Think Library: Blog

Think Library - News, Staff Picks, Book Reviews, More!

For Everyone     

For Adults     

For Teens     

For Kids     

creativity.jpg

It's International Creativity Month, and there are endless ways be creative throughout January—or anytime at all. Your Library helps you discover your own creative possibilities.

Think Library
January 8, 2018
book cover

 When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.

—Confucius

As this new year begins, we can help you adjust your “action steps” to make your resolutions a reality.

Topical Guides
January 3, 2018

positive-change.jpg

Happy New Year, everyone! It’s that time for reflecting on the past year, and thinking about what we might improve in the new one. But New Year’s resolutions have become kind of a lark: are we really going to keep them?

Think Library
December 30, 2017
book cover

The story of a man's life always includes his father—and even more so when the father takes his own life. In this moving memoir, a poet and professor describes growing up in a big Catholic family in Seattle during the 1960s.

Reviews , Biography & Memoir
December 19, 2017

lemur-girl-zoo.png

PHOTO: LEE ADLAF

Kids , Animals
December 7, 2017
Let It Snow
book cover

Winter is a great time to cozy up with a warm drink and a good book. This list of winter-themed stories is perfect for a cold, snowy day.

Popular Interests, Read-a-Likes, Reimaginings
December 5, 2017
book cover

Explore Space

The wonders of space have always fascinated humans—and our curiosity about what's out there has driven scientists, astronauts, photographers and others to record what they've found in words and pictures. Here are some of the most recent records of those findings, and the people and science that made them possible.

Nature and the Environment
November 29, 2017

dog-headphones.jpg

Listening to English is essential for improving reading skills. But what sounds more engaging—learning about the silent “e” rule, or the thrilling adventures of Sherlock Holmes? Both are important, but hearing the written word satisfies the brain’s thirst for knowledge and information, even beyond our ability to read independently. Exposure to the sound of expressive reading, dramatic pauses, and phrasing helps with reading comprehension (understanding what we’re reading). And hearing new vocabulary in context requires us to draw conclusions, improving our critical thinking skills. 

VITAL - Volunteers in Tutoring Adult Learners
November 20, 2017
book cover

Even if you seldom follow sports, this story of the 1936 Olympic rowers will excite you and touch your heart. Eight young men—most tall and scraggly, nearly all from poor, working-class backgrounds—beat the elite British, the powerhouse Germans, and the determined Italians to win gold as Nazi hysteria took over Berlin. But even though we know who wins the 1936 Olympics from the beginning, Brown ups the ante with dramatic descriptions of the racing with a filmmaker’s eye for visual details, practical rowing crew experience, and extensive interviews and research.

The book brims with history: personal, cultural and factual. It begins with the author’s neighbor, Judy, inviting the author to meet her father, Joe Rantz, one of the Olympic winners who, with only a few months to live, is in hospice. Over many interviews, he shares his story, but insists that Brown also write about all the men on his crew who, working as one, bring home the gold against impossible odds.

Reviews , Sports
November 16, 2017

Outside of the Library, there are plenty of sources for audiobooks, but they usually have one thing in common––they cost money. While the Library is your best bet for free audiobooks of more recent titles, for free audiobooks in the public domain (books published before 1923), there's LibriVox. There, a diverse range of popular and unpopular authors are given a voice, from Shakespeare to H.P.

Think Library , Audiobooks
November 15, 2017
Podcast
Serial
The Allusionist
Hardcore History
Sleep with Me

Most everyone listens to podcasts these days. Some of us have a couple of favorites—some fanatics have dozens. And though the most avid fan is always on the lookout for exciting new recommendations, with so many podcasts out there, how do you find the ones that suit your interests? Your trusty Library Staff offer this list.

Think Library
November 15, 2017
Game On!
book cover

Stories about advanced technology, virtual reality, quests, and immersive gaming experiences gone awry.

Popular Interests, Read-a-Likes, Reimaginings
November 15, 2017

american_street.jpgThis year, several young adult books were published about teen immigrants and their experiences living in the U.S.

Reviews, Think Library, Teens
November 12, 2017
book cover

Some quilts are purely functional; others are works of art and a form of expression. Learn more about this popular art and craft form with these Library items.

Topical Guides
November 10, 2017