Swine flu or a common cold, which is it? To keep us all healthy we need to know the difference in the symptoms.

The symptoms of a common cold are: usually no fever; a hacking mucus-producing cough; slight body aches and pains; stuffy nose is present and typically resolves spontaneously within a week; usually no chills; mild tiredness; sneezing; usually no headache; sore throat; mild to moderate chest discomfort. Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.

The symptoms of Swine Flu are: fever is usually present with a temperature of 100 or higher for 3 to 4 days; a non-mucus producing cough is present (dry cough); severe aches and pains; sneezing, stuffy nose and sore throat is not commonly present with the flu; chills; moderate to severe tiredness; headache; and severe chest discomfort. The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The swine flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever. Be informed and be safe!

Homecare Network East will be offering free screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol here at the Library on Thursday, Oct. 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You must fast for the cholesterol screening. This is a great opportunity to keep your health care cost low. We hope that you will all come by and take advantage of this free health care screening.

For the next two months we will be collecting chocolate candy and other goodies for our soldiers. We want our soldiers to have a little taste of home while they are away for the holidays. The first boxes go off the first of November. If you would like to contribute candy for the soldiers please bring them by the library and we will see that they get to the American Legion Auxiliary.

Candy is still needed for the Read & Treat. Boys and girls will flood the Diboll Civic Center on Oct. 31 for the Family Fun Fest. Our community is working together to provide a safe, fun place for our kids to have a Happy Halloween. In order to make it fun and worthwhile we plan to read them a story and then give them candy. Every bag of individually wrapped candy will help out; no bag is too small. Donations can be dropped off at the circulation desk.

More New Books For Kids: Look Inside A Pyramid by Mari Schuh; Look Inside An Igloo by Mari Schuh; Look Inside A Tepee by Mari Schuh; Look Inside A Log Cabin by Mari Schuh; Mexico The People by Bobbie Kalman; Mexico The Land by Bobbie Kalman; Warm-Blooded Or Cold-Blooded? by Bobbie Kalman; Nature’s Cleaners by Bobbie Kalman; Leggy Centipedes by Natalie Lunis; Creeping Land Snails by Nancy White; Roly-Poly Pillbugs by Molly Smith; Wiggle Earthworms by Natalie Lunis; Champ Bailey by D.C. Snow; Devin Hester by Jeff Young; Terrell Owens by Diane Marczely Gimpel; Tom Brady by Calvin Craig Miller; Troy Polamalu by Jim Whiting; Randy Moss by David Robson; Asante Samuel by Carla Mooney; Ray Lewis by Jeremy Dunn; LaDainian Tomlinson by William W. Lace; Chad Johnson by Frank Angst; Donovan McNabb by Michael Chatlien; Brian Westbrook by David Robson; Ed Reed by Martin Gitlin; Tony Gonzalez by Amy N. Hunter; Brian Urlacher by Michael V. Uschan; Adrian Peterson by Stephen Currier Plaxico Burress by Robert Grayson; Tony Romo by Chuck Bednar; The Manning Brothers by Hal Marcovitz; Antonio Gates by Ian Kimmich; Larry Fitzgerald by John Grabowski; Recycled Tires by Toney Allman; Home Wind Mills by Cherese Cartlidge; Water from Air: Water-Harvesting Machines by Cherese Cartlidge; Insect Eaters by Bobbie Kalman; Tomatoes by Robin Nelson; Sunflowers by Robin Nelson; Strawberries by Robin Nelson; Pumpkins by Robin Nelson; Apple Trees by Robin Nelson; Dandelions by Robin Nelson; Butterflies by Lori Shores; Songbirds by Katy R. Kudela; Milkweed Bugs by Martha E.H. Rustad; Mealworms by Martha E.H. Rustad; Understanding the U.S. Constitution by Sally Senzell Isaacs; Understanding The Bill Of Rights by Sally Senzell Isaacs; and Understanding The Articles Of Confederation by Sally Senzell Isaacs.

Have a great week!

Fall Hours: Monday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday – Friday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Computers close 30 minutes before the building does and check-out stops 15 minutes before the building closes.