November is National Family Literacy Month, a celebration that has continued nationally since 1994 to raise awareness of the importance of families reading and learning together. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library fosters family literacy daily at all our Library branches and out in the community. We take time to recognize and celebrate the important role that parents and caregivers play in the development of children and seek to equip parents and caregivers with tools and resources to improve family literacy. 

 Check out these three resources that we hope to improve literacy in your family:  

1. Print and digital materials: Sharing in reading is the best way to improve literacy and foster a love of reading in your family. Allowing your child to select their books from our library collection is a great place to start! Create a weekly habit of visiting your local Library branch and checking out items your child is interested in. Here’s a pro tip: ask our wonderful library staff to show you around and help find the perfect book. If you cannot make it to a physical Library location, a plethora of electronic books await you online! Utilize Libby, Hoopla, or NC Kids Digital Library to find your next great e-book!   

2. Attend Library programs as a family: If you haven’t realized it yet, the 21st-century library is more than just books! Programs for all ages occur daily at the library; if you don’t believe it, just check out our online calendar of events! As always, all programming is free and open to everyone seeking to learn something new and connect with others in our community. Improving family literacy begins with seeking out knowledge! Attend a program together with your family, or show the importance of literacy by registering your child for an upcoming program (Reading Buddies, Storytimes, Creating with Art programs, Makerspace programs, the possibilities are endless!). There are many programs just for parents and caregivers, great for seeking out habits and ideas from others as we are all on this journey to literacy together. 

3. ‘Harvest’ readers in your family: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library strives to create readers, starting from birth and growing throughout all stages of life. Let us jump start family’s literacy journey this November at our upcoming “Harvesting Readers” Family Literacy Night! Visit any Library location on November 14th (drop in any time from 5:00-7:00 p.m., no registration required) for a fun-filled literacy-focused event perfect for the whole family! Learn ways to improve your child’s attitude and motivation for reading through completing fun activities as a family, and plan to attend a special program with your family at 6:00 p.m. You will not want to miss this special system-wide event. Fun surprises await, and every Library location will have a special drawing for a special prize for attendees!  

While we celebrate National Family Literacy Month this November, improving your family’s literacy will continue throughout the year, and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library seeks to be a trusted partner for your family’s literacy success. We cannot wait to ‘harvest’ a reader in each member of your family!  

*Written by Alesha Lackey, Regional Branch Manager at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library*

Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library is gearing up for the 2023 Community Christmas Celebration! The event, held on Sunday, December 10, 2023, is an opportunity for the community to connect with the Library, local Black-owned businesses, and community resources while celebrating the holiday season.

The celebration is an afternoon of fun for the whole family with music, food, fellowship and an opportunity to have a photo taken with Allegra Westbrooks’s own soulful Santa.

The event will highlight local businesses like Chef Aniah Franklin of Chef FLii & Flight Crew. Franklin, a UNCC alum, has been a personal chef since 2017. North Carolina authors, Xavier Zsarmani, Sr. and Xavier Zsarmani, Jr. will read their debut picture book, How to Catch a Bully Fish.

Repeat vendor, Archive CLT will provide hot chocolate and coffee for the event. When asked to participate again this year, Terry said, “I am ready to put back on my green and red and celebrate with you all! We had so much fun last year!”

Opera Carolina in association with the Arts and Sciences Council will present Musical Storytime with a special performance of Hansel and Gretel. Participants will even be able to decorate their gingerbread-man-inspired cookies from Smallcakes Utopia. There will also be a special appearance by The Grinch!

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is committed to equitable practices.  Located on Beatties Ford Road, Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library serves a diverse community. This event celebrates diversity and all vendors, presenters, and community partners who will participate were intentionally selected with that in mind.

Learn more and let us know you are coming by clicking this link.  

Written by Mario Lopez, Library Communications Specialist

For many, adjusting to and thriving in a new role can be a process that takes a really, really, long time. And for some, the transition is seamless as the role fits who they are. In this case, this individual thrives in doing their job and the effort to do so is pure. This is the story of Andrea Davis. 

In 2021, Andrea Davis earned her master’s degree in library science from North Carolina Central University. Up until that point she had been a teacher’s aide but would soon shift her professional focus toward her genuine passion for public libraries.  

