Magazines are moving! Digital magazines will be moving from the RBdigital app to the Libby app on Thursday, January 28, 2021! Now you will be able to borrow magazines, e-books, and e-audiobooks, all in one app! 

OverDrive magazines will include the same great content that was once available in RBdigital magazines. Magazines that you have enjoyed such as The Food Network, Rolling Stone, US Weekly, Parents, Sports Illustrated and more will be available on Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s OverDrive site and the Libby app. However, the best experience will be using the Libby app. When possible, three years of back issues will be made available. When this transfer is complete, magazines will no longer be available through the RBdigital platform and app.

OverDrive magazines will be checked out for 21 days and will automatically return. Magazine titles are always available and will not count against your check out limits. As with e-books and e-audiobooks, you will have the option to renew a magazine within 3 days of the end of the lending period. However, since magazines are unlimited, you could also borrow that magazine again at any time. 

OverDrive cannot automatically check out new issues of a magazine for you, but here’s a pro tip to use with your favorite titles: use the tagging feature in the Libby app to save magazines that you frequently check out. You can use this tag to check for new issues.

How do you find magazines on OverDrive? Good question! Through the Libby app, click “Explore” and then “Subjects.” Expand the “Preferences” menu and change Format to “Magazines”.  Click “Apply Preferences” to view the subjects or genres of the magazines.  On the OverDrive page, click “Subjects” and then “Magazines”. Browse magazines by their subject of genre or click the link to see all magazines.  Coming Soon: We are creating a collection page for magazines. “Magazines” will be available above the ribbon on the OverDrive landing page. Use the filters to find magazines on subjects such as entertainment, news, celebrity, health, etc.  

Why are RBdigital magazines moving to OverDrive?

OverDrive acquired RBmedia’s library business, RBdigital. Read more about the acquisition here. The RBdigital site is being retired and all content is being moved to OverDrive. Audiobooks were moved in October and now it is time for magazines. When this transfer is complete, magazines will no longer be available through the RBdigital platform and app.

When will magazines be transferred from RBdigital to OverDrive?

RBdigital magazines will be transferred to OverDrive on Thursday, January 28, 2021. The process will take approximately 24 hours. During this time, RBdigital magazines will not be available.

What happens if I have a magazine(s) and back issues currently checked out on RBdigital?

Current magazines checked out in RBdigital will not transfer to your OverDrive loans. You can access your previously borrowed magazines from RBdigital by either downloading the free ZINIO app or going to zinio.com. From the ZINIO app or website, customers can register for a new ZINIO account using the same email address you used to access RBdigital. Once registered, previously borrowed ZINIO magazine loans will be available in your account.

Another option is to print articles, text, or recipes you would like to save before the magazines move to OverDrive.  Some magazines allow printing from the RBdigital reader in your browser. If the magazine you have checked out allows printing, you can print specific articles, text, or recipes that you would like to save.

• Sign in to your RBdigital account.
• Open a magazine from your checked-out shelf.  If the magazine allows printing, you will see a printer icon on the left side of the reader.
• Navigate to the article, text, or recipe you would like to print.
• Click the printer icon.

If you’re new to OverDrive, visit our OverDrive resource page, check out this getting started guide, or watch these videos to learn more. Click here to find help with using the Libby app.

Access OverDrive for free with your library card. Don’t have one? Sign up here!

If you need more help, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library staff are available by email, chat, and phone.  

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.

A short time ago, I was speaking with a friend about my feelings about my country. A little about politics, a lot about disappointment. I remember expressing my concern about all the anger, the hatred and fear that seemed to be creeping its way into my nation, my job, the lives of my friends, and even into my family. And I said to him – "I was lucky because my parents took the time to educate me about racism."

I had never thought that would be something I would reflect on – how fortunate I was that my family did not "shy away" from sensitive topics. That their patriotism and love for their country didn't make them blind to the faults and failures in its past and even in its present. What stood out to me as a child, and now as an adult and a librarian, was how they relied on literature to help me understand this very real issue.

