Lots of people are finding themselves with more time on their hands than ever before. (That’s not a bad thing, right?) Even those working from home during the day have free evenings and weekends as the governor’s stay-at-home order continues.

Now is the time to get lost in a good book (or two… or 50). We asked the Lynchburg Public Library to recommend some good titles for all ages—and all are available online through the library’s hoopla or Overdrive collections. If you aren’t sure how that works, we’ve included some background information as well—just keep scrolling.

Adults
Titles compiled by Leann Underwood, adult services supervisor at the Lynchburg Public Library

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel—Hilary Mantel provides a compelling twist on Henry the VIII, telling the Tudor saga from Thomas Cromwell’s point of view. Mantel does not paint Cromwell as a do-gooder, but rather shows us his greed and ambition as part of a complex character. The eaudiobook is available on Overdrive. The video is available through hoopla.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman—We could all use a reminder to have faith in humanity. This humorous, poignant novel follows a year in the life of Ove, a man who has lost his wife and is determined to end his—but events and neighbors assure that Ove remains. The ebook and eaudiobook are available on Overdrive.

Clock Dance by Anne Tyler—A delightfully bewitching and beautifully written novel of one woman’s transformative journey through self-discovery. Willa Drake spends the novel surrounded by eccentric neighbors who treat each other like family. Available on Overdrive.

The Splendid and the Vile by Eric Larson—Eric Larson makes non-fiction read like fiction. It is the height of WWII and Europe is looking for a leader. Larson captures the sacrifice of Winston Churchill himself, and his family, in the fight against Germany. Available on Overdrive.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett—“The Dutch House” is very accurately described as a “richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go.” The Dutch House almost becomes a character itself, allowing the reader to look through the windows into the lives of those who have lived there. Available on Overdrive.

Young Adult Top 10 List
Compiled by Emily Mook, youth services library assistant at the Lynchburg Public Library
All are available through hoopla’s Bonus Borrows Collection

• The Lord of the Rings audiobooks (entire trilogy)
• The Hobbit audiobook
• Spider-Man: Miles Morales Volumes 1 & 2 comics
• Loki: Agent of Asgard Volume 1: Trust Me comic
• Magic: The Gathering: Rise of the Gatewatch eBook
• The Gamer’s Bucket List eBook
• Star Wars Volume 1: Skywalker Strikes comic
• Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins Volume 1 comic
• Rebel Belle audiobook
• The Self-Compassion Workbook for Teens eBook

Children’s Top 10 List
Compiled by Emily Mook, youth services library assistant at the Lynchburg Public Library
All are available through hoopla’s Bonus Borrows Collection

• Captain Underpants audiobooks (select titles in series only)
• Lumberjanes Volume 1 comic
• Boxcar Children eBooks and audiobooks (select titles in series only)
• Classic Starts audiobooks: Peter Pan, Oliver Twist, The Swiss Family Robinson, The Secret Garden, Treasure Island, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, A Little Princess, Alice in Wonderland, and Anne of Green Gables
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid eBooks (select titles in series only)
• Big Nate comics (select titles in series only)
• The 39 Clues audiobooks (select titles in series only)
• Wings of Fire audiobooks (select titles in series only)
• Avatar: The Last Airbender: North and South Part 1 comic
• I  Survived audiobooks (select titles in series only)

Understanding hoopla and Overdrive
The hoopla and Overdrive collections are available to anyone with a Lynchburg, Campbell County, or Bedford County library card. The Lynchburg Public Library allows for three checkouts per month per library card. (However, checkouts of the hoopla Bonus Borrows Collection are unlimited.)

Anyone who has a library card issued from a library branch in Lynchburg, Campbell County, or Bedford County can create a free digital account with each collection. Go to hoopladigital.com or vppl.overdrive.com and sign up for an account using your library card number and PIN. (Your PIN should be the last 4 digits of the phone number you gave when signing up for your library card.)

People who don’t have a library card can still get one online at lynchburgpubliclibrary.org/get-a-card. Allow 24 hours for your card to become active.

If you have a question or are having trouble, reach out to the Lynchburg Public Library on Facebook or by calling (434) 455-6300 between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

A licensed professional counselor shares some words of wisdom

You thought it was your dream come true—but “working from home” isn’t quite as easy as it sounds. Many challenges are surfacing as employees all over the country try to do their jobs from their kitchen tables.

With Gov. Ralph Northam’s recent announcement about continued closures through June 10 (hopefully earlier), we know lots of you might need a pep talk. Pamela Smith, LPC, CEAP, is a local licensed professional counselor with years of experience in individual and family counseling. Here are a few of her suggestions for the work-from-home crowd:

Follow a schedule—“I think we all work better with a schedule,” says Smith. “Even though we are working from home, try to get up at the same time every morning. Set an alarm.” Then, take a shower, dress as if you are going to the office, put on makeup or jewelry. This will help you get in the right mood, Smith says. Finally, be sure to map out how your day is going to go or create a to-do list.

Set reasonable goals—Stemming from the above, Smith says she hears many people complain that they just can’t seem to finish any of the tasks on their to-do list—and they feel stuck. She says lack of motivation is very common during this time of uncertainty and suggests trying the 5-minute rule. “Break down tasks into little pieces,” she says. “If you want to clean out the garage, maybe start with one shelf. If you want to do more, great.” When possible, use the same approach with your work tasks.

Find and make personal space—This especially applies to couples and/or families that are not used to being together as much. “I think we’ve got to talk to each other about this and figure out where everyone’s space is so that if we need to get away for a few minutes we can,” she says.

Stay hydrated and eat well—“Stress and eating can collide and thus we either overeat, avoid food or forget to eat,” Smith says. We all know we feel better when we are taking care of our bodies. One idea is to use this time to improve your cooking skills or find ways to challenge yourself to eat healthy on a budget.

Use a timer for breaks (preferably dance party breaks)—Breaks are essential for the work day—they clear your mind and reset your body. “I have a friend working from home with family who told me at five minutes to the hour, everyone stops what they are doing and gets up and dances. Just to break the ice and give everyone a good laugh,” Smith says. She suggests finding a new genre of music and to have some fun with your playlist.

Cut yourself (or your employees) some slack—In other words, be flexible. Slower internet speeds, children in the home and other factors will make it a lot more difficult for employees to be productive. “A lot of people struggle with change. This is a scary time,” she explains, adding that we, “need to lower expectations and practice radical self-acceptance, accepting everything about yourself, your current situation and your life without question, blame or pushback. You are doing the best you can in a very difficult situation.”