Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year from your friends at the Milford Public Library. Shown, from left, are staff members Marcia Baumgartner and Maureen Haab, along with the library gnome, Edgar. Photo provided by Milford Public Library.

News Release

MILFORD — It’s the beginning of a new year, and that time when many make resolutions to either add something new to our lives or take something away. For instance, we may want to exercise more, eat healthier, pick up a new hobby or maybe kick a bad habit, lose weight, or alleviate stress in some way. But where and how do you start?

The library may very well have the answer. Visit the library and see there are books, videos, music, ebooks, audiobooks, and other resources that can help get started in achieving all those New Year’s resolutions. For example, if you want to exercise more, there are books such as Joy of “Movement” by Kelly McGonigal or “Walk Away the Pounds” by Leslie Sansome.

The library also has exercise videos covering everything from walking to lifting weights. There are books on healthy eating and easy diet plans such as “Food, Health, and Happiness” by Oprah Winfrey and “Rocco’s Keto Comfort Food Diet” by Rocco DiSpirito.

If you are looking to pick up a new hobby, the library has many books covering subjects from photography, drawing and painting instruction, growing plants and vegetables, woodworking, knitting and crocheting, and many more. Check out any one of a number of self-help books on relieving stress and anxiety such as “The Superstress Solution” by Roberta A. Lee or “The Highly Sensitive Person” by Elaine Aron. So don’t be afraid of failure when making those New Year’s resolutions; the library is here to help.

January LEGO Challenge

The January LEGO Challenge is to make a penguin. Send a picture to the email below to be considered for this month’s prize drawing. The penguin can have a unique pose, a silly face, or anything else. Use your imagination. The staff is so excited to see what you make. After you’ve built your penguin, submit a photo to [email protected] by Jan. 24 for a chance to win a new LEGO kit. The winner will be picked by staff vote. No library card needed. This challenge is for children ages 18 & under.

Puzzle Exchange

Visit the Library today and pick up a puzzle or two to put together in the warm comfort of your home while those cold winter winds are blowing outside your door. The puzzle exchange is a free program that doesn’t require a library card. There are lots of puzzles to choose from, including simpler ones with just a few pieces to more challenging ones with up to 1,000 pieces. Also, if you have a puzzle at home that you no longer want, feel free to bring it in and add it to the library’s growing collection.

Ox Bow County Parks Pass

Once again this year, the Elkhart County Park and Recreation Department has generously made available to the Milford Public Library a free vehicle access pass to Ox Bow County Park in Dunlap (which is located midway between Goshen and Elkhart, on CR 45, just north of US 33). Normally, the park charges a fee for vehicles entering the park; however, with the pass, that fee is waived. Beyond that, there is no admission fee to the park itself.

The park is opened year round and offers hundreds of acres with trails and outdoor activities for the whole family to enjoy. If you have a Milford Library card, all you need to do is check out the pass just like you would any other item at the library; and the pass is good for one week. Interested patrons can inquire about the pass at the front desk in the Adult Department.