Relocating from Wilmington, NC, Andrea joined Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in December 2022 coming on board as an Adult Services Librarian at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library. 

Since joining the team at AWR, Andrea has become involved in just about everything her schedule will allow. She leads a book club called Turning Pages which was birthed out of Main Library in 2009 and was intended for unhoused individuals. And whereas most book clubs meet monthly, this group meets weekly.  

She also manages a monthly arts and crafts program where she assembles and distributes craft kits for Library customers of all ages. The kits have become so popular that she’s increased the distribution count by 50% over the past several months. She even has a participant who makes the trek from Davidson each month just to grab one. 

Additionally, Andrea supports the Tech Titans program and she more recently participated in an outreach effort with E2D where 80 laptops were distributed to residents at the Gilfield Park Apartments - a new Charlotte community for senior citizens who are 55 and older.  

Looking to continue adding to her already sturdy list of job responsibilities, Andrea grew curious about the idea of activating a community endeavor centered around agriculture. “My penchant for gardening has always been a constant in my life,” she says.

When Andrea moved to Charlotte, she joined the Lincoln Heights Community Garden where it was suggested that she explore opportunities to engage the edible landscape and orchard installation projects. She wasted no time in doing just that. 

Earlier this year, she was awarded a Flight Fund Grant for a program series called All Things Gardening. Through the program, Library customers at AWR received hands-on instruction on basic gardening including soil prep and making compost. 

Fast forward to now, six raised garden beds have been installed in the courtyard of her Library branch. This edible landscape is a collaboration between AWR, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Health Department, the agriculture department at Johnson C. Smith University, and the Males Place – a male mentorship nonprofit organization. 

“My immediate next step for the raised bed installation is to fill the garden beds with a diverse array of produce, herbs, and flowers tailored to this specific zone,” Andrea notes. “The harvested yields will catalyze positive change in impoverished communities. And by granting access to fresh, locally cultivated produce, we envision not only addressing food insecurity but also promoting self-sufficiency and supporting environmental sustainability.” 

Pride and passion are just a couple of character traits that are immediately evident in Andrea, especially when it comes to her work at the Library. 

“Just shy of her first anniversary with CML, Andrea has made her mark at AWR and in the Beatties Ford Road Community,” says Branch Manager Alesha Lackey. “With her edible landscape project, she has worked hard to create a community garden where Library customers will have access to organically grown fruit, vegetables, and herbs. I am excited to see what she will do next!”

Yet in all that she does, Andrea always expresses her heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated CML staff across the agency. She recognizes that the successful implementation of the edible landscape installation would not have been possible without the autonomy and open-mindedness fostered within the organization.

“The collaborative spirit and support from everyone involved has played a crucial role in bringing this initiative to fruition,” she adds. “This transformative project stands as a true reflection of CML's mission to improve lives and build a stronger community.”  

This past year has presented many challenges and concerns for our community and the world. We have witnessed the horrors of terrorism and war in Gaza and Israel, sparking fear, outrage, and extraordinary acts of courage and compassion too. In these uncertain times, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, like libraries across the globe, plays a unique and crucial role.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is a safe space for diverse voices. We are committed to providing Mecklenburg County residents with varying viewpoints, even when they may challenge personal values. Let us be clear, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library strongly condemns violence and all forms of hate, including antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, homophobia, and any other hostilities that erode our society’s common humanity.

The Library provides free and open access to information and ideas, a principle essential to our American democracy and the pursuit of knowledge for all. Our comprehensive collection of materials presents a wide range of knowledge and perspectives, supporting an individual’s personal growth and understanding. Through our diverse programming, we create opportunities for the community to learn and understand together.

In 2024, we are committed to partnering with experts and community leaders to co-create programs that foster open discussion and dialogue around issues and challenges impacting our community. Our goal is to improve lives, cultivate empathy, and build a stronger community. We’ll be sharing more about specific programs, but expect us to lead hard and difficult discussions.

As a learning institution, the Library not only provides information to the public, but also actively seeks to enhance the knowledge of our staff and leadership through continued education and community engagement. We have and are learning with you. We don’t have all the answers, but together, we can surely work towards civil dialogue to shape a better future.

We sincerely appreciate the public’s ongoing support as we continue this important work in the community.

Marcellus Turner

CEO & Chief Librarian