Serving the Community College of Vermont & Vermont State University
Serving the Community College of Vermont & Vermont State University
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice.”
– T.S. Eliot
As we step into the new year, we reflect on the opportunities for growth and transformation that lie ahead. The tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions serves as a powerful way to channel our aspirations into tangible goals. Whether it's enhancing personal health, mastering new skills, or fostering a more positive mindset, self-improvement is a continual journey that requires intention, effort, and resilience. This virtual display features books and videos to inspire, inform, and guide you in the year ahead.
A sampling of recent or noteworthy books to help you learn new skills and be the best you you can be. All electronic titles are available to read online and our physical titles may be requested for pick-up at a VSCS library or sent to your home.
Stephen R. Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, service, and human dignity--principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.
The essential universe, from our most celebrated and beloved astrophysicist. What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There's no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and best-selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson.
James Clear, an expert on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. He draws on proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible.
Whether you are first born, last born, or somewhere in the middle, birth order - and how we view our place in the family - can tell us much about who we are and how we interact with others. In The Birth Order Effect, Isaacson shows us how to find our true place and how to use this important information in creating better relationships with those around us.
n this compelling, cutting-edge book, two generations of science writers explore the exciting science of “body maps” in the brain–and how startling new discoveries about the mind-body connection can change and improve our lives. Why do you still feel fat after losing weight? What makes video games so addictive? How can “practicing” your favorite sport in your imagination improve your game? The answers can be found in body maps.
Humans are a varied and divergent bunch with all manner of beliefs, morals, and bodies. Systems of oppression thrive off our inability to make peace with difference and injure the relationship we have with our own bodies. The Body Is Not an Apology offers radical self-love as the balm to heal the wounds inflicted by these violent systems.
A timely and important new book that challenges everything we think we know about cultivating true belonging in our communities, organizations, and culture. Social scientist Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, has sparked a global conversation about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives--experiences of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy.
Jose Capablanca's classic instructional manual Chess Fundamentals first appeared in 1921, the year he defeated Emanuel Lasker for the world championship title. This handbook is packed with timeless advice on different aspects of practical play and illustrated by Capablanca's own games.
This complete, easy-to-follow instructional Mahjong handbook includes over 150 full-color photographs and illustrations to introduce players to this captivating game.
The time has come for parenting to become what it was always meant to be - about the parent. Dr Shefali Tsabary details how our children can be raised as conscious adults only when we as parents allow ourselves to be raised into a higher state of consciousness.
A study of creativity in the context of education, an issue of great importance for teachers and students alike. It considers just how creativity "works" and how it can be encouraged. The book has an international and an historical sweep, and features many examples.
Researcher and speaker Dr. Brene Brown offers an all-embracing new philosophy that provides encouragement to dare greatly: to embrace vulnerability and imperfection, to live wholeheartedly and to courageously engage in life, whatever it brings.
The New York Times bestseller that explains how groundbreaking scientific discoveries can help each of us achieve our personal best
As Serious Eats's culinary nerd-in-residence, J. Kenji López-Alt has pondered [how to pan-fry a steak with
a charred crust and an interior that's perfectly medium-rare from edge to edge when you cut into it] and more. In this book, Kenji focuses on the science behind beloved American dishes, delving into the interactions between heat, energy, and molecules that create great food. Kenji shows that often, conventional methods don't work that well, and home cooks can achieve far better results using new--but simple--techniques
In today's world, yesterday's methods just don't work. In Getting Things Done
, veteran coach and management consultant David Allen shares the breakthrough methods for stress-free performance that he has introduced to tens of thousands of people across the country. Allen's premise is simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential.
What if depression, anxiety, infertility, insomnia, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, dementia, cancer and many other health conditions that torture and shorten our lives actually have the same root cause? Our ability to prevent and reverse these conditions - and feel incredible today - is under our control and simpler than we think. The key is our metabolic function - the most important and least understood factor in our overall health.
Stanislav Grof and Christina Grof describe their groundbreaking form of self-exploration and psychotherapy: holotropic breathwork. Holotropic means "moving toward wholeness," from the Greek holos (whole) and trepein (moving in the direction of). The breathwork utilizes the remarkable healing and transformative potential of nonordinary states of consciousness.
Not a day goes by without our being called upon to help one another--at home, at work, on the street, on the phone…. We do what we can. Yet so much comes up to complicate this natural response: "Will I have what it takes?" "How much is enough?" "How can I deal with suffering?" And what really helps, anyway?" In this practical helper's companion, the authors explore a path through these confusions, and provide support and inspiration for us in our efforts as members of the helping professions, as volunteers, as community activists, or simply as friends and family trying to meet each other's needs.
