The library serves in many ways

 

Have you ever wondered what makes something extraordinary? Well, look no further, today I will be discussing just that. Only, I won’t be giving any definition; instead, I will describe my observations of what makes the West Bridgewater Public Library the crown of libraries. 

About a year ago, I entered the Library intending to get a book for my summer reading, I succeeded. Along the way, however,  I found board games! After checking out my book, I walk back for a closer look. My eyes saw games ranging from chutes and ladders to card games and checkers. In fact, the designated children’s section of our library has so much more including storytime and occasional baby chicks, and even bunnies to enjoy! So what else does the library offer? Why should you come here?

The WBPL has a few more tricks up their sleeve.  We have a passport service where you can fill out a form to get your passport, we have ancestry.com, the library also has organized events, such as an outdoor stargazing which turnout out to be so cool that everyone’s night was filled with oooh’s, and ahhh’s! There are many more wonderful ongoing events at the library. To top it all off, you will meet a compassionate team working behind the curtain to make your trip, in your definition, extraordinary.

Eric Ames

Library Mental Health

 

Depression is an illness affecting millions of people around the world. Undoubtedly, this pandemic can play quite a nasty role in terms of mental illness. For some, social isolation can trigger depression for the first time around or worsen depressive symptoms if already diagnosed. Being cut off from the love, support, and close contact of family and friends is certainly enough to prompt feelings of sadness. For this reason, it is crucial to recognize how to manage such emotions. Here, I will be explaining just that!

When negative thoughts appear, they may seem uncontrollable as you get yourself in what seems to be an eternal loop, but there are ways to distract and cope. To change your way of thinking, focus on something that adds meaning to your life. This purpose can appear in many forms. Outdoor activities: hiking, biking, and walking, even gardening have been proven to elevate your mood, and then there are indoor activities: cooking, games, or reading. These activities can help you bring peace of mind and fortify you against destructive thinking. 

Additionally, more robust activities with extensive research point to yoga and meditation as a couple of the best habits for alleviating depression. Yoga offers benefits beyond the physical realm since you practice mindfulness. Even though many yoga centers are closed, you can still find online programs, having courses ranging from beginner to advanced. Like yoga, mediation offers you the chance to practice mindfulness. When mindfulness is eventually cultivated, the individual can learn to respond to stress while keeping awareness of the present moment. 

No one knew where this pandemic would take us, or how long it would last or how much longer it will last. As humans, we have to accept the circumstances and learn to adapt; thus, we must have fun, be spontaneous! Taking the time for your well-being is more important now than ever before. Remember, it is important to keep yourself busy with what you love; good thoughts attract good things!

Eric Ames, reporter

Book or movie? Or both?

It comes as no surprise that reading a book and watching a movie are very different forms of entertainment. 

Watching the same story roll out on the big screen provides a different experience than reading it. Movies allow you to visualize all the elements in front of you, while books spur the reader’s imagination. Not only does reading fuel your imagination, but it also gives you the ability to play out the characters of the story in your mind’s eye. With this distinction, either picking up a good book or watching a movie are both fun in their own way. 

Studies have shown that the perks of reading include: prevention of cognitive decline, increased empathy, and alleviation of depression. On the other side, watching a movie can benefit your social life, from raising awareness and social skills to providing bonding time. 

As you most likely know, movies are accessible online or virtually everywhere, but we also have them here at the library. As for books, well, we have plenty of those too!

Check out our online resources for movies, eBooks, audiobooks, comics, and more…

Eric Ames, reporter

WB Green Team Blog Post #1

WB Green Team calculates tree value to environment

Reporter: Eric Ames

The West Bridgewater Public Library on Howard Street is far more than your average library. Many local patrons come here because they expect we have everything a library should- a serene and intellectual environment. What most of the public does not know, however, is that this library has an environmental awareness group within.

The G.R.E.E.N. team (as we have come to be known) acknowledges our environment – and by extension, educates the public. What does this look like, may you ask? For one, the G.R.E.E.N team has set up a video contest focusing on what it means to be environmentally conscious. On top of that, we have gone to War Memorial Park and calculated just how much carbon some significant trees could absorb. The largest 15 trees in the park can absorb a total of 17618 pounds of carbon per year! Simply put, that is reversing the environmental hazard of 16,511 showers per year; or replacing two cars worth of toxic missions per year! The benefits of breathing in cleaner air are truly tree-mendous! For starters, breathing cleaner air reduces asthma, cardiovascular diseases, cancer; ultimately, making you live longer and healthier. Who does not want that? 

The next time you are at the library, stop by! We have much more than just books.

Eric Ames, reporter

Waves, Sound and Light 7/17/2018

Today with the assistance of the Easton Children’s Museum, our S.T.E.A.M. scientists learned about vibrations, absorption and variables. They discovered the different aspects of sound and light waves. Shadows and colors were investigated. Light was used to see if objects were translucent, opaque or transparent.

Cardboard Construction 7/11/2018

 

Today our Cardboard Construction Engineers made a bunch of creative, fun items.  A cat cave, a throwing game and a Star Wars world were all created using recycled cardboard found here at the library.  What could you make using cardboard found at home?  Send us your pictures and we will post them to this entry!

Rockets- There & Back Again 7/9/2018

 

The Museum of Science presented Rockets: There and Back Again, a  workshop in which participants engineer, launch, and return vehicles for an imaginary space journey.  Participants created their own air rocket which was launched across the room, followed by building a re-entry vehicle with common items to test in an air chamber to simulate whether or not their rocket would return to Earth. All of our participants enjoyed being rocket engineers with the Museum of Science!

Playful Engineers 6/27/2018

Our Engineers explored mini zip-lines, ping pong ball catapults, exploding popsicle stick snakes, Rube Goldberg machines, mechanical doodads, and more today with presenter Jay Mankita. Even the adults were amazed by the simple machines that can be built with items that you have around the house. As he told our participants, “start with your goal, and work your way backwards. Keep each part simple. Obey the laws of physics. Have fun!”

Take Apart Table #3 5/19/2018

Our “deconstruction” experts proved once again that they are willing to accept the challenge of taking apart everyday household items.  The big hits today were a retired printer from the library, the Keurig machine, a bubble machine and our infamous sewing machine.  The sewing machine is giving our experts quite a challenge in deconstruction! On the list for next time; a toaster, a cassette player (“What’s that?”)  and of course, the sewing machine. Thank you to all of our generous patrons that donate their gently loved household items for our on going project!

Science & Storybooks 5/8/2018

 

Today our younger scientists learned, with the help of the Children’s Museum in Easton, that Science can be found all around us.  While reading some of our favorite books like “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss, our friends were able to incorporate new science concepts into their crafts and games to see that science can be hiding in the least expected places- even books!