Coping in Quarantine

I don't have to tell you that we're living through a difficult, stressful time with a new normal. Schools, stores, and services that we took for granted are all closed. Even parks and playgrounds are closed to prevent people from gathering and spreading COVID-19. Families are spending a LOT more time together at home working, learning, and simply living their everyday lives.

The first week (maybe even the second) at home may have been tolerable, but going through three weeks or more of isolation can test the endurance of any introvert or person with a home business. So, how do we cope with being in quarantine during a stay-at-home order? How do we stay healthy both physically and mentally during this time?

Below are some suggestions for keeping both you and your family from climbing the walls for an extended stay at home:

• Keep a routine. Adults and kids alike do well when we know what to expect. Keep a regular bedtime and time to wake in the morning. Get into a daily routine of activities.
• Exercise. We may not be able to go to the gym or park now, but we can still do things inside, like yoga, zumba, and good, old fashioned calisthenics. We can also go outside to ride a bike or take a walk around the neighborhood as long as we keep apart from others.
• Get some fresh air. It's spring. The weather's getting warmer and the flowers are blooming. Step outside your house and just hang out in your back or front yard. Seeing some nature and getting a little Vitamin D will make you feel better.
• Limit your time getting the news. We all want to know what's going on, but watching 24-hour news networks and following news websites around the clock is going to drain your energy and bring down your spirits. Set a limit on your news time.
• Keep in touch with family and friends. We're all going through this together. Although we can't socialize in person, we have technology and social media to help us stay in touch. Pick up the phone or do a live video chat through Skype or Facebook with someone you care. 
• Do something fun. This is the perfect time to start that new hobby or craft you always wanted to do. Play some board games. Watch a movie. Read a book (you knew I had to add that one).

Just remember that the quarantine won't last forever. We will go outside again, we will get back together with each other, and we will resume our normal lives. We just don't know when that will happen. In the meantime, we need to isolate for our own safety as well as that of others. Keep in mind that the library has a number of virtual books and other items to help you and your family through this. Just contact us (509-247-5556, fafblibrary@gmail.com).

Wishing you and your family good health from the perch.

It's Okay Not to Be Okay

When we were all celebrating the start of 2020 back in January, I'm sure no one ever dreamed that three months later we'd be living through a coronavirus pandemic and life as we know it would be put on hold.  We're experiencing a new normal--many of us (including your perch librarian) are working from home, kids and college students are out of school dealing with online learning, we're wearing masks and gloves outside of the home, restaurants are open only for takeout, hair salons and so many other services are temporarily closed...the list of closures and restrictions goes on.

Maybe some of us or people we know have gotten COVID-19 or have died of it.  One of my relatives was hospitalized for several days due to coronavirus-related pneumonia (thankfully, she recovered); a family friend was the first person to die of the virus in Spokane.  To anyone suffering with COVID-19, I wish you the best for a speedy and full recovery.  To anyone who has lost someone to it, I offer my sincere condolences.

I don't have to tell you that this is a scary time for all of us, young and old.  We don't know what's going to happen; we don't know when this roller coaster ride we unwillingly were put on is going to end.  I'm not going to lie--I've had moments when I broke down and cried about what's happening.  According to the experts, this is to be expected because we're not only dealing with the unknown but we're also dealing with grief for the loss of our former lives, the way things used to be before the pandemic. 

This is the time to be kind to ourselves.  It's okay not to be okay now.  Don't beat yourself up for not being your usual self or being on top of your game.  Don't reprimand your kids for having a tough time adjusting to online learning.  This pandemic has put us all into survival mode, and our best at this time won't be the same as our best under normal circumstances.  And that's alright.  The roller coaster will slow down and stop eventually.  We just don't know when.  In the meantime, stay healthy and be safe.  We will get through this, one day at a time.

Wishing you good health and calming vibes from the perch.

Coronavirus: Separating Facts from Hype

Today I'm posting about something serious that's been in the news lately and probably on all of your minds--the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.  The disease started in China last December, and thanks to the miracle of air and sea travel, it's spread around the world in no time.  As I write this post, 231 people in the U.S. have coronavirus and 14 have died from it, most of them in Washington State.

What's scary is the disease is new and therefore we haven't developed an immunity to it.  The elderly (defined as those aged 60 and over) as well as those with respiratory issues and deficient immune systems seem to be the most susceptible.  Because the coronavirus is so new, scientists and medical experts are still learning how to deal with it and are feverishly trying to develop medications for its treatment.

One thing to be careful about in our age of social media and easily accessible information is separating the facts of coronavirus from the hype, and there's definitely a lot of hype.  When you look for information on the Internet, be sure you're going to reputable sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, or the Mayo Clinic.  As for news outlets, check out major newspapers and television outlets, making sure to pay attention to news reports not opinion pieces, which are often mistaken for the news these days.

Don't panic, but do be cautious and sensible.  Practice good hygiene.  As the experts say, proper handwashing, sneezing or coughing into your elbow, avoiding handshakes (a nod or wave is fine) are some things you can do to help avoid getting sick or making others sick not only with coronavirus going around, but colds and the flu as well.

Wishing you good health and happiness from the perch.

