The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls was published 20 years ago and has sold more than five million copies. Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys (both by Dr. Cara Natterson) came out more recently. Both books have educated millions of adolescents (and their parents) about their health. Clearly, there is an enormous demand for dependable health information. The library offers support for research, learning, access to online resources, and connection with local services.

With a new health diagnosis, timing can be critical for decision-making. Lack of a home computer, high-speed internet, or a printer are barriers for many community members. The public library offers free access to computers, Wi-Fi, and a scanner; printing is available for 10 cents per page.

From home or the library, you can link to online health resources such as MedlinePlus (a searchable health database offered by the National Institutes of Health) and ProQuest (which offers access to thousands of scholarly articles). At www.nols.org, follow the Online Resources link on the homepage to explore the many offerings available.

In addition to support for personal research, the library offers educational presentations throughout the year. On Thursday, October 18 at 1pm, Advance Care Planning: Making Future Health Care Choices will be offered at the Sequim Branch Library, in partnership with Olympic
Medical Center. The presentation will offer an introduction to understanding possible future health care choices and making a plan before a crisis occurs. The program will be offered at all four NOLS branch libraries, including the Port Angeles Main Library at 11am on Saturday, October 20.

Support groups (like the Head Injury Support Group) regularly meet at the library, and other community organizations use the library’s meeting room for presentations. The public bulletin board in the library’s lobby highlights local happenings, and is a place for community members to find out about upcoming events and classes like grief support groups, caregiver support groups, and educational opportunities.

The library offers a diverse collection of materials in various formats (including DVDs, books, and audiobooks) on health and wellness related topics ranging from fitness and sleep health to dementia, cancer, and pregnancy, to cookbooks for specific health conditions like diabetes, and personal memoirs about life with an illness. Here are few you might consider checking out:

• Run for Your Life: How to Run, Walk, and Move Without Pain or Injury and Achieve a Sense of Well-Being and Joy by Mark Cucuzzella
• The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery by Rebecca Katz
• Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief: Guided Practices for Reclaiming Your Body and Your Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn (audiobook on CD)
• It’s Not Yet Dark by Simon Fitzmaurice
• Dynamic Aging: Simple Exercises for Whole-Body Mobility by Sequim author Katy Bowman
• Every Body Yoga: Let Go of Fear, Get on the Mat, Love Your Body by Jessamyn Stanley

For a healthier, more informed you, come visit the library. Getting a library card is free and provides access to all of the library’s online resources, in addition to all the great things available for checkout! To sign up, bring your ID and stop by the Sequim Branch Library to talk to friendly library staff. For more information, visit www.nols.org, or call 360.683.1161. The Library is located at 630 N. Sequim Ave.