Are you someone who reads a book and wants to save passages or quotes to think about later? With print books you do this by taking your trusty highlighter and marking lines (please, don’t do this with our library books!). But how do you do this with e-books?

Recently, I was reading Lori Gottlieb’s bestseller, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. As I read, there were so many takeaways that I wanted to save and think about later. I used the highlight feature in Libby to mark the passages. When I finished the book, I started to go back and write (pen and paper) all those quotes and passages in my reading journal. As I started to do this I thought, there has got to be an easier way. There is! Libby allows you to export your notes, highlights and bookmarks for a title (even after it expires)! Notes, highlights and bookmarks can be exported to an excel spreadsheet or web page.  How cool is that? I found this easier to do using the browser version of Libby.

Happy Reading!

P.S.  One of my favorite quotes from this book is, “Uncertainty, I’m starting to realize, doesn’t mean the loss of hope—it means there’s possibility. I don’t know what will happen next—how potentially exciting! I’m going to have to figure out how to make the most of the life I have, illness or not, partner or not, the march of time notwithstanding.”



Citations:

Gottlieb, Lori. Maybe you should talk to someone: a therapist, HER therapist, and our lives revealed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019. EPUB edition.

 

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This blog was written by Amy Richard, digital collections coordinator at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

New year, new you? You bet.

A new year gives us a chance to define, commit and achieve the personal goals that help us grow into better versions of ourselves. If you're looking for resources to help you set obtainable goals, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has you covered. Myers Park Library Leader Harold Escalante shared some of the self-improvement titles below with WCNC Charlotte Today host, Beth Troutman. Which one will you add to your reading list?

Watch the segment here

Click here to borrow titles from the “New Year, New You” book list

Adult fiction

The Alchemist by Paul Coelho

A special 25th anniversary edition of Paulo Coelho’s extraordinary international bestselling phenomenon - the inspiring spiritual tale of self-discovery that has touched millions of lives around the world. Combing magic, mysticism, wisdom and wonder, The Alchemist has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world, and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations. Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different--and far more satisfying - than he ever imagined. Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, of recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, most importantly, to follow our dreams.”
 

My Grandmother Asked me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman

From the author of the internationally bestselling A Man Called Ove, a charming, warmhearted novel about a young girl whose grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters, sending her on a journey that brings to life the world of her grandmother's fairy tales.”
 

Adult Nonfiction

The Self-Care Solution:  A Year of Becoming Happier, Healthier and Fitter—one Month at a Time by Jennifer Ashton

Dr. Jennifer Ashton is at the top of her field as an ob-gyn and news correspondent. But even at the top there's still room to improve, and with The Self-Care Solution, she upends her life one month at a time, using her own experiences to help you improve your health and enhance your life. Dr. Ashton becomes both researcher and subject as she focuses on twelve separate challenges. Beginning with a new area of focus each month, she guides you through the struggles she faces, the benefits she experiences, and the science behind why each month's challenge - giving up alcohol, doing more push-ups, adopting an earlier bedtime, limiting technology - can lead to better health. Month by month, Dr. Ashton tackles a different area of wellness with the hope that the lessons she learns and the improved health she experiences will motivate her (and you) to make each change permanent. Throughout, she offers easy-to-comprehend health information about the particular challenge to help you understand its benefits and to stick with it. Whether it's adding cardio or learning how to meditate, Dr. Ashton makes these daily lifestyle choices and changes feel possible - and shows how beneficial a mindful lifestyle can be.
 

Bounce Back.  How to Rescue Your Finances During Tough Times by Mitch Horowitz

The five works abridged and introduced by historian and New Thought scholar Mitch Horowitz in Bounce Back give you the greatest possible opportunity to navigate economic crisis and poise yourself for recovery. Revolutionize your budgeting skills and be ready to take advantage of economic upswing with George S. Clason's classic guide to personal finance, The Richest Man in Babylon. How to Attract Money is Joseph Murphy's most effective program of visualization. Offering specific prayers and affirmations, Murphy brings you closer to your goals and helps you attain the life you want.  Russell H. Conwell's motivational classic Acres of Diamonds teaches you to think in practical ways and transform seemingly modest ideas into large returns. Transcendentalist philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson offers his principles for self-directed living in Power and Wealth, helping you focus and exert your will in the world. Think and Grow Rich, the world's greatest book on successful living, provides Napoleon Hill's famous thirteen steps to wealth and achievement. Open the door to financial empowerment and bounce back from challenging times with these great primers of self-potential.
 

