New Year's (re)Solution: Laughter

Happy New Year! Ba-bye 2021, and hello 2022! Many people begin their new year with resolutions about self-improvement. In fact, Forbes reports that while resolutions often include relationship and career goals, the most popular resolutions are about living healthier, getting happier, and losing weight. However, we were shocked to read that “only 8% of people will achieve their New Year’s resolutions”. We want to see that percentage be higher and while we are not in the health and fitness space, one practice that we know is guaranteed to promote health and happiness is laughter.

For years we’ve heard that laughter is an incredibly powerful medicine. Laughter reduces stress, improves the immune system, releases endorphins, and might even help you live longer. Enough said. Is there a better way to celebrate the beginning of a fresh new year other than by reading some funny and lighthearted public library blogs and lists? We sure don’t think so.

The lists and blogs we share below will make you chuckle, they’ll warm your heart, and spread a little bit of joy and sparkle in your day. Bonus: We think they’ll also induce some inspiration for when you put your fingers to the keyboard and start composing your own blogs and lists.

Now, go on, enjoy! Cheers to a healthier and happier you. (And if you or your library created some pretty funny blogs and lists, be sure to let us know, we’d love to read them.)

Have you forgotten all those new year’s resolutions? Calgary Public Library created a Self-helpless staff list that will help readers accept their flaws, learn how to relax by watching tv alone in their underwear (yep, you read that right), discover how to accomplish more by doing less, and hear how to fail and still win.

Got no experience in coaching football? That’s ok, Ted Lasso’s American football skills will do the trick. Read this inspiring staff list from Kansas City Public Library, Believe….in Your Shelf, in honor of Ted Lasso.

King County Library System put together a fabulous list of 'Meta’ Books that make fun of books & reading. The book titles mock the idea of books and reading. Ban This Book, How This Book Was Made, The Book You’re Not Supposed to Have, and Why I Will Never Ever Ever Ever Have Enough Time to Read This Book are just a few of the titles.

Valentine’s Day! You either love the pink and red hearts, the fancy chocolates, rose petals, and flying cupid’s arrows—or you hate it all. We rarely see an in-between. Calgary Public Library created Schmalentines, a list of books for anti-Valentine's Day supporters. Read about rats in the romantic city of New York, why love hurts, how to break up with anyone, and the lies of falling in love.

Leslie Knope is a fictional character in the Parks and Recreation sitcom. She dreams about being the first female president. Check out Leslie Knope’s Bookcase for politics and feminism that Chicago Public Library put together.

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Create appealing staff picks lists that will keep your patrons coming back for more. Watch this webinar to: Get tips from Johnson County Library and Arapahoe Libraries Explore what makes a great list See a hands-on tutorial on creating and sharing BiblioCore lists

Unlike anything else, King County Library System created a list of books whose titles are puns on classic book titles. Like Owls Well That Ends Well, Love in the Time of Colic, and Huckleberry Finished.

In honor of Movember, Edmonton Public Library wrote a blog filled with the Great Moustaches of Cinema. Which one is your favorite? The classic upper-lip caterpillar, the handlebar, the pencil, or the walrus?

Were you asked to read Moby-Dick for English class? While you may have followed orders in grade school, this blog writer didn’t read is a classic novel… until now. Herrick District Library highlights why Moby Dick is an amazing read filled with energetic vocabulary and humor.

Who was the ‘real’ author behind these books? These authors didn’t want their identity to be known, but King County Library System did a great job with Works by pseudonymous/anonymous authors to let us know who each of them was.

Macaroni and cheese, also known as "mac ‘n’ cheese," is loved by many and can be made in SO many ways. Las Vegas-Clark County Library District composed a list with recipe books, plus a time when macaroni and cheese made an appearance in a murder mystery, how 20-somethings can manage their money, and cheese-inspired advice on dealing with life changes.

Zach Polis is the featured writer from Capital City Press and a screenwriter, playwright, and former poet laureate. He wrote a poem named The Christmas Cat. However, this cat is not embracing the Christmas spirit and is acting like a furry bauble Grinch!

Looking for a random laugh? Get ready for a list of quirky and comical books like, Throw Your Tooth on the Roof, The World’s Dumbest Criminals, 101 Uses for a Bridesmaid Dress, Postmodern Pooh, and The Holes in Your Nose.

We are big fans of Schitt’s Creek, a Canadian sitcom based on the Rose family, who lost their fortune and find themselves rebuilding their lives with their limited remaining assets. Lawrence Public Library created a list of what they think the Rose family of Schitt’s Creek would read, and we think it’s bang on.

We hope these lists and blogs made you laugh and spurred your imagination for when it’s time for you to compose your own blogs and lists!