The school year has begun, and you might be looking for things to help your student learn, study, and have fun this year! The library has physical and online resources available to students.

ACPL Connect

Did you know that most K-12 students in Alamance County already have a library card through our ACPL Connect program? They simply use their lunch number or ID number as their library card number, and the last four digits as their PIN. If your child doesn’t know their lunch number, simply give us a call or come by the library and we can look it up for you.

ABC Mouse

Your child has FREE access to ABC Mouse through the library. There are several ways to access ABC Mouse – from the library computers, from your personal devices, or through the ABC Mouse app. Visit our Kids page on our website for links and information on how to use the app!

Educational Resource Kits

Do you want to teach your child about money, or the 50 states, or how circuits work? The library has educational kits to check out on a variety of subjects. These are great for homeschool families, and families wanting to supplement what their children are learning in school, and for curious kids! Each kit has a suggested age range, and we have kits for preschool through middle school children. Our website has a list of available kits.

Paws for Reading

Did you know that reading to a therapy dog is proven to help children with their reading skills? Dogs don’t judge or correct; they just love! Mebane, Graham, and May Memorial all have Paws for Reading programs each month. You must register ahead of time for a 15-minute slot, and we usually have a waiting list for each date. Visit our website calendar to see when the next Paws for Reading program is at your branch and call to register.

Storytimes and Programs

The libraries have weekly storytimes for Baby/Toddlers and Preschoolers, and monthly programs for elementary, middle, and high school students. Most storytimes are at 10:30 a.m., but we do also have an afternoon storytime at Graham once a month. Programs for school-aged children typically begin between 4 and 5 p.m. We also have programs each weekend, from Make and Takes and Lego Fun to Anime Senpai and Pretend Play Day. Visit our calendar to see what we have for your kids!

NC Kids and Level Up! Digital Libraries

Sometimes, you can’t make it to the library to pick up a physical book. Sometimes, you need an audiobook for a long car ride. Sometimes you want your kids to have access to more books than our physical library has. Thankfully, we have access to NC Kids Digital Library and Level Up! Digital Library through NC Live. With your library card, you can download books to phones, tablets and computers. These libraries give you access to picture books, read-along books (with audio), easy readers, early chapter books, chapter and middle grade books, and audiobooks.

Just for Kids Videos

Are you looking for an alternative to YouTube Kids? Just For Kids Videos have educational and fun children’s television shows, movies, games, and children’s book videos, all with no ads. Learn about Genghis Khan, play a game to learn all 50 states, learn ASL, listen to a storybook, solve a mystery, and listen to music from different countries!

Launchpads

Launchpads are tablets with preloaded games, apps, and more. We have Launchpads for preschoolers that can help them prepare for Kindergarten, Launchpads focused on STEM, Launchpads full of books and literary games, Launchpads to help you learn a new language, and Launchpads with brain games. These check out just like a book, and for the same checkout period (3 weeks). Visit our catalog to see the list of Launchpads, and put one on hold today!

Online Resources

Our Online Resources page links to all of the databases and applications you can access for free using your library card. Want to learn a new language? Try Transparent Language. Do you need to do research for a school paper? Check out SIRS Discoverer for elementary and middle school kids and SIRS Issues Researcher for high school students. Use Mathway to go through a math problem step by step and find the answer. Take classes in Khan Academy. Learn coding through Fiero Code. Learn about colleges and careers with Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center and Learning Express Library.

Mary Beth A. is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries.

Shaffer, Meg. The Book Witch. New York, NY : Ballantine Books, 2026.

Content Warnings: Grief, Death of Parent

“The fictional characters we love stamp their names on our hearts. They show us how to fight our battles, how to change, how to make it to page three hundred a different person than we were on page one.”

Think of your favorite fiction book (or one of your favorites, if it’s too hard to narrow it down). Who was your favorite character? How did encountering their story make you a better person, or at least a different person? The relationships we form with our favorite books and the characters within them can feel larger than life, just as real as those with our friends or family. What if you discovered that you meant just as much to your favorite book character as they did to you – and that maybe the distinction between real and fictional wasn’t as clear cut as you once thought?

