Friends of the Goldendale Library

05/12/2026

Build It! Saturday, May 16 @ 3:30pm

Spark your imagination and build your STEM skills using LEGO® bricks, blocks, boxes, and other fun materials.

For all ages

05/08/2026

Mother's Day is coming fast! Come to the Friends' bookstore in the library basement to get her something she'll love! And pick something for yourself too! (Handicap accessible)

02/13/2026

When is the last time you spent the day getting lost in the library?

Something purposeFUL

February is National Library Lovers Month

As a child, the library was my haven of stoic, unemotional, peace and quiet; it was the answer to all my questions omniscient but still approachable; it was the my crossroads to the world, granting me passage to anywhere I wanted to journey; and capable to answer my every question, the crossroads of the world. Thanks to those formative years spent meandering the aisles and reading in the furthest nooks, it left me in agreement with Jorge Luis Borges when he said, “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”

According to the bibliophiles at ilovelibraries.org, “Libraries are centers for learning, connection, and opportunity, adapting to meet the needs of their communities by filling gaps in education, access to technology, and even basic necessities. The freedom to read and access information is at the core of American democracy.”

To learn more or support a library near you visit your local library or checkout https://ilovelibraries.org/

“A library is a place that is a repository of information and gives every citizen equal access to it. That includes health information. And mental health information. It's a community space. It's a place of safety, a haven from the world.”
-Neil Gaiman

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02/13/2026

Saturday, 2/14 beginning at 10am.....Kids, families, drop in wearing your pajamas and enjoy cocoa and pastries while you enjoy short read-aloud stories and word games.
https://fvrlibraries.bibliocommons.com/events/6903db5604e183f660373420

02/06/2026

Love this

02/06/2026

Truth📚📚

02/06/2026

02/06/2026

🤷

02/06/2026

People who read often do not just imagine more or think deeper. Their brains physically change. Neuroscience shows that regular reading reshapes brain structure, strengthening the very networks responsible for language, empathy, memory, and critical thinking. Reading is not only a habit of the mind, it is a form of brain training that leaves lasting biological effects.

When we read, especially complex or narrative texts, multiple brain regions activate at once. The language centers decode words and meaning, the visual cortex processes symbols, and areas linked to emotion and imagination simulate experiences described on the page. Over time, repeated activation strengthens neural pathways through a process called neuroplasticity. Brain imaging studies have shown that frequent readers have increased connectivity in regions related to comprehension, focus, and long term memory.

One striking finding is that reading fiction enhances activity in the brain’s default mode network, which is involved in understanding others’ thoughts and emotions. This helps explain why habitual readers often show higher levels of empathy and social understanding. Reading also builds cognitive reserve, a kind of mental resilience that helps the brain resist age related decline and neurological disorders. Research suggests that lifelong readers may experience slower cognitive aging compared to non readers.

Reading regularly also improves attention span in a world dominated by short form content. Unlike scrolling, reading requires sustained focus, which strengthens executive function and concentration over time. Even reading for just twenty minutes a day can improve vocabulary, reasoning skills, and stress regulation by lowering cortisol levels.

Perhaps most powerful is that these brain changes are cumulative. The earlier reading begins and the more consistently it continues, the stronger and more efficient these neural networks become. Books do not just store knowledge. They quietly rewire the brain, shaping how we think, feel, and understand the world.

02/06/2026

Working individuals, couples, and families in Washington could get a refund of up to $1,330 on taxes paid in 2025 thanks to the Working Families Tax Credit. Learn how to apply: https://workingfamiliescredit.wa.gov/apply

02/06/2026

“Reading inspired me to explore our world and beyond it.”
In 2022, all Houston ISD campuses were required to have staffed libraries. Now, since the 2023 state takeover, 28 high schools, 35 middle schools, & 123 elementary schools have no functioning libraries.
Almost all of these campuses serve high percentages of economically disadvantaged students, who most need books (print & digital), technology, literacy support, study space, & other resources.
Texas: Libraries help our students succeed.
NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration