by Helium01

Created on: July 23, 2009   Last Updated: July 24, 2009

Although most of us spend many hours a week in front of computer screens working or surfing the net, reading for pleasure is both a healthy change and a way to break away from our daily lives. Government studies show that reading isn't just for kids; adults benefit from regular reading too with healthier minds.

With our busy lives, the first challenge may be finding the right book. There have never been more options for people trying to find "a good read." Booksellers like Amazon and online book blogs and book sites, as well as general journalism sites, all review many books per month and many also have a "if you liked this, try that feature." If you don't know what you want to read, try searching for something you already love and see what turns up.

Staff in bookstores, especially independents, may be able to steer you right, and the librarian at your local branch should have booklists and other references available. Your public library is an amazing resource. You don't even have to go there to start using their facilities; online catalogues let you look at available books and often include pictures of the cover, excerpts from the book, and reviews or suggestions of similar books.

If your library has multiple branches, you can often place requests to have books you want delivered to your closest location. More and more libraries also offer digital resources available just through your library card. You no longer have to travel to the branch to consult reference books like the Oxford English Dictionary or reader resources; just log in from the library website. You may even be able to download audio or text books to your listening device, handheld, or home computer.

While it may be hard to find time to sit down with a book, there are plenty of other options. You can listen to audiobooks in the car or while doing chores. You can even get books delivered to your computer, email account or handheld device, either in small segments or as a whole. Short of cash? Thousands of books published before the early 20th century as well as some newer titles are available free on the internet in a variety of formats. This is your chance to read classics that you've heard of but never picked up, or to reread books from your student days.

You may not be able to spend hours with a good book, but a few minutes here or there can bring you the pleasures of reading as well. Why not pick up a good book today and get started?

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