Library Column for June 12, 2019

@ Your Library

Summer Reading is here and we want everyone to TRACK IT DOWN AT YOUR LIBRARY! And honestly, we don’t really care what you read, we just want everyone in the community to read this summer! Find a book, magazine, comic book, hey the back of the cereal box works, just read a bit every day and share with someone what you are reading and discovering.

So why do we want you to read, you ask?  We want everyone to read because it makes us more empathetic, calms the nerves, helps us sleep better, builds bonds when shared and provides knowledge and information about the world.

Warren Buffett believes that reading is the key to his financial success.  He read everything he could get his hands on as a young kid and says ‘Reading builds up compound knowledge over time, just as money compounds over time. Warren still spends upwards of 80% of his days reading and thinking.

Reading provides mental stimulation which has been shown to slow (or possibly) prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia. The brain is a muscle and like other muscles, it needs regular exercise to be strong and healthy.

Reading improves memory and comprehension of new information which can also slow mental issues as we age, but an improved memory at any age is beneficial. Just ask any of us who have to try and remember a list of more than three items. Reading also helps with focus and concentration. This is a skill that takes time to develop. We don’t tend to focus on any one thing for more than a couple of minutes at a time and reading can help us build the focus to concentrate for longer periods of time.

Tranquility and stress reduction can also be a benefit of a regular reading habit. A well-written story can transport you to another world and an engaging article can distract you from worries and other thoughts, allowing your body to relax while tension drains away.

And finally, reading can be entertaining.  With a library card, it is free entertainment. Visit a Friends of the Library book sale and gather up a few books for pennies. James Altucher says reading is more vivid than TV. “It’s IDTV – Imagination-Density-TV and has many more colors and pixels and dreams infused in it.”

Let us help you find a book to entertain, make you laugh, learn a new skill, or even cry. The world of books and reading is the key to a better life.

Visit internationalfallslibrary.readsquared.com and sign up for free books and other prizes. Visit the library for a summer reading booklet with all the details and start tracking your reading time today. Every one of every age can participate. Who can read the most in your family or among your friends? Let us know who the reading winners are.

As Dr. Seuss says “The more that you READ, the more things you will KNOW. The more that you LEARN, the more places you’ll GO. “

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *