Before the world was over as we knew it, I was privileged to spend a weekend in Banff with my four adult daughters. This was a rare treat, as it is extremely difficult to align the schedules of five incredibly busy and committed women. But we did it! Much fun was had dining out, staring at the views, walking down Banff Avenue in the lightly falling snow and buying fudge! (None of which we could do today without being arrested!) As part of the weekend, I wanted to gift the girls each a book that had meant something to me – especially ones that had helped me through difficult times. Sometimes, it was nothing more than a paragraph or two, or simply a line. Sometimes, it was just the simple act of lifting me out of my own circumstances and taking me somewhere else for a few hours so I could forget about what was going on around me. Other times, it was just that the writing was so good I became mesmerized. Fortunately for you, I kept a list of these treasures. Now that we are “all in the same boat” of trying times, I am sharing this list with you. Most of these titles you should be able to find as e-books through the library’s online e-resources. If you need help accessing these resources, we have taped an envelope to the front door of the library containing brochures to help you. You can also go directly to the e-resource page for instructions. Start by going to our website: www.sheepriverlibrary.ca and click on “e-resources” at the top right-hand side of the page. Since the mandatory shut down of libraries, Marigold Library System has been loading tons of e-content to lessen the wait times for books. There are also new e-resources for teens and children. Some other resources, such as Ancestry.ca, have lifted restrictions so that access can be had from your home instead of the library. Keep checking the page frequently for new additions. If the books below are not available or the wait is too long, and if Amazon is still delivering, you may be able to find them there.
After Easter, there will be no staff in the building to answer phones or provide e-resource assistance. Marigold has been wonderful by doing things such as renewing all items out system wide to May 15 and renewing memberships that would have expired to allow for e-resource access. As we do not know how long this shutdown will last, be assured that Marigold is monitoring all these aspects of library service.
And now for the list:
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Morning Glory by Sarah Jio
Happiness for Beginners and Things You Save in a Fire both by Katherine Center
The Sow’s Ear Café by Holly Quan
Save Me by Kristyn Kusek Lewis
Into the Abyss by Carol Shaben
The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Myerson
Wrestling with Angels: Adventures in Faith and Doubt by Carolyn Arends
“All over the world, people are being quarantined and are being compelled to practice social distancing. We are trying desperately to remain sane in a world that seems bordering on the insane. So, the time is just right for us to ponder, reflect, meditate, and discover the world within our own minds.” – Avijeet Das, poet and author
