If I were to stack all the things that did not go my way during 2020, I’d be buried under an avalanche of unmet expectations, hopes, and goals. However, amongst all the things that went horribly wrong, is one thing that finally went oh so right – I absolutely crushed my reading goal!

I know this may come as a shock, but librarians don’t get paid to sit around and read all day <gasp>, but  this year, while in distance learning mode, I could, and it’s all thanks to audiobooks. While preparing for a lesson, typing up reports, or gathering data, audiobook apps like Libby, Hoopla, RBdigital, and Libro.fm kept me engaged (and significantly increased my screen time – I find it unfair that listening to a book counts towards our daily usage). 

Do you think listening to audiobooks is cheating in a way? Well, according to an educational study out of Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, “… [there] is no significant difference in comprehension between reading, listening, or reading and listening simultaneously” (Heid, 2018). So while our eyes may not physically be reading the words on a page, we are still experiencing a narrative and able to gauge where we are in the storyline based on how much time is left in the recording.

Using GoodReads, I was able to record my progress this year and achieve my two part goal for myself: to read more and to actually keep track of my reading. By keeping track, I’m able to see trends of my reading preferences (I read a lot of mysteries and YA this year), see how long I’ve spent reading (some titles really dragged), and get recommendations on titles based on what I’ve read. I read 110 books in 2020, the first time I’ve ever made it over 100 and kept track. 

So what are my goals for the new year? I’d like to expand my reading to include more biographies and nonfiction. I’m also going to give ebooks another go and try to increase usage of our MackinVia collection at the Academies. 

If you haven’t set a reading goal in a while, I highly encourage you to. It doesn’t have to be anything lofty, set yourself up for success; if your goal doesn’t resonate with you, you’re less likely to stick with it or make it part of your routine. As I found true for myself, don’t feel you have to read to improve yourself – just have fun! 

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” ~ Mason Cooley

Heid, M. (2018, September 6). Are audiobooks as good for you as reading? Here’s what the experts say. TIME. https://time.com/5388681/audiobooks-reading-books/#:~:text=Many%2C%20then%2C%20rely%20on%20audiobooks,or%20cleaning%20up%20the%20house.&text=%E2%80%9CWe%20found%20no%20significant%20differences,listening%20simultaneously%2C%E2%80%9D%20Rogowsky%20says.

written by Jennifer Hiltner

edited by Keerthi Selvam and Saanvi Gutta