Welcome to the blank page of a new year! Whether it's number of books, pages, or hours; readers across the globe will be setting yearly goals right now. Those goals are all well and good but can sometimes feel like too much pressure for an activity that is supposed to be enjoyable. So here are a few different types of reading goals you can use to keep the excitement level high around reading in 2026.
- New Genre - Maybe you are a Mystery reader through and through, reading only counts if somebody died (in the book). Now is a great time to explore a new genre! If you're nervous, try something close to the subject you love. Or maybe try a non-fiction companion, like a true crime book while waiting for the next James Patterson book to come out.
- New Medium - Never listened to an audiobook before? Audiobooks and graphic audiobooks are getting more popular, with more authors getting their books converted every day. Or maybe you're ready to jump into the eBook game with a new Kindle you got from your nephew at Christmas. Try any of the sources in the virtual library to get started.
- New Author - So you've read everything that Jodi Picoult has ever written. Time to try a new author! Or try reading more authors who don't share your culture or identity. Reading can open you to new perspectives, even in the fictional realm.
- Clear Your Shelves - Those books have been sitting on your shelf for ages! Start reading them, they need you. Once you read a book you can decide if it stays or goes. The best part is that you can make room for new books!
- Re-read Your Favorites - While looking through your own bookshelves, pick up an old book that you haven't read in a while. See if it still brings you joy. Or maybe you notice new things about the story or characters that you didn't notice the first time. Revisiting a story can be a real comfort. Even if you already know whodunit, you can sit back and watch the story unfold, secure in the knowledge that you know how it ends.
- The Alphabet - There's a whole song that goes with this one! Read books with a title for every letter of the alphabet. A= Apple, B=Beowulf, you get it.
- Color - If you're a more visual person, then try reading according to color! People usually stick to ROYGBIV for this one but pick any visible light spectrum you want! Although I'm sure we have books on X-rays and UV rays if you want to read outside the typical wavelengths. (That joke will be funny once you learn about light spectrums)
Library Books - Commit to borrowing more books from the library! Goods are getting more expensive every day, why not save some money on your entertainment and borrow more books from your local library? Borrowing from the library can help you hit those eBook or audiobook goals too!
- Read with Intention - Maybe don't have a specific number of books in mind that you want to read, maybe you just want to read with more intention. What does that mean? Reading with intention means you are paying more attention to how the book affects you. What elements did you like, didn't like? What parts of the plot worked or didn't for you? Get those highlighters out!
- No Goals! Get through the year footloose and fancy free! No pressure, no worries! Discover the joy of reading again! 40% of American adults did not read a single book in 2025. Let's bring that number down in 2026.
Image credit: Mam'Gobozi Design Factory (MDF), CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons