Whether you believe in New Year’s resolutions or prefer to call them “goals,” the start of the year brings a fresh motivation for many people to study, grow, and learn new things in various areas of their lives. The Library has a wide range of FREE resources to help you with this! Let’s dive into the library’s toolkit for personal growth so you step into the new year ready for action.
Take a Class with Udemy
New this year! Udemy is a website where you can take a wide range of classes in areas like Business, IT & Software, Design, Marketing, Health & Fitness, Music, and so much more! These classes are self-paced, with on-demand video, hands-on exercises and assignment, downloadable resources, and more.
All classes are free when you log in with your library card! Access Udemy at this link.
Learn Something New at a Library Event
Each month, the Library hosts several events for adults ranging from craft classes to educational speakers. These events are always free to attend, and there’s always a wide variety of topics offered! Some upcoming events of interest include:
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Eating for Optimal Health (1/10): Learn how to eat for more energy, how food can impact your hormone health, and how to boost your immunity through the healing power of food.
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Book Clubs: Our librarians host 3 book clubs throughout the month. Copies of each club's book are available at the Circulation Desk one month prior for you to check out. All are welcome!
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Cup of Health: Join us throughout the year for a series of wellness workshops in partnership with the Waukesha Public Health Department and the ADRC.
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Art History Literary and Lecture Series: Cornerstone History Symposium’s, Karri L. Fritz-Klaus, will take us on a journey through canvas to learn about the artwork of classic artists.
Study With a Friend in Our Quiet Study Rooms
Upstairs on the 2nd floor, there are 5 study rooms available for your use. One of these rooms can be reserved in advance, and the others are available on a first come, first served basis. Two of the rooms can accommodate up to 4 people, while the other three fit 2 people.
While not 100% soundproof, these rooms provide a private, quiet place for you to get focused work done, meet with another person, hop on a Zoom call, and more.
Reserve a room online here!
Do Some Research in the Non-Fiction Section
Our Non-Fiction section houses everything from car care manuals, to cookbooks, to research topics, history, self-help, and so much more. This section is organized by topic, making it easy to browse and find various titles under a certain subject area. We use the Dewey Decimal System to categorize these subjects.
A basic breakdown of the Dewey Decimal System is as follows: Each call number (the number on the spine of a book) is made up of 3 digits before the decimal and 0-5 digits after the decimal that each correspond to a certain subject area. The first digit is the broad subject area, and each subsequent number gets more and more specific. For example, 599.772 is where you’ll find books about dogs, because:
- 500 = Natural Sciences & Mathematics
- 590 = Zoology
- 599 = Mammals
- 599.7 = Carnivora
- 599.77 = Canines
- 599.772 = Dogs
A great interactive resource if you’d like to learn more about how the Dewey Decimal System works is LibraryThing.com.
Besides non-fiction books, we also have non-fiction audiobooks and non-fiction DVDs. If you need help finding something, our librarians are always happy to help!
Get One-On-One Assistance With Our Book-A-Librarian Program
If you are looking to get more one-on-one help with your laptop or smart device, would like to learn more about how to use one of our databases, or another technology-related topic, you can schedule a Book-A-Librarian session! We will spend 45 minutes working with you on a particular topic. Learn more about this program and book a session at this link.
Not Sure Where to Start?
We’d love to help! Send us an email at nbinfo@newberlinlibrary.org about what you’re interested in, and our librarians will send more information about what the Library offers for you!
