Explore and Discover

15 Minutes of Community Science Can Make a World of Difference

Posted on February 2, 2023 at 7:00 am

When you hear someone say that that something is “for the birds,” they mean it is foolish and not to be taken too seriously. This month, the Great Backyard Bird Count on February 17–20 invites everyone to do something for the birds that isn’t foolish, is in fact helpful, and could be quite fascinating... […]

Women’s Heart Week: Heart Disease Signs, Risks, Prevention & Library Resources

Posted on February 1, 2023 at 6:00 am

By Crystal Miller Women’s Heart Week Organized by the Women’s Heart Foundation, Women’s Heart Week is celebrated each year February 1–7 and aims to educate, raise awareness, and teach the symptoms and preventions of serious heart diseases in women. According to both the Women’s Heart Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and […]

Year in Review: Our Libraries in 2022

Posted on December 28, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Jane Baker It will come as no surprise that the library has books. Fiction and nonfiction, picture books and weighty tomes, fantasy adventures and practical how-to guides, our shelves are filled with so many reading options. What may be a surprise is all the ways in which our libraries are more than books. Here […]

The Season in 5 Senses: Finding Calm, Centered, Peaceful Moments

Posted on December 21, 2022 at 6:00 am

For some of us, this is the season of overwhelm. Expectations we have for ourselves or that others have for us can be downright unbearable during the holidays. This year, I propose trying a different approach to the holiday season. Namely, let’s take a step back, give ourselves a little space, and try to find more meaning in doing less. If you ha […]

Tags: adults, booklists, books, parents, reading, teens, tweens

A Booklist for Bookworms: 5 Engrossing Titles About Books, Building Community & Mysteries!

Posted on December 6, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Alison Johnson Reading a book that revolves around books makes me happy. I am sharing my joy of books about books with other book lovers out there. Here are five books that feature either a fictional author, editor, librarian, bookseller, or a community of readers, and of course… books! I hope you’ll give one […]

Tags: adults, booklists, books, reading, teens

9 Guidelines for Writing Book Reviews & How to Add Yours to Our Catalog

Posted on November 22, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Andrea Brumbaugh Not all personal book reviews are created equal. If you have spent any time on Goodreads, you’ve most likely seen some that simply state, “I hated it,” or “I loved it.” If these readers are writing the review for themselves so that they can look back later and see how they felt […]

The Great Thanksgiving Listen: Discover the Uplifting Effect of Family Stories & Memories

Posted on November 9, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Melissa Rhoades & Dana Mannino Would you like this year’s Thanksgiving celebration to make your guests feel uplifted, connected, and hopeful? If so, you can participate in The Great Thanksgiving Listen, created by StoryCorps. Each Thanksgiving, StoryCorps encourages us to sit down with an elder, mentor, family member, friend, or someone we […]

Making a Zine: The Who, What, Where, Why & How of Zine Creation

Posted on November 8, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Abra Cole What Is a Zine? Zine (pronounced “zeen”) is short for magazine or fanzine. A zine is a publication that is not professionally published and not officially related to any brand, series, or company. Fanzines started in the 1930s as science fiction enthusiasts wrote and published their ideas about the topic to share […]

Empowering Voters: Important Civics Information from the League of Women Voters

Posted on October 25, 2022 at 6:00 am

Guest Blog by Beth Pellicciotti What Is on the Ballot? The League of Women Voters’ mission is to empower voters and defend democracy. We empower voters by explaining how to register to vote, either online at VoteWa.gov or using a paper form that you can download and print from the Washington Secretary of State’s website. […]

Q&A with Teri Koski: Finding Useful Resources & Support for Memory Loss & Dementia

Posted on October 13, 2022 at 7:00 am

By Crystal Miller According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, “someone in the world develops dementia every 3 seconds. There are over 55 million people worldwide living with dementia in 2020. This number will almost double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050.” These statistics are sobering and point to the […]