the idea of finding peace in the midst of adversity. In the scene, he is playing his favorite music on a record player as he deals with everything that is going on around him.

     

  • Beneath him is a Hispanic woman crying with her hands covering her face. She represents sadness and depression.

     

  • On the left side of the door adjacent to her is an Asian man. He is a business owner. Not only is he concerned with the survival of his business during the pandemic he is also worried about all those who depend on him including his family and workers. He represents anxiety and stress.

     

  • To the left of him is an indigenous Lumbee woman handing out meals and food to the elderly. She represents community service and helping those in need. 

     

  • Above the Black man is a mother looking out the window. She has quarantined herself in her own home because she has Covid. She is wearing a mask in her room looking out the window. She represents isolation and fear of uncertainty. 

     

  • Lastly, is a woman who is looking up and taking a deep breath. She is enjoying what she once took for granted. She represents strength and resilience."

 

This event will include the unveiling of the Living Archives mural, Charlotte Mecklenburg Mobile Library (MoLi), guest speakers, and various food trucks. This event is free to the public.

 

Summer VolunTeen Applications Now Open - Apply Today

April 17, 2024

Looking to earn community service hours this summer as a teen volunteer? Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is looking for responsible teens (ages 13-17) who enjoy working with the public, helping others, and giving back to their community. Applications opened on April 15 and will be accepted until the end of the month or until a branch reaches capacity. 

If you do not see a position posted for your preferred location, then a position is no longer available, and you will need to apply to another location. While there are a limited number of opportunities, almost all locations are participating in this program. You may only apply to one location per semester. Please note that applying does not guarantee a position. 

After you apply, someone from the library will contact you to set up an interview if you meet qualifications. If you wish to inquire about your application, please reach out to the branch where you applied to follow up. Please apply on the Volunteer page. Click on Become a Volunteer and search for “Summer VolunTeen” opportunities. 

Still have questions? Check our VolunTeen FAQs for more details! We look forward to seeing your application soon! 

Celebrate National Volunteer Week with the Library

April 18, 2024

This blog was written by Chauna Wall, volunteer coordinator for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

 

Today we enter into a week-long celebration called National Volunteer Week which runs from April 21 - 27.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to shine a light on the people that inspire us to serve.  Volunteerism empowers individuals to find their purpose, to take their passion and turn it into meaningful change. When you answer the call to make a difference, we make progress in “Improving Lives and Building a Stronger Community,” our core mission.

 

This week, we celebrate our volunteers for giving their time to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and the many volunteers who stand with us in promoting inclusion, education and literacy to the entire community.

 

We had some very exciting milestones this year which were powered by very dedicated volunteers. These include:

 

Student Success Centers: a physical learning space that are open in branches at least once a week.  Trained volunteers work with Kindergartners – 5th grade with Homework Help, Skill practice and tutor.com. Volunteers responded to our request to help our students succeed in an overwhelming way. Recruiting more volunteers than the number of registered students.

 

The Living Archives needed volunteers to transcribe the stories of People of Color and their experiences during the pandemic. Again, an abundance of individuals came forth to offer their skills. 

 

You may have heard of MeckTech; an effort to close the Digital Divide in which we gave away 20,000 free laptops to the citizens of Mecklenburg County. We didn’t do it alone; we tapped the skills of over 900 volunteers over the course of a year. Individuals, families, groups, corporate volunteers and teens rose to the occasion for this very sizeable and far-reaching project. 

 

You can clearly see the exceptional ways in which our citizenry responded to the needs of the Library and broader community.

 

Every day our volunteers inspire us and help us create a more educated and literate community. Never doubt you make a measurable difference. Last year you gave us over 31,000 hours of your time which equates to a value of over $1million. 

 

Hear from some of our volunteers on why they do this work below:

 

"The Library is a safe space, for teens especially to be able to exist peacefully and authentically without the stress of whatever else is happening in their life."

 

Máire B., VolunTeen at North County Regional Library

"Not only did my service at the Library strengthen my leadership skills, it also introduced me to other aspects of that I hadn’t initially been aware of."

 

Rachel J., VolunTeen at West Boulevard Library

"The Library is important because for others It is a place of both knowledge and enrichment. I have learned a lot from the Library."

 

Ashritha N., VolunTeen at Matthews Library

"Volunteering at the Library has shown me how important it is that we have a place to gather, reflect, read, and connect."

 

Elliott K., VolunTeen at Matthews Library

"Volunteering at the Library is a chance to give back. The staff at Mint Hill are Wonderful!"

 

Lance, Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

"I have always loved to read. I feel like I’m giving back some of the good things people have done for me."

