Between The Stacks

 In the fourth episode of our MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS series, therapist Coleman Thompson talks about conflict. He discusses different types including personal, interpersonal, family and workplace conflicts. He highlights specific attachment styles formed in early childhood - specifically anxious and avoidant - and how they may impact conflict situations. For resolution, he stresses clear communicati...

Nicole Balthazar, Regional Director of the Alabama Kidney Foundation, talks with Eric Phillips, program supervisor at Legacy of Hope (a non-profit organ procurement organization that partners with the DMV). Together they discuss issues facing patients with kidney disease including kidney health, dialysis, living and deceased organ donation, as well as the expense and strain on families. They bust...

In a continuation of our MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS series, clinical licensed therapist, Coleman Thompson, weighs in on the topic of ADHD.  He talks about some red flags (difficulty focusing, forgetfulness, restlessness) but stresses it is important to rule out any other underlying causes. He discusses treatment strategies for both children and adults: setting realistic goals, structure, the use of tec...

Limestone County Archivist, Allynn Griffin, recounts the true story of Dora Jones - how a woman from Athens, AL brought modern day slavery to a national stage in the twentieth century. Shocking and sad, but also a story of hope, courage, and ultimate triumph over injustice. Listen to this compelling podcast. Have questions about this episode? Email askalibrarian@alcpl.org Music from Pixabay  https...

Limestone County Archivist, Allynn Griffin, has been in his new job for just over a year and has spent that time pouring over records housed in the historic train depot the archives calls home. With a background in the legal field and a strong interest in local history, he helps people find court records, probate records, newspapers, family papers and much more. The archives has been steadily digi...

Dr. Angela Seay, health educator at D3 Health Fitness, talks about the connection between nutrition, exercise, and mental health. Her message: motion is medicine! Her advice is to start small, set realistic goals, and have an accountability partner. She emphasizes the importance of the mind, body, and spirit connection all working together in order to achieve wellness and stresses making one chang...

ANXIETY is the second topic in our MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS sponsored by A New Leaf Counseling Center. Clinical licensed therapist, Coleman Thompson, explains anxiety may involve physical symptoms like racing heart and persistent negative thoughts, and often co-occurs with depression and stress. He talks about various forms of anxiety, including generalized, social, specific phobias, and panic attack...

Athens-Limestone County Public Library presents our youth librarian, Amanda Coleman, reading the classic scary story from Ray Bradbury: "The Black Ferris." A visit to the carnival will never be the same!  Grab your popcorn and enjoy the ride! https://www.alcpl.org Have questions about this episode? Email askalibrarian@alcpl.org  Music from Pixabay   

A conversation with Lisa Hoffman, Museum Curator, and Monteia Moore, Campus Events Coordinator, from Athens State University. They discuss two exhibits coming to campus in November - The Wall That Heals and Vietnam Then & Now. The Wall That Heals is a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. that travels around the country honoring our Vietnam veterans....

Yulia Weston, a certified yoga instructor, teaches free yoga classes at the Athens-Limestone Public Library on Mondays at 10:45 am and Tuesdays at 7:15 pm. She  explains how yoga is not just a physical practice but also aims to calm the nervous system and reduce stress. Yulia explains her teaching style, which is focused on core stability, strength, and alignment. She addresses yoga etiquette, pro...

MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS is a series of five talks sponsored by A New Leaf Counseling Center. Clinical licensed therapist, Coleman Thompson, talks about depression, its signs and symptoms, and how it differs from sadness. Persistent low mood, low appetite, sleep changes, and negative thoughts for more than 6 months may indicate depression. He notes depression in children and adults may look different...

A.J. Coleman reads two chapters from the first book in her Happy Hallomentary series titled Welcome to Life (and the fifth grade) . Jacket:           Meet Frankie Stine. He's a tall, green, one-month old who wears his heart on his sleeve. Starting the fifth grade at          Happy Hallomentary School...has him pretty nervous. Frankie isn't afraid of the monsters and creatures that he will        ...

