Gifts for Book Lovers

The holidays are almost here!  Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa (or Chrismahanukwanzikah, as I like to call it) are just around the corner!  Still don't know what to get for that book lover on your list (besides books, of course)?  Well, here is your friendly neighborhood perch librarian to the rescue! Ta da!

Believe it or not, some bigger library systems have online stores that sell all kinds of things for bibliophiles that you can't find anywhere else.  There are date due socks and banned books bags.  There are various mugs, stickers, and of course, bookmarks displaying the logo of a particular library.  I know I love my New York Public Library magnet and my Seattle Public Library rubber duckie!

So, here are some places you can shop for the book lover in your life:

• Library of Congress
• Los Angeles Public Library
• New York Public Library 
• San Diego Public Library  
• Seattle Public Library   

Still not sure what to get?  Then try these websites with all kinds of good bookish things:

• 22 Affordable Gifts for Readers
• 24 Insanely Clever Gifts for Book Lovers
• 50 Best Literary Gifts for a Modern Day Book Lover
• 2016 Holiday Gift Guide for Librarians and Book Lovers
• The Best Non-Book Gifts for Bookworms
• Unique Gifts for Readers 

Hopefully, these websites will give you some good ideas on what to get your bibliophile, perch librarian, or yourself for the holidays.

Readings greetings from the perch!

Turn to the Spiritual Side

The most wonderful time of the year?  How about the most stressful time of the year?  Turn on the radio...there's holiday music.  Go online...there's holiday sales.  Drive to town...there's holiday traffic.  Everything is holiday, holiday, holiday.  It's enough to make anyone anxious...unless you make time for some self-care.

By that I mean meditation, and not necessarily the kind that makes you sit crossed-leg on the floor and chant "om" (unless, of course, that's the kind you prefer).  Meditation is all about taking a short break to calm yourself and your mind.  It's about putting a little time aside for yourself to feel peaceful and able to handle the different things that pop up in your life.

I don't know about you, but my mind is usually all over the place like a caffeinated squirrel, and during this time of year my mind goes into overdrive.  I feel I barely have enough time or energy to do all the things I need to get done.  Five minutes, however, isn't a lot of time.  So, every morning I set the timer on my phone for 5 minutes, I sit down comfortably on a cushion, close my eyes, and focus on my breathing.  I breathe in; I breathe out.  That's basically it.  I give myself permission not to think and stay in the moment.  And guess what--it works!

Perhaps sitting down for 5 minutes by yourself in silence is too daunting?  Maybe you need a little more guidance?  Not to worry.  We have meditation CDs at the library that can take you through a guided meditation, and we have books that can offer advice on meditating and starting your own personal practice.

Experts say that besides reducing stress, meditating can strengthen your immune system, help you sleep better, and make you happier in general, among many other benefits.  That's a pretty fruitful five minutes a day, don't you think?

Wishing you peace and a stress-free Holiday Season from the perch.