I remember going to the library and coming home with books such as the Addy series by American Girl, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor, or A Picture of Freedom by Pat McKissack. These stories taught me so many things. They taught me the history of African Americans in my country and the cruelty and hardships that they have endured. It taught me the unfortunate truth that your skin color made a difference – and sometimes still does. But also, and I think more importantly, it taught me that African Americans are human.

Perhaps that sounds silly, but it's very easy to make generalizations and blanket statements about something you don't understand. It's very easy to dehumanize a culture and therefore disregard what happens to its people because you've never had to interact with it. But when you are faced with understanding, sharing feelings of fear, sorrow, and hope, you face common ground. You are no longer remarking about some distant and unfamiliar minority. These are your neighbors, coworkers, friends and your family. These are people you will fight and die for.

I think literature written by African American authors is pivotal to growing our understanding as a community. There are some events we will never experience in our lives that we can experience amid the pages of a book. We will never be exposed to some struggles in our lives that we can be exposed to through literature.

While I grew up in a very diverse community, that is not the case for everyone. People of many different ethnic origins were a part of my life since birth and I am blessed because of this. I am blessed because I can't imagine growing up in a world where everyone I know looks "like me." I am blessed because I can acknowledge the past. And I am blessed because I can hope for the future.

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This blog post was written by Hannah P. Simmons, a senior library assistant at North County Regional Library.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is in the process of developing a Facilities Master Plan that will guide the Library over the next 10-15 years. Part of that process is getting feedback from the community regarding what is most important to you regarding library locations.  We’d love to get your thoughts and opinions on topics such as:

• Does your neighborhood need a  library?
• Is your current library branch serving your needs?
• What is the biggest gap in how your library branch is serving your needs?
• How do the library buildings themselves support your community needs?
• What opportunities exist for the Library to better serve Mecklenburg county residents?

The survey is now closed. Thank you to all who participated. 

Join us and share your thoughts!

During each session, we need your feedback on where you think new libraries may be needed and where library buildings and services need to be expanded or improved. We will also share examples and best practices from across the country as to what strong 21^st century libraries look like.

Sessions are 60-90 minutes in length and will held via Zoom. The information shared will be very visual so it will be best to have access to a computer, but the audio portion of the meeting may be accessed using a computer or a phone.

Registrations are required, so be sure to sign up to participate in a session so that we are able to provide you with the sign-in information. Sign-ups will be done using the links below.  Sessions are limited to 80 participants.  These sessions will be offered in English and Spanish.  The sign up link below will offer you this option.

Five sessions available - registration required 

• February 10, 2021 9:30-11 a.m. Click here to register 
  
   
• February 10, 2021 6:30-8 p.m. Click here to register 
  
   
• February 11, 2021 Noon-1:30 p.m. Click here to register 
  
   
• February 11, 2021 4:30-6 p.m. Click here to register 

Join us for a session. The time should prove to be interesting, enlightening and productive in creating a vibrant Library system for our future.

Celebrate Black History Month this February with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library! Join us and explore themed online programs for all ages.  Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Black Lives Matter programming initiative has a variety of discussions, storytimes, book groups, speaker series and more to explore the and celebrate Black History this month and every month. Take a look below to see highlighted selection of our upcoming programs and check our online calendar for registration information and a full listing of events. Download a PDF of our calendar here.

Get Inspired

Join us for engaging speakers on a variety of topics

Meet Black Creatives, Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.

Connect with Black Creatives in our community every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. during Black History Month. We will have different Black Creatives talk about their unique businesses and services. Be inspired and learn how you can live out your creative dreams.

Author Talk: Derrick Barners and Gordon C. James, Thursday, February 11 at 6 p.m. (Facebook Live & YouTube Live)

Join us for A Conversation with Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James, author and illustrator of The New York Times bestseller, I Am Every Good Thing. We will be streaming on Facebook and YouTube.

