The library's next chapter
Plus: Bishop weighs in on Charlotte Catholic dispute; Old Little League scoreboard restored; Toppman on Theatre Charlotte's 'Violet'; 40 Over 40 judges; Ledger Election Hub in pitch competition
Good morning! Today is Monday, March 31, 2025. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
Need to subscribe — or upgrade your Ledger e-newsletter subscription? Details here.
Today's Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by SouthernEEZ Landscaping:
SouthernEEZ is the year-round choice of HOA, multi-family & commercial properties, and builders & homeowners across the Charlotte-Fort Mill-Rock Hill metro. Upfront pricing. Locally owned & operated. Licensed, bonded and insured.
Interview: Charlotte’s top librarian, Marcellus Turner, on building a modern library system, putting art into libraries and eliminating barriers to access
Charlotte Mecklenburg CEO and Chief Librarian Marcellus Turner says the “romantasy” book genre that mixes romance and fantasy is popular among library-goers these days. He spoke with The Ledger’s Cristina Bolling (left) at The Sharon at SouthPark retirement community this month. (Turner says he recommends “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas.)
Marcellus Turner first experienced the joys of library work when he was assigned to help out in his school’s library as a 4th-grader in Mississippi.
Fast-forward to a decade later, and Turner, who goes by “MT,” rediscovered the passion during grad school, ditching a speech pathology and audiology degree for one in library sciences. His career took him to universities and public library systems from Atlantic City, N.J., to Seattle, and in 2021, he came to Charlotte as the CEO and chief librarian of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system.
Over the last four years, Turner has been overseeing tremendous growth within the library system, from new library locations and major renovations to construction on a massive new main library that’s set to open on Tryon Street in uptown in 2026.
He sat down with Ledger managing editor Cristina Bolling recently at The Sharon at SouthPark retirement community for a chat about what’s happening and what lies ahead for the library system.
The conversation was recorded for The Charlotte Ledger Podcast. (You can listen to the podcast episode below.)
Here are six interesting highlights of the conversation, in Turner’s own words. His comments have been lightly edited for brevity.
🟦 On the need for new — and bigger — library branches:
We have 21 libraries in our system. We had a facilities master plan done right when I arrived, and it revealed that we needed 31 libraries to meet the needs of this city. I won’t see 10 libraries built, but over time, we are scheduled to add 10 more.
We have locations we call library deserts — locations within Mecklenburg County that just aren’t served well by a library. We have a premise that any resident should be 15 minutes from a location.
In the case of the (new) University City Regional Library, for example, we’re doing so much more than what we were traditionally doing. Yes, there was a need for more books, technology, computers, but we needed meeting spaces. We had a large community room, but we also needed some study rooms.
The University City library went from about 23,000 square feet to 36,000 square feet. It has a second floor to it, and it has a horse inside of it. If you've never seen a horse in a library, I encourage you to go see it. It's actually a piece of art — a stunning piece.
🟦 On key features of the new main library that’s set to open in 2026:
It will be six floors, with one floor below ground level for staff. We will have an atrium that opens all the way up to the fifth floor with a skylight so light will come in. The building will be smaller than the former building, but it will be all public. There will be no offices for me or any of the administrative team — they will be off-site. This will truly be a public-serving facility.
There was a Romare Bearden (art) piece that was hanging in the former main library, and it will come back to the new main library. We have a wonderful piece of public art that is being commissioned by Tiffany Massey, who’s out of Detroit.
It will also have a cafe and a maker space for those who love to tinker. We will have an immersive theater and a digital visualization lab, which is a lab with a 270-degree panoramic view of screens where you can come in and look at information transferred across those images. For those of you who remember the Robinson Spangler Carolina Room, where we keep the history of Mecklenburg County, that will come back into this building with a bigger space.
We’ll have 15 meeting rooms or meeting spaces, some of them two-seaters for people who just want to work independently. But we can seat up to 40 people in our meeting room. And then on the fifth floor is just a big open space. During down times, we will be able to have pop-up programs and services there. Should there be a need for someone to host an event up there, we can seat up to 220 people on that floor.
🟦 On the changing role of libraries:
I have one role, one mission, one job: to ensure that Charlotte Mecklenburg Library makes a difference in the lives of our users. Over the years and over time, libraries have had to adapt to how we provide access to information. We provide information in book format, but we also do it in programs. Everyone doesn’t want to read a book to learn. They want to come in and hear from speakers, hear from authors.
We also know that people want to engage with each other. They don’t want to just come and listen. After they hear a great speaker, they want to be able to go and talk to them about it.
And then there is access to technology. There are many people in our community who do not have computers, or who do not know how to use computers. We do a lot of teaching in our libraries with that. We are also one of the last sources where you can find accurate information. We have tons of books on every topic, and as I often say, we have something to offend everyone.