Everything that's needed to brew beer right the first time. Presented in a light-hearted style, this authoritative text introduces brewing in a easy step-by-step review that covers the essentials of making good beer. Include ingredients, methods, recipes and equipment information. Beyond the first batch, it provides an accessible reference to intermediate techniques like all-grain brewing variations and recipe formulation. A must for any novice or intermediate brewer; perfect for anyone who has discovered the joy of home-brewing.
Mark Bittman's award-winningHow to Cook Everything has helped countless home cooks discover the rewards of simple cooking.
This step-by-step guide shows readers how to honestly meet and openly relate with the mind, embrace the fullness of our experience, and live in a wholehearted way as we discover the basics of meditation, from getting settled and the six points of posture to working with your breath and cultivating an attitude of unconditional friendliness, the Seven Delights: how moments of difficulty can become doorways to awakening and love, Shamatha (or calm abiding), the art of stabilizing the mind to remain present with whatever arises, thoughts and emotions as "sheer delight," instead of obstacles in meditation.
The first monograph, design manual, and manifesto by Michael Bierut, one of the world’s most renowned graphic designers—a career retrospective that showcases more than thirty-five of his most noteworthy projects. Offering insight and inspiration for artists, designers, students, and anyone interested in how words, images, and ideas can be put together, How to provides insight to the design process of one of this century’s most renowned creative minds.
Updated in 2022 for today's readers, Dale Carnegie's timeless bestseller How to Win Friends and Influence People is a classic that has improved and transformed the professional and personal and lives of millions.
In How We Learn, award-winning science reporter Benedict Carey sifts through decades of education research and landmark studies to uncover the truth about how our brains absorb and retain information. What he discovers is that, from the moment we are born, we are all learning quickly, efficiently, and automatically; but in our zeal to systematize the process we have ignored valuable, naturally enjoyable learning tools like forgetting, sleeping, and daydreaming. Is a dedicated desk in a quiet room really the best way to study? Can altering your routine improve your recall? Are there times when distraction is good? Is repetition necessary? Carey’s search for answers to these questions yields a wealth of strategies that make learning more a part of our everyday lives—and less of a chore.
If you've ever scrolled through your Instagram feed and thought, I wear clothes, eat avocado toast and like sunsets, why can't someone pay me to live my best life? this book is for you... Every one of your favorite influencers started with zero followers and had to make a lot of mistakes to get where they are today--earning more money each year than their parents made in the last decade. But to become a top creator, you need to understand the strategies behind the Insta-ready lifestyle...
The world isn't coming to an end, contrary to what you may have heard, says Jurriaan Kamp. Certainly there's upheaval and economic, political, and social instability, but the media's near-exclusive focus on conflict and disaster means that the progress and everyday acts of brilliance taking place across the globe go unnoticed, which contributes to the sense that apocalypse is at hand.
The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Investing in the Stock Market. Ted D. Snow, CFP®, MBA has a knack for making complex ideas clear while endowing his readers with a wealth of powerful new knowledge.
50-70 million Americans are affected by chronic sleep disorders and intermittent sleep problems; an estimated 30-35% of adults complain of insomnia; one in every 25 Americans takes a prescription sleep medication; more than a third of American adults don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis; sleep disorders account for an estimated $16 billion in medical costs each year, plus indirect costs due to missed days of work, decreased productivity and related factors.
A fascinating examination of American history textbooks used in high schools across the USA. James Loewen exposes the real truths behind everything from the first Thanksgiving to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
This best-selling guide to decluttering your home from Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes readers step-by-step through her revolutionary KonMari Method for simplifying, organizing, and storing.
To most of us, learning something "the hard way" implies wasted time and effort. Good teaching, we believe, should be creatively tailored to the different learning styles of students and should use strategies that make learning easier. Make It Stick turns fashionable ideas like these on their head. Drawing on recent discoveries in cognitive psychology and other disciplines, the authors offer concrete techniques for becoming more productive learners.
In this beautiful and lucid guide, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh offers gentle anecdotes and practical exercise as a means of learning the skills of mindfulness--being awake and fully aware. From washing the dishes to answering the phone to peeling an orange, he reminds us that each moment holds within it an opportunity to work toward greater self-understanding and peacefulness.
aTolle presents readers with an honest look at the current state of humanity: he implores us to see and accept that this state, which is based on an erroneous identification with the egoic mind, is one of dangerous insanity. However, there is an alternative to this potentially dire situation. Humanity now, perhaps more than in any previous time, has an opportunity to create a new, saner, more loving world. This will involve a radical inner leap from the current egoic consciousness to an entirely new one. In illuminating the nature of this shift, Tolle describes in detail how our current ego-based state of consciousness operates. Then gently, and in very practical terms, he leads us into this new consciousness. We will come to experience who we truly are--which is something infinitely greater than anything we currently think we are.
