Weblog Archive

Hello

How are you today?  Have you ever noticed that there are very few, if any, TV programmes that are set in libraries or involve characters visiting libraries?  I can't think why this is!  Well ok I can really, it's because some people mistakenly think libraries that are dull and boring places, when in reality they are anything but.  Anyone who visits libraries knows that they are actually very lively and vibrant places that are filled with a total cross-section of society, from people picking out something to read, to families using a computer to book their holiday.  From tourists looking for information on local attractions, to job-seekers typing up their CV.  From music-lovers browsing CDs, to Time-Lords defeating aliens and saving the world from impending doom.  That got your attention didn't it?  Anyhow, that brings me nicely onto the fact that Saturday night's Doctor Who is set in a library.  The episode is called "Silence in the Library" and I, for one, am curious to see if the Doctor's library bears any relation to any I've ever visited - I'll let you know my reaction on Monday!

Have a good weekend.

Suzanne

Hello

It's Health Choices Day in the Central Library today (Wednesday 28 May), so if you're passing by feel free to call in and see what's happening.  You can find out how to book your hospital appointments online - with the aid of the NHS Choices website, and staff will be on hand to show you how it works.  For parents we have people to tell you about the benefits of breast-feeding your baby.  We have the Stepping Stones teams to talk about stroke prevention, and support for carers from the Council's Adult Social Care team.  If you're keen to stop smoking then advice will be available, along with information on the Read-yourself-well initiative.  You can also find out more about the Home Library Service and all of the resources on offer from the library to help keep you fit and healthy. 

There's so much going on that I'm bound to have forgotten something (sorry!) so you'll just have to come along and see for yourself.  And if you can't come along today, don't worry, call in any time and we'll still be able to help direct you to the people you need to talk to, that's what we're here for.

See, there's more to libraries than just books!

Suzanne

Hello

It's Bank Holiday weekend again, it hardly seems any time since the last one!  Are you planning to do anything exciting?  May is always a good time for doing DIY and tidying up the garden, so why not call into your local library and pick up a book to help you along.  If you've done all the hard work already and are planning on having a relaxing few days you can always settle down for a nice afternoon reading.  If you're starting to think about summer holidays then we have loads of travel guides to help you plan where to go and what to see - just don't forget to send us a postcard!

Have a good weekend!

Suzanne

Hello

Today, you'll be pleased to hear that I'm not going to nag you about reading... I'm going to nag you about writing instead!  Hands-up if you keep a diary.  I've already said about how reading can be great for your mental well-being, well writing can be too.  You don't have to write everyday, but just getting the contents of your head down onto paper can be very cathartic and re-reading it at a later date can also really get things back into perspective.  If you like reading about other people's lives and experiences there are lots of books available, from celebrity biographies and travelogues to individual's experiences of overcoming tragedies in their lives - all of which you can find at your local library (sorry, I sneaked the reading plug in at the end!).

Suzanne

Hi

Yesterday I received a fantastic collection of book reviews from a class in one of the local schools (you can read them on our Children's pages).  A couple of the children had reviewed Roald Dahl's The Twits, one of my all-time favourite children's books, and it got me thinking about how I really should read it again.  I've already told you about how one of my guaranteed happy-things is to read Mr Men and Little Miss books because I really believe that re-living fun things from childhood is good for your mental wellbeing - things like building sandcastles, jumping in puddles, going on picnics and reading children's books.  There are so many fantastic children's books out there that really deserve to be read again and again, and some new ones that you might not have come across.  Your challenge for this week - find a children's book that you loved and read it again, or else find a new one that you've not met before and give it a go.  Let us know how you get on.

Until next time

Suzanne

Hello

I hope that you're enjoying the good weather (sorry if I've jinxed it by saying that and it's now pouring with rain, or snowing or something totally unseasonal!)

Nice weather is just the opportunity you need to read something really good.  Yes, I know that you've probably seen the pattern developing here where I use any opportunity to tell you how great reading is - but what do you expect, it's in the job description!  Anyway, back to the point, reading can be a great mood enhancer and, depending on your choice of reading material obviously, make you feel really good.  So I just thought I'd share with you some of my favourite feel-good reads and get you to start thinking about some of your own.

1. Mr Men and Little Miss Books - take me back to my childhood and just make me smile every time I read one.
2. 1001 ways to relax - is full of (1001 obviously) little gems to calm you down and make you feel good about yourself - even if its something as simple as singing along to the radio, or collecting pebbles on the beach.
3. Spike Milligan's Silly verse for kids - I defy anyone not to smile whilst trying to recite "On the Ning Nang Nong" from memory.
4. A card that my best-friend sent to me when I was going through a really bad time - I re-read it when things are getting to me and it always makes me start to feel more positive.
5. My recipe for Gingerbread cookies - baking always cheers me up (maybe it's the fact that whilst I'm beating the mixture I can take out all my frustrations on it!)

There, that's some of my happy-reads, now it's time for you to think about yours...

Have a good weekend.

Suzanne

Today I'm going to recommend a website to you.  If you're ever stuck for something to read it is the site to visit.  www.whichbook.net lets you choose from a list of criteria and then it recommends titles to you - it's as simple as that.  If you're like me (and are quite picky!) you can select the type of characters, plot and settings that you prefer.  Sliding scales let you select how happy or sad you want the book to be, how safe or disturbing, how easy or demanding ... the list goes on.  And if you really want to test how good the site is, try picking out the wildest combinations on the scales and see what titles it suggests for you to read!!!!

Try it out and let me know what you think!

Suzanne

Hello

Do you remember me telling you about how each month during the National Year of Reading was to have a theme?  Well, the theme for May is "Mind and Body" the aim being to celebrate the links between reading and health.  Reading does have the capacity to make you feel better if you are feeling a bit down (assuming that you're reading something uplifting and not something really depressing like an electricity bill or a computer manual!).  And if you are ill, feeling better mentally can have an impact on how you feel physically.  There are also the more obvious links between reading and health as well, such as reading books or websites about how to keep healthy (with the obvious proviso of making sure that the website is an authoritative one such as the NHS website or one belonging to a well known health organisation or charity).

As part of Mind and Body month the Central Library in Scunthorpe is hosting a Health Choices Day on 28^th May.  There will be lots of representatives from various local organisations here to help you keep healthy including information on breast feeding, stopping smoking, Read Yourself Well, Patient Choice, Carers, National Health Trainers, Stepping Stones (stroke prevention / rehabilitation) and the Home Library Service.  So why not come along and join us.

And as it's a long weekend coming up, make sure that you make some time for yourself to relax with a good book (or even a good book and some chocolate - see our Question of the Month).  And if you're enjoying what you're reading please feel free to write a review or tell everyone else about it on the discussion boards.

Anyway, until next time...

Suzanne