Two months into the new year, it’s still not too late to focus on resolutions. If your goals involve health and wellness, you might be planning to join a gym or schedule a doctor’s appointment. However, one place you might not think to check out is your local library.

According to Ashleigh Brown, public relations specialist for The Free Library of Philadelphia, not many Philadelphians are aware of the digital health and wellness resources available with a library card.

“I think a lot of people, when it comes to the library, think of just books,” Brown said. “But other than books, we have all these [resources] that you’re able to access and it’s for free, too.”

To support your physical, mental, and emotional health in an affordable way this year, the library is a good place to start.

Free databases

To get started with the Free Library’s resources, first you have to get a library card. Go to any of the 54 locations in the city to sign up — locations in the Northwest include Chestnut Hill Library (8711 Germantown Ave.), Lovett Memorial Library (6945 Germantown Ave.) in Mt. Airy, and Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library (68 W. Chelten Ave.) in Germantown.

Once you sign up for free, your library card will have a unique number that can be used to access the Free Library’s databases from the comfort of your own home.

According to Brown, one such useful database is called Libby. Book lovers might be familiar with the platform for downloading e-books and audiobooks, but there are also plenty of top fitness and wellness magazines available.

Flipster is a similar database, but is even more focused on magazines. Library cardholders can enjoy current and past editions of leading titles such as Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Woman’s Day, Runner’s World, Consumer Reports on Health, Ability, and more.

Gale Health and Wellness is another resource for reliable, up-to-date information from medical journals, magazines, multimedia sources, and reference works. If you are interested in a specific health topic, Gale Health and Wellness is the place to look.

Lastly, Nemours KidsHealth is a database for caregivers, kids, and educators. The platform offers access to information about childhood development, behavior, and health from before birth through the teenage years.

Video instruction

In addition to the online databases, the Free Library also has digital offerings to help people learn through video instruction to support their personal goals.

Universal Class offers self-paced online courses taught by subject-matter experts. Some of the topics include nutrition, skincare, depression management, weight training, and wellness coaching.

Bibliotele provides free video content for Spanish-speaking patrons. The movies, documentaries, and television programs cover a range of topics about mental, sexual, and physical well-being.

If people are looking for even more resources, the Free Library also has plenty of programming and events. For example, yoga classes or informational sessions support health and wellness needs. Patrons are encouraged to check out the Free Library’s website, freelibrary.org, for more information.

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.