By: Dwana Pinchock
Anne Doucette reads a lot, but even for an avid reader, the library’s yearlong reading challenge pushes her to go further.
In this Q&A, she shares how the challenge works, what surprised her most and why she hopes more readers join “26 in ’26.”
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you got involved in the reading challenge.
A: My name is Anne, and I’m a public service assistant at the East Shore Area Library. I’m also the point person for the reading challenge committee here.
I love challenges. Anytime someone tells me there’s a new one, I’m going to sign up for it. The past challenge was especially fun because we had specific prompts to follow. I ended up reading books I wouldn’t have otherwise picked up — and some of them were really good!
Q: About how many books do you read per month?
A: Maybe five or six normally. The challenge definitely inspires me to read more than I otherwise would, which is also fun.
Q: How did the previous challenge work?
A: We had 25 prompts. Usually, reading challenges are just “read 25 books of your choice.” This time, the prompts were more specific and interesting.
For example, one prompt was to read a graphic novel where the main character has a disability. Another was to read a mystery where the person solving the crime is a woman over age 65. There was one where you had to read a book by someone from a different religious tradition than your own.
The hardest one for me was “read a book with a cover that you hate.” I eventually found one; it was a poetry book but the cover had these floating hands in the darkness. It was kind of creepy.
Q: So the prompts really stretched people beyond their usual genres?
A: Yes. It definitely pushed you out of your comfort zone.
This year, though, we’re doing something different. For “26 in ’26,” participants simply read 26 books of their choice.
Q: Was it difficult for you to step outside your literary comfort zone?
A: Sometimes. I don’t read a lot of nonfiction, and I thought it might be boring. I usually want to read about elves or something like that.
But I picked up The Professor and the Madman, about the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary, and it was actually really good. I didn’t want to read it at first, but I had to for the prompt. I’m glad I did.
Q: Did any books change your perspective or leave a lasting impression?
A: The Professor and the Madman did. It’s about a man who was in an asylum and still contributed significantly to the Oxford English Dictionary. It made me think about mental illness and bias — how someone can struggle in one area of life but still be incredibly gifted in another.
It really made me pause and think about that in my own life and about people I know.
Q: What would you say to someone considering joining a reading challenge?
A: I love being rewarded for something I’m already doing. I love to read. But even when you love to read, sometimes you don’t make as much time for it as you’d like. The challenge reminds me to sit down and take that time.
I would definitely encourage people to sign up. Even if you think you won’t finish, it’s still worth it. You’ll read some books and have a good time.
Q: How can people participate in “26 in ’26”?
A: It’s already started. You can sign up through Beanstack. If you already have a Beanstack account, go to “Challenges.” If you don’t see it right away, click “View More Challenges,” and you’ll be able to enter.
Even if you sign up now, everything you’ve read since Jan. 1 will automatically count.
Doucette hopes more readers join this year’s challenge.
“I feel like not enough people knew about 25 in ’25,” she said. “I hope more people in the public actually do 26 in ’26.” Whether you’re an avid reader or just looking for motivation to turn more pages, the challenge offers a simple invitation: Read more. Discover something new. Surprise yourself.
If you would like to join one of The Library’s reading challenges visit our Beanstack page!