How to Read More Books – And Enjoy Them
For me, the question was simple: how do I read more? I was looking through past Mercer County Library System blog posts to see if any of my colleagues had written about this before. One such post, written by my colleague Lydia, particularly resonated with me. She discusses the distractions that often get in the way of reading, and the methods she used to start reading more (an interesting one is due dates).
After this I looked to find more techniques one can use to read more books. I came across a list compiled by librarians, published in The Guardian this past April, that does just that. Below, I share eight of the librarians’ 20 tips to read not just more, but with more enjoyment as well. (To read the full article, click here.) The Mercer County Library System can help you make the most of these reading strategies.
1. Don’t beat yourself up if you haven’t read in years
Librarian Nancy Pearl observes that with much of our time and energy devoted to our daily obligations and commitments, reading can quickly fall to the wayside. But, of course, it’s never too late to get back on the reading train.
Now, I hope this goes without saying, but libraries aren’t just for “bookworms” or “voracious readers.” Librarians are here to help you find your next great read no matter how long it’s been since you last finished a book. If you’re not sure where to start, stop in any of our nine branches and talk to one of our reference librarians. For branch locations, visit our website and click or tap on Branches from the menu bar.
You might also consider submitting one of our online Personalized Picks forms. Just fill out a bit of information about the kind of book you’re looking for, submit the form, then a librarian will reach back out to you with some recommendations.
2. Listen to a book rather than ‘read’
Yes, listening to books is the same as reading books. As librarian Louise Morrish puts it, “listening to an audiobook is reading…There have been scientific studies where they’ve stuck sensors on to people’s heads, and the areas of the brain that are lighting up and connecting are the same when you’re listening to a story as when you’re reading it yourself.”
With your MCLS library card, you have access to eLibraryNJ, an online collection of e-books and audiobooks. Your borrowed items can be accessed through your internet browser, or through Libby, a smart device app that is free to download and use. Visit our eLibraryNJ page for more information.
3. Widen your search
If you can recall a book that you really liked, use it as a starting point to discover your next read. Morrish advises to run an online search using the terms “books like” or “books written like.” You can also try, again as Morrish advises, looking for curated lists of books arranged by genre, subject, or something else.
With your MCLS card, you can use NoveList to find read-alikes, which are exactly what they sound like: books that are similar to each other. In fact, you can find read-alikes right in the library’s catalog. After selecting a title from the catalog results (presumably one you’ve read and liked), click on the “You Might Also Like” tab, found in the pop-up window.
Also, consider visiting the library’s Goodreads account, where you can peruse the "bookshelves,” which are curated lists of books, many of which even feature reviews written by our librarians.
4. Be open minded
Both Moorish and Ian Cooke, head of contemporary British and Irish collections at the British Library in London, encourage readers of all kinds to try out subjects and genres that are unfamiliar to you. This helps in discovering new interests, and, potentially, jumpstarting your new foray into book-reading.
Entering unfamiliar territory can be harder than we think. Like choosing a recipe to try out, sometimes that initial choice, one among limitless possibilities, can be daunting. So, you may want to consider a reading challenge as an entry point. Each year, the Mercer County Library System posts its Reading Challenge list, containing several categories to be used as a guide in selecting your next read. The idea is to read books that correspond to those categories that are new to you.
In fact, you can step outside of adult fiction and nonfiction entirely! Check out the post “It’s Okay to Read YA” from MCLS librarian Becca, where she discusses the benefits of reading young adult (YA) books as an adult.
5. Consider nonfiction
This is the strategy that worked for me. When I started running the Nonfiction Book Club at the Twin Rivers branch, I found that I really enjoyed reading nonfiction, and it inspired me to keep exploring on my own. Some notable books I’ve read, outside of the book club, are Boymom: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity by Ruth Whippman, and Here After by Amy Lin. So, if you’re having trouble getting into fiction, try out nonfiction.
Another fellow colleague, Christopher, wrote an excellent blog post celebrating nonfiction titles, in particular those that take a seemingly dull topic and turn it into a fascinating read. Check out that post and list of recommended titles here.
6. Pick up a Quick Read
If extensive page counts are getting in the way of you finishing a good book, then opt for a quick read, these librarians suggest. (Note: In the United Kingdom, where most of the librarians who compiled this list are based, Quick Reads are a specific series of short stories and books.) Discovering books by number of pages is a bit tricky, but it can be done without too much fuss.
Using NoveList, the same resource discussed in tip #4, you can use the database’s advanced search tool to limit your browse or search results to only those that fall under a maximum page count that you specify.
First, at the top of the homepage, click on Advanced Search.
Next, on the Advanced Search screen, locate Number of Pages among the many limiters.
Finally, select “less than” from the dropdown menu, type in your desired maximum page count, then click or tap Search.
On the results page, be sure to further refine your results as needed by using the limiters on the left. For example, you may want to limit by age group and by either fiction or nonfiction.
I strongly recommend using NoveList’s appeal factors as a limiter. Appeal factors allow you to home in on books that match your reading interests. You’ll find these on the left side as well.
Comments
Post a Comment