Bookshare Online Library & Other Free Services

Friday March 2nd, 10:30-11:30 am

Book lovers who are visually impaired or have difficulty holding or reading standard print materials will want to come to Crowell Library on Friday, March 2 at 10:30 a.m. to learn about the Braille Institute’s free services.  Attendees will have an opportunity to sign up for a one-year free license for Bookshare (www.bookshare.org), an online accessible library with over 550,000 titles in audio and Braille.  As part of a statewide pilot program, Braille Institute is providing free access to Bookshare for eligible library patrons. Bookshare users will also receive free training, in-person or over the telephone.   Braille Institute staff will lead hands-on demonstrations and explain the resources available to anyone with visual impairments or movement disorders. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore mainstream devices, such as smartphones and tablets, as well as special adaptive technology designed to help continue one’s lifelong love of reading and learning. 

Braille Institute is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Los Angeles whose mission is to eliminate barriers to a fulfilling life caused by blindness and severe sight loss. Each year, Braille Institute serves tens of thousands of people at six centers throughout Southern California. Braille Institute provides an environment of hope and encouragement through integrated educational, social, and recreational programs. The Braille staff and volunteers understand that losing one’s vision can be scary, and they believe that it is not the end of independence, but a new way of living.

Many who are blind or visually impaired—or who have reading or other physical disabilities—often cannot use printed materials, depriving them of reading materials that most take for granted. Braille Institute's Library Services—the Southern California branch of the National Library Service (NLS), a network coordinated by the Library of Congress—has solved this problem for more than six decades by providing free books for the blind and visually impaired.  Come to Crowell Library on Friday, March 2 at 10:30 a.m. and learn all about these fabulous services.

Get Healthy @ Crowell Public Library!

Huntington Hospital Community Outreach Nurses

Perform and Inform:  Free Health Screenings and Lectures

Huntington Hospital Community Outreach nurses want to empower all members of the community to enjoy the healthiest lifestyle possible. At Crowell Public Library, they continue to visit once a month, offering free blood pressure and glucose screenings.  The next screenings will be Wednesday, February 21 from 10:00 to 11:30 am, as well as March 21^st, April 18^th, May 16^th and June 20^th.  Patrons are seen on a first come, first served basis and no appointment is needed.  No insurance information is required; the nurses only ask for first name, age, and zip code.  It is advised that patrons fast two hours prior to have their glucose checked.
These blood pressure and glucose evaluations can lead to prevention and early detection of the “silent killer” diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes.  As needs determine, the nurses offer counseling, education, referrals, and an opportunity to discuss any health management related issues or questions, such as:  how to use a glucose meter, diet strategies, or where to attend a health class.  The nurses provide a small card on which to record results, a good way to keep track of one’s health status and monitor progress. 
On Wednesday, February 28^th at 10:30 am, Karen De Guzman-Dunn, R.N. will offer the free lecture, “Healthy Heart 101,” also in the Barth Community Room.  Attendees will learn about the normal anatomy and physiology of the heart, along with common disease processes and the related risk factors in this presentation.  Strategies for maintaining a healthy heart and blood pressure will be discussed.  On Wednesday, March 7, “Food & Addiction,” will be the topic of a lecture exploring the idea of some unhealthy foods that may be highly habit-forming.  Patrons attending will learn about healthier eating strategies.  And on Friday, April 20^th at 12:00 noon, nurse Kathy Eastwood will be back for another great session of chair yoga.

These outreach nurses are active all year, working with many community-based organizations such as community centers, senior centers, faith organizations, schools, food banks, mental wellness programs, and health clinics.   All adults are invited to avail themselves of these free programs, offered to empower the community to stay happy and healthy throughout 2018!