On your own or with a group, reading can lead to health benefits and personal growth

by: Sarah Wilczynski

October brings with it the transition to fall, marked by cozy sweaters, trips to apple orchards and pumpkin patches, and kids running around in costumes. It also marks the beginning of National Book Month, a time dedicated to promoting reading, storytelling, and recognizing authors and their works.

Reading can be enjoyed by all ages and has a host of benefits, including reducing stress levels; increasing memory, focus and vocabulary; and improving communication skills. Despite these benefits, the National Endowment for the Arts found that, in 2022, fewer than 50% of adults in the United States read at least one book. Furthermore, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, in 2023, only 14% of 13-year-olds reported reading for fun nearly every day.

Our local Stockbridge Library branch provides convenient—and free—opportunities for individuals and families to access books and engage in reading all year long. This October, we encourage you to check out some of their amazing offerings. NOTE: The October print edition mistakenly listed a few events and the web URL from a library in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Following is the corrected list for our local Stockbridge, Michigan, library—a branch of the Capital Area District Library (CADL).

• Discovery Storytime for babies, toddlers, and children is held at the Stockbridge Library on Wednesdays and Fridays, 10:30 to 11 a.m.
• BookSleuth Live for Adults (18+) and teens (13-18). Held on Thursday, Oct. 16, 1-5 p.m. This is a fun monthly social media event that will put you on the trail of a good book. Just leave a comment on the BookSleuth Live post on CADL’s Facebook page at facebook.com/cadlibrary with titles of the last three books you enjoyed. A literary detective will reply with a suggested title just for you. 
• Morning Movie with Donuts for a fall break at the library will be held on Monday, Oct. 20, 10 a.m. to 12 noon.Decorate a donut from Groovy Donuts then watch Goosebumps, based on the popular book series, at 10:30. Donuts while supplies last. Goosebumps is rated PG.
• Senior Center Book Discussion Group. Held at the Stockbridge Area Senior Center (219 Elm St. in Stockbridge), another lively book discussion takes place on Monday, Oct. 27 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. The selected book for October is “The Women” by Kristin Hannah. Copies of the book are available at the Stockbridge Library.
• There’s More: Check out other library events at the Events page for CADL, which is at cadl.org/events/all-events; from there you can use the Search function to search for Stockbridge branch events. Or check out the Stockbridge branch page in Facebook at facebook.com/cadlstockbridge. Our Stockbridge Community News “Community Calendar” also regularly features events sponsored by the Stockbridge Library.

Looking beyond what the library has to offer, consider setting your own reading goals, joining an online reading challenge, finding other local book clubs, or attending an author reading or book convention. And don’t forget to check out the monthly “Reading Between the Lines” book review in the Stockbridge Community News.

Take time this month to sign up for a library card, explore genres you like, or try audio books if that’s more your style. No matter how you engage, you can’t go wrong when it comes to reading.

This column is sponsored by the Stockbridge Area Wellness Coalition (SAWC). Sarah Wilczynski is a SAWC Board Member.