JMRL blog

The Central Library Children’s Department is hosting a costume swap so every kid can get a new costume this year!   Here’s how it works:  Participate in the swap and help keep kids’ costumes out of landfills!  Because most costumes are made from polyester and plastics and are not recyclable, each year roughly 2,000 tons of […]

Brown Baggers book club met on Thursday, August 17 to discuss Horse by Geraldine Brooks. With a mind-boggling depth of research, Brooks used fictional characters to bring this story of an enslaved groom named Jarret, a gallery owner named Martha, and contemporary professionals studying the historic horse, Lexington, truly to life. We learned so much […]

JMRL Strategic Planning Survey The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library (JMRL) and the Library Board of Trustees have begun work on the Library’s next strategic plan, covering Fiscal Years 2025-2029. JMRL’s strategic plan charts a path for the Library to best meet its mission in service to the people of Albemarle, Charlottesville, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson. JMRL […]

Books on Tap met August 3 at Beer Run to discuss The Gifted School (published 2019) by local resident and UVA professor Bruce W. Holsinger. One of our members has a personal connection to Professor Holsinger as she is a former student of his. For some attendees this was a re-read, as Central Library’s Brown […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jennifer MacAdam-Miller, jmacadammiller@jmrl.org, 434-979-7151 x6676 Friends of JMRL Selected for Award from Virginia Library Association CHARLOTTESVILLE, August 18, 2023 – JMRL is pleased to announce that the Friends of JMRL have been selected to receive the 2023 Friends of the Library Award from the Virginia Library Association (VLA). The award is […]

The Central Library Brown Baggers discussed Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad on July 20th. (While the member who suggested this title took full ownership of the selection, he also reminded everyone that titles are suggested and then voted on as a group.) For some it was a reread, while for many others it was […]

Books on Tap discussed The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan at Beer Run on July 6th.   A lively discussion of this light summer read ensued.  With our staff/blog writer on vacation, we are pleased to share, with permission, a summary of our discussion posted by one of our regular attendees who has a […]

JMRL welcomes the Library of Virginia’s LVA On the Go to Nelson Memorial Library, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, August 12. LVA On the Go is a state-of-the-art vehicle that tours the commonwealth to enhance awareness of the Library of Virginia’s collections and resources, strengthen ties to local organizations, capture stories and histories from community […]

Brown Baggers book club met Thursday, June 15 at Central Library to discuss The Maid by Nita Prose. This has been a popular book with wide appeal. Mystery readers will find instant appeal in the mysterious murder, and those who generally don’t love mysteries will gravitate toward the heartwarming characters, especially Molly, the main character, […]

Six months ago, 70-year-old Larry Scott had never used a computer. “To be honest, I was scared,” he now admits.   Then, a new job at Habitat for Humanity challenged Scott to push past his fears. His supportive supervisor, Lakeshia Washington, reached out to Adult Services Librarian Abby Davis at JMRL’s Central Library to see if […]

Books on Tap book club met Thursday, June 1 at Beer Run to discuss Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. Published in 1945, this book is a far cry from contemporary fiction, showing its age in a few different ways (old-timey style/structure, an outdated portrayal of an Asian character). But age isn’t all bad – we […]

Brown Baggers book club met on Thursday, May 18 at noon to discuss Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead. This book was described as “capturing the mood of Harlem 1960s perfectly” and “upbeat and enjoyable, despite a grim, corrupt reality.” Ray Carney, a furniture salesman, becomes embroiled in the criminal underworld of heists. With each robbery, […]