First, the good news…

Have you had enough of watching the bad news on television? Troubled by what you read in the daily newspapers? In these difficult times, it's nice to find Web sites with positive, uplifting and inspirational stories. "Good" does not mean the same thing to everyone; it can be a very subjective and elusive thing. It is something you know when you see or experience it. Good can be laughter, sunshine, chocolate, vacations, family, friends, peace, tolerance, experiencing nature, equality, diversity and celebration of differences, bringing people together and bridging gaps.

GoodThings.com www.goodthings.com/ was started by Dave Coburn and Barcy Fisher in 1998 to help people enrich their lives and experience more good things effortlessly. You can subscribe to "The GoodLetter," a weekly e-magazine delivered every Friday morning. Posing questions about living the good life and offering practical ways to get more good into your life, The GoodLetter features letters by contributing writers and readers' responses.

GoodThings.com also provides short stories about wisdom and compassion. "Good Work" addresses constructive ideas for workplace change. "Good Actions" includes articles about and ways to support important non-profit organizations and causes. "Good People" features ordinary people doing extraordinary things, "Good Grabs" gives constructive news from around the world and "Good Gravy" links to books, movies, public radio stories and music.

When you're feeling sad or need a little inspiration, look to CyberStory http://www.cyberstory.com/. This site is filled with feel-good and uplifting stories in the sections "I Needed That," "Simple Acts of Kindness," "A Lot to Be Thankful For" and "1 Person Making a Difference." Here you can read about what others have done in similar situations to yours and make their experience your wisdom. Read about the unselfish things people are doing for the benefit of others and how a simple act of kindness can make a lasting impression on someone's life. Their mission is to bring a smile to your face and help you out in difficult times.

The Good News Network www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ features positive news stories. Established in 1997 by a mother of three, this site focuses on the "glorifying, not the horrifying." It acts as a clearinghouse for the gathering and dissemination of positive news stories and showcases innovative solutions to America's problems. You can click on such headings as "Global," "National," "Local," "Business," "Life," "Opinion," "Samaria" or "Earth." The category "9/12" is a guide to good news since the tragic events of Sept. 11.

A relatively new Web site established last June is Lightwatcher.com www.lightwatcher.com/, which provides original content, selected good news, downloads, resources and e-publishing for challenging times. The main feature is LightBytes, good news that focuses on stories that inspire—stories about personal transformation and self-reliance.

So, when you're down on your luck and things look bleak, check out one of these sites to help lift your spirits. You'll find that life isn't so bad after all.

—Sue Neumeister and Lori Widzinski, University Libraries