With the closures of many business and isolation orders, many of us have had to become our own chefs, teachers, therapists, plumbers and more. Although we can still order parts online, many of us have had to use a workaround when problems pop up.

If you need some extra help or ingenious solutions try out one of these "fix it" titles available through our digital library.

Home repairs? Fix It by Scott McGregor – “A handy, comprehensive guide to all those little repair jobs around the home by well-known media handyman Scott McGregor. Never mind the big renos, it's all the little jobs around the house that can end up costing you a fortune-unless you can do them yourself! Find out how, with handyman and DIYer Scott McGregor, in this essential guide to fixing everything around the home. Full of step-by-steps, simple instructions and lots of inside tips, Fix It will show you how to do all those tricky little jobs you'd rather not pay a tradie for.”

Time to clean up the car? Fix it: How to repair automotive dents, scratches, tears and stains by Kris Palmer – “A complete guide for any car or truck owner who wants their ride to look, feel, and smell like it did the day they bought it. Years of commuting to work and family vacations will take its toll on a car. Coffee spills, paint scratches and fades, hoods and fenders acquire dents and rust, and smells linger in the upholstery and ventilation. It all adds up to a car that's not as fun to drive as it used to be and maybe even embarrassing. Whether breathing new life into your reliable ride or getting it ready to sell, you can solve these problems with a few basic tools and products, and the right instruction on how to use them. ‘Fix It! How to Repair Automotive Dents, Scratches, Tears and Stains,’ provides step-by-step projects anyone at any skill level can accomplish to help keep their car looking its best. From buffing a scratch to popping a dent, doing it yourself has never been easier.

Need ideas for supper? Fix it and forget it big cookbook by Phyllis Good – “This is the perfect BIG COOKBOOK! Easy to understand, easy to use; Absolutely manageable for those who lack confidence in the kitchen; Convenient for those who are short on time; Will create a chorus of "make-it-again" requests!  The recipes in this amazing treasure are all collected from some of America's best home cooks, tested in real-life settings, and carefully selected from thousands of recipes. Eight small "galleries" of full-color photos of delectable slow-cooker dishes from the collection add sparkle throughout the cookbook.”

Working on gardens? Fix your garden by Claire Rollet - "Just moved in and don't know what to do with a messy garden or bleak-looking balcony? Want to stake your claim on a little corner of a shared garden? No gardening experience whatsoever? Fix Your Garden is the perfect solution. Packed with tips and tricks to get your green fingers going straight away, this beautifully illustrated little book will help you make the most of your outdoor space, even if you've only got a tiny windowbox. Aimed at the first-time homeowner or renter with little or no gardening know-how, it contains a wealth of information on how to make your garden grow and your balcony bloom, from early analysis of the soil to find out which plants will do best, to fixing that weed-covered wilderness of a backyard you've inherited and starting to grow your own fruit and veg.”

Missing Church services and socials? When God doesn’t fix it by Laura Story – “Worship leader and recording artist Laura Story's life took an unexpected turn when her husband, Martin, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Their lives would never be the same. Yes, with God all things are possible. But the devastating news was that no cure existed to restore Martin's short-term memory, eyesight, and other complications. And yet in struggling with God about how to live with broken dreams, Laura has found joy and a deeper intimacy with Jesus. In ‘When God Doesn't Fix It,’ Laura helps readers understand that: We aren't the only ones whose lives have taken unexpected turns; even heroes of our faith experienced brokenness. Despite our flaws and stories, God can use us in extraordinary ways God may not fix everything. In fact, although your situation might not ever change or get better, with Jesus you can. Not because of your faith, but because of the faithfulness of their God.”

Worried about overusing technology? How to fix the future by Andrew Keen - "In this book, a Silicon Valley veteran travels around the world and interviews important decision-makers to paint a picture of how tech has changed our lives--for better and for worse--and what steps we might take, as societies and individuals, to make the future something we can once again look forward to. Now everyone, it seems, is penning polemics against surveillance capitalism, big data monopolists, the echo chamber politics of social media, irresponsible Silicon Valley billionaires, fake news, online anger and loneliness, mass technological unemployment, digital addiction and the existential risk of smart algorithms. The world has caught up with my arguments. Nobody calls me the Antichrist any more. Having written three books exposing the dark side of the digital revolution, the time is now right to write something more positive. So, rather than yet another noxious screed against contemporary technology, what you are about to read offers what I hope are constructive answers to the myriad of digital questions on the horizon. This is a solutions book. It's obvious that the future needs to be fixed. The question now is how to fix it.”

Helping your children understand their feelings? How can I fix the problem? by Emiliya King – “Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) includes major life skills that all students need to get along with others and live happy, healthy lives. This book delves into the essential SEL skill of solving problems, an integral component of the SEL core concept of responsible decision-making. Readers will learn about smart steps to fixing a problem. Accessible text paired with vibrant full-color photographs will allow readers to connect with the concept, and gain a deep understanding of how to apply this skill in daily life. The instructional guide on the inside front and back covers provides vocabulary, reflections, background knowledge, text-dependent questions, whole class activities, and independent activities.”

Need help relating to your teens? Try the Young Adult novel Fix Me by Lisa M. Cronkhite - “Penelope Wryter's life has been a mess ever since her sister committed suicide a year ago. Now Pen's hooked on Fix, an illegal drug that makes her feel, think, and see differently. The hallucinations are intense, but there's one vision that keeps Pen coming back for more--Nate. He's the only person who cares about her. Too bad he's just a side effect of the drug. Pen knows she's going nowhere fast. She's desperate to change. But when she tries to say goodbye to Nate, he professes his love for her making her more confused than ever. Then, when a girl from school goes missing during a bad Fix trip, Pen realizes she may be in a lot more danger than she ever imagined. Unless Pen straightens up and faces reality quick, she might be the next missing girl on the list.”

Need a teachable moment in a different instruction form? Try a documentary from Hoopla:

  • The Big Fix – A documentary that examines the April 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico following the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.
  • Southern Fix – The facts are startling: approximately 3-4 million companion animals are euthanized in the U.S. every year. In this documentary, filmmakers interview advocates on the front lines of the battle against this crisis.

When a new obstacle comes your way, come to us first, a “fix” may only be a few clicks away.