Westerly Sun Column | There Are Many Good Reasons to Visit in 2024

There are plenty of good reasons to spend time at the library this time of year. Your kids are on break, and you need a quiet place to work (or to simply sit in silence)? Our study rooms are for you! Seeking a reprieve from the cold weather? Our comfortable chairs and heated rooms are calling your name. Working on keeping your New Year’s resolutions? Well, we have plenty of resources to help you, no matter what your goals are!

Most of the popular New Year’s resolutions concern self-improvement of some sort, and improving physical health is always at the top of the lists. If you’re interested in eating healthier this year, you’ll want to browse through our collection of cookbooks – either the physical copies, or the many eBooks available online through Libby. You can find books on plant-based, Keto, or Whole30 diets, books about eating well on a budget, healthy meal prepping for a family, and so much more. For those that are focusing more on exercise, there are books with exercise plans for all interests and abilities, such as “Fitness for Everyone: 50 Exercises for Every Type of Body” by Louise Green, “Lifelong Yoga” by Sage Rountree, or “The Running Revolution” by Dr. Nicholas Romanov. We even have books for kids, like “See How We Move!” by Scot Ritchie, so the whole family can get in on the action!

If you’re looking to round out your health by focusing on your mental health, there are plenty of ways the library can help with this, too. Books like “Good Mornings: Morning Rituals for Wellness, Peace and Purpose” by Linnea Dunne, or “Total Meditation” by Deepak Chopra are a great place to begin. If you prefer something more interactive, you can access a ton of on-demand video courses through the Udemy (available with your library card), including “Emotional Intelligence: Master Anxiety, Fear, & Emotions”, “Practical Mindfulness” or “Mindful Resilience for Work-Life Thriving”. If nothing else, being in nature and getting some good ol’ vitamin D is great for your mental wellbeing, so take a stroll through Wilcox Park when the weather cooperates!

Taking up a hobby, and meeting new people, are also popular resolutions, and you can accomplish both by joining one of the many recreational groups at the library. If you love reading – or want to read more – we have several books clubs that meet throughout the month, including our “Silent Book Club”, which incorporates some silent reading time, perfect for my introverted comrades. The “Westerly Writer’s Group” meets every other Saturday, and is open to writers of all genres and experience levels. “The Poetry Gathering” is a new, fun, group that meets to read and share poems: ones that they’ve written, or their favorite famous works! Then there’s the Thursday night “Learn the Language of Ireland” group, put on by the Irish Coastal Club, which meets in person and online. There are so many more, so check out our calendar for the full list. Happy New Year!

by Cassie Skobrak, Adult Services Librarian