Yes, the library offers many recreational reads but you’ll find books and resources to support professional development, work and business at the library, too. Perhaps you want to improve your workplace culture, change a facet of your business, build stronger teams or bolster your emotional intelligence to become a stronger leader. Maybe you are curious about what cutting-edge organizations are doing to be successful. There is always something new to learn when you work with other people and the library can help. In addition to finding books at the library, check the library website at www.newulmlibrary.org to access digital resources including magazine articles and peer-reviewed research from Harvard Business Review and other resources. Simply search Minitex for MasterFile Complete, a resource offering the largest collection of popular full-text magazines, reference books and other highly-regarded sources from the world’s leading publishers. Here is a short list of old and new print titles, with descriptions from the publishers, to get you started.

“Why Are We Here?” by Jennifer Moss. “Things are changing. Employees feel differently about work, and leaders have been forced to scramble. Jennifer Moss takes readers to the front lines of this massive and historic shift.”

“Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen” by Dan Heath. “So often in life, we get stuck in a cycle of response. We put out fires. We deal with emergencies. We stay downstream… we never make our way upstream to fix the systems that caused the problems.”

“Originals: How Nonconformists Move the World” by Adam Grant. “The author addresses the challenge of improving the world…by choosing to champion novel ideas and values that go against the grain, battle conformity, and buck outdated traditions.”

“Wiser: Getting Beyond Groupthink to Make Groups Smarter” by Cass R Sunstein. “We’ve all been involved in group decisions – and they’re hard. And they often turn out badly. Why? Find out in this book.”

“Unmanageable: Leadership Lessons From An Impossible Year” by Johnathan and Melissa Nightingale. Thankfully, I had access to many brilliant and supportive leaders when I managed a large library during the pandemic. Though impossible, I wish I could have had this book during that mess!

“The Culture Code” by Daniel Coyle. The author “spent three years researching the question of what makes a successful group tick, visiting some of the world’s most productive groups. [This book] will revolutionize how you think about creating and sustaining successful groups.”

“Know What Matters” by Ron Shaich. By seeing the future and clearing a path to it, leading and innovating from the future back. Shaich’s principles combine to form a blueprint for innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs set on success, and on making a difference.”

“The Power of Moments” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. “While human lives are endlessly variable, our most memorable positive moments are dominated by four elements. [Find out what they are and] conjure more moments that matter.”

And I can’t end the article without pointing at any book by Brene Brown! “Daring Greatly” has been especially helpful to me, especially her words surrounding the “Man in the Arena.

If you’d like to request these or any other titles, visit www.newulmlibrary.org and choose Library Catalog, or call the library at 507-359-8331. New Ulm Public Library is located at 17 North Broadway and is open from 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. on Monday-Thursday and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday-Saturday. The library will be closed on Monday, February 17 for Presidents Day.