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  • The 1619 Project with the Harrisburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

    The Harrisburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., proudly co-hosted community viewings of The 1619 Project series with the Dauphin County Library System East Shore Library, featuring panel discussions following all six episodes.

    These powerful conversations created space for education, reflection, and dialogue around the lasting impact of slavery and systemic inequities. The collaboration strengthened community connections, deepened historical understanding, and reaffirmed the Sorority’s commitment to Arts and Letters and social action by highlighting the positive roles and artistic contributions of African American people of the past and present, while empowering attendees to engage thoughtfully with our shared past and present.

    If you are interested in joining The Library and the Harrisburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Sorority, Inc., as we continue our 1619 Project discussion series, visit https://dcls.libcal.com/event/15588915 to register. Program is for ages 16+ years. Registration is required.

  • Exploring Hobbies at The Library

    By Ann Marie, Information Services Supervisor, Dauphin County Library System

    Recent research, including a study1 published online by Nature Medicine on September 11, 2023, highlights the positive impact hobbies can have on mental well-being. That study’s findings revealed that engaging in hobbies is consistently linked to greater life satisfaction among adults aged 65 and older. Moreover, it’s found that hobbies involving physical activity, artistic or cultural pursuits, and social or community participation are protective against age-related declines in mental health and have the potential of making the time after retirement a period of “productive aging”.

    If such research inspires you to revisit a favorite hobby or try something new, The Library is here to help. From classic pastimes like knitting or crochet, painting, or stamp collecting to popular trends such as gardening, baking, and yoga/sports, you’ll find a wealth of resources—books, magazines, and digital resources—to get you started.

    Begin your exploration by searching our catalog for books and materials about the hobby or pastime that interests you. You will discover that our collection includes a wide range of resources covering many different hobbies.

    (Note: To find the most relevant results for your interests, try entering a keyword directly related to the individual hobby you wish to explore. You will receive many more results than if you simply enter “hobby” or “hobbies” as a search term.)

    Next, look at the magazines and e-magazines that we offer. Many periodicals focus on a specific hobby or activity and will offer a great amount of information in a concise format. Our e-magazine collection in Libby includes 649 titles, including many dedicated to specific hobbies. To find Libby, visit our collection webpage and look under eBooks & eAudioBooks. To limit your search of Libby to a magazine about your favorite activity, try entering a search term that includes the phrase “magazines and” followed by the name of a specific hobby or interest.

    Don’t forget to explore our databases, as still more hobby-related information can be found in them. A great one to explore is Universal Class, a digital database offering over 600 online courses, including many ones related to hobbies. Cake Decorating, Photography 101, and How to Draw 101 are just a few of these. You can find a link to Universal Class on our Research webpage. It is available wherever and whenever you are. If you are outside of a library building, just enter your library card number and PIN to gain access. All courses are free to library members and can be completed on your timeline.

    Want to actually try out a new hobby for free? Your library can help you with that as well. Many libraries offer free hobby-related programs that you can attend – programs like craft programs, sewing instruction, gardening, and more. To explore what the Dauphin County Library System is currently offering, view our Compass (program guide) or visit our Events & Programs webpage. Some hobby-related programs scheduled for this winter include:

    • Knit One, Crochet, Too!
    • The Stitch Sitch
    • Craft Café
    • Coloring for Adults!
    • Crafternoon at The Library
    • Upcycling Crafting
    • Build Your Own Terrarium
    • Mary Sachs Series: Sourdough for Beginners

    Lastly, gardening enthusiasts, you can visit the Seed Library at the East Shore Area Library to get seeds. Puzzle enthusiasts, we have plenty of jigsaw puzzles for you to borrow. Do you like playing board games? We have those too. This January (National Hobby Month), plan a trip to the library/library website and begin to enjoy all that having a hobby can do for you.

    Citation


    1 Mak, H.W., Noguchi, T., Bone, J.K. et al. Hobby engagement and mental wellbeing among people aged 65 years and older in 16 countries. Nat Med 29, 2233–2240 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02506-1

  • Stuart Landon: What The Library means to Me

    By: Dwana Pinchock

    On a personal level, I have always really loved literature, and I’m a big fan of our library system. We have an amazing one here, and I am happy to tell everyone to take advantage of it.

    What’s really exciting is that Open Stage has been able to partner with [DCLS] to bring a touring production of A Christmas Carol, to the East Shore Area Library, which was great and a huge success. We had two performances in the community room, and it was well attended!

    This was just another way for us to celebrate The Library, to celebrate Open Stage, and to celebrate this adaptation of great literature. People could experience this Charles Dickens story in a whole different way.

    Our production, which is a two-man version of the show, tells the story with a lot of Foley sound effects. I think that that people found it really interesting and that created a lot of great discussions.

    Another exciting thing about theaters and libraries is that we get to gather and have great conversations about big topics, including this wonderful work by Dickens.

    Do you have any personal stories about libraries maybe while growing up or even as an adult that you could share?

    I think that one of my favorite memories is growing up in Oklahoma. I grew up lucky being exposed to a lot of storytelling. That happened at our library.

    I specifically remember seeing some storytellers there, sharing Native American stories. I firmly believed that the community gathering that happens at libraries and the events that happened around storytelling, helped me become the theater professional that I am today.

    I don’t think that I would be the same kind of storyteller I am today without being exposed to the books I got at the library or to events like listening to the storytellers.

    Stuart Landon is the Producing Creative Director of Open Stage; a regional professional theatre and educational program located in the heart of downtown Harrisburg.