What do you want to be when you grow up?

On Friday, July 26, deserving middle and high school students in the Charlotte community had the opportunity to consider that question on a larger scale. Students who participated in the “Bigger than High School” event hosted at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s (UNCC) Cato College of Education were able to explore and discuss various career options with professionals in rotating five-minute increments. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Outreach Coordinator Jasmine McNeil partnered with Jimmeka Anderson with the Urban Education Collaborative, at UNCC to bring the event to life, hoping to spark excitement and curiosity in local students about their futures.

Program participants were challenged to think about life beyond high school and were introduced to African American business professionals who represented a variety of careers from leadership in the banking industry and educational leadership to social work, marketing, communications and even the possibility of serving the community as a librarian, through speed mentoring. The youth were also able to ask questions to panels of African American PhD students, UNCC undergrad students, participated in a tour of the campus and so much more.

Parents and guardians of program participants attended parent sessions where they learned about financial aid, Library resources, College 101 and spoke with a high school guidance counselor. One parent noted that the Library resources session was her favorite of the day because she wasn’t aware of all the tools the library had to offer. Other speakers, parents and guardians stated this event was helpful and something they wish they could’ve experienced when they were younger.

As a keepsake, students received take-home booklets with a yearbook theme.

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Outreach Department would like to give a special thanks to the Library staff that participated and demonstrated several of the Library’s FOREWARD culture principles such as WE OVER ME, LOVE WHAT YOU DO, THINK AND ACT FORWARD and BE A HERO. Thank you to: Asha Ellison, De’Trice Fox, Shannon Page, LaShai Thompson and Holly Summers for your amazing contributions to the Bigger than High School Event.

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This blog was written by Jasmine McNeil, outreach coordinator at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Are you looking to improve your filmmaking skills or just curious about the process of video and film making? If so, you may be interested in attending one, or all, of our new workshops starting in September. As part of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s burgeoning Community Media Strategy, and in partnership with the Charlotte Unconventional Film School, we are excited to announce Make-a-Movie workshops. Beginning in September and running through December 2019 , these FREE in-person workshops will take place at various Charlotte Mecklenburg Library branch locations and will bring together filmmakers, professors and professionals to provide insight into the art of movie-making and this exciting industry.  

Registration for all sessions is recommended as space is limited.

A link for each session can be found with the corresponding descriptions below:

Hands-On Make a Movie One-Day Workshop

This day is all about ACTION! The day will begin with camera exposure, lenses, framing, movement and simple lighting techniques. We will film a very short scene (about one minute) with 2 actors. The script will come from a local person. The actors will be local talent and chosen in advance. This workshop is meant for adults who have little to no experience being on a movie set. A participant can only attend one of these sessions. Because it is hands-on, there is a limit of 15 students per session. Each session will take place on Saturday afternoons, from 12:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
 

Click here to register for Sept. 7, 2019 – University City Regional Library

Click here to register for Oct. 26, 2019 – University City Regional Library

Click here to register for Nov. 16, 2019 – West Boulevard Library

Click here to register for Dec. 7, 2019 – Sugar Creek Library
 

Make a Movie: Telling Stories for the Screen

Rodney Stringfellow currently teaches courses in screenwriting, film history and video production at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. An educator and screenwriter, he has written episodes for Nickelodeon, PBS, Disney Channel and more. Stringfellow designed this class to help students craft stories specifically for the screen. The workshop teaches story structure, screenplay formatting, idea development and what happens after you have finished your script. This session will run from 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
 

Click here to register for Sept. 28, 2019 – Main Library
 

Hands-On Make Your First Short Documentary (Session A)

This is an opportunity for adults to wrap their heads around the steps required to make a short, low budget documentary from scratch. There will be an emphasis on peer-to-peer support and working together on individual projects. We will learn by doing. These sessions will be led by the Director of Charlotte Unconventional Film School, Julie McElmurry. McElmurry is self-taught and has completed six documentaries. This workshop is for adults who already have an idea for a very short documentary and need some guidance and deadlines. We will utilize a short, free online seminar on our own time in addition to our class time. Over four sessions, students will be given deadlines for figuring out and arranging tasks. They will be given basic video editing software, taught to interview, taught how to create an outline for the documentary and shown some examples of other short documentaries that are engaging and informative. By the end of the workshop, we will have created several two-minute videos about the Library branch where we are meeting.

Each session will take place on Thursday evenings, from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Click here to register for Oct. 10, 2019 – Main Library

Click here to register for Oct. 17, 2019 – Main Library

Click here to register for Oct. 24, 2019 – Main Library

Click here to register for Oct. 31, 2019 – Main Library
 

Hands-On Make Your First Short Documentary (Session B)

This is another opportunity for adults to learn the steps it takes to make a short, low budget documentary from scratch. There will be an emphasis on peer-to-peer support and working together on individual projects. This session is also led by the Director of Charlotte Unconventional Film School, Julie McElmurry. Please read the description for “Hands-On Make Your First Short Documentary (Session A)” above for more information.

Each session will take place on Thursday evenings, from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
 

Click here to register for Nov. 7, 2019 – University City Regional Library

Click here to register for Nov. 14, 2019 – University City Regional Library

Click here to register for Nov. 21, 2019 – University City Regional Library

Click here to register for Dec. 5, 2019 – University City Regional Library

Mountain Island Library will be hosting a Downton Abbey Tea and Trivia Night on Monday, September 9, 2019 at 6 p.m.  If you, like some of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Staff and the millions of Downton fans worldwide, were sad to see the program end, you’ll no doubt be excited that Downton Abbey: The Movie is set to open in theaters in the United States on September  20, 2019!

Here’s what we know so far- it’s 1927.  The series ended on New Year’s Day 1926.  Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, receives a letter informing him of an impending visit by King George V and Queen Mary—causing a stir amongst the Crawley Family and servants alike.  Downton has been tightening its purse strings and running with less staff than before. However Carson, the former head butler,  is returning for this important royal visit. 

This British historical period drama film is written by series creator, Julian Fellowes, and directed by Michael Engler.  It is a continuation of the six-season television series, Downton Abbey, that ran on PBS from 2010 to 2015.

This Tea and Trivia Night will be both fun and fact-filled as we explore the historical world events that took place (the sinking of the Titanic, World War I, the 1918 Flu Pandemic, and the dawning of women’s rights—just to name a few without giving too much away) throughout all of Downton’s six seasons.

So, whether you’re new to Downton Abbey or a die-hard fan, join us for an evening where you’ll reacquaint yourself with an in-depth peek of the many aspects of the post-Edwardian era in which the TV series was set—as well as offering insights into the remarkable events that shaped the world during this time.

Come for a fun-filled evening, challenge your knowledge, meet fellow fans and make new friends.  Of course, tea and English treats will be served.  Let the festivities begin!

Registration is recommended as seating is limited. Register here.

Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade 

Every third weekend in August, Charlotte Pride holds its annual Pride Festival and Parade. Since Charlotte’s first Pride Parade in 2013, it’s grown bigger, better and has attracted hundreds of thousands of people. In 2018, 165,000 people attended Pride. This year, over 200,000 attended with over 6,000 participants. 

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library  

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library prides itself on being a welcoming place for all—a place where we celebrate diversity and inclusion. As part of that mission, the Library started participating in the Pride Parade in 2018 by being one of the many groups to walk in the parade. Our group photo of that day gained the most likes on Instagram of all the library posts up to that point. During the parade, it was clear by the amount of people excitedly shouting, “It’s the library!” that our participation was important to our community.

This year the Library also held a Pride Summit at Beatties Ford Regional Library on August 13, organized by Viviette White. The Summit brought community members and organizers alike to the library. Participants met established and emerging leaders from organizations such as One Voice Charlotte, PFLAG Charlotte, Atrium Health and the Library for an afternoon of learning, networking and the kick-off of Pride week at the library. This event was the first of its kind and hopefully the first of many more LGBTQ+ events in the library system.  