Rainy March, third-generation Book Witch, is very good at her job. Well, parts of it. She’s incredibly good at a Book Witch’s main mission: protecting works of fiction from harm, whether that comes in the form of tracking down errant heroines who have wandered from Jane Austen’s pages in search of a more modern scene, or valiantly facing off against Burners, those who attempt to use whatever means necessary to censor and rid the world of books they deem dangerous or unfit. With her cat familiar by her side and magical umbrella in hand, Rainy magically and skillfully jumps into and out of stories, working in both the real world and fictional ones to fulfill her missions. She’s not quite as good, however, at following Book Witch rules about real people belonging in the real world and fictional characters belonging in their fictional worlds – particularly when it comes to a certain fictional character, the Duke of Chicago. The pair have been forbidden from seeing each other after falling in love two years ago. But when Rainy’s grandfather disappears while on a secret mission, Duke is the only person Rainy trusts enough to turn to for help. As they follow an ever-increasingly confusing web of clues, Rainy and Duke begin to uncover long-buried secrets and to discover that the boundary between their worlds may be thinner than they ever dared dream.

This is one of my favorite books I’ve read this year and possibly ever. I picked it up because the grown-up library kid in me would jump at the chance to go through the wardrobe to Narnia or to join Jack and Annie in their magic tree house. There are countless books from various points in my life that I’d love to hop into and spend an afternoon. Once I started reading, I found that beyond being an enjoyable read and an intriguing mystery, both of which it is, this book feels very timely. Now more than ever, many feel the need for a hero like Rainy March, Book Witch to swoop in and save the day amid the ever-present threat of book bans and censorship of all kinds. Yet Shaffer’s message of hope goes beyond merely wishing for a caped crusader, or one with a magical umbrella, as it may be. At its heart, this book is a love letter to books and reading, to the shared yet individual experience of connecting with a story so deeply that it feels like magic. It leaves you changed, more empathetic. More human. And isn’t that worth protecting?

Joan H.-C. is a Library Assistant in Children’s Services at May Memorial Library

Hispanic Heritage Month is September 15-October 15, 2026! This year’s theme is: Unidos, Somos Más (Together, We Are More). Below you’ll find some great books to share with your children to learn the history and culture of Latin Americans!

Sebi and the Land of Cha Cha Cha by Roselyn Sanchez

Sebi is excited to be a part of El Carnaval Latino, but her mother said she’s too young to dance! A Cotorra bird invites her and her friend to an enchanted land where she can dance to her heart’s content. Learn about Latin dances, including the cha cha, merengue, and the samba, with this beautiful book.

La Mala Suerte is Following Me by Ana Siqueira

Bad luck? Miguel doesn’t believe in it. But his abuela tells him opening an umbrella indoors will bring La Mala Suerte (Mrs. Bad Luck), and sure enough, he falls down, he fails a test, and he can’t block a shot in soccer. What can he do to get his good luck back and get rid of La Mala Suerte? This book uses both Spanish and English words to tell the story, and shows how superstitions are universal!

Definitely Dominguita: Knight of the Cape by Terry Catasús Jennings

This is the first of a series of early chapter books about a spunky Cuban American girl who loves to read and is looking for adventure. She loves the classics that she and her abuela used to read in Spanish before she moved away. In this first book, she decides she wants to be a knight like Don Quixote and do good deeds in her community. The class bully tells her that girls can’t be knights, but Dominguita and her friends are determined to prove him wrong.

Omega Morales and the Curse of El Cucuy by Laekan Zea Kemp

Omega can influence the emotions of supernatural creatures. When a new creature arrives on Día de los Muertos, she feels nothing but overwhelming darkness. Soon children go missing, and Omega and her friends realize that they are dealing with El Cucuy, the boogeyman. Can they save the day? Kids will love learning about the myths and monsters from a different culture.

Maximilian and the Curse of the Fallen Angel: a Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller by Xavier Garza

Max’s uncle, a famous luchador, is retiring. Max wants to take over the role, but not quite yet – he’s only 14! But the Guardian Angel’s last match with a new wrestler may sink his reputation before Max even gets a chance to wrestle! This book is in Spanish and English and is a lot of fun for those who love Lucha Libre.

