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St. Johns County Public Library
August 2025 Newsletter

The St. Johns County Public Library System encourages a love of literature, the arts, and lifelong learning by providing a variety of information, resources, and entertainment to the community. 
Connect, Learn, Enjoy @ Your Library
 
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New & Noteworthy

Message from Library Director Debra Rhodes Gibson
Growing up in the Motor City, I learned early that an engine is made up of many moving parts. The same is true for the workings of the St. Johns County Public Library System. Many people come together to run the Library, both in the spaces you see and behind the scenes. Staff and volunteers work hard to ensure that you, the community, have a safe, clean, high-quality environment in which to spend your time. We value your time, and so we make sure the Library is set up to meet your needs and that staff are available to answer your questions.
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SJCPLS Announces St. Johns Reads 2026 Book
We are pleased to announce that our book selection for St. Johns Reads 2026 is "An Immense World" by Ed Yong! 
 
In An Immense World, Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Ed Yong takes us beyond the limits of human perception to explore how animals experience the world through senses both familiar and strange, from echolocation and ultraviolet vision to magnetic and electric fields. With vivid storytelling and infectious curiosity, Yong reveals that our reality is just a narrow slice of a much larger, richer sensory world teeming all around us.
 
An Immense World is available in both Adult and Young Adult editions in print, as well as in e-book and e-audiobook formats on Libby.
 
In its 22nd year, St. Johns Reads is the St. Johns County Public Library System's annual "One Book, One Community" event focused on creating a shared conversation on a selected novel. St. Johns Reads is proudly supported by the Friends of the Library groups. We can't wait for January 2026, when we'll all come together for this special community event!

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Local Businesses Invited to Join Library Card Sign-Up Month Discount Program
We are pleased to invite local businesses and organizations to participate in our second annual Community Connections program! Held throughout the month of September 2025 in celebration of Library Card Sign-Up Month, this initiative strengthens community ties by encouraging library cardholders to support local businesses.
 
Community Connections is a unique partnership where participating businesses offer a discount or special promotion to anyone who presents a SJCPLS library card during September. In return, businesses gain increased visibility through the library’s promotional efforts, reaching over 100,000 cardholders across print and digital platforms.
 
Program Dates: September 1–30, 2025
Offer: A discount or special promotion for SJCPLS library cardholders
Sign-Up Deadline (for print materials): August 9, 2025
Final Submission Deadline: August 31, 2025
 
Interested businesses and organizations can confirm participation by completing the online registration form. For more information, visit our website or email sjcpls@tblc.lib.answers.com.

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Submit Your Business

Labor Day Closure
In observance of Labor Day, all SJCPLS libraries will be closed on Monday, Sept. 1. Libraries will resume their normal operating hours on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Bookdrops will remain open, and our virtual services such as e-books, downloadables, and databases are available 24/7.
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Two books
SJCPLS Highlights

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Smarter Studying Starts Here
Peterson’s Test and Career Prep is an online learning resource that offers a central hub for standardized test prep, college planning, career assessment, job searches, and more.
 
Test prep resources help users prepare for a variety of standardized exams or tests, including:
  • SAT
  • PSAT
  • ACT
  • AP
  • GRE
  • ASVAB
  • and many more. 
Students can also find college planning tools, including school search and a scholarship search. Plus, learners can find additional materials to brush up on foundational skills math and science, reading and writing, and computer technology to support their future endeavors.
Explore Peterson's
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Join Our Library Advisory Board
Are you passionate about libraries and community service? Now's your chance to make a difference! We are seeking enthusiastic individuals to join our
Library Advisory Board. We are currently accepting applications for one regular member from District 2, as well as two At-Large members.
 
As a board member, you'll have the opportunity to:
  • Share your ideas and support the growth of our library services
  • Advocate for the library within our community
  • Play a key role in the establishment, operation, and maintenance of our public library system
 
If you are interested, visit the Boards and Committees page on the County's website to learn more about the requirements and duties or to download an application. For more information, call the Board of County Commissioners' office at 904.209.0300 or email boccoffice@sjcfl.us. 
 
Don't miss this chance to shape the future of our community's library service!
Learn More
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Celebrating a Summer of Stories and Color
As our 2025 Summer Reading Program, Color Our World, comes to a close, we want to thank all the kids, teens, and families who made this summer so fun, creative, and full of imagination.
 
From picture books to chapter books to graphic novels, your excitement for reading brought our library to life. Whether you filled out reading logs, joined us for programs, or just found a quiet corner to enjoy a book, you helped make this summer something special.
 
We loved seeing how you colored our world with stories, and we can’t wait to see you back at the library for more fun this fall!
 
— Your SJCPLS Library Team
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Back-to-School Success with Top Resources from Your Library
It's almost time to venture back to the classroom. Explore your library's research and learning tools for the best school year yet! Head to the library, or visit our Kids and Teens pages on sjcpls.org for online resources such as live tutoring, virtual study rooms, trustworthy research databases, and more tools for students.
 
Need additional help? Text, chat, or email us through our helpful Ask-a-Librarian service. Let the library be your partner in learning this year!

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Share Your Library Story

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Tell us how SJCPLS has impacted you
There are stories everywhere you turn in a library, but the one that matters most is your story. We want to hear about how SJCPLS has impacted you, your family, friends, or community. By sharing your library story, you are helping to show others how libraries strengthen our communities and our futures!
Tell Your Story

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St. Johns County Public Library System
6670 US 1 South St Augustine, FL 32086
Phone: 904-827-6900
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