January is the season for planning forward and starting anew, being challenged and finding inspiration! And what better place to do that than at Warren County Public Library – deemed the area’s top spot for quality of life activities! The beginning of 2026 is also the time to plan ahead and make sure you have dates open for several high-impact, library-hosted inspirational presentations taking place at the Capitol in the near future!
You likely know Sean Lowe as the charismatic lead of The Bachelor, whose down-to-earth personality was a huge hit with fans in season 17 (2013). More than just a TV star, Sean is a devout Christian who freely shares how his faith guides his life. He’s also a busy entrepreneur and motivational speaker. But what truly defines him is his family life: a loving husband to his wife, Catherine (who he married after the show), and a doting dad to their three kids. Active on social media, he often shares glimpses of sweet family moments online. In 2015 he wrote For the Right Reasons: America’s Favorite Bachelor on Faith, Love, Marriage, and Why Nice Guys Finish First with Nancy French.
Come to the Capitol Monday, February 9, at 6pm to learn how he finds purpose and has navigated challenges since his time in the spotlight.
Michelle Young is another former star from The Bachelorette series (season 18, 2021) that you may remember. Since the show, she has been active in her roles as an educator, speaker, activist, and nonprofit founder. A former teacher, her charismatic and positive demeanor has helped amplify her strong, passionate messages about education. Driven by a desire to support underserved students and educators, she established The Michelle Young Foundation, which offers the “Homework and Hoops” after-school program and provides scholarships to students.
Visit the Capitol Tuesday, February 17, at 6pm to meet this inspirational presenter and hear how she is making a difference with those she encourages and mentors.
Continuing the legacy of her famous father, Malcolm X, Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz is no stranger to making an impact. An award-winning author, educator and producer, she has written five historical novels, served as project advisor for the PBS award-winning film Prince Among Slaves documentary, and is currently producing a television series based on her latest publication, The Awakening of Malcolm X, with Sony Pictures Television. She honors her parents’ legacy by actively working with schools, colleges, and organizations to foster intergenerational leadership, guided by the principles of accessibility, fairness, and belonging.
Dr. Shabazz will speak Saturday, February 28, at 3pm. Free copies of one of her books will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis.
Free tickets for all these events are available at the Capitol’s website (capitolbg.org/events) or through the library’s calendar of events (warrenpl.org/calendar).
The library has a long tradition of hosting free events that showcase authors, poets, celebrities and other influential figures who inspire and motivate. Hearing stories from people who have overcome life obstacles or those working toward the betterment of society is a great way to help boost morale, as you can learn both from their mistakes and their accomplishments. Plus, it’s a great way to gain insight into creative ways of thinking while connecting with the community!
Now that you have your calendar out, here are a few more suggestions for making the new year a spectacular one starting NOW!
•Learn how to save money and make the most of your food budget, shop smartly, and reduce food waste! Attend the second session of “Forkful of Savings” Thursday, January 8, 6pm, at SOKY Center, led by Warren County Cooperative Extension. (FREE; register through the library’s calendar of events.)
•Explore ways to take better care of the environment! Join the “Protect Warren Waters Community Read-Along” Tuesdays in January (6, 13, 20, & 27) at 6pm, at the Lisa Rice Library. This four-part book club will discuss Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why they Matter by Ben Goldfarb. Free copies will be available to registrants while supplies last. (FREE; register through the library’s calendar of events.)
•Get moving at weekly donation-based movement classes at SOKY Center. Explore various types of yoga, cardio exercise, self-defense, dance, and more. Check out the full schedule at https://www.sokybg.org/events-wellness.
Make your year a great one and let the public library help! To stay up to date with everything going on in the library system, consider signing up for our email newsletters and be sure to follow us on social media!
● WCPL: tinyurl.com/WCPLNews (@warrenpl)
● Capitol: tinyurl.com/CapitolBGNews (@capitolbg)
● SOKY Center: tinyurl.com/SOKYCenterNews (@sokycenterbg)
-by Ashley Fowlkes, Digital Content Manager