Secrets We Tell the Sea by Martha Riva Palacio Obón

Sofia’s mother sent her to live with her abuela near the sea, seemingly choosing her boyfriend over her daughter. The one good thing is that Sofia feels affinity to the sea, picturing herself as a mermaid, her fierce abuela as a sea dragon, her mother’s boyfriend as a barracuda, and her mother as a flying fish. The ocean makes much more sense to her than humans. When a hurricane hits, it throws her entire life into disarray. Can she befriend the sea again, and maybe forgive her mother?

Mary Beth A. is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries.

Jones, Tayari. An American Marriage. Chapel Hill, North Carolina : Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2018.

Content Warning: abortion, statutory rape, incarceration, grief/loss

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones is a captivating and emotionally layered novel about newlyweds Celestial and Roy, who seem to embody the promise of the American Dream. Roy is a rising young executive, while Celestial is a talented artist on the verge of a breakthrough in her career. Their future together feels full of possibility until everything changes when Roy is wrongfully arrested and sentenced to 12 years in prison for a crime Celestial knows he did not commit.

As Roy serves his sentence, Celestial is left to navigate the emotional weight of a marriage that barely had time to fully form. Over time, distance and circumstance strain their connection, and she eventually finds comfort in Andre, her childhood friend. Just as she begins to rebuild her life, Roy’s conviction is unexpectedly overturned, forcing all three of them to confront love, loyalty, and the consequences of time lost.

Tayari Jones delivers a beautifully written and thought-provoking story that examines marriage, love, and the complexity of human relationships. At its core, the novel is an intimate look at how people can be bound together and also torn apart by forces beyond their control. It is both heartbreaking and honest, leaving readers to wrestle with questions about commitment, forgiveness, and what it truly means to belong to someone.

Chantell is a Circulation Assistant at North Park Library.

“Assistant to the Villain,” by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. Copyright 2023, Shrewbury, PA: Red Tower Books, an imprint of Entangled Publishing (340 pages, $21.00). 

After Hannah Nicole Maehrer took off with her Villain and Assistant characters on TikTok, she dove into writing their stories into Assistant to the Villain and the on-going series. The first book, Assistant to the Villain, introduces Evie Sage as our main heroine. A bit clumsy, a total sunshine character, and willing to take on any employment to support her family. And now enter the employer, The Villain (as he is known throughout most of book one) – a man in his late 20’s who is surly but begrudgingly welcomes Evie’s sunshine tendencies alongside his dark moods. But as Evie continues to work for The Villain, she realizes that someone is trying to take The Villain and his entire empire out! And Evie can’t have that as finding work – a good job – is hard enough as it is! While following one lead after another, Evie and The Villain begin to uncover a more sinister plot for the kingdom of Rennedawn and both begin to question who the true villain is. 

As the series progresses with Apprentice to the Villain, Accomplice to the Villain, and now Adversary to the Villain, Evie and The Villain’s relationship grows and changes; Evie realizes that the kingdom and those ruling are only telling half the story. And now that she’s a part of the prophecy that named The Villain “the villain,” she must dive right in to save her home, herself, and her boss. Join Evie on her journey of self-exploration in this charming workplace comedy set in the cozy fantasy world of Rennedawn where there are villains who maybe aren’t villainous, princes cursed as frogs, and delightful humorous moments written with heart and love. And don’t worry about the first book ending on a cliffhanger – just go ahead and continue the series all the way to book four, which was just released this month. 

Content Warning: Violence, blood, murder, sexual assault, sexual harassment, death, torture, abandonment. 

Kayleigh D. is a Library Technical Processing Assistant at May Memorial Library.

If you’re a fan of books about True Crime, Alamance County Libraries are here for you! We are expanding our collection through patron recommendations, staff selections, and the True Crime and Thriller focused book club, Dying to Read in Mebane. 

Check Out some of the new True Crime additions to the collection!

The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science by Douglas Starr

Examines the arrest and trial of serial murderer Joseph Vacher, discussing how prosecutor Emile Fourquet and Dr. Alexandre Lacassagne used forensic evidence and techniques which were new at the time to catch and convict him.

