There are many reasons to visit Shreve Memorial Library’s 21 branches – Shreveport Times
Each week I get the opportunity to tell you about all of the new and wonderful things that are going on at the library – whether that be changes to programming, new services, or just sharing new and innovative ways to enjoy reading your favorite books. While I know that many of you love the library just as much as I do, I understand that some of you still may not be convinced. Well, let me reassure you that libraries are definitely the place to be, and if you have not visited a library in a while, maybe these few reasons might encourage you to do so. I promise you will not be disappointed.
Of course, we all know that library are great places to check out the latest, greatest books and movies available on DVD, but did you know that you can also check out movies on Blu-Ray discs and check out complete television series as well? In addition, you can also checkout audiobooks on Playaway devices and Playaway Launchpad tablets for kids that come preloaded with games, digital books, and more. You can also download and stream ebooks, audiobooks, movies, music, TV shows, comics and more anytime, anyplace through the library’s e-branch services such as Hoopla, Overdrive and Libby. You can even chat with an author live through one of the library’s virtual author chat events!
Okay, so maybe books and movies is not what sparks your interests. Maybe you are more interested in trying to start a business or further your career. Through partnerships with organizations such as The Launch Network, Shreve Memorial Library has the resources needed to help you start your very own business. By providing reference help and research assistance, access to databases, and of course how-to books, the library can help you pursue your entrepreneurial goals. In addition, the library can also help with job search assistance for those just looking for a new career path or opportunity, provide access to online tools such as LinkedIn Learning to develop skills, and assist with updating resumes and practicing for a job interview.
These are just a few of the many, many reasons to visit one of Shreve Memorial Library’s 21 branches. If you are still not convinced, then I invite you to visit a library branch today and check out all that the library has to offer. I am certain that you will find something there to encourage you to dream, discover, do.
What’s New at the Library
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (fiction)
In A Psalm for the Wild-Built, Hugo Award-winner Becky Chambers’s delightful new Monk & Robot series gives us hope for the future. It’s been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend. One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of “what do people need?” is answered. But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They’re going to need to ask it a lot. Becky Chambers’s new series asks: In a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?
Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby (fiction)
Ike Randolph has been out of jail for fifteen years, with not so much as a speeding ticket in all that time. But a Black man with cops at the door knows to be afraid. The last thing he expects to hear is that his son Isiah has been murdered, along with Isiah’s white husband, Derek. Ike had never fully accepted his son but is devastated by his loss. Derek’s father Buddy Lee was almost ashamed of Derek for being gay as Derek was ashamed of his father’s criminal record. Buddy Lee still has contacts in the underworld, though, and he wants to know who killed his boy. Ike and Buddy Lee, two ex-cons with little else in common on than a criminal past and a love for their dead sons, band together in their desperate desire for revenge. In their quest to do better for their sons in death that they did in life, hardened men Ike and Buddy Lee will confront their own prejudices about their sons and each other, as they rain down vengeance upon those who hurt their boys. Provocative and fast-paced, S. A. Cosby’s Razorblade Tears is a story of bloody retribution, heartfelt change – and maybe even redemption.
How To Change by Katherine L. Milkman (nonfiction)
Change comes most readily when you understand what’s standing between you and success and tailor your solution to that roadblock. If you want to work out more but find exercise difficult and boring, downloading a goal-setting app probably won’t help. But what if, instead, you transformed your workouts so they became a source of pleasure instead of a chore? Turning an uphill battle into a downhill one is the key to success. Drawing on Milkman’s original research and the work of her world-renowned scientific collaborators, How To Change shares strategic methods for identifying and overcoming common barriers to change, such as impulsivity, procrastination, and forgetfulness. Through case studies and engaging stories, you’ll learn: why timing can be everything when it comes to making a change; how to turn temptation and inertia into assets; and that giving advice, even if it’s about something you’re struggling with, can help you achieve more. Whether you’re a manager, coach, or teacher aiming to help others change for the better or are struggling to kick-start change yourself, How To Change offers an invaluable, science-based blueprint for achieving your goals, once and for all.
Samantha Bonnette is Marketing & Development Manager at Shreve Memorial Library.