This year, 25 staff members and their families from different library locations participated in the parade and represented the system by walking. One of the participants said, “I’m so glad I was able to participate. Seeing how supportive and appreciative the community was makes me glad the Library is involved. I can’t wait to participate next year!” Those who were not able to attend the parade aided in various way leading up to the event. Thank you to all who supported our efforts to bring Library resources to the Charlotte community and helping us build a stronger community!  

Happy Pride! You are welcome here. 

Beyond the Parade:  

Although Charlotte Pride is over for this year, the Library provides the community with many LGBTQ+ resources and materials throughout the year. Here are a few: 

Library Booklists 

During the parade we handed out bookmarks with book recommendations for children, teens and adults. You can view those books here.  

The American Library Association’s Rainbow Books List is a curated bibliography highlighting books with significant gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning content, aimed at children and youth from birth to age 18.

The first and most enduring award for GLBT books is the Stonewall Book Awards, sponsored by the ALA’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Round Table.

Community Resources and Organizations 

Time Out Youth is a Library partner and an organization that provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth to be their authentic selves.

PFLAG Charlotte provides support for parents and caregivers of LGBTQ youth. They have some great resources available here.

For more information on Charlotte Pride, check out their website. They host a lot of other events throughout the year as well.

This blog was written by Abs Keller

Summer is the perfect time for fun, mystery reading but, admittedly, it can be tough to get your hands on the in-demand mystery books. For instance,  the psychological thriller The Chain by Adrian McKinty, with its strong buzz, has a long request list for Library customers. While that particular title may be a late summer—or fall---option, best-selling writer Kate Atkinson’s new title Big Sky, a continuation of the Jackson Brodie (detective) series is a great read while you wait!        

What other options do mystery lovers have for the remainder of the season?  We suggest revisiting some of selections released earlier this year that might have been overlooked. Here’s a list of nine novels offering a variety of stories from the grittyJ.D. Robb police procedural in Connections in Death with Lieutenant Eve Dallas to the witty English mystery The Golden Tresses of the Dead: a Flavia de Luce novel by C. Alan Bradley which spotlights a 12-year-old sleuth.

For the devoted, or even the occasional, mystery summer reader, there are always new characters to discover or series to revsit for the next case.

This blog was written by Lawrence Turner

How valuable is your library card? Library card holder Angela Glennon was surprised to find out just how much money she saves on one of her weekly trips to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

When Glennon’s children were babies and toddlers, she considered the Library to be their escape, a free place to go where they could have adventures in books, attend fun children’s programs and meet other young families.

As her three children grew into voracious readers, the library became even more essential to Glennon and her family. They all look forward to their weekly trips so they can stock up on new books. They appreciate the knowledgeable staff members who help them find books on whatever the children are obsessed with that week— it’s ranged from snakes to The Magic Tree House, from horror stories to American history and from butterflies to picture books with photo-realistic illustrations. Glennon says, “No request is too crazy for those dedicated librarians!”

With the American Library Association’s Library Value Calculator, Glennon found out she saved her family $660 in just one visit. That visit included attending adult and children’s programs, checking out more than 30 books and using a library computer, as well as asking the staff reference questions. Upon seeing her total value, she remarked, “That's a lot of money and value per visit! I'm sure the total amount varies each time and whether we attend a program that week, but, as a family that has maxed out our library card in the past, I'm sure there have been trips where we've saved even more money. Obviously, we could never afford to purchase all those books, so we're always happy to use the library!”

Even though Glennon’s focus is on her family, she’s also attended many Library-sponsored adult programs. Through them she’s met interesting, wonderful people, acknowledging she’s learned so much more in a group than she could on her own.

Just like Glennon, you can find out how much you can save with a Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card by clicking here.

Know someone who doesn’t have a Library card but should? Send them here today so they can start saving money and enjoy all the benefits: sign up for a library card.

This blog was written by Darcey Mesaris.

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month. As a librarian and lifelong learner, I can think of a million reasons to sign-up for a library card but, in my opinion, the most important reason everyone should have a library card is this: access.