Winner of the Gold Dagger Award

This House of Grief : the story of a murder trial by Helen Garner

The engrossing, definitive chronicle of an infamous true-crime saga, about a father suspected of murdering his three sons, the trial that gripped a nation, and the brutal spectacle of Australia’s criminal justice system.

The New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice

Infernal machine: a true story of dynamite, terror, and the rise of the modern detective by Steven Johnson

A sweeping account of the anarchists who terrorized the streets of New York and the detective duo who transformed policing to meet the threat—a tale of fanaticism, forensic science, and dynamite

Edgar Award Winner – True Crime

Killer across the table: Unlocking the Secrets of Serial Killers and Predators with the FBI’s Original Mindhunter by John Douglas

The legendary FBI criminal profiler, number-one New York Times bestselling author, and inspiration for the hit Netflix show Mindhunter delves deep into the lives and crimes of four of the most disturbing and complex predatory killers.

The Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and their Creators by Martin Edwards

In this groundbreaking history of crime fiction, acclaimed expert Martin Edwards traces the evolution of the genre from the eighteenth century to the present, offering a brand-new perspective on the world’s most popular form of storytelling.

Multiple Award Winner

Crooked : the roaring twenties tale of a corrupt attorney general, a crusading senator, and the birth of the American political scandal by Nathan Masters

A story of murderers, con artists, secret lovers, spies, bootleggers, and corrupt politicians to its full, page-turning glory. Newly elected to the Senate on a promise to root out corruption, Burton ‘Boxcar Burt’ Wheeler sets his sights on ousting Attorney General Harry Daugherty, puppet-master behind President Harding’s unlikely rise to power. With the muckraking senator hot on his trail, Daugherty turns to his greatest weapon, the nascent Federal Bureau of Investigation, whose eager second-in-command, J. Edgar Hoover, sees opportunity amidst the chaos. 

Adrian Z. is the Branch Manager of Mebane Public Library.

Irving, John. A Prayer for Owen Meany. New York: Morrow, 1989.

If you ever find yourself searching for a book to read, consider picking up a book you loved and reading it again. As staff members of Alamance County Public Libraries, we’re regularly asked to recommend our favorite books for displays featuring staff picks. Every time I’m asked, A Prayer for Owen Meany tops my list.

But here’s the thing: until recently, I hadn’t read it since 1999. Nearly three decades later, I still consider it one of my top ten favorite books of all time. Revisiting it reminded me why some books stay with us long after we’ve turned the final page.

The novel follows the main character, John, and his best friend, Owen Meany, who is known throughout their community for being unusual. Owen has what the book describes as a “wrecked voice,” which is emphasized by John Irving’s choice to write Owen’s dialogue in capital letters. He is also incredibly small and underdeveloped physically, yet he possesses a deep, philosophical mind. This contrast creates an interesting dichotomy within his character.

The central conflict of the story begins when Owen accidentally kills John’s mother during a Little League game by hitting a baseball that strikes her in the head. From this tragic event, the novel explores how the incident affects both John and Owen, as well as their friendship. The story moves back and forth between the past and the present, with an older John reflecting on his childhood and the events that shaped his life.

A Prayer for Owen Meany is an episodic novel, with each chapter focusing on a different significant event or character within the community. At its heart, however, it is a coming-of-age story. The novel is deeply reflective, with themes of faith and fate connecting its many different episodes. Following the death of John’s mother, Owen’s faith grows stronger as he comes to believe that he is an instrument of God. He also becomes convinced that he knows how and when he will die. The rest of the book follows Owen as he accepts what he believes is his fate and trusts that God will use him for a greater purpose.

Jennifer N. is the Public Services Manager at May Memorial Library.

As our littlest patrons get ready for another school year, here are some great books to read with them!

Hegedus, Bethany. Batter up for the first day of school! New York, N.Y. : Viking an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2025.

If your little slugger is anxious about the start of school, this fun rhyming book full of baseball terms and silly puns will make them feel better before sliding into first (period)!

Going, K. L. Big Kids. New York, NY : Little, Brown and Company, 2025.

If your preschooler or kindergartener is scared of the “big kids” at school, this book will set their mind at ease! Big kids are paired with the little kids, and help them with everything from finding their class to getting a pudding cup.