🟦 On incorporating art into the inside and outside of library spaces:
We’re very fortunate that we have a long history of having art in our libraries. As we are building new libraries, we’re looking for funding to bring more art. Three of our recent locations with art added to them are our Pineville library, our library on South Boulevard and our Plaza Midwood library, which is currently closed for renovation.
We were able to secure some funding that allowed us to work with local artists. It has done a couple of things: One, it has created more beauty in each of our libraries. It has also given us an opportunity to work with the arts community, and we will look for more opportunities to bring art into our buildings. We are very fortunate that we partner with the Arts & Science Council to identify a lot of the artists.
🟦 On the decision to do away with library fines in 2022:
What we discovered as a library industry or profession, is that (fines) created more barriers than they did opportunities for people to return books. People checked out a book and then they didn't return it on time, and the fines increased such that they wouldn’t return to the library at all. Some people didn’t have money to return books or to check out books.
The biggest thing that we uncovered is that it’s not the incentive that you think it is. People were content to not pay their fines and not use the library, and we didn’t want that.
(Eliminating fines) has worked well for us. We have people returning to the library. People are now willing to return the books that they had checked out 20 years ago since they know there’s no fine, and so it’s just increasing opportunities for people to use the library.
🟦 On the fate of the quotes that previously hung on the outside walls of the old main library:
As we were closing the main library and raising money everything was for sale, and quite a few people were interested in those quotes, so we sold the quotes to them. It was a really great fundraiser for us. But as a nod to that, we will have a space that will be on the Sixth Street side (of the new main library). There’s a window there, and it will carry 10 inscriptions — quotes or lines from books — so you will see something like that in the new main library.
Today’s supporting sponsor is Arts +. Starting on Tuesday, April 22 at 5 p.m., make pendant necklaces, zines, and more. Sign up for one, sign up for as many as you'd like, or sign up for all six and save $25!
Bishop on Charlotte Catholic controversy: the school’s top mission is to form disciples of Jesus, and for those that don’t like that, ‘this might not be the school for you’
In his first public comments about the recent controversy at Charlotte Catholic High School, Bishop Michael Martin said that the school will do a better job of listening and engaging with parents but that “we’re not here as a school that responds to public demand.”
Martin, who became bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte last May, made the remarks in response to a question he was asked during a presentation at Charlotte Catholic about parenting, according to an article in the Catholic News Herald, which is a diocese-operated media outlet.
It’s been a tense school year at Charlotte Catholic. Some parents have been upset over what they call a transparency problem that came to light after the school changed to a Catholic accreditation program over the summer and didn’t communicate the switch to families.
And some parents have voiced concerns that the curriculum is shifting to amplify the school’s Catholic identity, and in February, principal Lori Phillips resigned after some parents criticized her handling of parent frustrations. A video clip taken from a parent meeting at Charlotte Catholic the week before her resignation spread widely online, with Phillips motioning to parents in the audience and saying “there is a culture problem right here.”
Just days before Phillips’ resignation, the acting pastor of St. Matthew Catholic Church, which is the largest church in the Charlotte diocese, told parishioners from the lectern that he had asked the area’s Catholic schools officials “on many occasions” to pursue dual accreditation, and that he has asked that a school board made up of parents, teachers and clergy be “established immediately.”
According to the Catholic News Herald article, Martin told parents during his March 20 appearance that school officials will “do a better job at communicating the mission. We’ll do a better job at communicating the choices that we make. … We’ll do a better job of engaging parents and listening. We’ll do all that better. We’ve got a lot of ways to grow.”
He also emphasized that as a Catholic school system, “We’re not going to change the mission” and said parents shouldn’t expect democratic rule.
“Our purpose is to form disciples of Jesus Christ in the Church,” Martin said, “and if that’s not what you’re looking for … this might not be the school for you.”
Some parents have been taking polls to gauge how families feel about changes taking place at the school, and some say they’ve withdrawn their children from the school or are planning to switch to other schools next year.
“We’re not here as a school that responds to public demand — that’s the public school system. Our mission is different, and it’s my responsibility as the local bishop to articulate what that mission is and then to hire qualified people to carry that out,” the article quoted Martin as saying.
He asked that parents and school leaders “take a bit of a pause” to reflect on what’s happened before moving forward.
