Research and technology help available at the library

Student gets help at the circulation desk in the library.The Central Piedmont library is here to help with all kinds of support so you can be successful in your classes.

The library can help with research assistance, citations, and digital technology assistance, including Brightspace help. You can also email questions.

Borrow a Chromebook from the Library

Student types on a chromebook.Set yourself up for success! Central Piedmont’s Library has chromebooks you can borrow, for a few hours, or a semester. Limited quantities are available at each campus.
Graphing calculators may also available for check-out, for up to four hours.

You will be able to borrow equipment based on availability of items, and your previous equipment check-out status. Please bring your student ID card.

Slam Poetry Showcase April 26

Bluz Rogers in a CLT hoodie.Central Piedmont Community College Library Services and Student Engagement are hosting a Slam Poetry Showcase on Wednesday, April 26 from 11a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Central Campus, by the Parr Center Collaboration Stairs.

Slam poetry master Bluz Rogers (Instagram: @bluzbluzbluz) will be our emcee! Do you have an original slam poetry piece you want to share? Register at this link to showcase your piece.

Don’t have any poetry to share? Please come and watch! Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Library Virtual Reality Workshops

Two people standing back to back wearing virtual reality headsets that cover their eyes and holding video controllers.You are invited to the Library to learn about Virtual Reality Technology. Virtual Reality (VR) can enhance your academic journey, as well as unleash your creative side!

Library staff will review safety procedures, guide you through an interactive tutorial, and go over what software is offered.

Workshops will begin the week of March 27 and run for three weeks through April 14.

Virtual Reality Workshops Schedule:

Central Monday: 5-6 p.m. Thursday: 1-2 p.m.
Harper Monday: 10-11 a.m. Thursday:  1-2 p.m.
Harris Tuesday: 12-1 p.m. Thursday: 11a.m.-12 p.m.
Levine Wednesday: 10-11 a.m. Friday: 10-11 a.m.

 

Apply for the Theresa Thompson Library Scholarship

outside view of Harper IV, a large Central Piedmont building with a brick facade and many windows. The sun shines from behind the building.The Theresa Thompson Library Scholarship was established to provide financial assistance for students pursuing a two-year degree at Central Piedmont and currently enrolled full time. The scholarship is restricted to books and/or tuition assistance. This scholarship award is made possible through library fundraising projects.

  • One $500 scholarship is awarded in the fall and spring semester.
  • Scholarships are awarded for one academic semester and cannot be renewed or transferred to a different semester.
  • If awarded a scholarship, the funds will be deposited directly into your Central Piedmont account once enrollment qualification is verified.

Deadline to apply: Monday, April 10, 2023

Log into the Academic Works scholarship portal for more information and application.

‘Parallel Lives’ highlights history of Central High and Second Ward High Schools

Old photos of the two high schools and various photos of the students playing sports and gathering.

The Central Piedmont Archives is proud to announce the opening of the exhibition: “Parallel Lives – Central High and Second Ward High School.” This exhibition highlights the centennial history of Central High and Second Ward High Schools (both opened in 1923), celebrates the memories of its students and alumni groups, and raises awareness about the importance of historical preservation and landmarks laws in North Carolina.

Central High School and Second Ward High School were built to fulfill the growing educational needs of Charlotte students in the early twentieth century; Second Ward High School serving Black students and Central High School serving White students. It was not until 1957 that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools would integrate Black and White students. With Central High situated along Elizabeth Avenue and Second Ward along Alexander Street, the schools were within walking distance from one another. However, students shared similar, yet separate, experiences due to segregation.

Exactly 100 years after the construction of these buildings, Central High’s facility remains standing as part of the Central Campus of Central Piedmont Community College, while the Second Ward gymnasium and a historical marker plaque are all that remain of Second Ward High School— physical reminders which serve as testaments to the importance of landmarks preservation.

Visitors can see this exhibition in person until May 8, 2023 by visiting the exhibition hallway next to the Central Piedmont Archives (Central Campus, Parr Center, Hagemeyer Library, Third Floor).

Can’t make it in person? Review the exhibition online.

The exhibit was made possible due to partners from Johnson C. Smith University, UNC Charlotte, the Second Ward High School National Alumni Foundation, and the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room. Additionally, thank you to Central Piedmont Instructor of Real Estate Education Cynthia White Williams, her mother Vernie Johnson-White, and her father Randolph White for loaning Second Ward yearbooks to this exhibition project.

“Speed friendshipping” at Cato

two friends chat comfortably together on campus at a tableEnjoy meeting new people? Do you want to build friendships? Have you always wondered if there were people out there who may have something in common with you? If so, we invite you to come to our Speed Friendshipping event.

This event is being hosted in conjunction with the Central Piedmont Library and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Community Read collaboration.

The selected book is “The People We Keep” by Alison Larkin.

  • March 23
  • 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
  • Cato Campus, Cato III, Library, Room 315

Questions? Call 704.330.4818

Finding My Voice: Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories

women hugging

Do you have an awakening and transformational story to tell?

In recognition of Women’s History Month and the theme, “Finding My Voice: Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Central Piedmont Library invites you to join us for a special Word of Mouth Storytelling event. Come share your story about how you triumphed, overcame obstacles and discovered YOUR voice.

Register by March 3 to participate and share your story.
Sign up in the Google form. 

