Explore and Discover

Civic Lab Online: What is monkeypox?

Posted on September 1, 2022 at 6:00 am

About Civic Lab Online Civic Lab Online provides information on issues facing our community for you to explore. Take a look at thought-provoking materials for teens and adults that allow us to engage in open conversation and grow together as a community. You’ll find all past topics on the Civic Lab Online web page. Monkeypox: Fast […]

Growing Your Garden with Resources for Seed Saving & Our Seed Libraries

Posted on August 31, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Abra Cole If you’re a gardener, this time of year usually means two things: it’s seed saving time and we’re due to get our fall crops planted. This summer has been a little strange for many Inland Northwest gardeners. The heat came later than usual, and it was preceded by unusually large amounts of […]

Space Exploration You Can Do, Inspired by Amazing Images from the Webb Telescope

Posted on August 17, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Caitlin Wheeler On July 12, 2022, NASA released its first images from the James Webb Space Telescope, and they are both breathtaking and groundbreaking in their ability to detect infrared light at a high resolution. The telescope operates with two cameras: NIRCam (near infrared camera), which looks at the shortest infrared wavelengths, and MIRI […]

Fantastic International Fiction: Read Beyond the Beaten Path & Expand Your World

Posted on August 2, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Melissa Rhoades This summer’s reading challenge dares us to “Read Beyond the Beaten Path.” Reading stories by international authors is a wonderful way to do that. International fiction—also called foreign fiction—allows us to not only imagine the sights, smells, and sounds of other landscapes but also gain exposure to diverse customs, […]

An Unexpected Summer Reading List: Not Your Average Beach Reads

Posted on July 13, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Savannah Stewart When it comes to beach reads, mine usually fall into the “this isn’t what I expected” category. Ideally, beach reads are easy-going and don’t interfere with your summer vibe. I’ve found that the books I like to read can’t live up to this ideal. And mostly, I never end up reading very […]

The Great Indoors: Things to Explore When You Take a Break from the Outdoors

Posted on July 6, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Abra Cole Ah, summer! The sun is shining (we hope), the grass is green, and pollen is everywhere. For some of us, this is the season when we head outdoors as much as possible, to dig in the soil, go on walks, explore nature, and get dirty every day. For others, none of this […]

What Makes a Good Book? Here’s How Appeal Factors Result in Great Book Recommendations.

Posted on June 29, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Dana Mannino At least once a week, I have a variation on the following conversation. Library customer: Can you suggest a good book? Librarian: Sure! What do you like to read? Library customer: Anything, as long as it’s well written. We all want a good book. It’s universal. But often we don’t know how […]

Civic Lab Online: What is gun control?

Posted on June 24, 2022 at 6:00 am

About Civic Lab Online Civic Lab Online provides information on issues facing our community for you to explore. Take a look at thought-provoking materials for teens and adults that allow us to engage in open conversation and grow together as a community. You’ll find all past topics on the Civic Lab Online web page. Gun Control: […]

Library of Things Returns with New Things & an Easy Reservation System

Posted on June 15, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Gwendolyn Haley Did you know you can check out a telescope, Instant Pot, educational toys, tools, and electronic equipment from the library? We’ve been adding more and more non-book items to our collection to help you learn, work, create, and thrive. As the Library of Things collection continues to grow, you’ll find interesting new […]

Getting Active with the Library: Get More Energy & Reduce Stress

Posted 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, […]