 

Lee, Reading Buddy at Mint Hill Library

"The Library supports literacy and education in addition to cultural learning. Books open the world to children."

 

Barbara, Reading Buddy at Mint Hill Library

"One of my Reading Buddies said to me at the end of our half hour, 'I'm not ready to go!' - it touched my heart!"

 

Lori, Reading Buddy at Mountain Island Library

"The library is a safe space for all people. Stories inspire creativity and without creativity society would be lost."

 

Katy, Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

"Volunteering at the Library is incredibly rewarding—seeing school-aged students grow in reading confidence over time is wonderful. To think that Wicked and I might have played even a small part is simply amazing and makes every moment worth it!"

 

Kelsey & Wicked, Paws to Read volunteers at Mountain Island Library

"Sometimes kids are nervous around dogs or about reading and it’s so rewarding watching them become comfortable and confident and light up when they sit and read to Phineas."

Lauren A. & Phineas, Paws to Read volunteers at SouthPark Regional Library

"Watching kids learn to read and making verbal connections in real-time is really neat...kids light up and smile when they see Pippa! Knowing that I’m making a small difference in a child’s ability to read is really cool!"

 

Courtney S. & Pippa, Paws to Read volunteers at SouthPark Regional Library

"Volunteering to me means making a difference. Also, having an impact in children’s lives and families.”

 

Ashlyn, Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

"Volunteering is fun for me since I am retired and I like giving back to the community."

Cindy, Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

"It feels good to think someone might enjoy reading a little better because I volunteered."

Kathy, Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

Rachel S. and Dumpling, Paws to Read volunteers at Hickory Grove Library

Sue, Reading Buddy Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

Krissy, Volunteer at Hickory Grove Library

Anna, Volunteer at Matthews Library

Kelly, Reading Buddy Volunteer at Mountain Island Library

Don, Volunteer at SouthPark Library

Daniel, Volunteer at SouthPark Library

Russ, Reading Buddy Volunteer at SouthPark Library

Kurt S., Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

Lori D., Volunteer at North County Regional Library

Marci., Reading Buddy Volunteer at SouthPark Regional Library

"The library offers a variety of programs and children’s storytimes.  Volunteering gets me back into the environment that I love!"

Gail Z., Volunteer at Mint Hill Library

You will see our volunteers helping with…

  • Adopt an Aisle which include families and children 12 and under.
  • Tech Tutoring-Classes and one on one learning
  • Providing Plant Care
  • Leading Writing Groups
  • training to be Reading Buddies 
  • shelving, pulling holds and helping with morning deliveries
  • English as a Second Language programs 
  • Filling Free Little Libraries all over Mecklenburg County
  • The ever-popular Paws to Read program where even your trained dog can volunteer!

 

If I may give a respectful nod to those of you who help our staff shelve in the Children's department (which isn’t for the meek), and a special thank you to the 32 staff who have taken on the role of Volunteer Point Person (VPPs) who guide and engage with our volunteers daily. They have worked diligently to make the Library a great experience for our volunteers.  

 

Thank you for being a Library volunteer and helping deliver the magic of books, stories, technology and lifelong learning. You are a treasured and valuable part of our story. 

 

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” 

Margaret Mead 

 

ImaginOn and Founders Hall Library to Close for Lovin’ Life Music Fest

May 1, 2024

ImaginOn and Founders Hall Library will be closed May 3-5 for the Lovin’ Life Music Fest that will be held in Uptown over the weekend. This closure includes the book drop at ImaginOn. 

Both locations will operate on a normal schedule on May 2 and are expected to resume regular operating hours on May 6. The Founders Hall location is normally closed on the weekends. 

The parking garage at ImaginOn will also be closed at the end of the day on May 2 and will reopen the morning of May 6. 

For information regarding the Charlotte Children’s Theater, which is inside of ImaginOn, please visit ctcharlotte.org or call 704-973-2800.

Hope Street Food Pantry Visits Sugar Creek!

May 2, 2024

PSA: The Library continues to partner with Hope Street Food Pantry! Join us at Sugar Creek Library on May 21 at 11am. Learn more at hopestreetfoodpantry.com.

ImaginOn Hosts 2024 Summer Exhibit: Storyland

May 24, 2024

Beloved children’s books will come alive as Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites opens at ImaginOn on May 25 and runs through Sept. 7.

Storyland, a new exhibit built by Minnesota Children’s Museum, provides imaginative, book-based experiences for children, and models early literacy experiences to parents and other adult caregivers.

