At the Raymond Public Library - By Sally Holt

New Year’s Day is right around the corner and so begins a time when most of us come up with some sort of plan to make some positive changes in our lives. So what are mine? I prefer to call resolutions challenges. That may have to do with the fact that I like reality shows like Amazing Race and Survivor. I find to accomplish challenges I must make whatever they are a priority and they have to be foremost in my mind at all times. I have to stick with them and when I think maybe it is okay not to meet the particular challenge on any given day I literally stop my whirling mind in its tracks and continue to strive toward whatever the challenges are.

In October I began attending the Young Adult and Children’s Book Review sessions at the Portland Public Library. Numerous book sellers ship brand new young adult and children’s books to the library for librarians to read and review. At the end of the year I will get all the books free for the library collection at RVL and that could equal 120 free books for the library, a real bonus! I decided to join because there was a call out by Deb Clark, who is Cumberland County’s Maine State Library consultant and the manager of this endeavor for librarians to review more young adult books. Taking the time to attend was the first challenge and the second was to focus on reading young adult fantasy and science fiction because it is not my favorite genre. I have read several so far and though it is rather hard going I know that it is good for me to do and will benefit our library users.

So what is your personal reading challenge for the New Year?