Summer Reading Message: A Rockin' and Readin' 2020

How has "stay-at-home" treated you, my fellow readers? 

My bookish friends: Have you haunted Little Free Libraries? Have you discovered every curbside bookstore pickup in your area, or maybe mail-ordered more than your fair share?

My e-readers: Have you checked out every ebook you Library offers, or been sucked in to amazing sales from your ebook suppliers?

My listeners: Are you catching up on your already-ample collection? Have you discovered just how many audiobook services your Library offers? Or are you a newbie, discovering the world of audiobooks — and are you a fan? 

I wish I could say I've been able to find comfort and distraction in books, but the truth of the matter is that the pandemic has reduced my reading time and energy. A week ago I didn't even realize it was May, let alone almost Memorial Day. By the end of the very long workdays — because every day is a workday right now — my brain is full.

But all is not lost. I surrendered my exercise-headphones ban and began listening to books while I run. 

I've begun reading "ongoing" books I began months ago but put aside for one reason or another. A page or two to clear my mind does a world of good, and I know I can put them aside, or shuffle them around, as needed.

When I hit my limit with my ongoing books, I read books with friends. My bookish friend Carole and I are re-reading the Olive Kitteridge selection (Elizabeth Strout's related books that build to Olive, Again) and Don Quixote.  


My online book club has kept me busy with some interesting picks already on my TBR list, including Daisy Jones and the Six, Behold the Dreamers, and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. 

I continue to read all platforms — print, ebook, and audio — and, to be honest, some books deserve all three (Don Quixote, I'm looking at you). My Library has contributed to the cause electronically, and I am forever grateful.

I'm still about a dozen books behind my pre-Memorial Day count from last year, but I can live with that.

I suspect 2020 will continue to be a grab bag of surprises. That alone will make summer reading  very, very different.

So, let's think differently about "summer reading" and launch our discussion as we get closer to the summer solstice. 

In the meantime, please be careful. Lifting stay-at-home orders doesn't mean you are safe from the virus. It means we have created an infrastructure of expanded access to hospital beds and ventilators, so we can better treat patients during the second surge.

The virus is still present. You can still get sick. Stay home and read when you can, and please continue to follow CDC guidelines regarding social distancing, wearing a face covering/mask, and avoiding large gatherings.

See you in June.