I can Celebrate National African American Read-In, Thursday, February 18 at 6 p.m.

The National African American Read-In is the nation’s first and oldest event dedicated to diversity in literature. Join us as we celebrate this event with a VIRTUAL READ-IN featuring local authors and students from Westerly Hills Academy.

Meet the Podcasters, Saturday, February 20 at 3 p.m.

Meet the Podcasters: There're Back! The Black Guy Who Tips podcasters, Rod and Karen will join us to discuss current events, books and upcoming projects. We will wrap up with some Black History Trivia.

Learn Something New

Explore Black history, culture, and more

Story Explorers: Rocket Like Mae Jemison, Saturday, February 8 at 3 p.m.

Kids ages 5 to 11 are invited to this special Black History Month literacy program celebrating Mae Jemison! Together, we'll learn about Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to enter space, though interactive activities including math, science, games and more.

Harlem Unbound (Call of Cthulhu 7E), Wednesday, February 10 at 5:30 p.m.

Participate in a Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game set in early 20^th century Harlem, NY. The players will put themselves in the shoes of Harlemites navigating day-to-day issues including racism, community, politics, nightlife and Cosmic Horror.

Esports and Gaming in the Black Community, Saturday, February 20 at 12 p.m.

Meet the founders, Dr. Lawson Williams and Professor Cash, of the 1^st HBCU Esports and Gaming program at Johnson C. Smith University. Plus, meet local entrepreneur Rick Suarez, who took his love of sports to create Stay Plugged IN, a virtual gaming company.

The Impact of Gentrification on the Black Community, Saturday, February 20 at 1 p.m.

The ongoing housing crisis and the displacement of residents due to neighborhoods' changing demographics continue to be of great concern in Black communities. This program will address the impact of gentrification happening in historically Black neighborhoods in the Charlotte area.

Parent Lunch & Learn: i can read Black stories, Wednesday, February 24 at 12 p.m.

Parents and Caregivers will learn about the importance of children's literature that center characters who are Black or people of color, as well as tips for selecting books to foster conversations about equity and inclusivity.

Join a Discussion

Discuss books, films, and more with community members and library staff

Graphic Novel Book Club, Wednesday, February 3 at 6 p.m.

What We'll Be Discussing:  Black History In Its Own Words, by Ronald Wimberly.

Ted Talk Discussion Group, multiple dates

What We'll Be Discussing:

• 2/5 at 11 a.m.: Black Lives Matter and Say Her Name
• 2/19 at 11 a.m.: Systemic Racism

Steele Creek Readers Book Club, Tuesday, February 9 10:30 a.m.

What We'll Be Discussing:  A Kind of Freedom by Margaret Wikerson Sexton

Black Women + Democracy, a virtual film and discussion series, multiple dates

What We’ll Be Discussing:

• 2/14 at 2 p.m.: Knock Down the House Film screening starts at 2 p.m., discussion at 3:15 p.m.
• 2/15 at 6 p.m.: Chisholm ‘72 - Unbought & Unbossed, Watch the film on your own then join for the discussion at 6pm.

Social Justice Book Club, Thursday, February 18 at 6:30 p.m. or Saturday, February 20 at 2 p.m.

What We'll Be Discussing:  Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi or Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi (your choice)

Teen Book Talk, Monday February 22 at 5:30 p.m.

What We'll Be Discussing:  This is My America by Kim Johnson

Let's Get Graphic! Saturday, February 27 at 10 a.m.

What We'll Be Discussing:  People of Color and Minority Representation in Graphic Novels & Comic Books

6pm Film Discussion: Black Men in White Coats  Saturday, February 27th at 6 p.m. 

What We’ll Be Discussing: This documentary that dissects the systemic barriers preventing black men from becoming medical doctors and the consequences on society at large. Upon registration, a link to the film will be shared. 

