Hi,
I love, love, love public libraries. How I attained that love is a bit of a strange story.
Before I start that story … do you want free, full access to Examine+ through your public or school library? Let your librarian know about our library access page. Here are three way to do that:
If you’re a librarian heading to the American Library Association conference in San Diego this weekend, drop by Examine’s booth and chat with us! We’re at #2825!
- Head to your local library’s website and tell them you love Examine and want library access, through their Contact Us page or “Suggest a Resource” link.
- Visit your local library in person and let a librarian know.
- Reply to this email and we’ll do the legwork if you send us your library’s contact page. They’ll be much more interested if the message comes directly from you though, so choose option #1 or #2 if possible!
I grew up with an immigrant single mom on a very tight budget, so there weren’t any kids’ books in the house.
Then when I was 8 years old I found an ancient, discarded, age-inappropriate book in the place we just moved into: Memoirs of a Mangy Lover by Groucho Marx.
Somehow, a neurotic vaudevillian launched my love for reading (parents: don’t use this strategy on your kids). From age 8–14 I spent countless hours at the Stark County Public Library in Canton, Ohio, unconstrained by conventional time sucks like playing video games or having friends.
I became intimately familiar with Dewey and his decimal system. The texture and smell of old books comforted me, almost like I was buoyed by the spirit of those who read them before me (but not in an evil way like Tom Riddle’s diary in Harry Potter).
And like for many Examine readers, learning through reading became intoxicating.
That intoxication tends to morph over time. As people age, many spend more and more time reading to learn about practical concerns, and a little less for pure enjoyment.
The most practical of all concerns is health. But wading through books at the public library isn’t a very efficient way to address health concerns.
Popular nutrition books that line library shelves are often biased in favor of the author’s pre-existing viewpoint, and become out of date as the evidence evolves.
Examine is the exact opposite of that: as objective and up to date as it gets. Imagine if you could log in to your library account and have free access to the Examine+ membership. Examine should be available to everybody!
Currently, that’s only the case at around a dozen libraries in the U.S. We’re going to grow that number over time, but we need your help to do that.
Libraries have grown and evolved with the times, and aren’t just for books anymore. They tend to be staffed by intellectually curious people who care more about the public good than about ways to extract maximum profit from society or become internet-famous. Wait a minute! That sounds a lot like Examine!
So don’t be shy to contact your library and request that they get Examine. And if you work at a library, we especially want to hear from you.
Lastly … if you have any formative library experiences to share, I’m all ears. 🙂 Libraries still hold a magical sway over me, and I love to hear library-related stories.
If you’re like that, too, you might enjoy my favorite movie about a public library, Party Girl.
Sincerely, Kamal Patel Co-founder, Examine
Quiz of the week
Question:
**Answer:** Fungi
Mycoprotein is a fungal-derived food source rich in protein and fiber. In a recent study, researchers observed that eating mycoprotein reduced total and LDL cholesterol levels in adults with high cholesterol, compared to eating meat and fish. Read more in this Examine Study Summary.