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Library Hours
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All libraries will be closed on Monday, May 27, for the Memorial Day Holiday.
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| We'd like to know what you think! |
Please take our short Customer Satisfaction Survey to help the Library assess customer satisfaction and help provide critical data for Mecklenburg County's Community & Corporate Scorecard.
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| A great story needs great characters. Become a library volunteer! |
If you would like to make a difference in your community as a volunteer at the Library, contact Volunteer Coordinator Chauna Wall at cwall@cmlibrary.org or (704) 416-0711. Visit the Library's volunteer page to see a complete list of opportunities. |
| Want a sneak peek at what's coming to your library? |
Find out about the Library's latest book, DVD and CD offerings through a free, weekly e-mail or RSS feed. Visit Wowbrary, put in your ZIP code, select "Charlotte Mecklenburg Library," enter your e-mail address, and follow the on-screen instructions.
See a sample weekly newsletter. |
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| MAY READING RECOMMENDATIONS | |
 Travel Vicariously
Don't have the money for an exotic vacation this year? Travel vicariously all over the world through these travel memoirs.
A Trip to the Beach: Living on Island Time in the Caribbean by Melinda Blanchard"Bob and Melinda Blanchard, successful owners of a Vermont-based food business, fall in love with the West Indies island paradise, Anguilla, while vacationing there in the early 1990's. The reader discovers Anguilla through Melinda's eyes, and like the Blanchards, is bewitched by its exotic beauty and simplicity."
 Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia
by Elizabeth Gilbert
"Recovering after a string of unsuccessful relationships, Liz Gilbert takes a yearlong journey immersing herself in fabulous cuisine, divine transcendence, and then equanimity between body and soul. ...her wry and intelligent story-telling, spiced with a dash of self deprecation, propels her travelogue."
Read the complete review by Lydia T., Main Library.
 Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going where Captain Cook has Gone Before
by Tony Horwitz
"In Blue Latitudes, Tony Horwitz describes exotic places and recounts little-known historical events without once being a bore."
Read the complete review by Tom C., Main Library.
Find more recommendations with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Reader's Club, your guide to enjoyable books.
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| MAY FEATURED PROGRAMS & EVENTS | | |
This month, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is offering more than 450 free classes, events and story times.
There are far too many to list here, so we're providing just a few highlights. Visit www.cmlibrary.org/programs to see the full schedule.
 Special Mother's Day programs Publisher: Mother's Day Cards
Learn to use Microsoft Office Publisher while designing a card for Mother's Day. Teens will gain knowledge and skills about the Microsoft software while expressing their creativity through design. Audience: Teens (12-18) 5/9/2013 at 3:30 PM: ImaginOn Learn More Mother-Daughter Book Club
This month we will be discussing the origin of Mother's Day! Light refreshments will be served. Audience: Elementary (5-11) 5/11/2013 at 2:00 PM: Mint Hill Learn More | Register Online RBTL: For Mama
Teens will analyze the lyrics to popular songs selected in the countdown and see if they can discover their true meaning. This month's countdown will consist of songs dedicated to mothers in recognition of Mother's Day. Audience: Teens (12-18) 5/7/2013 at 3:30 PM: ImaginOn Learn More
Special events for kids
Mobile Learning Adventure!
The Mobile Learning Adventure will feature fun literacy activities for children ages 5 and under and their parents/caregivers. This learning adventure is part of PNC's Grow up Great program.
Oba William King
Oba William King will present an hour-long special of traditional storytelling. King is "the Poetic Storyteller." An educational entertainer, he brings stories, poetry and cultural songs to life through his interactive, dynamic presentations. For more information please contact Elisha Minter at 704-416-3000. Audience: Family/Youth & Caregivers, Elementary (5-11), Preteen (8-11)
5/22/2013 at 5 PM: Beatties Ford Road Learn More | Register Online
Local History
 | | By 1913, Charlotte already had two skyscrapers to show off. Learn more about Charlotte as local historians share their favorite stories of the city. |
Charlotte History Lecture Series
Join us in the Community Room for a fascinating lecture series on Charlotte history presented by local historians Tom Cole, Tom Hanchett, David Erdman and Mary Dominick. Lectures will be followed by a brief question and answer session.
Read more about this in "History series tells stories of Charlotte".
Business and Finances
IRS Series: Business Organization/Record Keeping (Part 1)
Avery Henline, MBA, CPA, will explain the differences between a sole proprietor, partnership and corporation; stress the importance of record keeping; and overview small business tax responsibilities. Participants receive free information packets.
IRS Series: Independent Contractor vs. Employee (Part 2)
Avery Henline, MBA, CPA will explain what is required when hiring an independent contractor or an employee as it relates to federal taxes. Each participant receives a free information packet.
May is Older Americans Month
 In Honor of Older Americans Month:
Matthews Library Presents "Coffee, Cream & Chocolate"
We will watch a History Channel presentation on coffee, then sample coffee & chocolate.
For Teens
Teen Writers Club
Share writing projects, ideas, and critiques to help each other become writers.
