Tag Archives: Collection Highlight

Matters of the Heart: Nonfiction Reads on Health, Wellness, and the Human Heart

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When February rolls around, hearts are everywhere—on cards, candy, and decorations—but American Heart Month reminds us that it’s also the perfect time to focus on your actual heart. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, but the good news is that lifestyle choices can make a big difference. This month, we’re spotlighting nonfiction books that focus on heart health, nutrition, exercise, stress management, and wellness habits that support a healthy heart.

Whether you’re looking to build better habits or just want to learn more about how your heart works, these books offer valuable insights and inspiration to help you take care of the organ that keeps everything running.

Heart Health: Understanding and Protecting Your Heart

Learn more about how your heart functions and what you can do to prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, and other cardiovascular concerns.

Suggested Reading:

  • Healthy Heart, Healthy Brain: The Personalized Path to Protect Your Memory, Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes, and Avoid Chronic Illness by Bradley Bale MD, Amy Doneen DNP, and Lisa Collier Cool
  • Heart: A History by Sandeep Jauhar
  • The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up: A Breakthrough Medical Plan to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Steven Masley, MD
  • Undo It! by Dean Ornish, MD and Anne Ornish

Nutrition: Eating for Heart Health

The foods you eat play a huge role in heart health. These titles offer guidance on how to fuel your body with heart-smart nutrition.

Suggested Reading:

  • The Blue Zones Kitchen by Dan Buettner
  • How Not to Die by Michael Greger, MD
  • Disease-Proof: The Remarkable Truth About What Makes Us Well by David Katz

Exercise: Moving Toward a Stronger Heart

Regular physical activity strengthens your heart and improves circulation. These books explore different ways to make movement part of your daily life.

Suggested Reading:

  • Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge, MD
  • Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, MD
  • Built to Move: The Ten Essential Habits to Help You Move Freely and Live Fully by Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett

Stress Management: Calming the Mind to Help the Heart

Chronic stress can take a serious toll on your heart. These books explore mindfulness, meditation, and other techniques to lower stress and boost emotional well-being.

Suggested Reading:

  • The Stress Prescription: Seven Days to More Joy and Ease by Elissa Epel, PhD
  • Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
  • Real Self-Care: Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included by Pooja Lakshmin, MD
    Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki

Wellness Habits: Everyday Choices for a Heart-Healthy Life

Sometimes small, consistent changes can make the biggest impact. These titles help you create routines that support long-term heart health.

Suggested Reading:

  • Atomic Habits by James Clear
  • The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
  • Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, PhD

Stop by the Germantown Community Library this month and check out these titles—and plenty more—that can help you take better care of your heart. Whether you’re looking to eat healthier, move more, or just stress less, there’s something here for everyone. Your future self will thank you!

Erin L., Staff Writer

Back to School, Back to Books: Nonfiction for Lifelong Learners

Book Clubs, Library Collections, Staff Writer,

August means back-to-school season is in full swing – but learning isn’t just for students. Back to School Month is a great reminder that curiosity doesn’t end with graduation. Whether you’re heading to a classroom, picking up a new hobby, or just love expanding your mind, nonfiction books are the perfect tools for lifelong learning

At the Germantown Community Library, we believe education is a journey that continues throughout life. From practical learning strategies to inspiring deep dives into the way we think and grow, our nonfiction shelves offer something for anyone who wants to keep learning – no matter their age or stage in life.

Learning How to Learn: Strategies for Smarter Study

Whether you’re helping a student, going back to school yourself, or just want to sharpen your skills, these books offer practical advice on how to absorb, retain, and apply new information more effectively.

Suggested Reading:

  • Lean Learning: How to Achieve More by Learning Less, by Pat Flynn
  • Keep Sharp: How to Build a Better Brain at Any Age, by Sanjay Gupta
  • Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy, by Daniel T. Willingham

The Science of the Mind: Psychology and Cognitive Growth

Understanding how we think, learn, and change is a powerful part of lifelong education. These titles dive into the science behind learning, behavior, and mental flexibility.

Suggested Reading:

  • The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, by Charles Duhigg
  • Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions, by Temple Grandin
  • Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman
  • The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain, by Annie Murphy Paul

Personal Growth Through Lifelong Learning

Learning doesn’t always look like a classroom. These books explore how continued education – formal or informal – can lead to personal development, creativity, and a deeper understanding of the world.

