For many book lovers, the start of the new year is a time to make resolutions in your reading life. The easiest way to do this is usually to set a quantifiable goal. Something like, I plan on reading one book a month. Or one book a week. Or one book more than I read last year. However, when your goal is based on how much you want to read, it’s easy to take shortcuts. Instead of tackling that 800-page tearjerker, you might read a few page-turners that you’re not as excited about, just so you can stay on track. And that’s fine! But I find that what I remember the most about the books I’ve read over the past year isn’t how many I read in a week or month (although I am proud when I finish a book in a single sitting). What I remember, looking back, are the books that surprised me, or triggered a strong emotion.
So instead, we want you to challenge yourself to read more broadly, read outside your comfort zone, discover something new, and have fun! The library is instituting a new Reading Challenge for all adults for the year 2022. New challenges will be updated on this page and on social media monthly. To help you read something that meets this challenge, Bibliocommons staff lists will be created each month, but there are many, many books that will meet each challenge goal – and you can pick the right book for yourself.
If you want to get a head start on the monthly challenges, you can find a fillable PDF here: Vaughan 2022 Reading Challenges.
We’ll be blogging about the challenges and posting Bibliocommons lists monthly too. Check back on this page for more information about each challenge!
The challenge for January is: Read a book about joy, or that makes you laugh. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for February is: Read a book by a Black Canadian author. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for March is: Read a book that has won or has been nominated for Canada Reads. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for April is: Read a book set in a bookstore, library, or other literary setting. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for May is: Read a book that was made into a movie or TV series. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for June is: Read a biography or book of essays by an Indigenous author. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for July is: Read a historical fiction novel that isn’t set during World War II. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for August is: Read a book set at the beach or in a warm/tropical setting. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for September is: Read a book by an author you’ve never read before. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for October is: Read a book that scares you. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for November is: Read A Book by an LGBTQIA2S+ Author. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
With the discussion of COVID-19 Stage 3 re-openings in Ontario and the related timelines, I decided to look through the list of businesses and services myself, to see what York Region might be able to expect in the coming weeks. And for those people who feel ready to participate in these re-openings, there’s a wide range of businesses for us to start patronizing again. But there is one significant hobby that is necessarily being left out by the closures… and probably for a long time. It’s the music fans! Some of the few remaining restrictions present in Phase 3 include “dancing at restaurants and bars” and “private karaoke rooms”. Concerts and live shows have gathering limits, and large outdoor events such as concerts are not permitted. And when you think about what these kinds of events entail, it makes complete sense that they won’t be permitted just yet. Some of my absolute favourite music-related memories are a complete nightmare in the COVID-19 age.