If you are like so many of us, you will begin the new year making plans for some sort of self-improvement. Maybe you intend to eat healthier, begin exercising, stress less, or read more this year. Whatever your plans may be, I encourage you to explore the self-improvement resources that are freely available to you here at the library. 

Books like How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self by Dr. Nicole LePera  (Call Number: 128.2 LEP) or Small Move, Big Change: Using Microresolutions to Transform Your Life Permanently by Caroline Arnold (Call Number: 158.1 ARN) provide strategies to help you succeed, no matter what your goal may be.  

If you need inspiration to begin a new exercise routine or diet, explore the extensive collections of books and DVDs that libraries offer. These materials tend to be very popular in January, but we have plenty to choose from. 

Want something shorter than a book to read? Explore library databases for articles and studies. Richard Laliberte’s 101 self-improvement tips (Men’s Health, May 1994) was one that caught my eye. You can find this particular article using the Gale General OneFile database (found under the Power Library link). For immediate access, just click on the title above. 

If your goals for investing in yourself involve making actual investments into stocks, bonds, or other wealth-building products, check out The Library’s business and investment resources. These can easily be found on our Business and Investment Tools webpage ( https://www.dcls.org/businesstools ) There, you will find links to the Morningstar Investment Research Center and the Gale Business Insights: Essentials database, among others. 

Morningstar’s database offers library users access to proprietary stock/mutual fund analyses, articles, videos, and a glossary for looking up the meanings of investment-related terms. If you are new to investing, the Morningstar Investing Classroom may help you sharpen your investing skills. 

Gale’s Business Insights: Essentials database provides access to full-text articles and statistical data as well. Its tool for comparing one company’s performance against one or more other companies is a handy feature. 

Know that however you plan to invest in yourself this year, it will be well worth the effort. The Library supports those efforts. Have a great new year. 

Ann Marie Megoulas 
Information Services Assistant