June 2024 Book Club Picks

 Here are what the Sandy and Hoodland book clubs are reading for June!

Men's Book Club

Monday, June 3

7:00 PM
Sandy Library Community Room

The Darkest Evening by Ann Cleeves

For further information please contact Maureen Houck: mhouck@ci.sandy.or.us

Digital Book Club

Thursday, June 6
7:00 PM
Zoom

The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story by Douglas Preston

To sign up for the book club please e-mail Kat Aden: kaden@ci.sandy.or.us

Women's Book Club

Thursday, June 13

6:00 PM

Sandy Library Community Room

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

For further information please contact Maureen Houck: mhouck@ci.sandy.or.us

Hoodland Book Club

Tuesday, June 18

4:00 PM

Hoodland Library Community Room

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

For further information please contact Alexandra Steinmetz: asteinmetz@ci.sandy.or.us

Mental Health Resources at Your Library

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the library is chock-full of resources to help you take care of your mind.

Katie, one of our library assistants, put together a great list of different ways to take care of your mental health, and where you can find the information within your library system. 

Here are some great ways to prioritize your mental health and some resources to guide you:

Emotional Self-Care

Positive self-talk. 

The voice you hear the most is going to be your own, so make sure that you're treating yourself well. Identifying when you have negative self-talk and working to change your habits can help you become a more positive and motivated person. 

Here are some great books to check out to learn about positive self-talk, or you can head to 152.42:

• The Self-Talk Workout by Rachel Goldsmith Turow
• Detox Your Thoughts by Andrea Bonior
• Sh*t I Say to Myself by Katie Krimer

Saying "no" to things that cause unnecessary stress.

It can be easy to get caught up in saying "yes" and trying to please everyone. But too often, this can lead to being over-stressed and burnt out. If you're looking to stress less, check out call number 155.9042, or grab one of these books:

• The Science of Stress Management by Amitava Dasgupta
• 8 Keys to Stress Management: Simple and Effective Strategies to Transform Your Experience of Stress by Elizabeth Anne Scott
• The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook by Martha Davis

Giving yourself permission to take a pause.

We live in a go, go, go world, and it can be tough to slow down and rest. However, you owe it to yourself and those around you to take a time-out once and a while. Sometimes that might be taking time to meditate, or read a good book (check out 158.12 for more on this), or take a peek at these:

• Meditation for Beginners by Stephanie Jean Clement
• Meditation & Relaxation in Plain English by Bob Sharples
• Relaxation and Meditation with Music and Nature (CD)

Setting up weekly coffee dates with a friend.

Friendships can benefit your mental health in numerous ways including giving you a sense of belonging. It can be easy to get busy and not nurture friendships the way that we'd like to, so scheduling time with friends and loved ones is important. 

• Safe People: How to Find Relationships That Are Good for You and Avoid Those That Aren't by Henry Cloud
• How To Break Up With Your Friends by Erin Falconer

Spiritual Self-Care

Spending time in nature.

Spending time in nature has been proven to help mild to moderate depression, and when you live in a beautiful place like the Pacific Northwest, nature is at your backdoor just waiting for you! For more books on nature, check out call numbers 504-508, or some of our recommendations below:

• Your Brain on Nature by Eva M. Selhub
• The Nature Fix by Florence Williams
• Forest Therapy: Seasonal Ways to Embrace Nature for a Happier You by Sarah Ivens

Meditating.

Similar to giving yourself a moment to pause, meditation can help increase the gray matter in your brain improving your well-being, memory, and longevity. It can be difficult to sit still for an extended period of time, but remember that meditation is a practice and grab some tools to help you on your journey (158.12):

• Meditation DVD's
• 8 Minute Meditation: Quiet Your Mind, Change Your Life by Victor Davich
• Success Through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple by Russell Simmons

Keeping a gratitude journal.

Expressing daily gratitude can help shift your mine from "have-not" to "have." Taking a few minutes each day to appreciate life's little gifts (a warm cup of coffee, the sun shining through your window) can transform how you view the world. New to journaling, check out 745.593, or grab one of our favorite books on journaling and gratitude:

• Let It Out: A Journey Through Journaling by Katie Dalebout
• Journalution: Journaling to Awaken Your Inner Voice, Heal Your Life and Manifest Your Dreams by Sandy Grason
• Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier by Robert Emmons

Incorporate small acts of kindness throughout your day. 

