Posts Tagged ‘June 2021 Newsletter’

After a year of staying home, cabin fever has set in and many people are thinking about their next trip, whether real or imaginary. Traveling to different parts of the world is one of the best ways in which to interact with and learn from the many cultures, languages, beliefs, and histories that make up the varied experiences of our shared humanity. Unfortunately, travel can also be expensive, but you can always plan and learn about different travel experiences for free by exploring some of the many books at the Chickasha Public Library!

Do you find yourself wondering about faraway people and places that you have not had the chance to visit? How about a place you know absolutely nothing about or a place you have always been interested in? The great thing about the Chickasha Public Library’s collection is that there are no limits to what you can learn and discover. If you are interested in browsing through geographical Dewey decimal categories, look in 914 (Europe), 915 (Asia), 916 (Africa), 917 (North America), 918 (South America), and 919 (Australia and New Zealand). If you read one book from each continent, it can be an easy way to take a mental trip around the world. Reading about the cultural attractions and historic landmarks from different countries and continents can help you plan a future trip, learn more about the languages and history of different places, and find the most beautiful scenery.

Traveling within Oklahoma is relatively accessible and inexpensive for many people, which makes it easy to explore for both quick getaways, as well as longer vacations. It can also be a fun way to experience your familiar home state with fresh eyes. Oklahoma: off the beaten path (917.66 Palmer) can help you discover new and interesting places close to home. Find your next outdoor adventure with Oklahoma hiking trails (917.66 Frates), explore history with Historical atlas of Oklahoma (911.766 Goins), or plan a spooky trip with Weird Oklahoma: your travel guide to Oklahoma’s local legends and best kept secrets (133.109766 Treat).

For road trip enthusiasts, Drives of a lifetime: 500 of the world’s most spectacular trips (910.202 Bellows) describes some of the world’s most beautiful places in which to drive. If you are looking to find pockets of various cultures while embarking on a road trip closer to home, Abroad at home: the best international travel in North America (917.304 Abroad) will help you to visit some of those places without having to buy a plane ticket.

If you want to further immerse yourself in learning about someplace new, there are also language books and dictionaries, biographies and memoirs written by people from various countries, books about how various cultures interconnect with one another, and history books that can give insight into how and why the past continues to affect current events. Reading about different perspectives can give valuable insights into others’ experiences and develop an understanding and appreciation of diversity both at home and around the world. It is never too late to learn about someplace new, or to find new information about somewhere you have already visited. And reading travel books can also give you new ideas about where you might want to go next!    

Finally, if you are feeling creative and would like to start your own country, you can find some examples in An atlas of countries that don’t exist: a compendium of fifty unrecognized and largely unnoticed states (911 Middleton). Imaginary countries can be delightfully whimsical, and they require an incredible amount of ingenuity and problem-solving skills to develop and maintain. Learning about some of these geographical quirks can also spur interest in how communities, states, and countries govern themselves, as well as the many ways in which borders are drawn. 

No matter where you want to go, there is a book for you here at the Chickasha Public Library!

Join Virginia Savage, LCSW, with over thirty years of experience in the field of mental health on Saturday, June 19th from 10:00-11:30am at Chickasha Public Library located at 527 W. Iowa Ave. for a community conversation about the state of our mental health. The event is free. We do ask that you pre-register due to limited seating, call the library at 405-222-6075 to reserve your seat. This program is geared toward adults and older teens. “We’ve all been through so many struggles this past year and a half. Now is a good time to reflect on our strengths and challenges to assess how we’ve done and how we might do better”, said Savage. We all need to learn healthy ways to successfully roll with Life’s ups and downs. Being resilient helps us have peace of mind. During the presentation we will flesh out the meaning of mental health, talking about what contributes to and detracts from it. We will use some expressive arts exercises that will help us with our ability to be resilient. Join us.

Chickasha Public Library has been focusing on mental health in their Health Literacy Program this year. This program, Using Art to Build Resiliency, is brought to you by the Chickasha Public Library through a grant from the Oklahoma Department of Libraries and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Even though my current Want-To-Read list is embarrassingly long I still continue to look for more titles to add to that list. I use many sources from wandering the aisles to scrolling through my Facebook feed, but one of the most recent ways that I have been adding to my list is by listening to podcasts. Podcasts are audio programs that are broadcast via the Internet. They are similar to radio programs without the limitations of signal strength. 

You may be familiar with podcasts like True Crime All the Time, Casefile, and True Crime Garage that delve into criminal investigations around the world. Or other podcasts like Secretly Incredibly Fascinating which dedicates each episode to exploring one topic. But did you know that there is a wide selection of podcasts that focus on books? 

The website www.bookriot.com broadcasts several podcasts that focus on general book recommendations like All the Books and Get Booked. They also host other shows specializing in genre recommendations. SSF Yeah! is dedicated to helping spread the word about great new Science Fiction and Fantasy titles. For Real spotlights non-fiction releases across interest levels. Past topics on this show include religious memoirs, love stories, and authors with Asian or Pacifc Islander heritage. 

 Some of your favorite authors may be producing podcasts as well. Gretchen Rubin author of Better than before : mastering the habits of our everyday lives and Outer order, inner calm : declutter & organize to make more room for happiness hosts uses the platform to share insights into how she manages to stay sane in today’s crazy world and advises her listeners on how to establish healthy habits that lead to happiness. Dan Savage transitioned his radio show Savage Love Live to the podcast Savage Lovecast. While his listenership may have grown, Savage still uses his platform to discuss religion, gay rights, politics, and pornography.

But who better to source for book recommendations than a library? The New York Public Library hosts a podcast called The Librarian is In. Each episode two librarians with the NYPL system discuss books and what to read next. The Brooklyn Public Library also has a podcast, Borrowed,  that highlights stories that center around the people of Brooklyn and how they use the library. 

Most podcasts are available through multiple audio streaming apps like Spotify, Overcast, or Stitcher. Some apps may have a premium option that allows you to listen to the back catalog or bonus content, however most new episodes are available at no charge.