Keep Your Brain Healthy
By Gail McNair
Whew! We lived through it! The pandemic, that is, and we all hope that it never returns. However, like everything, there is good news and bad news. Some of us stayed home and entertained ourselves by learning how to download books – the good news. I am happy to share that Lincoln City Libraries (LCL) reported an almost double increase in check-outs of eBooks and audiobooks from only one of its electronic services, from close to 300,000 in 2017 to almost 600,000 in 2021.
The bad news is that this increase in usage is also having a tremendous negative impact on Library budgets, as electronic books are purchased for a specific number of downloads and then disappear, while a print book sits on a shelf until it falls apart or is removed from the collection. Also, an unfortunate reality is that not all books are available in electronic formats, which limits accessibility. Plus, some publishers are restricting availability to libraries, which in my opinion, is just not right.
Additional good news, now that we are familiar with LCL’s website, is that we can now take advantage of the opportunities available with our library card. For example, click on Resources on the LCL homepage and the world is your oyster! If the news is your thing, you can access our local paper and five nationally recognized newspapers, including the New York Times and Washington Post. Other resource options include genealogy, automotive, history, arts, and so much more! If you need help, Library staff can help in your local library or by phone.
Thanks to our Libraries, we can keep our brains fit and healthy through reading and technology exploration.
The really good news is that thanks to our Libraries, we can keep our brains fit and healthy through reading and technology exploration. Mental exercise is important for our well-being, just as physical exercise keeps us physically fit. Reading helps stimulate our brains and improves reasoning skills, memory retention, processing speed, and reduces stress. If you don’t have a library card, run don’t walk to your nearest Library. Staff is ready and waiting to assist in opening a whole new electronic world to you!
Visit lincolnlibraries.org to get started!
Gail McNair is the Executive Director of the Foundation for Lincoln City Libraries and a contributing writer for 55+.