The Literati
Alek and Deryn encounter obstacles on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek's throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love.
Films
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Books Into Movies: An Afternoon with Jane Austen
Join us for a fun-filled look at author Jane Austen. First, watch a presentation about her life and books, then stay to watch the movie. This month we'll view "Pride and Prejudice," the 1940 film starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier. Refreshments served.
Monday Movie: The Blind Side
In celebration of Mother's Day, Beatties Ford Road is screening The Blind Side. This Academy Award winning film stars Sandra Bullock and Kathy Bates and is directed by John Lee Hancock. Audience: Adults, Seniors, Family/Youth & Caregivers
5/6/2013 at 11:30 AM: Beatties Ford Road Learn More
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NEW DIGITAL SERVICES
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Learn something new today, with free online classes.
Your library now offers free access to Universal Class, an online education experience offering over 540 courses in all sort of subjects like entrepreneurship, home and garden care, technology, health and medicine, homeschooling, job assistance, and more. Learn more.
 Love magazines? Get a digital copy from your library! Zinio is a digital magazine service with hundreds of magazines to view online on your PC, tablets and smart phones. Learn more. .
 Stream free movies, TV shows, and more from the Library's web site with Hoopla.
Library customers can now very easily stream feature films, TV series, and additional music and audio from the Library's website. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has been chosen as one of only 10 beta sites for a new digital service called Hoopla from Midwest Tapes.
Note: To sign on to Hoopla, enter your library card number, but don't enter a PIN number (even though there is a field for a PIN.)
Access to all Foundation Center databases has been expanded to all regional libraries.
 To better service our community, and with the generous support of The Duke Endowment, library customers can now use the following databases on library Internet, Research/Homework computers, and their WiFi laptops and tablets inside Main Library, Beatties Ford Road, Independence Regional, University City Regional, Morrison Regional, North County Regional, and South County Regional Libraries:
- Foundation Directory Online
- Foundation Grants to Individuals
- Philanthropy In/Sight
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is the first Cooperating Collection anywhere to provide all of these resources to multiple locations throughout its community.
Access to these three databases is available through www.cmlibrary.org/nonprofit.
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| OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT YOUR LIBRARY | | |
June 17:
Dorothea Benton Frank
Dorothea Benton Frank will be back in Charlotte June 17, 2013, to showcase her new book The Last Original Wife which will hit bookstands June 11. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation will be partnering with Park Road Books to host an author event and book signing at ImaginOn. All proceeds will support the Library's purchase of new books and materials. More details to come!
September 14: Friends of the Library 5K
The Friends of the Library will host the 4th annual Rock & Read 5K September 14, 2013. This year the race has moved from the Scaleybark neighborhood to the Plaza Midwood area. We're excited and hope you'll mark your calendar for this family-friendly event.
Your gift helps us build bright futures in our community
As we continue to meet the evolving reading, learning and educational needs of our community, your support becomes more and more vital. While Mecklenburg County provides 90% of the Library's funding, that last 10% makes all the difference.
A recent survey of Mecklenburg County residents found that 90% believe that the Library is extremely or very important to our community, up 3% from just two years ago. Your generous gift in combination with the gifts received from others just like you supports funding for books and materials, and provides vital programming that addresses critical needs in the areas of early childhood literacy, educational success and workforce development.
As you know, the Library's success relies on a strong public-private partnership that makes us one of the premier systems in the country in service to our community. Your gift will help us continue to be a leader in providing that support. We look forward to serving you and our community today and in the years to come.
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| SUMMER READING | |
 | | No matter what your age, there's a summer reading program for you! |
Get Set for Summer... Reading!
Online Summer Reading sign-up starts May 21.
Programs run June 11 - August 9, 2013.
What comes to mind when you think about summer? Swimming? Summer camp? Barbecues? Music in the park? This year, why not make reading and sharing books part of your summer fun?
Here's the scoop about Summer Reading 2013
- It's online! Summer reading for all ages will be online, and you can sign up as early as May 21 at www.cmlibrary.org/summmerread. If you don't have a computer at home, come to the library and sign up using one of ours.
- Just like previous years, participants who finish reading the required number of hours will be eligible for great prizes. Sponsoring businesses are donating prizes to help encourage participants to keep reading all summer long.
- We'll have exciting programs in library branches all summer long to complement your summer reading experience.
No matter what your reason for reading, you reap great benefits. Teachers and literacy experts agree that reading throughout the summer helps students retain skills learned during the school year. Most importantly, when parents and children enjoy summer reading together, children develop a love of books and reading that lasts a lifetime.
Summer Reading is brought to you by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library with generous support from these sponsors and many others:
13.8 million
minutes of reading!
That's how much reading was documented in last year's Summer Reading program.
The program was a tremendous success
with 22,167 individuals signing up --
a 26% increase over the previous year!
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We hope that you find this e-mail useful. If so, please forward to a friend so they won't miss a thing.
We'll see you at the Library! |
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