“We’re not doing anything. We’re not changing anything. We are taking some time here at Charlotte Catholic, we’re taking some time to let the dust settle, and then we’ll go from there.” —Cristina Bolling
Related Ledger articles:
“Principal of Charlotte Catholic High resigns” (Feb. 11)
“Rift widens at Charlotte Catholic” (Feb. 10)
“Parents demand clarity on Charlotte Catholic’s accreditation” (Jan. 10 🔒)
“Charlotte Catholic apologizes for not communicating accreditation change, but frustration remains” (Jan. 15 🔒)
A piece of history slides safely to home at Myers Park Trinity Little League
The old manual scoreboard at E.C. Griffith Field has been restored and installed at Myers Park Trinity Little League fields on the corner of Randolph and Billingsley roads in south Charlotte. It sits behind the plaque of former coach and league president Lloyd Caudle. (Photo courtesy of DC Lucchesi)
A long-lost manual scoreboard from an old south Charlotte youth baseball field has returned to Myers Park Trinity Little League’s fields at a county park, across the street from its original location.
Generations of Charlotteans played baseball at E.C. Griffith Field with Myers Park Trinity, which was founded in 1952. In the early ’90s, the field was torn down to make way for the Eastover Ridge apartments, near the intersection of Randolph and Billingsley roads. The league moved across the street to Randolph Road Park, now home to a stadium and multiple fields.
A Charlotte Observer article in 1993 called E.C. Griffith the oldest Little League field in Charlotte and one of the oldest (at least in terms of continuous use) in the country.
The historic wooden scoreboard, likely installed in the 1980s, had been forgotten for decades until a former player’s family found it tucked away behind a garage, said Hunter Parsons, who led the restoration and reinstallation project.
“It’s special because it was part of my childhood,” said Parsons, 51. He played in the Little League in the late 1970s and early ’80s.
“Most of us that grew up in south Charlotte played at Myers Park Trinity Little League,” Parsons said. “We certainly all have fond memories of those days playing Little League, and E.C. Griffith was a big part of that.”
After years of exposure to the elements and then being in storage, the scoreboard needed some work.
“The sign of the scoreboard itself was quite rusty,” Parsons said. “Our goal was to clean it up to where it was presentable, legible and could be structurally sound enough to hang up as a display piece.”
Parsons, who owns a powerwashing company called Hunter Window Cleaning, used his expertise and “elbow grease” to bring the piece back to life.
Now, the scoreboard hangs in the center of Randolph Road Park, with a nod to the league’s founding: Vinyl numbers spell out the year Myers Park Trinity Little League was established, disguised as a fictional game score.
“If you’re looking at the scoreboard, the home team’s up to bat, they’re down one run, but the scoreboard spells out 1952,” Parsons said.
Parsons says for him and others, the scoreboard is a reminder of the community that Myers Park Trinity Little League fostered through the generations.
“There is a strong allegiance to this Little League, both by current families and by Charlotte natives who grew up playing here,” Parsons said. “It’s a special place, and it’s a lot of fun.” —Lindsey Banks
Meet the judges for this year’s 40 Over 40 awards!
It’s a beautiful time of year: The weather is pleasant. The flowers are starting to bloom. And The Ledger is close to announcing this year’s crop of 40 Over 40 winners!
For the last few weeks, our panel of independent judges has been reviewing the nominations, and we will announce the winners next week.
But today, let’s meet the judges!
In previous years, we turned to an assortment of wise and trusted under-age-40 millennial and Gen Z Charlotteans to select the winners. This year, we changed it up and turned those solemn duties over to previous 40 Over 40 winners, who by definition are all over the age of 40.
They read the nominations and score them independently, with no input from Ledger leadership, which we think is critical to ensuring the integrity of the awards. And because we believe in transparency, we are going to tell you who these judges are.
This year’s judges for the Charlotte Ledger 40 Over 40 Awards, Presented by U.S. Bank, are:
José Alvarez, Vice President, Prospera North Carolina (2024 Winner)
Kerry Barr O'Connor, Capital Campaign Advisor, Executive Director Emeritus, Dress for Success Charlotte (2021 Winner)
Todd Buelow, Principal, Dualboot Partners (2021 Winner)
Dr. Nathan Currie, Principal, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools - Sedgefield Middle School (2024 Winner)
Shawn Flynn, Director of Corporate Communications, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (2020 Winner)
Joe Forquer, HR Director - Teammate Connections and Recognition, Atrium Health (2024 Winner)
Elizabeth Hardin, Strategist, Minerva (2020 Winner)
Demeka Kimpson, Band Director, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools — Sedgefield Middle School (2022 Winner)
Dr. Amanda McGough, Ph.D., Psychologist, Carolina Psychotherapy & Consulting (2024 Winner)
Shannon McKnight, Executive Director, Muggsy Bogues Family Foundation (2023 Winner)
Marie McLucas, Chief Financial Officer, Primax Properties LLC (2022 Winner)
Raj Merchant, Director, Perficient (2023 Winner)
Blair Primis, Chief Marketing and UX Officer, OrthoCarolina (2020 Winner)
Glenn Proctor, Founder and Executive Coach, REDDjobb Advisors (2023 Winner)
Meredith Ritchie, Local Author and Banker at Wells Fargo (2022 Winner)
Many thanks to our distinguished panel of judges!