Being generous and doing things for others can help you boost your mood and give you a sense of purpose. Simple acts like holding open the door for someone, or giving a compliment will not only make someone else's day but can make yours better as well! For acts of kindness inspiration, head to 177.7 or peruse one of these books in our catalog:

• Deliberate Acts of Kindness: Service as a Spiritual Practice by Meredith Gould
• Radical Kindness: The Life-Changing Power of Giving and Receiving by Angela Santomero
• 1,000 Mitzvahs: How Small Acts of Kindness Can Heal, Inspire and Change Your Life by Linda Cohen

Physical Self-Care

Prioritizing sleep.

Roughly one in three people do not get enough sleep. Not sleeping enough not only has a toll on your physical health and motor skills, but can also be detrimental to your mental health. If you struggle with sleep head to 612.821 or check out some of these resources:

• Trick Yourself to Sleep by Kim Jones
• Complete Guide to Sleep Care: Best Practices for a Restful and Happier You by Kiki Ely
• Let's Talk About Sleep by Daniel Barone

Adopting a healthy exercise routine.

We all know how important exercise is for our well-being, but it can be tough to find the motivation to get started. The exercise section (613.713) is full of resources to get you going, and don't forget to check out the selection of exercise DVD's available at your local library branch:

• Work It Out: A Mood-Boosting Exercise Guide For People Who Just Want to Lie Down by Sarah Kurchak
• Move the Body, Heal the Mind by Jennifer Heisz
• Fitter, Calmer, Stronger: A Mindful Approach to Exercise and Nutrition by Ellie Goulding

Choosing healthier foods. 

New science regarding the gut microbiome and brain connection suggests that what we eat can have a direct impact on how we feel. While there are no "good" or "bad" foods, there are foods you can introduce to your diet that can have a positive mood-shifting effect. Head over to 613.2 to learn more about healthy foods, or check out these books:

• The Better Brain: Overcome Anxiety, Combat Depression, Reduce ADHD and Stress With Nutrition by Bonnie Kaplan
• Eat & Flourish: How Food Supports Emotional Well-Being by Mary Beth Albright
• Eat to Beat Depression & Anxiety by Drew Ramsey

Going on walks. 

It may sound simple, but a 10-15 minute walk can really help boost your mood. Walking not only improves your cardiovascular health, but has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. If you find it tough to get motivated to go for a walk, head to the Libby App and grab an audiobook to listen to while you're on the go! To dive deeper into the science of walking, head to 796.51, or put one of these books on hold:

• ChiWalking: The Five Mindful Steps For Lifelong Health and Energy by Danny Dreyer
• 52 Ways to Walk by Annabel Streets
• In Praise of Walking: A New Scientific Exploration by S.M. O'Mara

These are just a few ways you can honor your mental health and take care of yourself. The important thing to remember is to do what works best for you!

What are some of your favorite ways to unwind and take a break?

Sandy Seed Library News - May 2024

 

Happy May, Gardeners! I am so excited that it is finally May because there are a handful of events I have been looking forward to!

Upcoming Events

Spring Celebration May 18th from 10am to 1pm Location: Mt Hood Farmers Market Backyard Chickens presented by OSU Master Gardener Cindy Manselle May 18th at 1pm Location: Sandy Library Community Room Special Shout Out: The Spring Garden Fair - put on by the Clackamas Co. Master Gardener Association. I look forward to this event every year! May 4 & 5 opening at 9am Location: Clackamas County Fairgrounds in Canby

World Bee Day: May 20th One of my favorite aspects of our seed library community is the desire to share resources. As I started to dive deeper into education around mason bees, one of our members shared a resource they use when it comes to supplying mason and leafcutter bees to their garden.  At the moment, I am not in a position to rent bees for my garden, but I was delighted to see the vast amount of education this company supplies on their site and I thought some of you might be interested in learning more: https://rentmasonbees.com/news/ Additionally, our very own Seed Library member, Heather Michet, shared her pollinator watering hole (picture inserted). Using rocks has been a common practice of mine, but I had never considered adding moss to the water dish. I love this idea as it offers an additional layer of protection from drowning.

Sandy Seed Library Members' Content

Some of our members have YouTube channels that are dedicated to their gardening journey. I got permission to share them with you all if you are interested: Heather Michet has two playlists: Plants and Gardening/Homesteading that are filled with videos tackling many subjects of interest - from pollinators to native plants to soil types and tricks. https://www.youtube.com/@HeatherMichet/playlists The Ryan Family Farm is a local family that has decided to share their journey as they turn their garden into a small farm. http://www.youtube.com/@ryanfamilyfarm21

National Mother Goose Day

 

May 1st is National Mother Goose Day! Mother Goose Day honors the author of the collection of fairy tales and nursery rhymes we all loved as children. 