Suggested Reading:

  • Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth
  • Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, by David Epstein
  • Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic, by Simon Winchester

Ways to Stay Curious All Year Long

Back to School Month is just the beginning – here are some simple ways to make learning part of your everyday life:

  • Take a Class: Whether online or in person, learning something new keeps your brain sharp. (Tip: Ask us about Universal Class and Transparent Languages, two free online resources available from the library!)
  • Join a Book Group: Discussing nonfiction with others can deepen your understanding and expose you to new ideas. We have two nonfiction book groups at the library – a History book group, and a general Nonfiction book group.
  • Start a Learning Challenge: Pick a subject you’ve always wanted to explore – then dive into books, podcasts, and videos on that topic.
  • Teach What You Learn: Sharing your knowledge with others helps you retain it and builds confidence.

The Library is Your Lifelong Learning Partner

At the Germantown Community Library, we’re here to support your educational journey – whether it’s formal, casual, or just-for-fun. Stop in this month and check out our nonfiction collection for fresh ideas, smart strategies, and plenty of inspiration to keep learning all year long.

Erin L., Adult Services Specialist

Introducing the Local Author Collection at Germantown Community Library

Library Collections, Library Updates

What is the Local Author Collection?

We’re excited to announce the addition of our new Local Author Collection at the Germantown Community Library! For the first time, we are dedicating a special space to showcase the works of self-published authors from Washington County, Wisconsin, as well as the adjacent regions of Dodge, Fond du Lac, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Waukesha counties. Whether you’re an emerging writer or have long called Washington County home, this collection provides an opportunity for you to share your work with fellow community members.

Who is Considered a Local Author?

The Local Author Collection is designed to highlight the creativity and talent of self-published authors who are residents or have significant ties to Washington County, Wisconsin, or surrounding communities (Dodge, Fond du Lac, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Waukesha counties). Our goal is to give local writers the chance to have their books read by fellow residents and patrons within the Monarch Library System. It’s a great way for our community to connect through the written word and support local authors.

Where Can I Find the Local Author Collection?

You’ll find the Local Author Collection prominently displayed on the shelves opposite the New Arrival Nonfiction shelves. The books will be available for checkout just like any other library item, so come on by and discover the incredible work being done by authors right here in our community!

How Can I Contribute to the Collection?

If you’re a local author and would like to donate your self-published work to the collection, pick up a copy of the submission form at the library, or download a copy here, and bring it to the library with the book you’re submitting for consideration. All donated items should be in new condition, and will be evaluated using our Collection and Program Management Policy, which ensures the book meets the standards for circulation.

Looking Ahead

We are excited to grow this collection with more donations from local authors and to share the diverse voices of Washington County. Whether you’re an author or a reader, we invite you to be part of this exciting new chapter for the Germantown Community Library.

The Local Author Collection is a wonderful way to support and celebrate local talent while encouraging a shared sense of community. If you’re a local author, consider donating your work today. And for all of our patrons—stop by, check out a book, and explore the stories being written right in your own backyard!

Erin L., Adult Services Specialist

Comics Aren’t Just for Kids: Adult Graphic Novels And You!

Staff Recommendations, Staff Writer, , ,

Welcome to the wonderful world of adult graphic novels! Maybe you’ve heard that graphic novels “aren’t real books” or are “for kids”.

Well, as an adult, I’m here to dispel some rumors. First off, there are graphic novels for kids, just like there are cartoons for kids. In that same vein, there are graphic novels for adults!

Just like I wouldn’t show a child Attack on Titan or The Simpsons. Or Archer.

Sometimes (a lot of times actually), graphic novels can show some dark themes, and shows them visually. There’s horror graphics, action graphics, graphics about war, depression, and more mature themes that appeal to adults.

Things can be more than one thing! I mean, the Marvel Comics have had a huge impact on the Blockbuster movie circuit for the past decade, and those are all, yep, GRAPHIC NOVELS!

Graphic Novels, comics, manga, they all fall into the same category. “Books with a lot of pictures.” But just because a book has pictures doesn’t mean it’s not REAL reading. Some of the best stories I’ve ever read have come from graphic novels. And, yeah, they’re taken seriously has a medium. The reason I know that is because a lot of really good, NOT AIMED AT CHILDREN movies and TV shows came from comics and graphics. The Walking Dead! V for Vendetta! Scott Pilgrim vs The World! All of these an MANY more came from graphic novels and comics.

Bottom line is graphic novels are for everybody, and there’s something out there for everyone. It’s a great genre where beautiful illustrations and great stories combine into a wonderful morsel of entertainment for you, the reader. And YES. It is reading. Even if there’s pictures.

Want to know more? We made a video about it!

Do you have graphics recommendations? Donations? Questions?
Email me: ssiebers@germantownlibrarywi.org

Read cool books!

Shannon S.
Youth Service Specialist
Adult Graphic Novels Collection Manager