Love Your Heart, courtesy of the CDC

The CDC urges smokers to Love Your Heart by giving up smoking, a leading contributor to heart disease.  You can even email a “Love Your Heart” greeting to someone you care about who smokes.

The Government Documents Collection at Odum Library offers many resources about heart disease and health, including this report on the Heart Disease Education, Analysis Research, and Treatment for Women Act, available here as an online PDF, in print, and on microfiche.

If you’re looking for a unique present for someone this month, nothing says “you’re on my mind” like a President Abraham Lincoln bobblehead, available from the Library of Congress gift shop.

Bobblehead of President Abraham Lincoln, courtesy the Library of Congress

To learn more about the collection, please click on each of the following images.

Some examples from the “Faces of Tibet” collection:

Find links to commonly requested forms and publications, including fill-in PDF versions of federal forms 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ.  There you’ll also find accessible tax publications available in large print and Braille formats and answers to frequently asked questions.  All this information–plus more–is available from IRS.gov.

Remember that you can also e-file through the IRS web site.  It’s free if your annual income is less than $57,000, and you’ll find information there about electronic form complete and paid electronic filing.

At Odum we also have plenty of Georgia 2011 Individual Income Tax booklets that include 500 and 500EZ forms and instructions. To find online Georgia state income tax forms and further guidance, go to the Georgia Department of Revenue site.  If you need tax publications from other states, check out this interactive map provided by the Federation of Tax Administrators.

You can recieve a fax for free and to send one out will be .25 a page, cash or check please. The number is: 229-219-1362 for our public fax machine.

The most popular new year’s resolutions include getting fit, putting your financial life in order, and volunteering more often.  Find links to advice for achieving your goals, all courtesy of the government information site USA.gov.

Some people seem to be especially successful following their resolutions, judging from their long lives:  Healthfinder.gov explains why some people live to be 110 and older.  You’ll also find advice for managing stress more effectively, quitting smoking, and monitoring your health with online interactive tools.

The CDC  (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) will even help you plan a healthy menu and suggest a fruit or vegetable of the month for you!

Image of dried fruit, courtesy Centers for Disease Control

However you start off the new year, we’re glad you’re back here at VSU!

Mousing over a book on this virtual shelf will show you some information about the title, including a tag with the reading grade level and our call number.

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USA.gov is posting 12 Days of Holiday Tips that include buying safe toys, recycling, and avoiding weight gain. For help entertaining children as well as keeping the spirit of the season, see these Holiday Tips for Kids from Kids.gov.

The White House Historical Association, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, and various federal agencies offer commemorative holiday ornaments and souvenir and gift items.

Constitution Ornament available from the United States Capitol Historical Society

Suggestions for other gifts include annual National Park and Recreation Area passes; NASA souvenirs, toys, and apparel; official flags flown over the U.S. Congress; and the Library of Congress shop’s books, prints, apparel, and novelties for history and book lovers, where you can purchase this tribute to President Lincoln:

Bobblehead of President Lincoln, courtesy Library of Congress

This year’s White House holiday season theme is  “Shine, Give, Share,” in tribute to the U.S. military troops, veterans, and families.  You can view the White House’s holiday decor and watch online slide shows of current and past First Family celebrations, including First Family pets in the White House, and videos and photos of the 2011 National Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Finally, as Christmas Eve draws closer, remember that NORAD (the North Atlantic Aerospace Defense Command) lets you track Santa’s world flight in multiple languages. See these FAQs to learn the dimensions of Santa’s sleigh, how old Santa is, and more.  Admire the beauty of the night sky in this November 8 lunar eclipse photo, posted by NASA:

Lunar eclipse over North Carolina, copyright David Cortner

Courtesy of Zach Weiner @ Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

For the sake of comparison, consider:

Going to the movies:

• The national average for movie tickets is going on $8.
• You’ll watch about 30 minutes of previews and 2 hours of entertainment.
• You can buy really expensive snacks or feel immoral for sneaking them in.

Reading a book:

• Books offer hours and days of enjoyment!
• They’re free for checkout at the library!
• You can read them over and over!
• You can read them anywhere, not just in a dark room with soda and popcorn all over the floor.
• This holiday season, you can read them at home while you’re trying to avoid interaction with extended family members.
• We can’t guarantee it, but there probably won’t be anyone kicking your chair while you read.

So, what are you waiting for? The library is open this week. Come check out a movie you can read (we also call them books). Here are some of our movies in book form:

Atonement by Ian McEwan

The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Scott Pilgrim (comic book) by Bryan Lee O’Malley

True Grit by Charles Portis

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

(Did you notice that we didn’t mention the Ilighttway series? Oh… until now. Oops.)

Of course, we don’t have anything against watching movie-movies if that’s what you prefer. Check out some of our newest DVDs here.