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown, a leading expert on shame, authenticity and belonging, shares ten guideposts on the power of Wholehearted living - a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness.
 

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

Gottlieb (Marry Him) provides a sparkling and sometimes moving account of her work as a psychotherapist, with the twist that she is in therapy herself. Interspersing chapters about her experiences as a patient with others about her work, she explains, "We are mirrors reflecting mirrors reflecting mirrors, showing one another what we can't yet see." By exploring her own struggles alongside those of her patients, Gottlieb simultaneously illuminates what it's like to be in and to give therapy. As she observes, "Everything we therapists do or say or feel as we sit with our patients is mediated by our histories; everything I've experienced will influence how I am in any given session at any given hour." From "John," a successful TV producer who has walled himself away from other people, to "Julie," who has a terminal illness and is struggling to find her way through her life's closing chapters, Gottlieb portrays her patients, as well as herself as a patient, with compassion, humor and grace. For someone considering but hesitant to enter therapy, Gottlieb's thoughtful and compassionate work will calm anxieties about the process; for experienced therapists, it will provide an abundance of insights into their own work.
 

Young Adults (YA)

Top 10 tips for Developing Money Management Skills by Larry Gerber

Readers are encouraged to think about money as a tool-like a Swiss Army knife that can be used for many different tasks, to create things we want in our lives. Money is like a tool, in more ways than one. It is an all-purpose survival kit because life gets tough without it. If we handle money carelessly, it can do serious damage. And just like any tool, sometimes it works great, sometimes it doesn't. The ten tips found in this book are ideas shared by many people, from billionaires to working-class moms, dads and kids. Readers will learn about spending, saving, investing, setting financial goals, budgeting, borrowing and seeking financial advice. Some tips involve doing specific things: writing, adding and subtracting. Others suggest ways of thinking about money and what we do with it. This volume is intended to help readers get the most out of this tool we call money, whether dealing with a lot of it, or just a little. Readers are encouraged to think further with 10 Great Questions to Ask an Economics/Finance teacher and Myths & Facts.
 

Chicken Girl by Heather Smith

Poppy used to be an optimist. But after a photo of her dressed as Rosie the Riveter is mocked online, she's having trouble seeing the good in the world. As a result, Poppy trades her beloved vintage clothes for a feathered chicken costume and accepts a job as an anonymous sign waver outside a restaurant. There, Poppy meets six-year-old girl Miracle, who helps Poppy see beyond her own pain, opening her eyes to the people around her: Cam, her twin brother, who is adjusting to life as an openly gay teen; Buck, a charming photographer with a cute British accent and a not-so-cute mean-streak; and Lewis, a teen caring for an ailing parent, while struggling to reach the final stages of his gender transition. As the summer unfolds, Poppy stops glorifying the past and starts focusing on the present. But just as she comes to terms with the fact that there is good and bad in everyone, she is tested by a deep betrayal.
 

Children

B is for Breathe: The ABC’s of Coping with Fussy and Frustrating Feelings, by Melissa Monroe Boyd

From the letter A to the letter Z, B is for Breathe celebrates the many ways children can express their feelings and develop coping skills at an early age. Fun, cute and exciting illustrations, this colorful book teaches kids simple ways to cope with fussy and frustrating emotions. This book will inspire kids to discuss their feelings, show positive behaviors and practice calm down strategies.

