Discover the Many Reasons to Love Your Library

As we close out Love Your Library Month, we’d like to say thank you to Rayna Griffin, for her recent “love letter” to the Library. 
 
Rayna’s long and touching letter begins this way: “I am a 34+ year resident of Sedona.  The Sedona Public Library has always been there for my family and myself and others.” Rayna shared that she had enjoyed people-watching from a quiet bench on a recent Friday afternoon.  “People coming and going… alone or with friends and spouses.  Young mothers and their children hand-in-hand.  I loved the sight!”
 
Her letter ends:  “Thank you!  Especially during this I Love My Library month.  What a legacy of love and community, a peaceful place for education and pleasure you bring to all of us!”  Thank you, Rayna, for supporting the Library and for your kind words.
 
During March we’ll be focusing on health and wellness and highlighting the many ways Sedona Public Library can help you with your resolutions to lose weight, exercise more, and take better care of yourself.

To kick off the month, the Library will offer a free health screening on Wednesday, March 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Si Birch Community Room. Provided and funded by Northern Arizona Healthcare, the screening is designed to assess the risk of diabetes and heart disease by measuring cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood glucose. No fasting is required, and no appointment is necessary.

What people appreciate most about the Library’s health screenings is the helpful follow-up consultation with the healthcare professionals who conduct the tests. They do not simply hand you a print-out with numbers that you have to interpret—they take the time to explain your results, they inquire about your diet, exercise, and other habits, and suggest changes to your lifestyle that could lead to better health. 

The free health screenings at the Library are making a difference in community members’ quality of life. At a recent screening, one participant stated, “Because of the screening, I am making good progress toward better health. I feel motivated to continue.” 

Another example of the program’s success is the story of a couple who changed their lifestyles and eating habits after they were screened. In a letter, they expressed their thanks: “We wanted to thank you for opening our eyes to the severity of how bad our health issues were. With your help we were able to make a change. We had no clue how serious it was.”

After your screening, you can peruse the Library’s health-related resources for more information about your health concern. Regardless of your approach to healthcare, whether you favor conventional, alternative, or complementary remedies, you’ll find a book, newsletter, magazine, or other item on the shelf or available to place on hold or order from another library.

Your library card also gives you access to online magazines. Using the Zinio database, you can download full digital copies of your favorite magazines to your computer or mobile device.

Watch for more helpful tips during March to put you on the path to better health.

Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, partially supported by the City of Sedona and Yavapai and Coconino Counties. We also require donations and grants to fund our operations. Your tax-deductible donation may be sent to: Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road, Sedona, AZ 86336.  

Sedona Public Library
Column for February 26, 2016
Written by:  Virginia Volkman, Library Director