Ilumina Public Library: El Paso County's All-Digital Library

First published in 1653, Izaak Walton's "The Compleat Angler" is a classic and much-loved treatise on the art of fishing. Immediately popular after its publication, "The Compleat Angler" was reprinted and updated numerous times by Walton. Written as a conversation between the fictional characters of the experienced angler Piscator and his student Viator, which was changed to a hunter named Venator in later editions, the treatise is part an instructional...

Welcome to the G League—the official minor league of the National Basketball Association. Life in the G is about the arduous quest to achieve an improbable goal: making it to the NBA. Zeroing in on the Birmingham Squadron and four of its players—Jared Harper, Joe Young, Zylan Cheatham, and Malcolm Hill—Alex Squadron details the pursuit of a dream in what turned out to be the most remarkable season in the history of minor league sports. Life...

While you must have tactical and positional skills to be a formidable chess player, learning the strategy behind a successful endgame is crucial to bringing your understanding of chess to the next level. This first of three lessons on oft-neglected endgame strategy introduces you to the powers of the king. Mr. Silman shows you how the kings can take over the chessboard..

Crossing lines of social class, language barriers, and national boundaries, played in family living rooms and local chess parlors and online games around the world, chess is a truly universal pastime. Discover the basics of the game and how it began; what each piece is worth and how it moves; and the mathematical notation that allows players to record games, learn from mistakes, and improve..

Continue your study of patterns—this time with combination moves that require crafty calculations. Whether you’re wondering when (and why) to sacrifice a piece, or you’re looking to trap kings in tight corners, or you simply want to unleash a torrent of carnage on the board, the tactics from this lesson will help you become a more formidable player..

Over 30 different baseball drills that can be used on the practice field with an entire Little League team as well as by parents and children in a backyard session. The drills focus on basics such as base running, hitting, and fielding, but they often provide a wrinkle designed to keep the kids enthused.

Many people believe openings are the most important part of the game, but as you’ll learn in this lesson, this belief is wrong on many levels. Here, you’ll encounter a few simple strategies for developing your pieces and getting to the middle of the game. Learn Mr. Silman’s recommended opening repertoire so you can successfully get through the opening with minimum memorization..

Continue your study of endgames, especially those involving the king and one or more pawns. Here you’ll find out how to avoid—or create—stalemates and draws, as well as the critical techniques for getting pawns to the end of the board—or blocking those dangerous pawn advances..

Watch Mr. Ross with the tai chi straight sword, moving in tai chi's circles and spirals that are natural to the body. Your body has five natural curves, or bows, that increase the power of your movements. Learn relaxed postures that emphasize these gentle curves, and maintain your awareness of the body bows as you learn box both ears and separate the left foot.

Chess is riddled with psychological traps—particularly if you find yourself playing a daunting opponent. Mr. Silman offers insight into several of these traps and helps you maintain your confidence, whether you’re playing a peer on your level or one of the most sophisticated computers on the planet..