If you Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall

Meeting children from around the world gave Caldecott Medalist Blackall (Hello Lighthouse) a vision of a book "that would bring us together," she explains in an author's note. This exquisite catalogue of human experience is the result. A child with an elfin red cap, white skin, and black hair frames the story, addressing a "Visitor from Outer Space." Magnificent spreads journey through the solar system and descend toward the Earth's surface, zeroing in on a quilted landscape. Fragmentary, often droll descriptions of Earth-side existence follow, about bodies and aging, home and travel, eating and drinking ("Some of us have more food than others") and relationships ("Sometimes we hurt each other. It's better when we help each other"). Wide-eyed human characters of varying shapes, ethnicities, and abilities show kind regard for each other: a librarian offers a tissue to a man overcome; dinner table companions share animated conversation. Even for the accomplished Blackall, the artwork is dazzling. Encyclopedic paintings of the natural world - birds, sea life, an acorn and more - are rendered in painstaking detail and brilliant colors. It is a book that can be shared with strangers, visitors, friends old and new - a work in which differences build to reveal an inclusive human family on a single, precious planet.

A Year in Our New Garden, by Gerda Muller

Anna and Benjamin move with their parents to a new house in the middle of a busy city. The wonder of this house is that it includes a large garden among the tall apartment buildings. Muller explores the design and planting of this city garden through the eyes of the children. This title can be read to younger kids as the story of a family creating a garden. Older readers will appreciate in-depth explanations about the actual components needed to design a real garden. The narrative follows the family as they move from planning to planting to harvest. Multiple illustrations cover each page. Larger drawings that show the garden as a whole are combined with small framed and unframed insets that highlight specific details. The beautifully detailed paintings invite close inspection as the seasons change and the children play, picnic, plant, harvest and enjoy the garden's wildlife.

This blog was written as part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Black Lives Matter program initiative. Learn  more about the program and corresponding events here.

I often find myself relating my feelings with music as it seems to express my sentiments exactly when my own words fail me. Other times, I'll read a sentence confirming, once again, I'm not alone in the ongoing negative sequences specifically related to Black folks. Solange’s album A Seat at the Table, and Amanda Seales’ book Small Doses made me feel seen and heard as a Black woman. While it's been four years since the release of Solange's most notable album and one year since Amanda Seales' debut book release, the need for acknowledgment by other Black women is still ever-present. Solange’s album and Amanda Seales’ book gave me a presence as a Black woman. My words no longer fail me, and hopefully, others will feel seen and heard as well. Below, you will find lyrics and thoughts from Solange Knowles and Amanda Seales accompanied by my interpretation of their work.

“Word,” a shortened phrase from "Word is bond," is used in a sentence as a question, comment or statement. It means "truth" or "I speak truth."

Ex:

"Word is bond, I checked out 99 books yesterday."

"Word? 99 books. Say, word."

"Word."

Word to Solange and Amanda Seales

"Don't touch my soul/ When it's the rhythm I know."-- Solange

Having to move through life always on the defense, while our white colleagues whimsically live life on the offense, inserting themselves in conversations instead of listening, and claiming allyship with bare minimum effort while audaciously high expectations of reward and recognition. Knowing your smile isn't owed to anyone but expected to soften the blow of truth because fragile feelings take precedence. This is the price you pay when you're Black and work in corporate America.

"When they go low, we keep the same energy."-- Amanda Seales

This is the thought process of every person of color when dealing with colleagues — or any person who checks the "white" box on survey sheets — who meets them with microaggressions, racial complicity or bias. Unfortunately (and fortunately for others), our way of action is often, if not always, a watered-down version of the reflection. We must always remain professional and calm in the face of clear wrongdoings because our tone, body language and facial expressions are heavily considered before our words. Even still, when armed with facts and professionalism, your chances of being called into Human Resources are often too great. To anyone who's lived life at the center of everyone else's world, accountability will always feel like an attack.

"Don't test my mouth/ they say the truth is my sound." -- Solange

2020 called out and urged organizations to state their position in the movement of racial injustice and inequity. Across industries, companies have filled their leadership boards of vital decision-makers. Where diversity lacked, there was an acknowledgment and pledge to diversify. While leadership roles are important, it's the critical roles of decision making that are important to have filled by people of color — especially if your organization magnifies its efforts with equity and diversity training across departments. Yet still, it doesn't reflect its diversity speech in administration roles.

