Library Research Notes #46
Reading and Writing in the New Year
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2023
Welcome back, or if you are new here, thank you for joining! To kick off 2023, I wanted to start off by sharing with you my word of the year:
INTENTIONAL
This is a word that I picked out early in December and felt it gave off a good vibe for the new year. In previous years, I have picked words like MOTIVATION or CHANGE, but I feel like 2023 needs to be about intention in all things. Reading, writing, and generally living intentionally. So, there you have it. What is YOUR word for 2023? Leave me a comment and let me know!
For this first issue of the year, I thought I would kick it off with some reading notes. What is on my TBR (to be read) list for 2023? What are the reading habits that I would like to cultivate or leave behind this year?
Thank you for continuing to support this newsletter and let me know if there are any topics - reading, research, or otherwise - that you would like me to cover this year.
Book Count Goals and TBR Lists
This year, I decided to have 2 TBR lists. One that was chosen by friends (on Facebook) and one that I add to myself. I’ve set my book total at 24 for the year, to make it less overwhelming (last year I set it at 36 and only finished 5). My reading totals have gone down steadily since the start of the pandemic, which seems strange since we went out a lot less in 2020 and 2021, indicating more free time to read. In 2020, I was on a roll until April, and then it dropped off. In 2021, I started writing this newsletter and so I believe the 2021 and 2022 counts were down due to me reading a lot more online materials and a lot fewer physical or audio books. Here are the trends going back to 2019…
2019 challenge was set at 24 books - I read 29 (!)
2020 challenge was set at 36 books - I read 17
2021 challenge was set at 36 books - I read 16
I’m hoping that by going back to my 2019 challenge number, I can meet or exceed the number of books read, as I did back then. One thing that has changed over the past 4 years is that although I set a challenge number, I don’t feel bad about not meeting it. It is a goal, not a requirement. I used to get really down on myself in December when I was way off from my goal, but now I just chalk it up to life.
Why, you might ask, do I set a goal at all then? Well - I do like to give myself something to strive for. I think that because I do so much online reading and research, I am ingesting information all the time, so if I don’t get through full books, it doesn’t mean I’m not reading - I’m just not tracking the reading that I am doing.
Having said all of the above - I do have a LOT of books that I would like to read so I can pass them along to other folks and downsize our book collection. Currently, we have four bookshelves with 9 squares (each square holds approximately 12 books) and two bookshelves with 6 squares. All six of these bookshelves are full, with the exception of our living room shelf that holds recipe books and tchotchkes. The shelves in my office are full, plus they have books stacked on top. I was happy to be able to at least get all of my books off the floor that were in piles, but the shelves are now at full capacity, plus. I also have a book cart in my office, which was meant for my TBR books, that is full of general books that have nowhere else to live.
So - yeah - we have a lot of books. And sadly, most of them are unread. I’m going to go through the collection and clear out some books that I have read and won’t re-read, or that I don’t think I will ever read so that there can be some breathing room, but beyond that, I need to get on top of the actual reading of books I bought for that purpose.
For now, though - here are the books that I definitely plan to read this year.
Facebook friends pick my TBR list: 2023 TBR on Goodreads
I was happy to see that the suggestions are all books I haven’t read before. I only own one of the 12 (Becoming) so for this TBR I am going to take the books out of the library. for 2023 I’m going to at the very least try to cut back on BUYING books. Especially for books that I can easily check out of my public library.
My personal TBR has not been set yet, but I’ll update you in the coming weeks on that. In the meantime, I’m still trying to finish reading the last book I started in 2023 (Wilder Girls by Rory Power) and locate the January/February/March picks at the library.
Now it’s your turn! Comment and let me know what is on your TBR so far this year and if you have any new releases that you are looking forward to in 2023. I’m always happy to add to my personal TBR from reader recommendations!
Reading Habits to Cultivate in the New Year
As I mentioned above, I have set a goal of 24 books to read this year. Aside from the number of books I would like to complete, I’m also going to focus on books that bring me the greatest joy. I’m not really into fiction, unless it is YA, so the only fiction that I will most likely pick up are the books on my FB TBR list. Beyond that, I will probably be reading a lot of Astrology, Sociology, Philosophy, Spirituality, and Mythology texts. And of course, I’m going to be reading for research, so wherever that takes me I’m sure it will remain in the non-fiction realm.
For YA, specifically, I am excited to finish a few of the books that I purchased in the last 5 years and haven’t prioritized. First being the Marissa Meyer “Lunar Chronicle” series. I currently own the first three in the set: Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, and I plan to take the other three out of the library when I reach them. I started Cinder back in 2019 and never finished it. It is a futuristic twist on the Cinderella tale, which I love. I’m hoping that by moving through this series, it will get me back into the headspace to read other fiction as well, not just YA. I have an N.K. Jemisin book, The City We Became, that I would love to get to as well. I fully enjoyed Jemisin’s How Long ‘Til Black Future Month, which I completed in 2019. So we will see if the Meyer books bring me back to fiction.
What new or new-to-you books are you looking forward to reading in 2023?
Good News from the Stacks!
As always - if you made it this far, here are your good news links…
HarperCollins workers have been on strike since November and you can support them here: HarperCollins Union Solidarity Fund
‘I love book-loving people’: Chicago bookstore owner’s Twitter rant leads to sales surge (wgntv.com) - Hat tip to Chaz for sharing this link for the good news section.
Book challenges or goals - you make the choice!
gen x reactions booklist on goodreads - come join our group!