Library U

Library Lovers' Day is celebrated on February 14 each year to honor libraries, librarians, book lovers, and anyone who loves libraries. If you're reading this, chances are you love your Library, too!

One of the best things about libraries is - they are a great place to find your community. When it comes to books you're interested in... who better to talk to than friendly, local folks who like the same genres, authors and characters?! If you'd like to meet some fellow bookworms and get some great reading recommendations while you're at it, consider joining a Library Book Club and/or the Jax Stacks Reading Challenge this month! 

Need for a new romance book to spice up those cold winter nights? Looking for some fun Galentine's Day ideas for you and your besties? We've got a Lit Chat Interview with two local romance authors and a romance-themed Writer's Lab workshop for anyone planning to put their own pen to paper. February is also Black History Month and we've got some great ideas for celebrating that, too! Jerry Urso returns for another History Chat - this one about the exciting life of Captain James W. Floyd. We'll also delve into poetry, true crime, gardening, business, finance, and more!

Nearly a quarter of US consumers (23%) are considering starting a new business in 2024, according to findings from the Entrepreneurship in 2024 Report commissioned by Intuit QuickBooks in December 2023. Over 4,500 respondents on a survey say business ownership is a better way to build personal wealth in 2024 than buying a home. If you are one of the 23% of consumers starting a business or if you already have a business and are working on improvements, the Library can help!

OneJax and Interfaith Center will bring a panel of interfaith leaders to the Main Library on Thursday, January 18 at 7 p.m. for a 60-minute discussion promoting unity in our community. They will address antisemitism and other topics impacting our area including prejudices in faith, race, ethnicity, LGBTQ+, gender, and diverse abilities. The program is the fifth and final community panel in a speaker series1 that started in September 2023.

What would you do if you suffered a sudden, severe, and highly publicized fall from grace? Would you run? Seek out a quiet life of anonymity and seclusion? Or would you find a way to redeem yourself? Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way is a mesmerizing look at one man’s fall from grace and the age-old struggle for redemption. Meet the author, Jeffrey Blount, at our next Lit Chat Interview, live at the Pablo Creek Regional Library.

How do you best serve your creative processes? Where do you go for inspiration? How important is a writing community? And how can you carve out a life in this business of art? New York Times bestselling author Jami Attenberg will share ideas and perspectives for putting your creativity first at our next Writer's Lab workshop. Later that same day, she'll return for a Lit Chat Interview where she'll be in conversation with local author and interviewer, Nikesha Elise Wiliams.

The New York Times bestselling author of the 2022 memoir, I Came All This Way To Meet You, is coming all the way from New Orleans to meet you, her readers and fellow writers, at Jacksonville Public Library for two back-to-back bookish events! First up: Aspiring writers will learn how to best serve their own creative processes, find inspiration, and carve out a life in the business of art in a hands-on Writer's Lab workshop. Then, after lunch, Jami Attenberg returns for a Lit Chat interviewer and local author Nikesha Elise Williams.

Life Lit are free workshops offered by trained professionals and volunteers that focus on improving your day-to-day life. These programs cover a wide range of workshops from gardening to small business needs. No need to bring anything but yourself to participate!

It's going to be a busy January here at the Library! Whether you're resolving to read more, challenging yourself to (finally) write that novel that's been kicking around in the back of your head for years, or just continuing your pursuit of lifelong learning: We've got a great lineup of adult programs this month! Improve your day-to-day life with one of ten Life Lit workshops, get inspired with a Writer's Lab workshop and Lit Chat Interview featuring bestselling author Jami Attenberg, come together as a community for a thought-provoking Forward Thinking panel discussion, or check out a brand new Library Book Club.

The new year brings with it new releases, new challenges, fresh starts, and an all-new Library Book Club! Novel Pursuits meets on the third Saturday of the month at San Marco Branch Library. Where will our fiction collection take you? You'll have to join the club to find out! Book clubs are also one of the best ways to find out what other people are reading (and what they think about the books everyone else is reading). What do you say? Join us at your favorite library and let's talk books!