Much more than a guidebook to writing and revising poems, this manual has all the comforts and merits of a long and enlightening conversation with a wise and patient old friend--a friend who is willing to share everything he's learned about the art he's spent a lifetime learning to execute so well.
In The Power of Habit, award-winning business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. Distilling vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives that take us from the boardrooms of Procter & Gamble to the sidelines of the NFL to the front lines of the civil rights movement, Duhigg presents a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential.
Williamson reveals how we each can become a miracle worker by accepting God and by the expression of love in our daily lives. Whether psychic pain is in the area of relationships, career, or health, she shows us how love is a potent force, the key to inner peace, and how by practicing love we can make our own lives more fulfilling while creating a more peaceful and loving world for our children.
The Science of Fitness: Power, Performance, and Endurance clearly explains the vital connection between diet and exercise in the human body. With this knowledge, you can use the right exercise and nutrition to obtain a higher quality life, prevent disease, and slow the aging process.
One of Barack Obama's longest-serving speechwriters reveals the public speaking lessons that will help you become a more confident and compelling communicator and leader.
What are the biggest obstacles to sticking to a workout plan? You don't have enough time? It costs too much? You don't have enough equipment? You don't know how to get the results you want? Now you can set those excuses aside.
Healthy boundaries. We all know we should have them--in order to achieve work/life balance, cope with toxic people, and enjoy rewarding relationships with partners, friends, and family. But what do "healthy boundaries" really mean--and how can we successfully express our needs, say "no," and be assertive without offending others?
While society has widely condemned the effects on preteens and teens' natural social maturation of digitally enabled communication, such as texting and messaging, and of social media apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, and SnapChat, these forms of communication are adversely affecting everyone, including adults. This book examines how social media and modern communication methods are isolating users socially, jeopardizing their intellectual habits, and, as a result, decreasing their chances of achieving social and professional success.
An indispensible handbook for cultivating fearlessness and awakening a compassionate heart. With insight and humor, Buddhist nun Pema Chodron presents down-to-earth guidance on how we can embrace, rather than deny, painful aspects of our lives. She frames her teachings around 59 traditional Tibetan Buddhist maxims such as: Always maintain only a joyful state of mind. Don't seek others' pain as the limbs of your own happiness. Always meditate on whatever provokes resentment.
A classic for beginning aviators, this manual provides ground and flight information for student pilots working certification.
Popular blogger Mark Manson argues that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to better stomach lemons. Human beings are flawed and limited. There are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault. Manson encourages us to get to know our limitations and accept them, arguing that the only way to begin to find the courage and confidence we desperately seek is to stop avoiding and start confronting painful truths.
What is the secret of talent? How do we unlock it? This groundbreaking work provides readers with tools they can use to maximize potential in themselves and others.
The bestselling author of Give and Take and Originals examines the critical art of rethinking: learning to question your beliefs and to know what you don't know, which can position you for success at work and happiness at home. The difficulty of rethinking our assumptions is surprisingly common--maybe even fundamentally human. Our ways of thinking become habits that we don't bother to question, and mental laziness leads us to prefer the ease of old routines to the difficulty of new ones. We fail to update the beliefs we formed in the past for the challenges we face in the present. But in a rapidly changing world, we need to spend as much time rethinking as we do thinking.
Second series of 80 modern and 20 immortal "This I believe" essays featured in Edward R. Murrow's 1950s radio series.
Take the first step to achieving your dream of building and living in your very own tiny house The Tiny House Design & Construction Guide is your road map to the entire build process. By reading the guide you'll understand the steps that will need to be taken and know where and how to start building your own tiny house.
The internet brings information to our fingertips almost instantly. The result is that we often react hastily, without taking a moment to verify the source or get a quick read on a claim before engaging with a viral piece of media. Information literacy experts Mike Caulfield and Sam Wineburg help us identify red flags, gain a quick sense of context, and make more efficient use of websites like Google and Wikipedia that can help and hinder in equal measure.
This do-it-yourself guide is an invaluable resource for designing, building, and maintaining water tanks, cisterns, and ponds, and sustainably managing groundwater storage. It will assist you with handling your independent water system, fire protection setup, and disaster preparedness.
A selection of documentaries on mindfulness, wellness, and self-improvement from the library streaming video databases: Kanopy and Films on Demand.
If you haven't accessed Kanopy before, learn how to set up your account in this FAQ.
2009 25 min.