The promises of tomorrow with what can be done today gives little hope to those who believe in the companies they work for. It gives, "We want your opinions, but we'll box them up and store them in the basement for never later" vibes.

"Don't touch my crown/ they say the vision I've found."-- Solange

There was an unmasking and undoing taking place when we clocked out of work for the evening. Now, more than ever, in the face of racism and racial inequity, we remain undone and unmasked, showing our true selves without apology. Taking up space and creating tables to fit our needs. Our dreams, desires and needs are no longer deferred but made into reality on our own accord.

P.S. "I'm not hostile, I'm passionate." -- Amanda Seale

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This blog post was written by Tiffany Grantham, a senior library assistant at West Boulevard Library.

It’s November and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is celebrating National Family Literacy month! According to the Handbook of Family Literacy, family literacy refers to the spoken and written communication within a family, as well as the family’s efforts to improve and support a child’s literacy and language development (Van Horn, 2012). It’s no secret that reading is beneficial for children, and families reading together is a huge indicator for schooling success. But what you may not know are the many ways you can improve literacy by involving the whole family! Check out these ten activities, programs and resources available at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library to support your family literacy (Note: they are available all year, not just in November!).

1. Check out our curated reading lists by grade level and place books on hold to pick up at your local branch location! All Library locations are now open with expanded services, meaning your family can visit the Library to browse and check out books in person too.
2. Utilize our digital e-book resources (hoopla, NC Kids Digital Library and OverDrive to name a few) to read on a screen with distant family members in a video chat session. (We do this daily through our Reading Buddies program.)
3. Create pictures or puppets to bring stories you have read to life! Involving the whole family in retelling stories helps children understand how stories are developed and understand character responses.
4. Visit five parks in Mecklenburg County and enjoy a StoryWalk ®.  StoryWalks® are opportunities for children and families to enjoy two great things - reading and outdoor spaces - at the same time. A StoryWalk® is literally taking apart a picture book, placing each laminated page in a weather-protected frame, and placing these frames in an outdoor space so that children and families can enjoy books in an outdoor setting. Get the whole family involved with special questions that are placed along the path for you to discuss as well!
5. Utilize Active Reading to keep your reader engaged and to improve language, comprehension and vocabulary skills. Not sure how to use the practice of Active Reading? Sign up to take an Active Reading Training today.
6. Text is all around if you look for it – on items of mail, newspaper articles, road signs, board game directions and more! Have younger readers go on a letter hunt for specific letters or letter sounds and invite older readers to read the text aloud and discuss the author’s purpose for writing the text.
7. Use recipes for a tasty family literacy activity! Read recipes with your child and practice following directions as you complete each step. Check out these family recipe books if you need inspiration.
8. Round up the whole family and participate in a virtual program with our Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff! Story Explorers, Storytimes, and more are available on the calendar each week for you to register and receive a Zoom link to participate.
9. Remember, literacy does not only involve reading, but also writing! Write a story about a special event that happened in your family or interview a family member about something that happened in the past and record responses. You may even want to create a family journal where the family can respond in writing to each other!
10. We’ve saved the best for last! You are invited to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s inaugural Virtual Family Literacy Night on November 17, 2020 at 6 p.m. The whole family will enjoy singing, dancing, puppeteers and a few literacy tips along the way. All children that attend will receive a free coupon for a book and Frosty from Wendy’s! Sign up and learn with us.

Great literacy practices begin at home. When children see a parent or caregiver reading and writing, they are more inclined to place importance in reading and writing as well. We invite you to make Charlotte Mecklenburg Library an extended member of your family as we champion family literacy!

Did you know that you can continue to stay connected to the Library while staying home? How would you like to participate in a virtual storytime with your family or receive resume help all from the comfort of your couch? Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library every week for a wide range of virtual programming for children, teens and adults. See a complete listing of this upcoming programming for the week of 11/2/2020 below. Click the corresponding links for more information and register for programs where applicable.

