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  • BlogHeader_Top10_2020-01

    Top 10 Circulating Titles of 2020

    From modern classics, to the latest in popular fiction, Orange County Library System customers read a surprisingly diverse selection of titles in 2020. Here were the most popular checkouts from across the system this year:     1. Where the Crawdads Sing / Delia Owens   Originally published in 2018, Delia Owens’ sprawling novel, Where the Crawdads Sing continues…

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  • Preschool Fun: Snowmen!

    Preschool Fun: Snowmen!

    Do you want to build a snowman? I do! Let’s go have some fun! These activities are based on Every Child Ready to Read, which helps our friends learn pre-reading skills. We’ll cover Reading, Writing, Talking, Singing and Playing.   TALKING: What color are snowmen? What are they made from? What is on their heads?…

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  • EarlyLiteracyCalendars-01

    #OCLSReads: 2021 Early Childhood Literacy Calendars

    Now available! Our 2021 Early Learning Calendar, which includes twelve months of learning activities, book lists and nursery rhymes. One side has a calendar with a fun skills-building activity for every day of the month, and the other contains supplementary content like nursery rhymes, early literacy tips, song lyrics and suggested reading material. Scan the provided QR…

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  • Great Short Story Collections to Keep You Occupied

    Great Short Story Collections to Keep You Occupied

    In a variety of contexts, storytellers are obligated to provide readers, or audiences, with engrossing tales of struggle, love, tragedy, comedy and horror. Some storytellers write these stories within the span of 400 pages while other writers choose to write these same types of stories in less than 100 pages. In either case, the result is…

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  • Our History Speaks Volumes: Bookmobile

    Our History Speaks Volumes: Bookmobile

    On November 22 1949, Orlando Public Library, in partnership with Sorosis Club of Orlando, unveiled Orange County’s first mobile library: A $6,000 Studebaker bus uniquely equipped to deliver library services to the outlying areas of Orange County. At the time, there were only three library locations within the county, and they were mostly centralized to the…

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  • From the Director, November 2020

    From the Director, November 2020

    November is a month for reflection. It’s a time when our thoughts turn inward, to focus on the goodness in our lives. It’s a time to be with our friends and our families to share food and conversation. It’s a time for togetherness and a time to give thanks.  For many people, it’s going to be…

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  • DIY Film Festival: Author Biopics

    DIY Film Festival: Author Biopics

    Learn about the lives of some of 20th century’s greatest writers with these compelling biopics, available for free from Orange County Library System on DVD and our digital streaming platforms.   American Splendor (DVD) In American Splendor, Paul Giamatti lovingly portrays Harvey Pekar, the real-life vanguard for underground comic book storytelling. The film charts Pekar’s…

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  • 10 Bookish Instagram Accounts You Should Be Following

    10 Bookish Instagram Accounts You Should Be Following

    It’s safe to say social media has become a big part of our daily routine in the past few months. These platforms have helped keep us connected with each other in beautifully, creative way.  One of our favorite social platforms, Instagram, allows for over a billion users all around the world to share photos and…

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  • 6LatinxAuthors-01

    6 Latinx Authors to Read During Hispanic Heritage Month

    In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we gathered just a few of the most meaningful books written by Latinx authors we’ve read in our lifetimes. This is an ideal time to pick up a new-to-you book and explore the varied, complex experiences of Latinx authors and the characters they’ve brought to life in these stories.…

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  • Zooming with Kelly

    Zooming with Kelly

    This month we continue our Big Read celebration of Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link with programming related to this eclectic collection of short stories. Prior to kicking off our celebration, the Pulitzer-nominated author chatted with us via Zoom, from her home in Northampton, Massachusetts, for a bonus episode of the library’s podcast Shelf Centered. What…

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Independence Day Closing

Orange County Library System will be closed Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. The library system will resume normal business hours on Friday, July 5. View a complete list of holiday closures >