We will announce the winners next week. In the meantime, get your early-bird tickets now for the May 8 celebration at Heist Brewery and Barrel Arts, 1030 Woodward Ave., near the exciting Camp North End part of town. It will be fun!
A big thank you also to our presenting sponsor, U.S. Bank, and supporting sponsors Ducie Stark - residential real estate broker with Dickens Michener, AC Creative Collective, By George Communications and Charlotte ToolBank.
🎭 Theater review: With ‘Violet,’ Theatre Charlotte digs into a flawed musical's strengths and gets us to overlook its weaknesses
Theatre Charlotte opened its production of the musical drama “Violet” on Friday. It tells the story of a young, disfigured woman who embarks on a trip by bus from her farm in Spruce Pine, N.C., to Tulsa, Okla., and winds up on a journey that changes her.
Ledger arts critic Lawrence Toppman took in the show on its opening weekend. In his review in the Toppman on the Arts newsletter, he writes:
Lyricist-author Brian Crawley often grounds his narrative in the reality of Southern life circa 1964 but ends with a sudden, wish-fulfilling fantasy that would’ve been impossible in that era. He has softened and somewhat distorted the source material: Doris Betts’ short story “The Ugliest Pilgrim,” which takes a more honest look at racial and sexual relations of the time. The climactic event in the play, a meeting between Violet and a televangelist she thinks will cure her, never happens in the story.
Yet on its own merits, the musical generally works. It takes faith seriously, even the lapsed faith of a once-hardworking preacher who became a TV celebrity. It reminds us beauty may be only skin-deep — though none the less desirable for that — but ugliness goes soul deep, especially if we apply it to ourselves.
Check out Toppman’s full review, with information if you want to go:
➡️ Ledger subscribers can add the Toppman on the Arts newsletter on their “My Account” page
You might be interested in these Charlotte events: SEED20 pitch competition, Business Expo, Business growth event, Charity wine-tasting and auction
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
TUESDAY: “Social Venture Partners Charlotte’s SEED20 Livestream 2025,” 6:45-8:30 p.m., virtual. In this high-energy event, nine nonprofits compete to win by telling their compelling three-minute pitches to you, our community audience. As livestream audience members, you will hear powerful stories from organizations pitching our region’s most innovative ideas for tackling pressing social challenges — and vote for the grand prize recipient. (The Election Hub from The Charlotte Ledger is one of the nine.) $30.
WEDNESDAY: “Charlotte Area Chamber Business Expo 2025,” 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Bojangles Coliseum. Don’t miss the chance to attend the 2025 Charlotte Area Chamber Business Expo! This event will bring together local businesses for Charlotte's Largest Area Business Tradeshow. Free to attend.
APRIL 12: “The FUTURE: Grit, Growth and Revenue,” 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, 2701 Park Road. A five-hour inspirational and fun experience for career professionals and entrepreneurs to listen, learn and discuss growth, mindset and sustainability. Event is hosted by Nick Riggins, Trish Stukbauer and Glenn Proctor. $100; students and veterans $75.
MAY 1: “Perfectly Paired Wine Tasting and Auction,” hosted by Charlotte-South Rotary, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Olde Providence Racquet Club, 5630 Sharon View Road. Attention wine connoisseurs! Here is special event perfectly suited to you. Wine tastings, food served, silent and live auctions featuring lots of wine, individual premier bottles of wine, hotel stays (The Boca Raton, Loews Nashville Hotel at Vanderbilt), restaurant gift cards, etc. All to benefit three important non profits serving children in the Charlotte community — Foster Village, The Relatives and OurBridge for Kids. $75.
➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.
In brief:
2 dead in west Charlotte shooting: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police were investigating the shooting deaths of two people on Sunday night in west Charlotte. Paramedics responded to the 4200 block of Welling Avenue just after 6 p.m. (WSOC)
Protest at Tesla dealership: More than 100 people protested at a Tesla dealership in Matthews to object to Elon Musk’s government cutbacks, a volunteer with Indivisible Charlotte said. (Axios Charlotte)
Details on light rail accident: A woman struck and injured by a Blue Line light rail train in South End on March 1 walked through downed gates and into the path of a train that was unable to stop in time, interim Charlotte Area Transit System CEO Brent Cagle said last week. He praised CATS workers and firefighters who responded to the incident. (Observer)