Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre (DPPCC) is a longtime friend of the Kitchener Public Library. DPPCC offers programs and acts as a hub of community connection. They have shared a building with Pioneer Park Library since the two spaces opened in the 1980s. When the building was renovated in 2019, the layout changed to create a shared lobby between the two spaces. This allows DPPCC and Kitchener Public Library to better serve the community together.
DPPCC and Kitchener Public Library are always looking for more ways to collaborate. We currently work together to offer a Youth Drop-In program. The library also lends out sports equipment that can be used by families who book free space in the DPPCC gym. From large-scale family events to shared programs for older adults, we are at our best when we work together.
As part of our Community Picks initiative, we’ve asked staff at DPPCC to share some books that they would recommend. Browse the list below or visit Pioneer Park Library to see the full display that will be up until October 31, 2024.
"Think Like a Monk" by Jay Shetty
"I appreciated the tools Jay shared with how to live a more purposeful and meaningful life. Written with a grounding and humble perspective."
Readalikes
- "Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins
- "The Mountain is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage into Self-Mastery" by Brianna Wiest
- "The Art of Flaneuring: How to Wander with Intention and Discover a Better Life" by Erika Owen
- "The 5 a.m. Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life" by Robin Sharma
"The Salt Path" by Raynor Winn
"Insightful and thoughtful coverage of health, environment and homelessness issues."
Readalikes
- "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi
- "The Electricity of Every Living Thing: A Woman's Walk in the Wild to Find Her Way Home" by Katherine May
- "I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death" by Maggie O'Farrell
- "Rough Beauty: Forty Seasons of Mountain Living" by Karen Auvinen
"The Librarian of Burned Books" by Brianna Labuskes
"Dealing with censorship and freedom of speech issues and their impacts."
Readalikes
- "The Book Spy" by Alan Hlad
- "The Personal Librarian" by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
- "The Librarian Spy" by Madeline Martin
- "The Book of Lost Names" by Kristin Harmel
"You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise L. Hay
"I would recommend this book because it gives you a way to take accountability for your own unconscious self-destruction and highlights ways you can heal some wounds at home with your own skills."
Readalikes
- "When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress" by Gabor Maté
- "The Joy of Well-Being: A Practical Guide to a Happy, Healthy, and Long Life" by Colleen and Jason Wachob
- "What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma" by Stephanie Foo
- "The Well-Lived Life: A 102-Year-Old Doctor's Six Secrets to Health and Happiness at Every Age" by Gladys McGarey
Thank you for the recommendations, Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre staff!