Library U

Abigail Ricketson said that she'd given up on herself until she had kids. "I have a three-year-old and a two-year-old and it's just us at the moment. I was trying to get a job but... a lot of the higher-paying jobs require a diploma," she said. Thankfully, she heard about the GED Test® Prep program at the Jacksonville Public Library from her sister. "I made the call... and it's honestly one of the best decisions I ever made," she said.

Looking for ways to increase biodiversity in your home garden? Want to create a pollinator habitat? Interested in composting or container gardening? Learn everything you need for a successful home garden from Master Gardeners and our friends at the UF Extension Office!

There's so much to fall in love with about this time of year! Whether it's spooky season, autumn festivals, candied and caramel apples, or the ever-popular Pumpkin Spice Latte (or Pumpkin Spice Iced Chia Latte): There's nothing quite like finding just the right book or a group of people to talk about it with! This October, join a Book Club! Not only will you get some great reading recommendations from fellow readers, but you might just bond with someone over a favorite fall treat (and maybe share a recipe or two). 

Every year after Labor Day, the American Payroll Association (APA) hosts National Payroll Week to celebrate payroll professionals. But what comes first, the payroll professional or the staff? This month, we're taking a deeper look at hiring and managing. Been looking for resources to help you find, manage, and keep your staff? The Library has free on-demand video courses and plenty of books to help you and your small business grow.

Jacksonville Public Library is one of 50 U.S. libraries selected to host Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum that examines the motives, pressures, and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war, and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. Please note: Because the Main Library will not be closing as usual at 6 p.m. on September 28 and October 12, Holocaust program attendees will have an extra 30 minutes to browse the exhibit or check out books from the Holocaust Collection between 6 - 6:30 p.m. However, the Library will close promptly at 8 p.m. So, there will be no time to browse the exhibit after the program.

You probably already know and love Firekeeper's Daughter - the "Indigenous Nancy Drew thriller" novel that set the world (and BookTok) ablaze. Not only was it a Reese's Book Club YA Pick and a TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time Selection... It's getting adapted for TV at Netflix! But did you know Angeline Boulley has a new, bestselling follow-up to her breakaway debut hit? Join us for a trhilling Teen Lit Chat interview with Angeline Boulley on Saturday, September 23 during Jax Book Fest!

It's almost September, which means -- it's practically Halloween. We're also just weeks away from the return of Jax Book Fest at the Main Library! This year, our headliner is none other than Joe Hill! Many will know him from his many spine-tingling, bone-chilling horror novels like NOS4A2 (or the AMC series of the same name) or the big-screen adaptations of his work. Comic fans know him as the co-creator of the Eisner Award-winning series Locke & Key (now streaming on Netflix). Whatever you know him from... nothing beats getting to pick his brain, in person, at your local library!

Are you an aspiring author? Have you ever wanted to see your own book on the library's shelves? Join us Friday, September 22 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Main Library for FREE writing and publishing workshops, networking with local authors, and more!

Not sure which bugs are beneficial for your plants and which ones are harmful? Want to bring balance and harmony to your landscape? Looking for fall gardening tips? Learn everything you need for a successful home garden from Master Gardeners and our friends at the UF Extension Office!

It's September, which means we're that much closer to Halloween... and the return of Jax Book Fest to the Main Library! This year, our headliner is none other than Joe Hill, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Horns, Heart-Shaped Box, and The Fireman. Hill is also the co-creator of the Eisner Award-winning series Locke & Key, now streaming on Netflix!

Not a horror fan? There will be DOZENS of local authors at the Main Library on Saturday, September 23. So, you're bound to find something to add to your TBR pile. We also have Life Lit workshops with fall gardening tips, book clubs to join, and a ton of writing and publishing workshops!