Learn more about online programming by clicking here

Monday 11/2

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Nonprofit Services – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Mindful Mondays - Guided Relaxation and Meditation – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Stronger Together: Support for your Job Search – 4 p.m.  (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

True Crime Podcast Discussion Club – 7 p.m.  (Adult programming)  register

Tuesday 11/3        

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Sparking Creativity for Teens – 6 p.m.  (Teen programming)  register

Wednesday 11/4

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Thursday 11/5

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Parent Lunch & Learn: Bullet Journaling for Parents – 12 p.m.  (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming) register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Teens Live on Instagram: Career Conversation with Jonathan Reyes – 6 p.m.  (Teen programming)  register

Friday 11/6

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Mindful Friday- Meditation for Wellness – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Acing the Interview Process: What to do before, during, and after the interview – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Saturday 11/7

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

In 1935, Harding High School opened on Irwin Avenue. Its namesake was strongly against the use of his name, as he believed school buildings should not be named for living superintendents. However, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) prevailed, and the school was named to honor Harry Patrick Harding (1874-1959) who served as the Charlotte School Superintendent from 1913-1949.  

The building remained a high school until 1961, when the Irwin Avenue building was designated a junior high school. The high school was moved to Alleghany Street, and was named Harding University High School the same year. The Irwin Avenue building later became an elementary school, and finally a Head Start Center. By the late 1980s, the building was demolished, except for the auditorium and gymnasium, and another structure was built to accommodate the Irwin Avenue Open Elementary School. 

Harry Patrick Harding, 1940 

Born in Aurora, North Carolina, on August 14, 1874 to Confederate Army Major Henry H. and Susan Elizabeth Sugg Harding, Harry Patrick Harding was known for most of his life as “Harry” or “H.P.” He was one of eight children, although two died in infancy. Major Harding was a farmer and a delegate to the state House of Representatives during Harry’s early years. In 1885, the family moved to Greenville, where Major Harding became a teacher, and eventually spent four years as superintendent of the schools. Harry was educated at Greenville Male Academy and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where he graduated in 1899. In 1931, he received his Master of Arts degree from Columbia University, and an honorary doctorate from Davidson College in 1951. 

Courtesy of The Charlotte Observer, c1957 

After graduating from UNC, Harding became principal of New Bern High School. He left to organize the Oxford schools in 1901, but returned to New Bern as superintendent in 1902, and remained for two years. Then in 1904, Alexander Graham, superintendent of the Charlotte school system, recruited Harding to become principal of one of the graded schools. In 1912, Harding was appointed assistant superintendent, a position he held until succeeding Graham as superintendent the following year. Harding stayed in this position for 26 years, retiring in 1949. Following his retirement, he continued to maintain an office and visited schools as superintendent emeritus. 

Harding made great changes to the Charlotte school system during his tenure. He cared deeply about the students under his charge and was more interested in building the character and personality of a child, than teaching hard facts. Some of the strides Harding involved himself in included streamlining teaching in the high school by having teachers specialize in one subject; overseeing the first junior high school in North Carolina in 1923; adding elective courses to the curriculum to encourage and interest students in completing their educations; and persuading voters to approve special taxes and bonds in order to build better schools, supplement teachers’ salaries, and improve children's health. One of Harding’s most difficult challenges came in 1933-1934, when the state legislature annulled the charters that allowed cities to levy special taxes for the schools, which created huge deficits in the budget, loss of teachers, and reduction in instruction time. Harding was eventually able to get voters back on board in 1935, after approaching local businessmen to obtain their support.  

Dorothy Counts-Scoggins, first black student at Harding High School, 1957 

Despite the many positive contributions Harding made to CMS, he led a segregated system. CMS was segregated until 1957, when Dorothy Counts became the first black student to attend the all-white Harding High School. CMS largely continued to be segregated even after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling in May 1954. Until 1957, no black students attempted to attend an all-white school. Delores Huntley (one year at Alexander Graham Junior High), Girvaud Roberts (two years at Piedmont Junior High), Gus Roberts (graduated from Central High School in 1959), and Dorothy Counts (one year at Harding High School) all changed that in 1957 when they decided to enroll at white schools.  