Only, Mother Goose isn't a "real" author. 

The origins of Mother Goose remain a mystery, with the most likely tale being that the concept of Mother Goose is a compilation of several people throughout history. 

The University of Illinois Library suggests in this blog post, that Mother Goose could date back to 10th century France, and be inspired by Bertha of Burgandy, aka "Queen Goosefoot." Or that a 17th-century Bostonian woman named Mary Goose who loved to entertain her children with rhymes may have been the inspiration. 

Another thought is that, Charles Perrault's fairy tale collection, Contes de ma Mère l'Oye which was translated into Tales of My Mother Goose, in the 18th century may have been the inspiration. 

Today, Mother Goose is synonymous with nursery rhymes, here are a few that you'll instantly recall:

• Baa Baa Blacksheep
• The Itsy Bitsy Spider
• Humpty Dumpty
• Jack and Jill
• Little Miss Muffet

And so many more!

There are countless versions of the Mother Goose nursery rhyme books and each one has beautiful, different artwork. 

So in honor of National Mother Goose Day, pick up your favorite copy, or print out and color some nursery rhyme coloring pages. 

Let us know, what is your favorite Mother Goose nursery rhyme? 

Catching Up With the Classics: 10 Books Turning 100 in 2024

It can be easy to get caught up in the fervor of all the best-selling new release novels coming out, but sometimes it can be fun to turn back to the classics. 

Books were once a luxury and a novelty. In the 1920s, books were often printed using the dry offset, also know as letterset process, which Britannica defines as: 

"A special plate prints directly onto the blanket of an offset press, and the blanket then offsets the image onto the paper. The process is called dry offset because the plate is not dampened as it would be in the offset lithography process."

This meant that it took weeks or months to print a book, a far cry from our techniques today! 

So let's dive in and rediscover some of the books that were printed in 1924.

A Passage to India, by E.M. Forster

Focusing on the subject matter of imperialism and cultural differences, A Passage to India explores the relationship between British settlers and the Indian people in the early 20th century. It was also made into an Oscar-winning film in 1984. 

The Boxcar Children, by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Considered a classic series for children and middle schoolers, The Boxcar Children follows four orphaned siblings who take up residence in an abandoned boxcar and create a home. This series is still widely read and the series has even been spun off to include graphic novels. 

Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair, by Pablo Neruda

Pablo Naruda's most popular work, Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair, is a best-selling work that launched Naruda into the literary stratosphere. Published when he was only 19, it has sold over 20 million copies, and was the inspiration behind the film Neruda. 

The Magic Mountain, by Thomas Mann

One of the best known examples of bildungsroman (a novel dealing with the character's formative years), The Magic Mountain, follows a young German who visits his cousin in a tuberculosis sanitarium in the Swiss Alps. It deals with themes of death, disease and spirituality and is considered a monumental work of erudition and irony. 

The King of Elfland's Daughter, by Lord Dunsany

If you are a fantasy or science fiction lover, this one is for you. Often considered one of the most beloved fantasy novels of our time, The King of Elfland's Daughter tells the tale of a fairy bride who marries a mortal man. 

Billy Budd, by Herman Melville

Melville may be best known for Moby Dick, but fun fact: Billy Budd was released posthumously three decades after Melville's passing.  After being accused of mutiny, Billy Budd inadvertently kills his accuser, leading to trial. Billy Budd has also been adapted into a film, stage play, and an opera.

The Most Dangerous Game, by Richard Connell

When it comes to classic short stories, The Most Dangerous Game is considered one of the most popular short stories of all time (up there with The Lottery or The Cask of Amontillado). Inspired by the big game safari hunts that were popular among the wealthy in the 1920s, The Most Dangerous Game puts the shoe on the other foot. It has been adapted into several film versions. 

When We Were Very Young, by A.A. Milne

Although Milne is most known for Winnie-the-Pooh, this collection of prose came out two years prior. One of the most notable poems in the collection, Teddy Bear feels like a precursor to Pooh. This is a must-read to little ones, as it celebrates childhood and family. 

The Home-Maker, by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Canfield's The Home-Maker centers around a very proud housewife whose life is turned upside down by a near fatal accident that causes a shocking role reversal in her household. Many of the themes of societal expectations and family roles still resonate today. 