I still remember the awe I felt walking into my hometown library as a young kid to get my first library card. With that precious new card, I was able to wander the streets of Paris, learn how volcanoes erupt and get stranded on a desert island. I learned so much from materials I wasn’t able to find anywhere else. Later, as a struggling college and graduate student, I saved money on required reading and internet service, thanks to my library card. As a voracious reader, my library card also provided me opportunities to explore a multitude of resources to educate myself on whatever random topic I am currently obsessed with learning. Even before I became a librarian, one of the first things I did upon moving somewhere new was to sign-up for a library card, as I wanted to enjoy the benefit of access.

Throughout my career in libraries, I witnessed firsthand the power access to information and resources provides to the community. For instance, one of my regular customers found himself unhappy in his career and wanted a change. He came in daily after work to use the computers to job search and update his resume. He would also check out books in areas of professional development, such as leadership and self-confidence. We guided him to our online databases where he could take classes on time management and other business skills. After four months, he returned one evening to proudly announce he had secured a new job. Even after achieving his goal, he remained a frequent library user as he still needed access to business resources (like Reference USA that are free through the library) to help him continue to succeed.

Another customer who used her library card to access the public computers since she did not have one at home, came to the reference desk, in tears, asking how to sign out of the computer.  After offering her help, she explained she was trying to create the program for her wedding service on one of our computers and feared she’d lost all her work. She wanted to leave before she felt any worse.  

I told her I was not going to let her leave in tears and helped her make her program. She spent nearly three hours on that program and when she left, with a hardcopy of the program in her hands, she beamed with joy.

Throughout my years as a librarian, I’ve helped so many people feel the same joy I did when I first signed up for my library card. My customers have traveled the world, expanded their knowledge and entertained themselves, all with one little card.  So many people educated themselves at the Library -  all because of the access their library card gives them. This is more than just books, and goes beyond to resources, services, programs and people who truly care about the people in their communities. And all of this is FREE.  The access a library card provides is unparalleled.

Sign up here for your own Library card.

This blog was written by Darcey Mesaris

What’s one more thing to add to an already hectic schedule during your final year of college? An internship. Sure, the idea of partying and celebrating your forthcoming freedom from school seems enticing, but snagging an internship (when a student works for an organization -- paid or unpaid, providing an opportunity to gain valuable experience, learn new and useful skills and make priceless connections) is beneficial in the long run. An internship can last anywhere from three to six months, so it doesn’t take up your entire final year of college. Think about all the things that you’ve learned as a student and the advantage an internship will provide when you finally enter the workforce.

Here are some great reasons to consider an internship:

• Gaining valuable experience - This is your chance to “try out” the job or career of your choice. You also gain skills that you can only learn on the job and you’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate them. The individuals you work with during your internship can vouch for your skills and experience as professional references in the future.
• Spruce up your resume - This is important. College is a great way to start the journey to your dream career by participating in clubs and organizations, but viable experience as an intern could catch the eye of a potential employer, giving you an edge over others in the job market.
• Developing skills – Despite feeling like you’ve learned everything, your skillset is limited when you first finish school. An internship will help develop and enhance both soft and hard skills. Today’s employers are just as interested in your soft or transferable skills as they are in job-specific skills. 
• Building relevant relationships - Networking is a vital skill to have in the job market. The relationships that you build while interning are critical to your future success.
• Meet your mentor – You’ll need direction and one of the best ways to get that is to acquire a mentor. Many people meet their mentors during their internship. Mentors are experienced and trusted advisers -- they are among the key relationships you’ll form because they work with you to ensure your growth and success. Mentorship is not a one-way relationship -- it requires give, take and nurturing to be effective.
   

Interested in interning? Learning more about finding an internship is as easy as visiting your college career center. The staff can help you succeed by connecting you to resources. Your school also may have a partnership with large corporations and medium-sized businesses to offer internships to students just like you.

It’s important that students seeking to move into the workforce after school take advantage of internships because they create opportunities for individuals long after completion. Finding a job fresh out of school can be tough, so the more experience you can add to the work experience section of your resume, the better.

But, don’t be mistaken. Internships are not all fun and games. They are meant to test your ability to work a job and give you hands-on, industry-specific experience. An internship is a real-time, and real-life, simulation of what you’ve learned in class.

Now, take the first step into your future and sign up for an internship!

This blog was written by De'Trice Fox