Yoga at Carnegie

Come relax, unwind, and take care of your body with the slow and gentle flow of yoga at the Carnegie Library!

Bring your own mat. If you do not have one, a limited amount are available.

This program takes place first Monday of each month at 3 PM.

Spring Survival Skills

Stop by the Carnegie Library on May 29 to learn a variety of survival skills that will be useful in the spring, including:

  • Foraging and obtaining food
  • Basic hygiene kits
  • Basic first aid kids
  • Cordage (knot tying)

Author Talk with Former FBI Executive Katherine Schweit

Katherine Schweit will provide an insider’s look at what we’ve learned and failed to learn about protecting our places of commerce, houses of worship, businesses, and schools while demystifying the language around active shooters, mass killings, and threat assessment teams.

Also, she will discuss that we don’t need to shy away from the gun conversation. Instead, we can approach the topics of guns with the courage to learn, openness to dialogue, and the willingness to consider the many solutions on the table while discovering new ones that will benefit our communities.

Due to the nature of the topic, this event is intended for adults.

Check out Katherine’s books in the JDL collection.


About the Presenter:

Katherine Schweit is an author, attorney, former Chicago prosecutor, and career Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent who helped jail bank robbers, kidnappers, and domestic terrorists, while working daily with local police investigating and responding to mass casualty and active shooter incidents.

A native of Jackson, Ms. Schweit earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Michigan State University. She earned a law degree at DePaul University and joined the Cook County prosecutor’s office as an assistant state’s attorney.

Carnegie After Hours: Board Game Night

Have that board game you’ve always wanted to play, but haven’t had time? Bring it with you to Carnegie’s After Hours Board Game Night on April 5 from 5-8 PM.

We will have an assortment of games available to play along with the ones you bring. Make sure you arrive before we close the doors to the public at 6 PM!

Michigan County Poor Farms

Long before the advent of modern social welfare, county governments in Michigan maintained poorhouses or poor farms.

Join us at the Carnegie Library to explore the early history of these facilities in their attempts to become both self-sustaining entities and refuges for a county’s poor, elderly and destitute. Discover the lives and stories of those that resided at these poor farms. Learn about their transition to serving individuals with chronic illnesses and what eventually led to many of them shutting down in the later part of the 20th Century.

A note on parking: Pearl St. is closed at N. Blackstone due to construction. Carnegie parking lots on Pearl St. are still accessible heading west from S. Jackson St.


About the Presenter: Adam Oster is the Community Engagement Librarian for the Library of Michigan. Adam holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Grand Valley State University with a minor in Political Science and Secondary Education Certification. He also has a Master of Library Science degree from Indiana University. Adam’s interests include genealogy and local history research.

This event is presented by Living History at JDL.

Prom Photo Op

Looking for a place to take prom photos before prom?

Stop by the Carnegie Library to have your photo taken by a JDL staff photographer in front of a backdrop or create your own photo shoot around the historic library and downtown Jackson!

Family and friends are welcome, and light refreshments will be served.

Free Comic Book Day

Join us at the Carnegie Library in downtown Jackson for free comic books along with superhero and Star Wars activities!

Comic books for a wide range of ages and interests will be available while supplies last.

This event is presented in partnership with Nostalgia, Ink.


About Free Comic Book Day:
Every year, on the first Saturday in May, the comic book industry comes together to give away free comics to both curious, first-time comic book readers and seasoned comic book fans.

Learn more at https://www.freecomicbookday.com/

Homeschool Hangout Hour

Homeschoolers of all ages and styles are invited to Homeschool Hangout Hour in the Carnegie Library auditorium every Wednesday from 12:30-1:30 PM.

Different activities will be provided each week.

Please note: there will be no Homeschool Hangout on March 27 due to the Spring Break escape room.

Magic: The Gathering

Join fellow enthusiasts for an afternoon of Magic: The Gathering at the Carnegie Library.

Participants will need to bring their own cards. Intended for teens and adults.

Ancient Animation

Explore the world of early animation devices and optical toys that led to the inventions of animation and cinema. Participants will learn the techniques used by early inventors to make moving images, and create their own thaumatropes, zoetropes, and other early motion-picture illusions.

Intended for ages 8+. Call the Carnegie Library at 517-905-1331 to register.