By 1964, CMS had 88 segregated schools (57 white, 31 black), which ultimately led to one of the most significant court cases in our region’s history—Swann v. the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. After many years of rulings, in 1970 Federal Judge James B. McManus ruled the CMS was not desegregated and demanded total integration.  

Harding High School, The Acorn, 1957 

In addition to his work as superintendent, Harding also served as a trustee of UNC, and was president of the North Carolina Association of City School Superintendents, of the South Piedmont Teachers Association, and of the North Carolina Education Association. He spent two summers teaching at UNC, served on the North Carolina High School Textbook Commission, and was a member of the Ninety-Six Club, which consisted of two superintendents from each state. Locally, he was a member of the Rotary Club, the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, and the Executives Club.  

In his private life, Harding was a husband and father. He married Lucia Ella Ives (1876-1963) of New Bern in 1903. They had two children, Lucia Elizabeth (1908-1987), and a son, Harry P. Harding (1910-1911), who died in 1911 of ileocolitis, today known as Crohn’s disease, at just over a year old. The remaining five of Harding’s seven siblings held estimable positions as well. William Frederick Harding lived in Charlotte and was a Superior Court Judge, Fordyce C. Harding was a lawyer serving in the North Carolina Senate from 1915-1920, Jarvis B. Harding built roads in Mexico as a civil engineer, and their sisters, Sudie Harding Latham and Mary Elizabeth Harding, were teachers. 

Harry P. Harding died on July 13, 1959 of hypertensive cardiovascular disease. He is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Charlotte, North Carolina.   

The Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room houses the Harry P. Harding Papers (1917-1962), which are only available for virtual research due to the COVID-19 crisis. Contact the Carolina Room’s Archivist for more information on how to access this collection: (704) 416-0150 or [email protected]. 

Inheritance. I inherited my mother’s smile and her mother’s eyes. My mother’s ability to sway to a rhythm but struggle to stay on the 2s and 4s of the beat. I have inherited the ability to make a joyful noise but unsuccessful at harmonizing outside my own voice. The ability to create with my hands but not yet with my body. I have inherited her struggle. While I have inherited the will to move further than my mother and her mother and her mother’s mother, I have also inherited their intergenerational doubt.

Though doubt is the recessive gene, Uncle Sam does a good job of making sure it passes on to his unwilling victims. I must work harder; outwork my white counterparts to be heard and seen. Not too loud. Not visible. Not too intimidating. Just enough to grasp the scraps of Affirmative Action. Enough to be believable to them and me. Enough to power her and the ‘hers’ of tomorrow.

Pinnacle the Poet, along with Black Ink Monks, Johnson C. Smith University’s oldest-standing, non-Greek organization, provides us with a stinging verbal reality for Black women and the importance of voting. In the spoken word poem entitled EmpowerHER, Pinnacle the Poet, a 29-year-old Black woman, provides a gripping insight into what it is like to inherit fear and belief by being transparent and describing why she chooses this election year to vote for the first time in her life. The video also features commentary from Nicole Crump, who offers a summary of the statistics of Black women and their role, yet lack of representation, for the right to vote.

Written for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s, EngageHER: JCSU Edition event, the performance set the tone for the evening as we basked in the glory that is Black Girl Magic. The event was moderated by media personality “Chirl Girl,” with keynote speaker Congresswoman Alma Adams, Ph. D, and a host of influential women of color. EmpowerHER’s honest and revealing diction greatly summed up the evening by telling the familiar story of Black women as we celebrate the centennial of women’s right to vote – fighting for everyone else’s future while consciously placing ours in the backseat.

From Pinnacle the Poet depicting what it would have been like for her grandmother to vote at the age of 29, to Congresswoman Alma Adams, Ph.D. detailing her journey to public service after attending classes at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCATSU), it was evident that Black women have something to celebrate after decades of constantly being left off of the ballot—the true definition of creating the table when no one offers you a seat. This poem serves as a great reminder that, while it is our duty to participate in something so basic, it is also our inherited responsibility to pursue change even when hope is bleak. 

