2021 Reading Resolutions: 5 Cool Ways to Boost Your Reading This Year

1. Read more diversely.
   Choose books this year written by marginalized authors and creators. Increase your collection of books by Women, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, Latinx, and others. Prioritize reading their content to build better perspective, empathy, and diverse viewpoints.
   

2. Read more of what you love.
   Lean into your passions and pleasures this year by consuming more of the content you love with reckless abandon! Big fan of paranormal romance? Fuck it, go for it! Love to read $1 paperbacks from the periodicals section of the grocery store? Read your heart out! Into reading kid-lit and picture books because you love cool artwork? Rock on with ya bad self. Whatever genre or style of content you love to consume, add more of that to your TBR pile in 2021.
   

3. Read more for enjoyment.
   Reviewing and blogging are fantastic. Sharing books you love to your Bookstagram is so fun! But it’s also really, 100%, totally cool, and a-okay to just read for funsies without having to turn it into a social media project. Read because you want to. Read because you can. Read because it provides escapism from the harsh world. Read to your kids or your nieces and nephews. Read something that’s just for you and don’t tell a single soul about it. Read without the eyes of the Internet boring a hole in your head. Just lose yourself in that excitement of a new story.
   

4. Investigate your Local Free Public Libraries.
   Did you know that checking out books at your local public library helps the authors you love? That’s right! Every time their book is out in circulation, the author does receive financial compensation. Checking out books at your local library also helps them learn which books to buy and stock on an ongoing basis. The more books you request or check out by a certain author, the more you increase the likelihood of the library acquiring more of the author’s personal catalogue. Frequenting your local library also helps increase their state and federal funding levels. The more books you check out, the more community resources they’ll be able to provide for your city/county. This means more story time and free programming for kids and teens, more literacy education programs, more jobs and career options, more building improvements, and more technology upgrades, etc. Each time you check out a book (or pay those tardy fees for late returns LOL) you’re helping to build a better future for tomorrow’s readers! So hop on their website and get some curbside pick-up for pandemic-friendly library support.

5. Buy and ship books from Indie Presses and Small Local Booksellers.
   When you purchase your books, do your best to avoid that “Books From Bezos” website when possible, and choose alternatives like Bookshop.org or consider calling a local bookshop and placing an order through them directly for curbside pickup or delivery/shipping. When you shop small, you’re helping the local economy where you live, and ensuring that small business does not have to shutter up due to pandemic woes or being clobbered by “The Big A” that dominates most industries. Shopping small helps small businesses pay their rent, pay their mortgages, puts a roof over their family’s heads, and provides for their wellbeing. Instead of lining the pockets of some billionaire and stocks investors who don’t need it, put your dollars right back into the community of neighbors, friends, and family around you! Don’t have a bookstore in your town? Just ask some friends or put out a tweet for folks to recommend their favorite small sellers (hell, you can even DM us or leave a comment here and we’ll help!) and then call that shop to place an order by phone, or shop their site and request shipping. (Please note, small presses and indie sellers DO NOT have control over postal rates or shipping times; once a package leaves their hands, it is not their fault if it gets lost, stolen, or delayed. So, be kind!! Be patient!!)

By Ellen Avigliano

Twitter: @imaginariumcs
Website: www.imaginariumarts.com