Posted in Explore and Discover on June 14, 2022 at 6:00 am
By Jane Baker The first time I heard the term forest bathing, my immediate thought was “I bet those pine needles hurt!” All kidding aside, forest bathing is a relatively recent term (with science behind it) that gives us a good reason to go take a walk. In 1982, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, […]
Tags: active, adults, books, digital library, forest bathing, seniors, tai chi, Udemy, walking
Posted in Explore and Discover on June 13, 2022 at 6:00 am
By Lisa Woodard, guest blogger Smoke Ready Week With the arrival of summer comes the concern about wildfires and the potential for another summer with smoke-filled days. The threat of wildfires is real, and work is underway by many federal, state, and local agencies to reduce this threat. We also know that the threat of […]
Tags: adults, air quality, air quality index, AQI, exposure, health, smoke, smoke ready, smoke ready week, Spokane Clean Air, Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, SRHD, wildfire
Posted in News on June 9, 2022 at 4:30 am
We’ve expanded our service that reaches out to customers who are unable to easily visit the 10 libraries in the District. The team heading up this service is called Mobile Services. Some of the ways Mobile Services reaches out include providing books through the mail, bringing materials into facilities, and visiting communities with LINC, our […]
Tags: bookmobile, books by mail, communities, facilities, homebound, LINC, mobile library, mobile services, neighborhoods, outreach
Posted in Explore and Discover on June 1, 2022 at 6:00 am
Every year, I find myself reading more and more graphic novels and manga. I hadn’t read any until I was well into my adult years, but I’ve found that there are intriguing, well-written, and beautifully drawn graphic novels and manga for all ages. […]
Tags: adults, booklists, books, graphic novels, kids, LGBTQ, LGBTQ+, manga, reading, teens, tweens
Posted in Explore and Discover on May 25, 2022 at 6:00 am
Spokane County Library District has been partnering with the Statewide Health Insurance Benefit Advisor (SHIBA) program to offer free, unbiased Medicare programs. SHIBA advisors provide our customers with valuable information related to healthcare, more specifically Medicare, on a regular basis. I interviewed Monica Kudrna, the SHIBA Coordinator, t […]
Tags: adults, ALTCEW, health insurance, healthcare, retirement, senior citizens, SHIBA
Posted in Explore and Discover on May 24, 2022 at 6:00 am
When I heard about the upcoming program Pandemic Dogs and Separation Anxiety, I was reminded that pets can have stress and anxiety, just like humans can. To complicate these situations, pets can’t tell us in words when something is wrong. So, I often think first of the physical health of my pets whenever there is a change in behavior, appetite, a […]
Tags: adults, animals, anxiety, community, dogs, pet owners, pet parents, pets, SCRAPS, separation anxiety, volunteering
Posted in Explore and Discover on May 18, 2022 at 6:00 am
May is National Barbecue Month, and I have to say that is fitting since Memorial Day unofficially kicks off barbecue and grilling season across the nation. Everyone does barbecue a bit differently, and the flavors of barbecue can be varied and delicious, from region to region, culture to culture. From spicy to sweet, there is something for everyone […]
Tags: adults, barbecue, bbq, booklists, books, community, cookbooks, cooking, food, grilling
Posted in News on May 11, 2022 at 6:00 am
We now have triple the number of Check Out Washington Discover Pass backpacks available for library customers to borrow! Find adventures and new experiences in Washington State Parks with the Check Out Washington Discover Pass backpack, which includes... […]
Tags: #CheckOutWA, adults, adventure, backpack, binoculars, Check Out Washington, Discover Pass, Families, field guide, hiking, kids, Library of Things, outdoors, parents, parking, state parks, teens, walking, Washington, Washington State Parks
Posted in Parents and Teachers on May 4, 2022 at 6:00 am
Presenting storytimes again also gives me the perfect excuse to explore the new picture books added to our collection. Believe it or not, we’ve purchased over 650 picture books between January 2021 and April 2022. That’s a pretty hefty amount for one person to peruse! Here are eight new picture books that provide a great introduction to stories […]
Tags: adults, booklists, books, caregivers, family, kids, parents, picture books, reading, rhymes, rhyming, stories, story time, teachers
Posted in Explore and Discover on April 28, 2022 at 4:45 am
... To find cool things like this, you need high-level searching skills! But you don’t need to be a librarian to memorize a list of the Valar (the demi-god like beings from Tolkien’s The Silmarillion). Here is a step-by-step guide to nerding out with some super research skills. […]
Tags: academic journals, adults, digital library, digital resources, fandom, Gale, Gale Academic OneFile, kids, nerd, proquest, research, scholarly journals, search, teens, tweens