Caregivers in your Community? Help has Arrived!

Caregiver resources and ebooks

Jennifer’s friends often say to her, “I don’t know how you do it.” Most days, Jennifer doesn’t know either. Her mother’s health has been declining, and Jennifer is caring for her by monitoring her health, communicating with doctors and insurance companies, and even providing basic nursing care. This week, she’s trying to find out how to evaluate nursing homes. She tried doing a Google search, but the results are confusing and, in some cases, contradictory.

Jennifer, and many caregivers in your community, are looking for dependable resources to guide them to answers to improve care for their loved ones.

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Truth Be Told: 5 Fast Facts about Juice Fasting

juicing library resources

By Harmony Faust

There are several people in my inner circle who regularly and voluntarily consume nothing but fruit, vegetable and plant juices for days at a time. This. Blows. My. Mind. Juice fasting is a practice I’ve been hearing about for years and I still don’t get it.

If I’m being completely honest, the crux of my problem with juice fasting probably lies at the intersection of my natural skepticism and laziness—I don’t have a great track record with activities related to health and fitness.

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Health resources to support better living!

Healthy lifestyle ebooks

By Carrie Stefanski

Meet Sara. She’s a mom with three young children and has parents who are getting up there in age.  She wants the best for her family, and that includes good health. She needs reliable, up-to-date resources that to turn to, whether seeking new yoga poses for herself, healthy cooking for her family or researching specific health concerns such as heart disease.

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You have to start somewhere, help out your beginners!

Idiot Guides and For Dummies ebooks on GVRL for libraries

Meet Connie, a spunky 72-year-old grandma who just received her first computer. Her grandkids want her online, so online she must go! “I don’t know what took me so long and I want to learn everything I can,” she says, “but I guess I’m a little hesitant because I don’t know quite where to start.” We couldn’t think of a better way than an eBook like  Laptops For Seniors For Dummies, 3rd Edition. Connie can read and follow activities on her screen at the same time, it’s a perfect match.

Read moreYou have to start somewhere, help out your beginners!

May the Fourth Be with You: Using the Force

Star Wars Research GVRL library

By Robert Lisiecki

May the fourth be with you. Wait, I thought it was, “may the force be with you.” You know a film made a monumental impact on society when people assign a date in the calendar year to geek out. Let’s get geeky, Star Wars friends.

I’m admittedly not a self-proclaimed Star Wars nerd, but I’ve had a few light saber fights in my day, and I was Jar Jar Binks one year for Halloween; so, that counts for something… right?

It’s fascinating to think about the impactful nature of Star Wars, and how it still remains a force today (they just released the cast for the new movie!). Not only was it a monumental cinematic success, but it also impacted Hollywood, pop culture, and merchandising.

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Out of the Office: In Germany!

Explore travel DK publishing

By Bethany Dotson

For Christmas last year, my husband bought me the Rosetta Stone German Level 1-5 Set. He was so excited to give it to me, in fact, that he convinced me to open it five days early (I have to admit—I wasn’t hard to convince).  But upon opening the gift, I had to wonder out loud—why German? I had never expressed any interest in learning German—had I?

My patient husband, who is a mechanical engineer by education, by natural inclination, and by trade, responded that he knew that I wanted to take another trip to Europe, and he had settled on Germany as his #1 choice: not because of the fantastic history or culture, or even because of the food and beer, but because, and I quote, “they have a lot of engineers there and their trains run on time.”

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Discover new titles for Explorers like Chris

Explore travel ebooks DK publishing

By Kim Martin

Meet Chris, the explorer. He’s passionate about adventure, travel and discovering the world. Ever since he can remember, he wanted to know as much about other countries—their people, cuisine, geography, whatever he could possibly take in.  As someone who loves to immerse himself in other cultures, he needs the right resources and tools, for excursions near and far.

Read moreDiscover new titles for Explorers like Chris

Do you keep your library’s business resources hidden?

Who Needs Business School? The Hidden Startup Resources at your Local Library

By Harmony Faust

Samantha Cole, an editorial intern for Fast Company magazine, just gave your library a present—did you accept it graciously and immediately put it to good use? If not, you might be missing out on an opportunity to leverage the gift of free advertising. Keep reading; it’s not too late.

Cole’s article, “Who Needs Business School? The Hidden Startup Resources at your Local Library,” perfectly tells the value story of public libraries and specifically, how you support local entrepreneurs and foster economic growth. Do you ever read or hear something and think to yourself, “I couldn’t have said it better myself!”? This is one of those moments. What Cole has explained about libraries—and how she has explained it—is evidence-based and right on point.

Read moreDo you keep your library’s business resources hidden?

Truth Be Told: What is oil pulling and does it work?

does oil pulling work

By Harmony Faust

“Oil whatting?”

If that’s your response to the phrase oil pulling, you are not alone. What is oil pulling and why is everyone buzzing about it? First of all, it turns out that it’s not an alternative to fracking and has nothing to do with the environment. Based on the context clues provided in the various Facebook statuses and Pinterest pins I’d been seeing, I was able to gather it was a health fad of some sort. Not being much of a bandwagoner myself, I kept scrolling. 

Read moreTruth Be Told: What is oil pulling and does it work?

…April Fools!

By Carrie Stefanski

Gotcha, noddies! That’s what they call those who are tricked on April 1, in England. Although the Thorndike bathroom ad was an actual (ingenious) idea, Gale will not be using it at the next trade show. Some good ideas are best left as ideas, or, when timed right, April Fool’s jokes.

Read more…April Fools!