The Library Catalog

Depending on your age, you may remember them--those rather sizable, block-like pieces of wooden furniture in the library known as the card catalog.  It was the keeper of the keys, the way to unlock and discover the mysteries of the library collection.  Comprised of small drawers filled with cream-colored index cards, the card catalog allowed you to let your fingers do the walking and find items on shelves.

I remember once upon a time in elementary school, in addition to classes like music, art, and gym, there was library class.  The school librarian would sometimes read books to you or play a filmstrip (this was in the days before the DVD or Blue-ray player).  Other times, the librarian would teach you how to use a library, explaining the Dewey decimal system and the iconic card catalog.

Eventually, the card catalog was replaced by the computer.  At first, computers with the library catalog were only used by staff behind the desk.  Slowly, more computers started appearing around the library for patron use and were often side by side with the card catalog.  The electronic catalog initially contained just the records of the newest acquisitions, while the card catalog had the older.  Over time, the electronic catalog included the records of every item in the library.

Practically all libraries today have catalogs that are not only electronic but available online.  Thanks to the Internet, we no longer have to physically travel to the library during business hours to use a card catalog and see whether an item is available.  We can now search any library's catalog at any hour of the day from wherever we may be.

So, whenever someone comments that libraries are outdated, just mention how libraries have evolved with the times and how they are the keepers of both print and electronic knowledge today.

Helping you stay connected now and in the future from the perch.

Bookmarks, Part II

In my last post I discussed using bookmarks to keep your place in a book as opposed to dog-earring pages, which causes damage.  Going one step further, I'm going to address the subject of bookmarks themselves--what is appropriate to use as a bookmark and what isn't.

Generally, bookmarks are rectangular slips of paper or card stock that you put between the pages of a book to keep your place.  Other acceptable bookmarks include thin metal bookmarks (the kind you buy in bookstores), ribbons, or even crocheted strips.  The reason why all these forms are appropriate is that they do not harm books in any which way or form.

Sometimes, we don't have a suitable bookmark available, so we use whatever is handy.  In a pinch, we may use any of the following items: a (clean) tissue/napkin/toilet paper, a receipt, an airline boarding pass, a postcard, a Post-It, an envelope, a business card...I think you get the idea.

Things you should NOT use as a bookmark under any circumstances include toe tags, grass, dandelions, clumps of cat hair, socks, toothpicks (even unused ones), guitar strings, bacon (raw or cooked), or any other kind of food.  Th bottom line--don't use anything as a bookmark that could damage a book.

If you've purchased and own the book, you could theoretically do whatever you want with it (although I'd like to think you'd treat it with care).  However, if it's a library book, please make an extra effort to keep it in the same condition in which you borrowed it so that others can enjoy it as well.

Speaking for the safety of books everywhere from the perch.

Bookmarks, Part I

Not all of us are able to read an entire book, cover to cover, in one sitting.  When that happens, unless we have incredible recall, it's probably common for us to mark the page we're reading so we can find our place again.  Normally this is achieved with a bookmark of some sort, whether it's made from paper, metal, or ribbon.

Another way of bookmarking, which is frowned upon in libraries, is dog-earring a page.  If you're unfamiliar with dog-earring (and I hope you are), the practice involves taking the top corner of a book page and folding it over to allow you to find the place where you left off.  Although it may be convenient to do if you lack a proper bookmark, it does damage books. 

Lately in our library we have found an alarming number of books being returned to us with dog-eared pages.  Some of these books are old while some are new.  Regardless, all library books should be kept in good condition for future borrowers to enjoy.  You wouldn't want to check out a book that's been misused and abused, would you?

Please take care of library books.  If you need to keep your reading place, we have plenty of paper bookmarks that are environment-friendly, reusable, and absolutely free!  You can't beat a deal like that!  And if, perchance, you happen to forget our wonderful bookmarks, please, PLEASE don't dog-ear the book.  Put something between the pages as long as it's not sticky, icky, or inky (I'll discuss this more another time).

Yours truly, trying to save one book at a time from the perch.

Make Your Intentions

We're halfway through January.  I'm sure many of you have made New Year's resolutions such as dieting, exercising, giving up smoking, being better with finances, etc.  Many of you are probably doing well in keeping those resolutions up to this point, but I'm sure there's an equal number of you who have already given up on them.  Am I right?

Perhaps it's time for a new tradition--New Year's intentions.  Stop and think about it.  According to Lexico, which is powered by Oxford (the same people who give you the Oxford English Dictionary), intention is defined as a "thing intended; an aim or plan."  Compare that with resolution, which is defined as a "firm decision to do or not to do something."  Doesn't an intention sound more appealing than a resolution to you?

Personally, I think it's more realistic to set up an intention.  Let's face it, if you're resolving to do something, like dieting, you're going to feel like a failure if you don't stick to it.  An intention is kinder.  You intend to improve, but if you fall short, that's okay.  Just get up and try again without beating yourself up.

So make some New Year's intentions, like going to the library more often.  If you don't fulfill your intentions one day, tomorrow is another day.  Do the best you can to keep your plans.  And if you do make it to the library, you might also want to make an intention to stop by the desk and say hello to your friendly neighborhood perch librarian.

Wishing you many good intentions from the perch.