LaRocca, Rajani. Fall is for beginnings. New York, N.Y. : Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025.

For Ravi, fall means school supplies and hanging out with his best friend Joe. But what happens when there’s a new girl, Ellie, who wants to be friends with you, too? At first, Ravi isn’t sure, but with a little help from his sister, he discovers that new friends can be pretty great, too.

Birdsong, Bea. How to grow a family tree. New York : Holiday House, 2025.

Emmylou has a small family. It’s just her and her mom. The family tree assignment has her grumpy and feeling horrible – how can she not have anyone else to add to her tree? But then she realizes that the people she and her mother choose to spend time with and love are her family. This is a great book for any child with a different type of family.

Mata, Niña. New. New York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2025.

What does new mean? For a young Filipina girl, it means new city to navigate, and new stares from people. But it also means new beginnings and a new adventure. Kids beginning a new school will understand how new can feel both scary and exciting.

Agostini, Alliah L. Scarecited on the first day of school. New York, NY : Farrar Straus Giroux, 2025.

Scarecited may be a made-up word, but every kid knows exactly how it feels! Afua feels both scared and excited to be starting school. Can she find the courage to be herself and share her fears and her joy at school?

Mary Beth A. is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries.

Penny, Louise and Fung, Mellissa. The Last Mandarin. New York : Minotaur Books, 2026.

The Last Mandarin chronicles the threats of AI, the interconnected global network, and the suspicion we hold for one another.

Alice has a contentious relationship with her mom, Vivien Li. Vivien is a former Chinese dissident and people’s hero from Tiananmen Square. She is elegant and serious and everything that Alice, who writes a food blog, is not. But when Alice’s friend Liam sends her a strange message, right before every alarm in the world goes off, they are both brought to the White House. Vivian is brought for her expertise on China, and Alice because of her links to Liam, who has been murdered, and is accused of being part of the group that is threatening the world. Thus begins an adventure that leads them to old friends in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and a mandate to find out who is behind the attacks, before the world is destroyed.

I always love Louise Penny’s writing. Her friend Mellissa added her expertise and style to the book, and it made for a can’t put down read! It’s over-the-top and implausible, but its core is the very real threat that AI could be used to hack into systems all over the world. This is a book that might keep you all night, thinking, just one more chapter!

Mary Beth A. is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries.

Did you know that May Memorial Library has a local history room and a genealogy specialist who can help you uncover your family’s history, find records, and explore county history? We invite you to visit the library to browse our physical collection. While some items cannot be checked out, you are welcome to sit and read or make copies.

An interesting item available for use is a microfilm reader, which allows you to view microfilm records on a computer. We also have maps, photographs, postcards, war records, and even school yearbooks.

We have both physical records and the following online resources:

Ancestry Library Edition: With more than 1.5 billion names in over 4,000 databases. Ancestry has information from the US census, military, court, church records, and more. The website is easy to navigate; simply enter a first name, last name, birth year, and/or location to get started. This resource is only accessible from inside the library.

Heritage Quest: An NC Live database that you can access with your library card. Heritage Quest provides access to U.S. census records, books, Revolutionary War service records, and Freedman’s Bank deposit or records.

Community History Archive: Archives of digitized newspapers available online, including Mebane Enterprise, Alamance Gleaner, Alamance News, Alamance-Orange Enterprise, Burlington News, Daily Times-News, Hillsborough Journal, Mebane Leader, News of Orange County, Saturday Times-News, and Sunday Times-News. Available online to view at library locations.

ACPL Genealogy Research Guide: A staff-created guide that includes video tutorials and webinars to assist you in learning how to use various websites and databases. It features PowerPoint presentations covering a range of topics, including the history of Alamance County Public Libraries, textile photographs, cemetery and death records, research on houses, African American history, and more.

Visit the local history room during library hours, and you will be fascinated by the resources we have. If you need assistance, our staff is happy to find the tools you need to begin your research. Check out our Local History & Genealogy webpage for more information or call May Memorial Library at (336) 229-3588.

-Ana A is the Marketing Coordinator for Alamance County Public Libraries.