The start of a new year is like wiping the slate clean again. Last year’s goals were mostly met and, hey, if they weren’t, they just became this year’s goals! If you’re like me, you came into 2024 eager to make personal improvements. What better way to begin than by finding helpful books and films to support your new goals?

Whether you’re trying to become better at cooking or learn a new language, here’s some inspiration to flourish and grow in the new year. Thanks to the Libby and Kanopy apps, it couldn’t be easier to begin your self-improvement journey on the right foot. Join us as we explore some film and book pairings focused on stepping outside your comfort zone and learning something new. And the best part? It’s all free thanks to your local library.

Goal: Eat better, cook more & waste less

🎥 The Everyday Gourmet: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Cooking
📘 The Thrifty Cookbook by Kate Colquhoun

Lets face it: The holidays make eating healthy difficult at the end of the year. By setting a New Year’s resolution, you can get back on track. The Great Courses on Kanopy have you covered in case you need a helping hand to get motivated. Taught by a professional chef from The Culinary Institute of America, The Everyday Gourmet is a crash course in cooking, with helpful tutorials and step-by-step instructions that make following along at home a breeze! By providing you with the essentials needed to be efficient and effective in the kitchen, you’ll be cooking more and ordering less in no time.

The Thrifty Cookbook tackles the difficult problem of food waste. Learning how to cook properly sized meals can be tricky, and this book hopes to teach readers how to get the most bang for your buck out of your leftovers. With eco-consumerism in mind, it can also help you accomplish more than just one goal. Not only will you cook great meals with leftovers, cut down on food waste and grow your recipe book—you’ll also save money on groceries!

More recommendations:

🎥 The Mayo Clinic Diet
📘 The New Cooking School Cookbook

Goal: Learn a new language

🎥 American Sign Language (ASL) Made Easy
📘 American Sign Language for Dummies (with Online Videos) by Adan R. Penilla, II & Angela Lee Taylor

Learning a new language can feel daunting, but with all the resources available in 2024, there’s never been a better time to dive in! American Sign Language (ASL) is a fantastic language to learn that’s also fun and helpful to know. Having taken four years of ASL classes myself, I understand how crucial seeing the signs are versus just reading about them. American Sign Language (ASL) Made Easy is the perfect first step for someone looking to learn ASL. Over the course of this three-hour video, first-time signers will learn proper ASL etiquette, sign parameters, the alphabet and basic conversational signs.

Partnering this introductory video with the American Sign Language for Dummies ebook is a great way to take a holistic approach to learning the new language. Not only do both resources provide the helpful visuals of seeing sign language, you’ll learn proper grammar and sentence structure as well.

More recommendations:

🎥 Learning French
📘 Learn French: Level 1: Introduction to French by Innovative Language Learning, LLC

If sign language feels too intimidating, there’s ample resources on spoken languages as well—French just being one of them. Learning French on Kanopy will introduce you to the basics of the French language as well as the culture of France. The 30-episode Great Course provides a deep dive into France and French culture while Learn French: Level 1 will round out your language acquisition skills. Be sure to browse our other language offerings as well if neither of these pique your interests.

Goal: Pursue a new hobby

🎥 Beginners Guide to Outdoor Photography
📘 The Perfect Photo by Elin Rantakrans & Tobias Hagberg

Lately, hobbies have seemed difficult to pick up. Work-life balance sometimes prevents us from being able to pursue a hobby that doesn’t “make any side money.” However, there are plenty of hobbies you can learn that are cheap to pick up and fun to work on.

Beginners Guide to Outdoor Photography is a four-part series that teaches viewers the basics of outdoor photography. Each video is around an hour long and dives into different aspects to take into consideration when photographing outside. Pair this film with The Perfect Photo, aimed at beginner to intermediate photographers, and you’ll be taking fantastic photos in no time. Their promise? “Use 7 of these 70 tips and you’ll take 10% better photos!” The best part is that photography is a low-cost hobby to pick up!

More recommendations:

🎥 How to Play Chess
📘 Chess by László Polgár

🎥 Learning to Play Guitar
📘 Teach Yourself to Play Guitar Chords by Hal Leonard Corp.

Much like photography, chess is a very cheap hobby to get into and it can take a lifetime to get good at it! Since 2020, more than 102 million users have signed up through Chess.com, an increase of 238%! This renaissance is fueled by the low cost and accessibility of chess both digitally and in person.

How to Play Chess on Kanopy is a 24-episode Great Course taught by International Chess Master Jeremy Silman. Jeremy begins with the basics such as openings and board advantage and moves into difficult concepts like checkmate with two pieces. Pair it with Chess on the Libby app and you’ll be able to take your new chess knowledge to the next level. The ebook features over 5,000 different situations and lets readers see the analysis for the best moves. Illustrations make it easy to follow along at home by setting up your own board to see it play out in real time.

Goal: Live more mindfully

🎥 Minimalism
📘 Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

Minimalism is a movement that’s really taken off in the past few years. Bucking traditional consumerism tendencies, those that practice it are often looking for ways to get rid of unnecessary items from their homes, maximize their living space and lessen their desire to buy new things. Featuring two leading authors on the subject, Minimalism explores the core principles of the movement. You’ll watch testimonials of individuals that gave it a try and see the impact it made in their lives.

Digital Minimalism is a unique spin on applying the concepts of minimalism to your digital life. In a world dominated more and more by intrusive technology, Newport offers tips to help maintain a healthy balance with our devices. Common tips like turning off notifications or lowering phone usage before bed are suggested alongside more difficult ones like refraining from social media. All of these techniques are designed to help you become more thoughtful about the role technology plays in your day-to-day life.

More recommendations:

🎥 Yoga for a Healthy Mind and Body
📘 Yoga: Your Home Practice Companion by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Finally, on a personal note, yoga is my self-improvement goal for 2024. Yoga’s a great way to become more flexible, get in touch with your body and practice mindfulness. Just like any other physical hobby though, it can be outside your comfort zone. Yoga for a Healthy Body and Mind is a great first step for beginners looking to try out yoga. This 12-lecture Great Course starts with the basics and walks you through different styles of yoga. Featuring lectures such as “Yoga and Pain Relief” as well as “Power Yoga,” you can become familiar with different styles in the comfort of your own home.

Truly make your house your yoga studio with Yoga: Your Home Practice Companion by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre. You’ll be ready to flex your way through 2024 after learning how to improve your form, discussing the mental side of yoga and practicing how to relax and become more mindful. Featuring step-by-step photography and lessons in varying length, this guide will help you push your skills to the next level. The book also includes 40 vegetarian meals recommended by yogis to fuel your workouts.

Good luck with your goals in 2024! With these films and books on Kanopy and Libby, there’s no doubt you’ll thrive in the new year.

*Access to films and books varies by country and library.