“What we do, and what we put into our bodies, has a direct impact on the way we feel.” To prove the point, Rick, a health enthusiast, is contrasted with his friend Tina, a nightclubbing, smoking, convenience-food junkie. Over the course of this video, Rick combines kind concern and tough love to help get Tina eating better and exercising. A strong anti-substance-abuse message is also included. The bottom line? Even small changes in diet and exercise, combined with a reduction in risky behaviors, can quickly add up to a healthier lifestyle and a longer lifespan.
2014 1 hr. 13 min.
At 24 years old, filmmaker Shannon Harvey was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Her immune system had become hyperactive and was attacking normal, healthy tissues. Her muscles and joints were inflamed and she was told if her disease progressed she could end up with organ failure, or wheelchair bound. In search of a cure, Shannon tried everything from drugs to alternative therapies and everything in between. But she was still sick. There was one thing she did know. When she was stressed, she got worse and with a background in journalism, Shannon sought answers in pioneering science. On her journey to getting better, Shannon realized that in order to change her health she needed to change her mind.
2014 1 hr. 12 min.
Imagine a world where the trapped emotions, fears, anxieties and unprocessed life experiences we hold in our bodies are the source of everything that ails us. That’s the world we live in. Now, imagine a world where everyone is manifesting from their heart the perfect creation that’s inside each of us. Imagine a world where abundance, inner peace, longevity and loving relationships abound.
2013 1 hr. 22 min.
2010 1 hr. 34 min.
Visionary director Werner Herzog takes viewers on yet another unforgettable journey into remote and extreme natural landscapes in Happy People. A visually stunning documentary about the people living in the heart of the Siberian Taiga.
2012 1 hr. 29 min.
We all want more energy, an ideal body and younger looking skin. So what is stopping us from getting this? Hungry for Change exposes shocking secrets the diet, weight loss, and food industry don't want you to know about; deceptive strategies designed to keep you coming back for more. Find out what's keeping you from having the body and health you deserve, and how to escape the diet trap forever.
2017 1 hr. 21 min.
A meditative exploration of our relationship with silence, sound and the impact of noise on our lives. Patrick Shen gathers experts, audiologists, and academics to examine not only the cognitive effects of constant noise, but also what we lose culturally when we have less silence.
2016 26 min.
Meditation, can it really change you? From infamous criminals, to powerful corporations, to some of the world’s most successful athletes, meditation has never been so popular. But can it really make you smarter, happier and healthier? New research shows that it can affect the body as well as the mind, slow down the aging process, and even alter the structure of the brain. Dr. Graham Phillips embarks on an eight week meditation course and undergoes a raft of rigorous brain tests and scans, to find out if the ancient art lives up to the current hype.
2014 1 hr. 9 min.
A fun and educational journey showcasing the worldwide brain research proving the benefits of mindfulness and the public’s increasing awareness and acceptance of the practice. The movie celebrates those who have reshaped mindfulness into everyday, practical skills.
1986 51 min.
The Selfish Gene is frequently misread as a biological justification for ruthless behavior. In this classic program, author Richard Dawkins sets the record straight through an exploration of selfishness and enlightened self-interest built upon evidence from the Prisoner’s Dilemma game and real-world non-zero-sum social situations. “The tragedy of the commons,” symbiotic behavior among animals, benign cooperation between stalemated armies during the First World War, and Robert Axelrod’s findings from his landmark Prisoner’s Dilemma computer program tournament are considered. Also, footage of a simple Prisoner’s Dilemma experiment being conducted is included.
1998 49 min.
This program brings together three psychologists who have transformed thinking about the role of creativity and emotion in maximizing human potential. In a conversation hosted by Yale University’s Peter Salovey, Howard Gardner discusses his philosophy of multiple intelligences, Daniel Goleman expounds on emotional intelligence, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi talks about “flow.” Interwoven throughout is commentary by educators and social service professionals, including Renilde Montessori and Maurice Elias, about putting these concepts into practice to help create better schools, better mental health facilities, and better work environments.
2017 22 min.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is often viewed as a minor annoyance, or worse, something useful. The fact is OCD is a serious mental health issue that traps millions of kids, teens and adults in a vicious cycle of worries and rituals. While families and loved ones are desperate to help them, fighting OCD takes time and specialized therapy. To uncover what OCD is -- and what it isn’t -- filmmakers Kelly Anderson and Chris Baier focus on an unlikely group of experts: kids. UNSTUCK documents OCD through kids’ eyes only. It avoids sensationalizing compulsions and obsessions, and instead reveals the complexity of a disorder that affects both the brain and behavior. As these six resilient kids and teens roadmap their process of recovery, the film inspires viewers to believe it is possible to fight their worst fears and beat OCD.
This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
