Whenever I participate in community outreach on behalf of the Calgary Public Library, the one comment I am bound to hear more often than any other is: “I didn’t know you guys had that!”

I wish that more Calgarians knew about the tremendous resources at their fingertips. So, I’m encouraging you to take a tour of our newly designed website. Check out some of these resources:

• daily newspapers from Calgary and around the world
• hundreds of digitized magazines and magazine articles
• business directories
• encyclopedias
• language learning software
• free e-books
• academic and peer reviewed articles
• reliable information about health and wellness

What I’ve listed here is just a small sample of all that’s available to you! If you’re not sure how to get started, then strike up a conversation with us, using our online chat feature. Happy browsing!

There’s a wealth of really fabulous resources available to Calgary Public Library cardholders, through our e-library. One of my favourites is a digital edition of Market Share Reporter. This comprehensive book has statistics about all sorts of markets, and who (or which product) enjoys the largest share of the market. Check out some of these diverse statistics:

• Avocado Sales by Type
• Best-Selling Albums
• Demand for Pesticides, by Application

Market Share Reporter is an essential tool for entrepreneurs who need current statistics about their market and closest competitors. It’s also fun to simply dig up obscure facts. For instance, did you know that in 2012, China will spend over $260 billion on apparel?

From our homepage, click e-library and then Business, Directories, Investment & Careers. From the list of databases, choose Gale Directory Library Online. Choose “publication” and search using the term “market”. You will find Market Share Reporter and will be able to search for a particular term, or browse all of the topics.

For assistance with this or any of our other online tools, call us at 260-2782, or visit our homepage and use the online chat feature.

Have you caught the bug? I’ll admit that I have. Initially, I wasn’t interested in anything that transpires at Buckingham Palace, but now that William and Kate have wed, and her dress has finally been revealed to the world, I find that I’m getting swept up in the royal excitement. I even curtsied to my lunch date today!

If the “wedding of the century” has got you curious about the royal family and its history, then make a stop at your local library branch. We’ve got lots of books about British history and the monarchy. You can even use Encyclopedia Britannica (online) to gather information about who’s related to whom, and browse pictures of the crown jewels.

Whether or not you care about Kate’s dress, the fact is that today, we’ve had the opportunity to witness history. Find out more about it, and about everything else you’re into, here at the Calgary Public Library.

The Calgary Public Library is a great place to find inspiration for your next meal. We’ve got tons of cookbooks and we subscribe to a large range of cooking magazines, too. Check out some of my faves:

• Everyday (Rachel Ray)
• Donna Hay magazine
• Clean Eating
• Cooking Light

We have a blog dedicated to food, and we frequently host free programs about food, nutrition, etc. If you’re thinking of making changes to your diet, then browse for books on vegetarianism and veganism, weight loss (or gain), natural health and allergies. Be sure to use the e-library for information on food science and nutrition, too!

No matter what you’re into – or what you’re about to put into you! – The Calgary Public Library is sure to have something that’ll inspire you.

No BBQ sauce on the books, though, OK?

I’m a hopelessly devoted non-fiction reader, but a recent post on our Reader’s Nook blog encouraged me to read something that for me is atypical.

I’ve just started reading A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers, on the recommendation of one of our Reader’s Nook posts. I’ve only just begun reading it, but already I’m enthralled. My protagonist has arrived in London, from China, and she’s made her way from a hostel to a room in the home of a Cantonese family. She’s registered for English classes and is working on understanding the present progressive tense. Just a few pages ago, my protagonist met a man nearly twice her age, and they’ve begun a romantic relationship. In fact, the protagonist now has a lover whose body “cries” for hers, and she’s discovering how to use birth control that her own family was too ashamed to talk about.

Non-fiction is certainly interesting and gives me plenty to mull over, but it seldom stimulates my senses. Now that I’ve delved into this story, I can enjoy the rich sensory experience that lives within well written fiction. I can feel the damp London streets. I, like the protagonist herself, can smell the sweaty skin of the lover. My olfactory lobe is working overtime, and I like it!

Bust out of your reading rut and pick up something entirely different. Let our staff make suggestions, and show you where to find a huge range of reviews and recommendations. We’ve got databases in our e-library that will make suggestions to you, based on what you already like, or the characters or themes you’d like to explore.

Here in Calgary, a stack of non-fiction books languishes on my desk. I’ll get to it, but for now, I’m busy wandering the streets near Tottenham Court Road...

Central Library’s recent Mind, Body, Spirit Weekend was a great success, with each program drawing over 100 participants! With programs on happiness, mindfulness, herbs, spirituality, and more, this was a weekend that inspired a huge number of Calgarians!

Craving more information? Visit your library and stock up on books, CDs, MP3s, or DVDs. Or, download e-books from our e-library! We’ve got a huge range of books, and health and wellness is one of our most popular topics. Browse for books on massage, diet, yoga, exercise, happiness, emotional health, spirituality, alternative health and tons more!

Also, let our information desk staff assist you in finding academic material through our e-library. Locate reputable, current, and peer-reviewed information about chronic conditions, medications, alternative health and medicine, and more.

Some time ago, I watched a TV program about people who were trying to make dramatic improvements to their health. One of the procedures that each person had to endure was colon hydrotherapy. I wondered about whether this could possibly be effective (after all, some variation of it has been practiced since ancient Egyptian days…), and so rather than googling, I searched our e-library for scholarly articles on the subject. I’ll never forget having my research interrupted by a somewhat shocked looking co-worker, who kindly ignored my red face, and pretended as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Note to self: these articles are available from home!

What’s the healthiest response to life in general mortification in particular? Just breathe.

Stay well!