The Man in the Brown Suit, by Agatha Christie

While Hercule Poirot gets all the love, this freshman installation to the lesser known, Colonel Race Series deserves a bit of recognition. Like so many Christie novels, there is adventure, mystery, and murder. It has been adapted for television in both the U.S. and France, and is also a graphic novel!

It's fun to look back on these novels and explore what is similar in our world today, and what feels vastly different. How many of these classics have you read? 

Get Your Spring Cover Crops Ready With Our Seed Library

Spring is officially here, and if you're an avid gardener you know that Spring can be an ideal time for the establishment and growth of cover crops. With the ample rain, increase in temperatures and daylight hours, Spring is a great time to maximize the benefits of soil protection and nutrient retention.  

Peaceful Valley, one of our seed donors, recently pointed this out in a recent newsletter, and our seed librarian, Brianna Chase, recognized that we were fortunate enough to have had a recent donation of one of the very cover crops mentioned. 

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum): Warm-season cover crop renowned for its rapid growth and ability to attract beneficial insects. Its fibrous root system improves soil aggregation and nutrient cycling, while its prolific flowering provides nectar and pollen for pollinators. Buckwheat is particularly well-suited for spring planting, thriving in warmer temperatures and shorter growing seasons. 

If you haven't had a chance to acquaint yourself with our seed library at the Sandy Public Library, there is no time quite like the spring. 

With dozens of varieties of flowers, herbs, native plants, and vegetables, the goal of our seed library is to provide a free resource for our local community to share in the joy of growing, and create an opportunity to be more self-sufficient. 

Come check out our selection or donate any extra seeds you may have saved! 

Celebrating Teen Literature Day with Our Teen Librarian Rebecca Hanset

Every year, on April 18th, we recognize Celebrate Teen Literature Day. 

Beginning in 2007, Celebrate Teen Literature Day was created to encourage young people to read outside of their schoolwork more frequently. With the rise of the internet, and social media, less than 20% of teenagers report reading a book, magazine or newspaper daily for pleasure. 

So Celebrate Teen Literature Day was born. Not only to act as encouragement for teens to start reading more, but also to celebrate the growing genre of young adult literature, which often includes themes of identity, self-discovery, and the transition into adulthood. (No wonder it resonates with older audiences as well). 

In honor of Celebrate Teen Literature Day, we asked our Teen Librarian, Rebecca Hanset, a few questions about what drew her to the genre, and some of her favorite aspects of it. 

Did you always want to be a librarian? 

Yes, I’ve always wanted to be a librarian. I’ve worked in libraries since I was a teen and the librarians I worked with encouraged me to go to library school. Now I work with teens and encourage them to get involved, pursue education and achieve goals, whatever they may be.

What made you choose teen literature in particular? 

I am particularly interested in coming of age stories that highlight the unique experiences and challenges that adolescents face. I want teens to have the opportunity to see themselves reflected in the literature they read.

Why do you think adult readers are drawn to teen literature?

I think adults find nostalgia in teen literature. I think we can connect to the coming of age stories because we are still coming of age to some degree. I think it’s fun to relive the intensity and brutality of “firsts,” like first love, first kiss, first heartbreak.

What is your favorite YA (Young Adult) book?

Oh, this is a hard one. 

Middle grade teen - Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech   -  I love anything by Sharon Creech

Young adult teen - Life As We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer  - A dystopian, coming of age novel

Honorable mention: Anything by Ellen Hopkins - These books are gritty, mature-themed, and written in verse.

What is your favorite YA series?

The Selection by Cass Kiera - It’s like Cinderella meets The Bachelor. It’ a dystopian romance about being selected from 35 girls to move up the caste system and win the hand of a prince. 

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes -  Puzzles, riddles, and codes, oh my. 

Similar to the movie Knives Out or Glass Onion.

Which books have the best YA cover art?

I have two:

Gabi, A Girl In Pieces by Isabel Quintero

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

If you could drop into any YA fantasy world, which one would it be and why?

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman -  How can you go wrong with armored polar bears? 

Book or series coming out that you're most excited about?

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

Which teen book or series would you like to see be made into a movie?

I’d really hope The Inheritance Games is made into a movie or television series. I think there is something in the works with Amazon and Sony.

What is your favorite piece of classic teen literature?

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - As libraries continue to face book challenges and bans, this book highlights the importance of democratizing information, literature, and knowledge in order to prevent a dystopian future.

Thank you Rebecca!