November is Native American Heritage Month! Dedicated to recognize, celebrate, and raise awareness of the traditions, culture, and contributions of indigenous people across North America, this month provides an opportunity to dive deeper into indigenous stories and authors.

Can fiction books really help you feel better? Using books as therapy has actually been around since the ancient Greeks, it was used after World War l and World War ll to help returning soldiers deal with post-traumatic stress disorder, and is currently used in educational settings as therapy for school-aged children. While non-fiction, self-help books are commonly sought after by individuals looking for help dealing with a specific issue, fiction books are quickly becoming a source of therapy for these same concerns.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In honor of that, I am going to recommend some Young Adult novels that deal with certain mental illnesses. Often when teens are struggling with something, it helps to know that others are experiencing the same thing. Fiction is perfect for promoting empathy and understanding. If a young adult does not feel comfortable asking questions or seeking professional help, a book about the topic can be a good start.

March is celebrated as Women’s History Month! It is a month dedicated to commemorating and encouraging the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American history, both in years long past and those we look up to today in our contemporary society. From scientists to artists, politicians to athletes, our world and our world’s history is full of trailblazing women, and what better way to celebrate them than picking up a book and discovering their story? Over in the children’s department, we have pulled books from all over our collection to put on display and encourage parents and children to learn about some amazing women! While I can’t mention every single book we have on display, I wanted to highlight a few of my favorites to share:

The Youth Services Department has gathered together a collection of educational books to help support our families and students. This new collection is currently on display in our department. It includes books covering a wide range of needs from homeschooling and alternative-schooling strategies, reading and writing guides, educational philosophies, emotional/social learning, study skills and time management and much more. Here are some highlights from our new collection!