Electrify Your Winter 2

Together We Read is a digital book club on OverDrive that connects readers from the U.S. with the same ebook title at the same time without any waitlists or holds! The inaugural title selection is Lean on Me by Pat Simmons. A poignant, emotional book that readers are saying is "The most empowering story line of a family tied together by the power of unconditional love."

The Together We Read runs from February 19th through March 4th.

comic strip books he's been intending to read for years fell over and crushed him

The start of a new year means new reading challenges! If you're like a lot of people, you may want some guidance and encouragement (and book suggestions).  We've collected some of the most popular reading challenges to help you get started. Check out the list below to find one that suits you. You can also set a goal and track your books on Goodreads.

If you'd rather set your own goals or simply track your 2020 favorites, CPL's Spark Your Year workbook includes two special sheets to help you track what you like AND highlights the digital resources available to you (ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more)!

Reading Challenges

Book Riot's 2020  Read Harder Challenge

PopSugar's 2020  Reading Challenge

Bookish's 2020  Reading Challenge

EpicRead's 2020  Reading Challenge

PBS'  Great American Read book list

Penguin Books'  100 Essential Classics

Reading  Challenges for Kids

If none of these inspire you, take a look at this Master List of 2020 Reading Challenges

Happy reading!

Experience to Go Kits are created to help you pursue your best life and try something new. Michigan winters can be stressful on your mind and body! The Relax and Rejuvenate kit is here to bring some relaxation and rejuvenation into your busy week. Get comfy in your favorite cozy spot and use a light therapy lamp to chase away the blues on a sunless day. If you are a light sleeper, try the white noise sound machine! It masks the ambient noise so you can drift off naturally. There's a guidebook to show you the best methods for achieving a deep and restful sleep if you struggle with insomnia. You'll also find music and ebooks on Hoopla and Overdrive just for helping you sleep more soundly. Here are some other resources in our collection for you to browse...

We've all heard that it's the turkey that makes you so sleepy after every Thanksgiving dinner, and a cup of warm milk is just the thing to help you settle down for night, but it may surprise you to find just how much what you eat can affect how well you sleep at night. Whether you experience occasional insomnia or suffer from chronic sleeplessness, Eat to Sleep explains which foods to eat and when to eat them in order to get the best night's rest possible. With information on how to easily incorporate "sleepy" foods into your diet, and how to prepare your food to increase its sleep-inducing effectiveness, Eat to Sleep shows you the way to getting optimal shuteye--naturally.

Sleep rituals : 100 practices for a deep and peaceful sleep by 1988- Jennifer (Jennifer Mare) Williamson

Do you have trouble getting--and staying--asleep? Sleep rituals can set the mood for restful slumber and help you drift off in peace--let these recommended bedtime routines be your key to a good night's sleep! This accessible guide offers 100 easy rituals--including sleep-friendly recipes, relaxing yoga poses, calming breathing exercises, soothing meditations, and comforting writing exercises--suited for every type of person. You can even mix and match them for a completely customized bedtime experience and find the perfect solution to banish any sleepless night.

rubik's cube

Spring is here! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the end of the school year is in sight-but it's no time to stop learning. The Engage Your Brain Experience To Go Kit offers myriad ways to grow and stretch that space between your ears, to learn new things, and keep your mind sharp so you can live your best life. Try seven days of brain teasers, or a stimulating game of Set, or a well-crafted musical composition to promote brain health and keep you sharp. 

If you're looking for a more social way to sharpen your wits, please join us for Trivia Night at the Library! Bring a team or make new friends by joining someone else. It's tons of fun, and a great way to put that random knowledge to work in a fun and relaxed environment. 

Feeling impatient for spring to finally arrive? Pick up one of our Calm Your Winter Experience To Go Kits. Learn to meditate and relax through the end of winter with the kit's how-to book on meditation and relaxing music CD. Tired of the gray Michigan skies? The kit also has a coloring book and pencils for you to add a little color to your life. Stay calm--spring is almost here!

By February, New Year's resolutions are notorious for being broken. However, slipping up doesn't mean you should abandon your goals completely. Reboot getting healthier and fit intentions with the Experience to Go Kit, Small Steps: Get Healthy.. Each kit contains a cookbook, music CD, timer and exercise suggestions. It's never too late to start over with a clean slate! 

When the weather outside is frightful, the Library has you covered. Check out entertaining and educational video from the library without leaving the comfort of your home, with streaming video from Kanopy or Hoopla (or both!). These services offer movies and television for all ages, and its content is always available with your CPL card. 

Did you know that Kanopy Kids specializes in curating collections of mindful entertainment for developing minds? Both Kanopy and Hoopla offer a wide assortment of animated children's tales, including classics such as The Snowy Day-one of our favorites! Click here to learn more about Kanopy Kids.  
 

As part of Electrify Your Winter, we are introducing a brand new collection. Experience To Go Kits are designed to help you out when you want to try something new, but don't know quite where to begin. These start-up kits are filled with fun tools, books, music and more to drive away your winter blues. We created a variety of kits to help you jump-start that New Year's resolution, enjoy a family night or simply have a calmer, sunnier week.

From January 2nd until the end of April, we have the following kits:

Come on in and take one home!

Experience To Go Kits are created to help you pursue your best life and try something new. The Engage Your Brain Kit is filled with Seven Days of Brain Teasers, a CD of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, a SET card game and a Rubik's cube to help you maximize your brain health, and have fun doing it. Come on in and take one home!

If you can't make it in to the library for a kit, we have some online suggestions to help you train your brain:

  • Stream music and create your own playlists with one of our streaming music services, Alexander Street Press.
  • Learn a new language with Mango Languages or Pronunciator; all you need is your library card!
  • Engage your brain at these websites:
    • NeuroNation--The fitness station for your brain.
    • Web Sudoku-- Test your logic skills with these number puzzles.
    • Brain Turk-- Brain training games for all!
  • Download an app to stay sharp on the go:
    • Elevate (Android, iOS): Improve your focus, memory, processing speed and math skills.
    • Brain Dots (Android, iOS): Use two balls, a pencil, and flexible thinking to stay sharp.

 

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