  • March 14 | 11 a.m.- 12 p.m. | Central Campus, Parr Center, Hagemeyer Library
  • March 21 | 1- 2 p.m. | Merancas Campus, Merancas 4-122
  • March 22 | 12- 1 p.m. | Cato Campus, Cato III, Multipurpose Room
  • March 22 | 12- 1 p.m. | Harper Campus, Harper IV-300
  • March 23 | 12:30-  1:30 p.m. | Levine Campus, Levine 2601
  • March 29 | 2- 3 p.m. | Harris Campus, Harris I – 2100

Get Creative in the ‘Makerspace’

Workbench with cricut machine and laser engraver, 3D printers and tables with sewing machines.Check out the new makerspace at Central Piedmont Library in the Parr Center! A makerspace is a collaborative work space that allows you to take your idea for a project and leave with a finished product. The makerspace at the Central Campus Library offers 3D printing, laser engraving and cutting, sewing and embroidery, vinyl cutting, large format printing, and an array of arts and craft supplies to help you get started making your project.

Review our makerspace guide for more information and all the available equipment.

Library Book Sale – Book Donations Needed

Please consider donating gently used books to the Central Piedmont Library book sale. We are particularly interested in recent fiction and textbooks.

Donations may be dropped off at Central Campus Library in the Parr Center or dropped off to any campus library to be sent through Campus Mail.

All proceeds from the book sale go toward the Theresa Thompson Library Scholarship.

For more information about donations, please email Olga Sandler or Jonathan Carter.

Central Piedmont Black History Month events

Since its conception as National Negro Week in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Wooden, the month of February is a special time for individuals around the world to acknowledge, remember and share the enriching African-American experience as part of American history, to help foster more equity and inclusion, and to embrace America’s diversity. Learn more about the origins of Black History Month and this year’s theme: Black Resistance.

Upcoming Black History Month events

Tangled & Twisted: Understanding the Dynamics of Black Hair

Join us for an engaging and enlightening presentation on the history, social and political stigmas and unspoken implications about ‘black hair’- a double-headed cultural enigma that is too often stereotyped and misunderstood.

This presentation will be facilitated by Ms. LaTika “Tika” Mercer, a former adjunct instructor at Central Piedmont’s nationally recognized cosmetology program and co-owner of Lucky You Salon and Suites.

Wednesday, Feb. 8
10:30 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Central Campus, North Classroom Building, Room 1123 (Auditorium)
Link: http://tiny.cc/tangledandtwisted


Tangled & Twisted: Traveling Exhibition

A rotating visual exhibit featuring educational information and various hair styles designed by creative students in the cosmetology program will also be on display. The exhibit will be featured in each Central Piedmont campus library:

Feb. 6- 10:  Central & Levine Campuses

Feb. 13- 17: Harris & Cato Campuses

Feb. 20- 24: Harper & Merancas Campuses


Black Resistance: Forms of Opposition 1600s-1800s

Through the lens of history, music, psychology, and literature, discussion about forms of opposition from enslaved people from the lens of history, music, psychology, and literature. Join us for this in person and live-streamed event to gain insight on how black resistance from this time period still influences perceptions in today’s world.

Panelists include Central Piedmont faculty and staff:
Nerlynn Etienne, moderator.
Panelists: Dr. Denise Spruill, Kenneth Woodruff and Linteno Savedge.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Central Campus, North Classroom Building, Room 1123 (Auditorium)
Link: http://tiny.cc/BlackResistance


All programs are FREE to attend. These programs are sponsored in collaboration with Central Piedmont Library, Behavioral & Social Science Department, Cosmetology Program, Single Stop, and Student Engagement.

‘Archival Photos Reimagined’ exhibit opening at Library

Archives are more than just a collection of old papers, photographs, and artifacts. They provide windows into the past, making them valuable resources for learning our history and its lessons.
They can also be sources of inspiration for creative expression. What was once a static black-and-white photograph can become a springboard for a creative sketch, illustration, or painting.
That’s the idea behind Archival Photos Reimagined, a collaborative project between the Central Piedmont Archives and the Visual Arts Club that encourages members of the Central Piedmont community to create works of art inspired by our photographs and publications collections.
Opening on February 6, we invite you to visit the exhibition in the Archives Reading Room, where you will find a display of artworks incorporating elements from the archival photos that inspired them and varying in style, medium, and subject matter.
WHEN:
February 6 – May 9, 2023
Mondays – Thursdays, 8:30 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Fridays, 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.
WHERE:
Central Campus, Parr Center, Hagemeyer Library, Third Floor, Archives (Room 3250)
The exhibition will also be available to view online, starting on February 6.
For more information, please contact Johnamarie Macias at johnamarie.macias@cpcc.edu.

Struggling with technology?

Do you want to be more comfortable with technology and learn more skills so you can be successful in your classes? The Digital Literacy Learning Space from the Central Piedmont Library is here to assist you.

The Digital Literacy Learning Space provides student-centered technology training and digital literacy assessments to help you develop essential technology skills. We offer individual and group technology training appointments to discuss, review, and resolve your immediate needs.

Training sessions are offered face-to-face at each of our six campus libraries and online, using WebEx or Google Meet. Make an appointment on the Library appointment site.

Family Genealogy Research Workshop

Family tree with open windows growing out of a book. Curious about your searching your family history, but you are unsure where to start?

Central Piedmont Libraries will host a Genealogy Research Workshop in-person on Thursday, February 9 from 1- 2 p.m. The workshops will be held in the Parr Center at Central Campus, Hagemeyer Library, Room 3220.

Join us for a fun, hands-on session where we will teach you genealogy research tips and tricks. Registration is not required and the event is free to attend. We hope to see you there!

For more information, please email Erin.Allsop@cpcc.edu or Johnamarie.Macias@cpcc.edu.

How to get Central Piedmont Library support

Need help?  Do you know that you can ask Central Piedmont Library?

Walk-in, chat, and text: all locations feature diverse staff at service desks and via online chat or text ready to help with quick questions.

Appointments/email: for additional support, appointments can be made for research assistance, citation help, and digital technology assistance, including Brightspace help. You can also email questions.