Delaware is giving community

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As of Nov. 7, I will have officially lived in Delaware County for one decade. I’ve learned to love this community and the deep relationships I’ve established here. When people ask me about Delaware and why I like living here, one of the first thoughts that comes to mind is this community’s sense of charity and giving.

Through organizations like People in Need, United Way, Common Ground Free Store, and so many, many more, there are a lot of people who care about the well-being of their fellow neighbors. These organizations arrange a variety of collections throughout the year and, thankfully, they frequently contact the Delaware County District Library to partner as a drop-off point.

This summer, you may have participated in Delaware County EMA’s Donate A Fan program. This called folks to drop off new box fans to donate to at-risk homes without central air to keep cool in the heat.

Now that we’re entering the cold season in Ohio, we have several organizations that are filling needs to keep Delawareans warm. Beginning now and running through Dec. 5, the Orange Branch Library will be collecting new winter coats for children of all ages in sizes ranging from infant through adult. These donated items will be collected and passed out by People in Need on Dec. 8 during its annual Holiday Clearing House event.

In January, Delaware County Against Human Trafficking will be collecting new blankets to donate to victims of human trafficking. Stay tuned to DCDL’s social channels and this column to see where you can donate.

Finally, as you’re getting your Christmas trees decorated and lights strung on your homes, don’t throw away that string of lights that won’t work – donate them! The Llibrary is partnering with the Delaware General Health District (DGHD) and Keep Delaware County Beautiful to recycle holiday string lights. All DCDL locations will collect your strings of lights between Nov. 29 and Jan. 2, then our friends at DGHD will properly recycle and dispose of them.

When we can put in a small effort to look after our neighbors and our world, we can make a big impact. Here are some recent releases in the DCDL collection in the subject of nature and science this month.

• “Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime” by Sean Carroll. Learn about quantum mechanics, “the heart and soul of modern physics.” Although we all appreciate the technologies it has brought us (smartphones, lasers), no one really understands it. While many books on this topic emphasize the magic and mystery of quantum mechanics, this one attempts to demystify a complex topic for general readers without oversimplifying.

• “Wildhood: The Epic Journey from Adolescence to Adulthood in Humans and Other Animals” by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and Kathryn Bowers. An evolutionary biologist and a science journalist explore adolescence across species. Despite varying lifespans – days for a fruit fly, decades for a human, centuries for a Greenland shark – most species must achieve similar milestones of safety, status, sex, and self-reliance before they’re considered adults. Whether you’re in the throes of adolescence yourself, or know someone who is, you’ll be reassured by the authors’ conclusion that this stage of life “make[s] exquisite evolutionary sense.”

• “Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have” by Tatiana Schlossberg. Everyone pollutes – from food waste to fast fashion, we’re all guilty of destroying the Earth. Our video streaming habits alone pump 50.3 million tons (45.6 billion kg) of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually. This book includes eye-opening assessments of the (steep) environmental costs of our technology, food production, fashion, and fuel, presented in a conversational style.

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By Nicole Fowles

Glad You Asked

If you have a question that you would like to see answered in this column, mail it to Nicole Fowles, Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St., Delaware, OH 43015, or call us at 740-362-3861. You can also email your questions by visiting the library’s web site at www.delawarelibrary.org or directly to Nicole at [email protected]. No matter how you contact us, we’re always glad you asked!

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