Attend a Storytime

Enjoy stories, songs, and movement activities that support empathy and understanding of issues affecting Black children and families.

I can read Black stories storytime, every Saturday at 11 a.m.

This storytime features books that center characters who are Black or people of color, offers strategies to foster conversations about equity and inclusivity, and encourages early literacy skill development and a love of books and reading in your child.

SouthPark Branch Family Storytime, Thursday, February 18 at 10 a.m.

This program will be provided by SouthPark library staff.

Your whole family can enjoy stories, songs, and movement activities that support early literacy skill development and help foster a love of books and reading in your child. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to participate. This week's stories will center around Black History Month and Black Lives Matter.

Research History

The Library offers a variety of digital resources to aid in performing historical and biographical research.

HistoryMakers Digital Archive

The HistoryMakers is an oral history collection highlighting the accomplishments of individual African Americans and African-American-led groups and movements.  It is unique among collections of African American heritage because of its large and varied scope, with interviewees from across the United States, from a variety of fields, and with memories stretching from the 1890s to the present.

Access

Daily Life Through History

Daily Life Through History is a collection of e-books about life during different periods of history. These historical period includes Ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt, the middle ages, the Renaissance, colonial times, the Civil War and World War I and II. In additions topics such as the role of women and children, food and clothing, and work conditions are covered, as well as a time line of major events.

Access

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.

Allegra Westbrooks was the first African American public library supervisor in North Carolina. Ms. Westbrooks grew up in Fayetteville, NC where she spent her childhood peeking through the windows of white-only public libraries. Her mother, a schoolteacher, passed a love of books down to her. She attended Fayetteville State Teachers College and Atlanta University where she received a Bachelor of Science in library services. 

Brevard Street Library, 1944 



When she moved to Charlotte in 1947, only two libraries existed for the Black community: Brevard Street Library and its “sub-branch” in Fairview Homes Public Housing on Oaklawn Avenue. 

Citizens Advisory Council meets with Allegra Westbrooks, Head of Negro Library Services  

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (then Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County) hired Ms. Westbrooks in 1947 as the head of Negro Library Services at the Brevard Street Library. To attract the Black community to these two branches, Ms. Westbrooks launched a campaign to host prominent speakers at Black churches “to sell the gospel of books and reading.” She also visited the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) and Girl Scouts to form coalitions to increase usage of the Black libraries. 

Female librarians assisting children on the bookmobile, 1966 

Ms. Westbrooks influenced many people to go to libraries through her public efforts. Many community members remember her visting them with a bookmobile to inspire them to read. Ms. Westbrooks said, “It is gratifying, when you’ll be on the street and see somebody, and they say, 'I used the book mobile. I want you to meet my four children. I insist that they read'.” She would also pick up books that the Black community requested at Main Library once a week.

Man entering Brevard Street Library, 1948

The library system was desegregated in 1956, but the Brevard Street Branch continued to operate until December of 1961 when it was closed and demolished as part of the Brooklyn area urban redevelopment project.

Ms. Westbrooks was promoted Head of Acquisitions in 1950 at Main Library. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library officially integrated on November 19, 1956.  Hoyt R. Galvin, director of libraries 1940-1971, spoke to her undeniable skills and knowledge:

“Her recommendations were good, and I was pleased to have her join our staff, but I didn’t realize the library and the community were getting a jewel. She carries a major responsibility for the countywide public library system in coordination of adult book selection and is head of all book acquisitions. In a day when 1,000 new book titles are published every day, this is a major task. There are subject specialists who know the literature of their field in a superior fashion, but Miss Westbrooks is the most knowledgeable all-around book specialist in North Carolina.”

Ms. Westbrooks’ career with the Library spanned 35 years, but her legacy continues today. She is not only honored for her incredible achievements as a pioneer in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system, but also for the many extracurricular activities and organizations she served on. In 1969, she was named “Outstanding Career Woman of 1969” at The Gold Rose Awards hosted by the White House Inn. 

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This blog was written by Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room staff at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

 

Sources

Borden, Pat. “Retiring Worker symbol of change in local library.” The Charlotte Observer, February 10, 1984.

Osborne, Dorothy. “Top Career Woman Is ‘Giant For Good’.” The Charlotte Observer, October 17, 1969.

Perlmutti, David. “A love of books, nurtured by mother.” Black History Month, Crossing the Barrier, February 4, 2009.

Another summer has flown by. School supply shopping has begun, vacations are winding down and another Summer Break program is about to end.  

Remember that Saturday, August 10 is the last day that you can enter reading time or activities in your log. Participants will have until Saturday, August 17 to pick up their milestone incentives – while supplies last. As a reminder, the incentives are as follows:  

• Wendy’s Jr. Frosty Coupons (earned at Sign-up)  

• Fine Waiver cards (earned at Sign-up, 10 hours, 15 hours, and 20 hours of reading)  

• Summer Break Completion incentive (Babies/children: a book; Teens: choice of a book or a Library drawstring bag; Adults: a Library magnet or notebook.)

Some participants may noticed they have earned a “Giving Makes the World Go Round" badge. Participants earn this badge when they reach 25 hours of reading. Every summer, the library gives back to the community by donating books to a local organization in need. This year’s recipient will be Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is happy to donate to CMS and we are thankful the school system will accept the contributions.   

Thank you for participating in Summer Break! We hope you’ve had fun reading and learning all summer long. We’ll see you again next summer!!   

Children's Services Leader, Jesse Isley, made a guest appearance on WCNC's Charlotte Today on Monday, August 5, 2019 and shared six back-to-school titles for kids, teens and adults. 

Click here to search titles

Children’s picture books:

Your First Day of Circus School by Tara Lazar, illustrated by Melissa Crowton

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages! It's the most amazing day on earth: the first day of school! It can be a daunting prospect, but don't worry - your big brother can show you the ropes. Join a nervous boy and his enthusiastic older brother as they navigate the highs and lows of a first day at school . . . except this school is a big top, and the teacher is named Miss Stupendous, and the cafeteria can be a zoo, literally! It turns out, school isn't so scary when you can let off steam during recess (on a steam train) and walk on stilts to all of your classes. With a bit of help from family and some new friends, you'll make it to the top of the class in no time! This charming take on school readiness will delight new school-goers and take a bit of the fear out of those first-day jitters.

Back to School with Bigfoot by Samantha Berger and Martha Brockenbrough

The school year is about to start, and Bigfoot is worried about all the things that could go wrong--but he also remembers that all his friends will be there.

Youth fiction:

Mia Mayhem vs. the Super Bully by Kara West

Mia is excited about her first superspeed training class, but a bully on her relay team leads her to lose her shadow and, worse, to snap at her friends.

Teen fiction:

Panic by Lauren Oliver

In the poor town of Carp, New York, a group of teens enters a high-stakes game that involves a series of secretive, possibly deadly challenges throughout the summer, with the winner receiving more than $50,000--enough money to start a new life.

Adult fiction:

Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl

A darkly funny coming-of-age novel and a richly plotted suspense tale told through the distinctive voice of its heroine, Blue van Meer. After a childhood moving from one academic outpost to another with her father (a man prone to aphorisms and meteoric affairs), Blue is clever, deadpan, and possessed of a vast lexicon of literary, political, philosophical, and scientific knowledge--and is quite the cinéaste to boot. In her final year of high school at the élite (and unusual) St. Gallway School in Stockton, North Carolina, Blue falls in with a charismatic group of friends and their captivating teacher, Hannah Schneider. But when the drowning of one of Hannah's friends and the shocking death of Hannah herself lead to a confluence of mysteries, Blue is left to make sense of it all with only her gimlet-eyed instincts and cultural references to guide--or misguide—her.