Many professional athletes are reaping the benefits of being free agents and so should we! Free agents are not under contract; therefore, their options are open and their focus is on constant improvement for the next assignment. This idea of “free agency” for the job seeker is being batted around a lot in this current job market. As part of our new year, new strategy, we need to embrace the idea that we work for us now! As the CEO of our own company, we need to invest in our brand by updating our skills so we are prepared to move on to the next opportunity whenever it appears!

Richland Library helps you be resolute on your New Year's resolutions. Like most people, you started 2013 with great intentions but your resolve waxes and wanes. Whether you want to eat more salad, find the love of your life, make new friends, spend more time with family, or be more creative, we have the resources to help you achieve the change you seek. As for me, I plan on buying a new kayak and Canoe & Kayak, a free e-magazine through Richland Library's Zinio e-magazine service, has a 2013 buying guide all ready for me to get started. Checkout what we have to help you:

When something is new, not everyone sees the value or potential.

There is little in this world more important than a good education.  However, that little piece of paper, which represents the most basic level of standard education, the high school diploma, doesn’t just stand for knowledge.  It stands for achievement, perseverance, and opportunity.  Not attaining a high school diploma does not have to be a lifelong obstacle. The GED (General Educational Development) test was created to give individuals a way to earn the equivalent of a high school diploma, thereby providing greater possibilities for themselves in job and income improvement, and opportunities for higher education and military service. Starting in 2014, GED testing goes completely online, which may be more difficult for some.  So, make it your 2013 resolution to achieve this vital goal.  We have a way for you to do this at the library:

I’m something of a re-reader.  I am more than happy to revisit a story I have thoroughly enjoyed.  So, not surprisingly, some of my reading resolutions include re-reading well liked books, but I am trying to add some challenges as well. 

As I looked through the hundreds of titles available through Richland Library’s Zinio account, I realized that I could read nearly every magazine I currently subscribe to through Zinio.  It’s just as easy to read a magazine in your living room or on the porch using a tablet or smart phone, as it is to read the print version. So, one of my resolutions for the New Year is to save money by dropping my magazine subscriptions when they come up for renewal and access them at no cost through the Richland Library. There are also dozens of additional magazines I have never subscribed to that I’ll be able to enjoy. Take a minute to check out Zinio and see how much money you can save.

Even though you are still basking in holiday spirit, you may also want to begin thinking ahead to the New Year and your career and technology goals. 

Last year my New Year’s resolution was to stop making New Year’s resolutions. Clearly, that resolution was an epic fail because I currently have at least three solid resolutions in the works. But this is exactly what makes New Year’s resolutions so great. They can be as grand or as small as we want them to be. What's your resolution? Maybe you want to start your own rock band. Or maybe you dream of finding ways to eat healthier or live green. You may even want to learn how to have an encounter with a vampire.

It is that time of the year when we resolve to be better than ever. We have the resources and the knowledge to help you achieve your goals...whether your quest is for a better mind, body, or soul.

Growing up as a teenager in a small suburban town near Charlotte, there certainly wasnt a lot to do. One thing we did have, however, was cable tv and with that came MTV. As I look back on that time of my life, I can certainly say that music was a huge part of it. I think the band that wielded the biggest influence on me was a grunge band from Seattle named Nirvana. At the time, they had a revolutionary sound matched up with epic music videos. I don’t believe that anyone who has seen their music videos can forget the woman in body organ suit in “Heart-Shaped Box” or the video for “In Bloom” which featured a spoof of them playing on a 1960’s variety show such as Ed Sullivan’s show. The band’s members, even after it’s demise following the tragic suicide of lead vocalist Kurt Cobain in 1994, continues to influence the music world. Drummer Dave Grohl and guitarist Pat Smear went on to found another seminal 90’s band in the form of the Foo Fighters while bassist Krist Novoselic went on to play in several other bands and actually published a book in 2004. Nirvana was the sound that influenced an entire generation of rock musicians.