Have you thought much lately about the importance of mentoring and how the use of mentoring can have a positive impact on our society?  In honor of National Mentoring Month in January, we are sharing a few of the excellent titles we own on this valuable knowledge-sharing tool.

Guiding lights : the people who lead us toward our purpose in life, by Eric Liu

Mentoring young men of color : meeting the needs of African American and Latino students, by Horace R. Hall

Big questions, worthy dreams : mentoring young adults in their search for meaning, purpose, and faith, by Sharon Daloz Parks

Mentor like Jesus, by Regi Campbell

The first year matters : being mentored– in action! : a month-by-month reflective guide for new teachers and their mentors, by Carol Pelletier Radford

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Chinese New Year is an important traditional Chinese holiday that begins this year on January 23rd.  We have lots of interesting titles that explore various aspects of Chinese culture:

Tao te ching : on the art of harmony : the new illustrated edition of the Chinese philosophical masterpiece, by Laozi

The new Chinese astrology, by Suzanne White

China : getting rich first : a modern social history, by Duncan Hewitt

Chinese brush painting : a beginner’s guide, by Pauline Cherret

Treasures of China : the glories of the kingdom of the dragon, by John Chinnery

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Lee-Jackson Day is a holiday celebrated in the Commonwealth of Virginia, for the birthdays of Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson.  The original holiday, created in 1889, celebrated Lee’s birthday.  Jackson’s name was added to the holiday in 1904.

Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation by Brian Holden Reid – Following the Civil War, Lee quickly became an icon to Southern partisans in the “Lost Cause” tradition.  His character and success against long military odds soon elevated Lee into a figure respected and revered by many Americans, North and South.

Robert E. Lee and the Fall of the Confederacy, 1863-1865 by Ethan Rafuse – Is it really possible there’s anything new to say about Robert E. Lee, who probably has had more written about him than any other Civil War military figure?  Ethan Rafuse clearly thinks so, and in this book argues his case and brings impeccable credentials to his quest.

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Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement.  He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.

Daisy Bates: Civil Rights Crusader from Arkansas by Grif Stockley – Daisy Bates (1914-1999) is renowned as the mentor of the Little Rock Nine, the first African Americans to attend Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.  For guiding the Nine through one of the most tumultuous civil rights crises of the 1950s, she was selected as Woman of the Year in Education by the Associated Press in 1957.

David Margolick’s Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock is the story of Elizabeth Eckford, the heroic poster child of the struggle to desegregate Little Rock’s Central High, which so many have forgotten, and her tormentor, Hazel Bryan, which so few ever knew.  This book should be required reading for every American who wants to understand why the wounds inflicted by the heritage of slavery and Jim Crow remain unhealed.

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Perhaps things are piling up at home and you don’t have a logical place to store some of your prized possessions?  The reason it’s important to have an organized home isn’t simply to avoid shame if company drops in unexpectedly.  Rather, keep in mind that if our living space is in chaos, our mind is in chaos.  The home should be a place to take refuge after a long day out in the world.

We have some interesting titles that may be of help:

The paradox of choice : why more is less, by Barry Schwartz

Less is more : a practical guide to maximizing the space in your home, by Elaine Lewis

Green metropolis : why living smaller, living closer, and driving less are the keys to sustainability, by David Owen

Less is more : meditations on simplicity, balance, and real abundance, by Mina Parker

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There is something about “the ten best” or ” the ten craziest” or “the top ten” that seems to pique our human curiosity.  So here are 10 books you may want to check out:

10-10-10 : 10 minutes, 10 months, 10 years – a life-transforming idea, by Suzy Welch

How philosophy can save your life : 10 ideas that matter most, by Marietta McCarty

 Power of the 10 : how to embrace the Commandments, handle stress, and achieve success, by Arlene Churn

Write : 10 days to overcome writer’s block : period, by Karen E. Peterson

10 things employers want you to learn in college : the know-how you need to succeed, by Bill Coplin

Ten things I wish I’d known–before I went into the real world, by Maria Shriver

Brainfit : 10 minutes a day for a sharper mind and memory, by Corinne L. Gediman and Francis M. Crinella

We plan, God laughs : 10 steps to finding your divine path when life is not turning out like you wanted, by Sherre Hirsch

Strong fathers, strong daughters : 10 secrets every father should know, by Meg Meeker

10-minute Zen : easy tips to lead you down the path of enlightenment, by Colleen Sell & Rosemary Roberts

Filed under: Brain training, Change, College, Decision Making, Education, Life Planning, Philosophy, Success, Writing | | No Comments »

The Akron Bridal Show will be held at the Knight Center on Sunday, January 8, 2012. After the show, visit the Akron Main Library and pick up a copy of  With This Ring: A Guide to Planning Your Wedding.