Storyland transforms seven award-winning picture books – The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter; The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats; Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill; If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff; Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault; Abuela by Arthur Dorros; and Tuesday by David Wiesner into three-dimensional play and bi-lingual (English and Spanish) learning environments that highlight the six pre-reading skills: disposition to read, print awareness, letter knowledge, sound awareness, vocabulary, and narrative skills and comprehension.

Admission to the exhibit is free. The exhibit is open during ImaginOn building hours: Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday-Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. (ImaginOn is closed on Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day for summer hours.) For more information, call 704-416-4600 or visit imaginon.org.

Information for Groups:

Can I bring a group? Yes! Groups are welcome to visit the exhibit after noon, Monday-Saturday. There is a maximum number of 30 children and one adult chaperone for every eight students. Reservations are neither required nor accepted and entry into the exhibit is always on a first-come, first-served basis. However, if you wish to combine your visit to the exhibit with any other building-wide activity, a group visit booking is required. You can make a request at imaginon.org/calendar/group-visits.

Can a group make a reservation to visit the exhibit? No, all visits to the exhibit happen on a first-come, first-served basis. Families are encouraged to take advantage of Family Time if your schedule allows. (See below for details.)

Is there a time when the exhibit is open just for families? Yes! Family Time for the exhibit is every Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. – noon. During this time, the exhibit is open just for children with their parents/caregivers (Limit 5 children per adult).

Can children visit the exhibit by themselves? Children under age 8 must be always with a caregiver. Caregivers should be at least 12 years old and mature enough to follow ImaginOn rules and guidelines. Chaperones are required for all groups visiting ImaginOn and the exhibit.

What if the exhibit is full when I arrive? Because visitor safety is our top priority, admittance into the exhibit is limited. This allows guests the ability to fully explore the exhibit at their own pace. If the exhibit is “full,” we have a queuing area where visitors can wait to enter the exhibit on a first-come, first-served basis. We have suggested activities to pass the time while you are in line.

The summer exhibit at ImaginOn is funded through the Library’s Humanities Endowment Fund, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Long-time issue of reparations for African Americans persists

June 13, 2024

This blog was written by Lawrence Turner, adult services librarian at South County Regional Library

 

When people think about reparations, they immediately think about people who've been dead for 100 years, said bestselling writer Ta-Nehisi Coates. He writes that attitude should change. Clearly understanding reparations is the way to start.

 

Reparations is defined as making amends for a past wrongdoing by apology, money, or otherwise. The challenge to enact the concept is to take a long view to understand and to take appropriate actions. As such, the United States would have to make major concessions for its generations-long practice of slavery. 

 

Attempts to rectify the enslavement of African Americans with their descendants were  enacted with government policies during Reconstruction, after slavery’s official end. The endeavor was short-lived and was replaced with decades of Jim Crow laws. Returning to Coates’ position, he wrote in his book, We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy, reparations would lead the nation to a spiritual renewal. Undertaking a “full acceptance of our collective biography and its consequences—is the price to see ourselves squarely.” 

 

To the question if the act would cause division, he answered the country is already split by a wealth gap acquired without comment. The result is “that American prosperity was ill gotten and selective in its distribution. What is needed is an airing of family secrets, a settling with old ghosts…a healing of the American psyche and the banishment of white guilt.” 

 

Of course, reparations could not take place without strong public support. It is not there. That the issue of reparations has lingered for many years can be attributable to racial differences. 

 

The Pew Research Center in a 2021 poll found 77 percent of Black Americans favored some form of reparation for descendants of enslaved people while white support was at 18 percent. 

 

A Public Radio article in 2023 echoed the Pew Research Center polls. Yale social psychologist Michael Kraus said, "A majority of our sample (research published in an academic journal) tends to think that we've made steady progress towards greater equality in wealth between families, so between black and white families…That is totally inconsistent with reality." In contrast, some communities concede inequality is a concern with examples in the state of California and a dozen cities nationwide. They are hosting initiatives to promote federal reparations.

 

The Library has several titles covering this issue with historical and political accounts but one new book approaches it as a fiction story. Acts of Forgiveness is a new novel released this year about a new federal reparation program and the impact it has on one family. In an essay about the book, writer Maura Cheeks wrote, “The idea that the United States could ever collectively support a national reparations policy for Black people seemed, well, the stuff of fiction.”

 

She decided  to write about reparations after researching the racial wealth gap with its startling statistics. Cheeks essay included, “the Federal Reserve’s 2022 Survey Consumer Finances (found) the typical white family has about six times as much wealth as the typical Black family, despite the fact that between 2019 and 2022 the typical Black family’s wealth rose at about twice the rate of the typical white family’s during that same period.”

 

Debates and arguments in print about this complex topic may be found in this booklist.