Please enjoy this spoken word by Pinnacle the Poet and Black Ink Monks.

To see the full Engage HER with Johnson C. Smith University, click here.

In this election year, the Library is partnering with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) offering programs like this one to encourage everyone to look back at what has been accomplished in the past and to move forward with empowerment to make a difference in one's own community. To learn more about Engage 2020, click here.

This blog was written by Sabrina Robinson, Sr. Library Assistant - Teen Services at West Boulevard Library.

Did you know that you can continue to stay connected to the Library while staying home? How would you like to participate in a virtual storytime with your family or receive resume help all from the comfort of your couch? Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library every week for a wide range of online programming for children, teens and adults. See a complete listing of this upcoming programming for the week of 11/9/2020 below. Click the corresponding links for more information and register for programs where applicable.

Learn more about online programming by clicking here

Monday 11/9

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Nonprofit Services – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Parent Lunch and Learn: Emotional Support Resources for Young Families – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Mindful Mondays - Guided Relaxation and Meditation – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 4 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Stronger Together: Support for your Job Search – 4 p.m.  (Adult  programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 5 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

True Crime Podcast Discussion Club – 7 p.m.  (Adult programming)   register

Tuesday 11/10       

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

Nonprofit Services: Intro to Proposal Writing – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

SAT Strategy Session with The Princeton Review – 5 p.m.  (Teen programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Caregiver Class: Active Reading Training for Caregivers of K-3 Students – 6 p.m.  (Adult programming)  register

Wednesday 11/11

VETERAN'S DAY- NO PROGRAMS

Thursday 11/12

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Caregiver Class: Active Reading Training for Caregivers of 2-5 Year Old's  – 3 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 4 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 5 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 5 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 6 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 6 p.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Friday 11/13

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  learn more

Nonprofit Services: Coffee & Conversation – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 12 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Mindful Friday- Meditation for Wellness – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3:30 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Saturday 11/14

Free SAT Practice Test with The Princeton Review – 9 a.m.  (Teen programming)  register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

On November 6, 2019, Breonna Taylor tweeted "2020 deff gone be my year WATCH!" On March 13, 2020 --a mere four months later--her precious life came to an end.

As the nation prepared to go into lockdown due to coronavirus, plainclothes officers from the Louisville Police Department administered a no-knock warrant after midnight on Breonna Taylor’s apartment. Breonna, who was inside resting with her boyfriend, believed her apartment was being broken into and her boyfriend fired a warning shot at who they believed to be intruders. After a hail of gunfire, Breonna was dead. In the months following Breonna’s senseless murder, Louisville and many other cities across the nation have been filled with civil unrest.

 To a certain extent, I am becoming numb to the constant unjust murders of Black people by the police. However, Breonna’s murder still sends chills down my spine. It’s because she is the embodiment of everything society teaches you that you need to do as a Black woman to be successful and live a peaceful life: she worked hard to reach her career goals, was educated, didn’t have a criminal record, loved her community and was loved and supported by her loved ones. Yet, her life was still taken. I still tear up when I think about her because that could have been me. And so, it could have been you.

 This year has filled me with a level of fear that is indescribable. If the weight of the pandemic wasn’t enough, as a Black woman I don’t even feel safe in my own home. Like Breonna, I believed 2020 was going to be my year too, but that belief has shifted and evolved. I now believe this is the year I truly learn to press on. I’m becoming more resilient because I refuse to allow racism and inequity to hinder me from pressing on, even when it seems things in the world are crumbling around me. In the moments when I'm filled with sadness thinking of the hardships and tragedies that people who look like me face every day, I am reminded of the power I hold. The work I produce can be transformative for my community and, hopefully, I can remind someone that we must press on even when it seems impossible.

To participate in community conversations, find a Black Lives Matter program event or resource at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library here.

This blog post was written by Cearra Harris at West Boulevard Library.