           A list of wedding planning books can be found
            on the library catalog here.

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The New Year is starting.

Make a resolution to stop by your Main Library each week.

Here are 52 ways to use your Library
in the History & Humanities Division.

1. Get to know your librarian, the ultimate search engine at your library.
2. Browse your favorite Web sites.
3. Take the first steps to planning your next vacation by reading up on the places you plan to visit.
4. Learn about different religions.
5. Is college in your future? Let us introduce you to the college planning resources. 
6. Reserve the latest true crime paperback.
7. Get started on your country studies assignment.
8. Are you planning your wedding? The Library has material to help.
9. Fine tune your skills as you prepare for the GED.
10. Prepare your college application essay.
11. Get new ideas for your landscape or garden.
12. Attend the grant’s workshop series beginning in February 2012.
13. Will you be taking the ACT or SAT soon?  One way to succeed is to work on your vocabulary.
14. The Library has baby name books if you are expecting a little one.
15. Research the spelling or history of a word.  
16. Take the first steps toward researching your term paper.
17. Explore the literary criticism resources.
18. You’re invited to participate in the Cross Word Puzzle Tournament on March 24th.
19. Find the answer to an etiquette question.
20. Use a concordance to locate a Bible verse.
21. Find books and databases to help you learn a foreign language.
22. Use the Library’s resources to home school your children.
23. Locate a magazine article in a database.
24. Visit the Nonprofit Resource Center.
25. Find an open enrollment form for school.
26. Make photocopies.
27. Enjoy a ghost story or book on haunting.
28. Find a favorite poem to read.
29. Take out a curriculum-planning book.
30. Attend the Akron Storytelling Festival on July 13th & 14th.
31. Browse the Martin Luther King collection.
32. Investigate an opposing viewpoint question or issue. 
33. Find out how to apply for a grant.
34. Anytime day or night you can download a study guide.
35. Find the latest self-help books.
36. Pick up a Bible to read.
37. Read a play.
38. Pick up a FAFSA form.
39. Find out how to cite a source for your term paper.
40. Schedule a time to have a test proctored.
41. Pick up the latest current events or political bestseller.
42. Check out a Bible commentary.
43. Pick up the latest book on the Civil War.
44. Come back for more books on how to paint with watercolor.
45. Learn about caring for the aging.
46. Select a book on grief and loss.
47. Locate the address for a hospital.
48. Explore books on the great masters of art.
49. Have you written a book? The Writer’s Market may help you locate a publisher.
50. Do you need help with a social issue? The Library has a list of community organizations that may be able to assist you.
51. Learn about the ancient Chinese practice of feng shui.
52. Locate books on Akron/Ohio history.

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A New Year’s resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to one or more personal goals or projects, or the reforming of a bad habit. A key element to a New Year’s Resolution that sets it apart from other resolutions is that it is made in anticipation of the New Year, and new beginnings.  We have some excellent titles that discuss the dynamics of personal change and how to create new habits:

What Have You Got to Lose? : Experience a Richer Life by Letting Go of the Things that Confuse, Clutter and Contaminate, by Stephen Arterburn

Why Do I Keep Doing That? : Breaking the Negative Patterns in Your Life, by Dennis Wholey

I Dare You to Change! : Discover the Difference Between Dreaming of a Better Life and Living It, by Bil Cornelius

Excuses Begone! : How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits, byWayne W. Dyer

Creating Your Best Life : the Ultimate Life List Guide, by  Caroline Adams Miller and Dr. Michael B. FriscG

Filed under: Change, Goals, Happiness, Life Lists, Resolutions, Success | | No Comments »