Local author A.J. Coleman debuts the first book in her Happy Hallomentary series titled Welcome to Life (and the fifth grade ). The book follows Frankie Stein, a one-month-old green robot who is nervous about entering the fifth grade in a school for Halloween creatures. His classmates include witches, spiders, ghosts, and trolls, and their principal is an extra large pumpkin with creeping vines. I...

Representatives from mental health support groups talk with library outreach coordinator, Lauren Tubbs, about services available in Limestone County. Alicia Davila from Pearl Behavioral Health Services stresses the need to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Neal Vickers from NAMI highlights the importance of peer support and education. Jeff Hastings from ROSS discusses the correlati...

 Lisa Hoffman, Museum Curator at Athens State University, talks about the traveling quilt exhibit celebrating Black History on display through March 7.  Originating from Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center in Hendersonville, Tennessee, the exhibit features quilts honoring Black Americans who have made important contributions in literature, science, medicine, technology, and patriotism. She talks ab...

Brian "Fox" Ellis, author and storyteller, previews his role in the 2025 Festival of Cranes. Portraying John James Audubon, Brian depicts the artist and naturalist who traveled over 30 years to wilderness areas painting and documenting over 400 bird species. The Festival of Cranes is an annual event and celebrates the birds, featuring the sandhill and whooping cranes, that winter at the Wheeler Na...

Local author and Calhoun Community College English Instructor, Bradley Sides, talks about his writing journey. He began writing in college and published his first story in 2014. After his first book, Those Fantastic Lives, was released in 2021 critics called him "an exciting new voice in fiction." His second book, Crocodile Tears Didn't Cause The Flood , has been described as "a traveling carnival...

Athens-Limestone County Public Library presents our youth librarian, Amanda Coleman, reading scary stories! Classic tales include Alvin Schwartz's "The Green Ribbon" and Roald Dahl's "The Landlady." Grab your popcorn and prepare for a scare! https://www.alcpl.org Have questions about this episode? Email askalibrarian@alcpl.org  Music from Pixabay   

When Alabama author Heather L. Montgomery isn’t writing children’s books, you might find her hanging out in trees or catching bugs. Her passion for uncovering the mysteries of the natural world have ignited the curiosity of countless numbers of kids. Heavily researched topics from roadkill to mummies to animal poop, she frames many of her books as mysteries challenging readers to investigate both...

The Athens Storytelling Festival, held annually the last weekend in October, hosts master storytellers spinning tales from life, legends, memories, and inspiration. This year the library partnered with the festival and hosted a workshop led by storyteller Carol Cain from La Grange, Georgia for those interested in this unique art form. In this podcast they share their stories - from a runaway circu...

Calhoun Community College faculty members discuss the Common Read 2024-2025. Dr. Symmetris Gohanna, Bradley Sides, and Brandi Gindhart of the English, Literature, and Composition programs introduce this year's theme on disability awareness. They highlight programs being held throughout the year to bring students and the community together through the experience of reading a common text. The two bo...

Dr. Kem Roper, college professor and Writing Center Director at Athens State University, discusses the upcoming Summer Writing Summit featuring interactive sessions and workshops designed to guide writers of all genres. From resumes and research papers to creative fiction and poetry, the Writing Center at Athens State is a year round resource helping writers sharpen their skills. https://www.alcpl...

Heidi Stinnett and Madison Herron from the Limestone County Council on Aging discuss programs designed to enhance recreation, socialization, independence, and vitality for older adults. This important resource helps with with transportation, nutrition, and prescriptions, but perhaps most popular are their outings in the community. From picnics and walks in the park to shopping and bingo, there is...

Cydney Amos Honaker from the Athens Women's Resource Center talks about their services which include pregnancy testing, prenatal counseling, parenting and birth education, ultrasounds, and more. They rely on community donations to provide a free baby boutique and they welcome volunteers to help run their Community Baby Shower!  https://www.alcpl.org/ https://wrcathens.org/ Have questions about thi...

Medicare Chick, Lauri King, brings clarity to the medicare confusion. From open enrollment to special elections and the latest benefits, Lauri brings her 20 years of expertise to answer questions and sound the alert on potential pitfalls when signing up for Medicare. https://www.alcpl.org/ https://kingseniorbenefitsspecialists.com/ Have questions about this episode? Email askalibrarian@alcpl.org ...