I am a part of a multi-faceted, beautifully blended South Asian family. My parents are originally from Gujarat, India. They were married in Nairobi, Kenya after my mother lived there with her brother and other relatives for five years. Many people do not realize that the Indian diaspora is expansive in Southeast Africa – specifically Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa. There are a variety of factors that bring people of Indian origin (PIOs) to the continent of Africa, including trade, travel, employment opportunities and curiosity. The British Empire also has a hand in bringing PIOs as indentured servants to Africa to build railroads and cotton gins. 

Even with a slightly interconnected history, the relationship between the South Asian and Black American communities has been strained for years. The model minority myth is one culprit behind this division. I think it is important for South Asians to acknowledge and examine their privilege in the U.S. that comes with this divisive issue. The model minority myth touts the stereotype that Indians are hard-working, intelligent and passive people, in comparison to the general population, and has created a racial dichotomy between South Asians and Black Americans.

South Asians have capitalized on this privilege (as a result of the Civil Rights movement and the passing of the Immigration & Nationality Act of 1965) and many have done nothing to provide support or opportunity to Black people. What is so strange to me is that in our Indian culture, we are taught to keep our relationships close with everyone we meet. My mother and father raised me to call anyone older than me an Aunty or an Uncle. I was raised to call my friends and cousins “bhaiya” (meaning brother) and “behena” (meaning sister). So, why in a culture where we value strength in relationships, have we not employed that same courtesy to Black Americans?

The model minority myth inflated egos throughout the South Asian community and fostered an institutional racism and media bias fear of Black Americans. Unlike Black Americans, South Asians have not experienced centuries of injustices and our actions are not criminalized by the justice system.

So, how can South Asians become allies for the Black community? Educate yourself. Read books like Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X Kendi, to better understand the history and ideology of racist ideas in America. Read The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander and learn about how Black men are disproportionately incarcerated in the US. Read So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Uluo to learn about microaggressions and how to frame conversations about race & racism. Read The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein to better understand institutional racism and how policies are put into place to oppress Black people. There are countless books to read and explore this topic, but don’t just stop there -- use literature to help combat the racist ideas typically exchanged within South Asian families. Use this knowledge to stand up and say something.

I know most South Asian families are raised to respect our elders and should never say anything to oppose the wisdom of our parents. But what if our parents never learned this information? Don’t be afraid to speak out and share facts & data about the countless injustices towards Black Americans – to help the older members of our community better understand what is really happening to Black people. Framing conversations is an effective strategy for communicating facts and data about racism. Framing conversations means explaining what system of oppression is in play that is negatively affecting the person or people involved. Sharing this data helps to drive a meaningful, productive narrative that exposes systems of disproportionality that are usually ignored or downplayed.

Even though conversations about race can be emotional and polarizing, there is a way to share information that encourages self-reflection and an increased understanding of perspectives we haven’t experienced personally. I will never fully know or understand what a Black person of color goes through, but I can learn from the lived experiences that are shared with me and help to catalyze change through the conversations I have with my friends, family, and circle of influence.

Here are some strategies when framing conversations:

• tie it directly to a system of disproportionality/oppression
• tie it to policies that prevent equal opportunity 
• share and discuss the differences in racial AND socioeconomic disparities between South Asians and Black Americans.

The more you educate yourself about these oppressive systems of disproportionality, the more you will be able to advocate for the rights of Black Americans.

On your path towards becoming an ally, I urge you to examine your own implicit and explicit biases and ask yourself: how have I engaged in the stereotyping of Black people and what can I do to support this historically marginalized community? Your efforts may be new – but for the Black people of America, this is a continuation of a long, hard road towards equality, equity, social and racial justice – so let us stand up together and support our bhaiyas and behenas.

Be a part of the conversation with the Black Lives Matter program and Community Read 2021.

Resources:

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/11/25/247166284/a-history-of-indentured-labor-gives-coolie-its-sting

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/what-is-the-model-minority-myth

This blog was written by Amrita Patel in Outreach Services at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.