With the new year beginning on a note that still rings of pandemic, perhaps giving yourself a resolution that doubles as an activity to bring anywhere isn’t a bad idea. A bookish resolution can look like anything you want. This sort of resolution isn’t meant to be stressful. You should have fun with it and know that even if you don’t reach your goal, taking a crack at it still meant you learned and did something. Personally, I’ve made what may be an unrealistic goal of reading 52 books, 1 for every week. I might not meet this goal and if I don’t, that’s okay with me. However, if you’re the type of person that will feel bad about not completing your New Year’s resolutions, make sure your goal is within reason. Reading goals are also not the only types of bookish resolutions there are. We put together a few tips for you below on how you can better connect with your inner bookworm and the bookish community in 2021.

Go through your personal collection and clean out whatever is no longer “necessary”

This will probably be the hardest one for all of us. There truly is a reason to keep every single book you own. However, it can feel cleansing to free up some space in your home and on your shelves. Think of it this way: the more you get rid of, the more books you can fit! There are two different ways you can do this. One is to just do everything all at once. Designate one day to go through all of your books, make piles, and donate the ones you won’t be keeping. You can make as many categories as you think you’ll need for this. Some people may only need “keep” and “donate” piles. Others may need several piles. Another method is to clear out books a little at a time. Skim those shelves once a week and grab the books that seem the least important. Also, note how you feel about a book once you finish it. If you don’t feel incredibly attached to it, put it in the donate pile immediately instead of on the shelf.

Join and attend a bookclub

These are incredibly easy to find. Go to your local library or search on Facebook for local book clubs that you can join! Or start one (virtually) with your friends both near and far. Meeting via zoom or some other platform has made it easier for far away friends to do things together.

Use a book themed pick up line to ask someone out.

This one is pretty bold, but so fun. Here are a few ideas:

• Are you a library book? Because I’d love to check you out.
• If you were a book, I’d need glasses because you’d be fine print.
• It would be both a Crime and Punishment if you don’t let me take you out.
• Call me Big Brother because I’ve been watching you all night.
• Are you reading Fahrenheit 451? Because you are smoking.
• If you give me your number, I’ll live up to all of your Great Expectations.
• Not even Snape could Severus apart.

Plan and create a reading nook

This can be as simple as setting up a comfy chair in the perfect lighting, with a table to your left for that cup of tea you’ll be drinking as you read. Or, you can get fancy with it and plan a whole room. And if you don’t feel like changing any of your furniture around just for your hobby, consider trying out a new reading spot instead. I love finding a good sit spot somewhere outdoors to stay and read for a bit.

Read a new book, in a new genre or by a new author

Branch out from your typical reading style. Maybe you’ll find something new you’ll enjoy. If you can’t come up with anything, check out Book Riot’s “Read Harder” list for some inspiration: https://bookriot.com/read-harder-2021/ 

Visit all of the independent bookstores in your area

Shopping small is incredibly important, particularly during this pandemic. There’s also nothing that compares to the magic of entering a local bookstore and getting lost in the jumble of books and shelves. Here are some of the stores you can find in Vermont:

• -The Eloquent Page, St. Albans
• -Crow Bookshop, Burlington
• -Phoenix Books, Essex and Burlington
• -Flying Pig Bookstore, Shelburne
• -The Vermont Bookshop, Middlebury
• -Ebenezer Books, Johnson
• -Galaxy Bookshop, Hardwick
• -Bear Pond Books Store, Stowe

Support your local library

This resolution is near and dear to our hearts, and can be done in a multitude of ways. The simplest is to check out materials from your local library. How much funding a library receives from their town is based on how useful to the community they are perceived to be, and this is lagely determined circulation statistics. By using your library, you’re helping them. You can also write directly to local representatives to let them know you support library funding. You can do this at any time, there’s no need to wait until your library is in dire need of support. Finally, become a Friend of the Library. This is a group of local volunteers that make themselves useful to the library by organizing book sales, helping at events, and more. 

We hope that these give you some fun ideas for how to read more in 2021! From all of us here at the Franklin Grand Isle Bookmobile, have a wonderful new year full of stories.