Reading is good for you. As it says on the National Year of Reading website, ‘reading expands minds, builds confidence and fuels creativity.’ Yet with more distractions and less time, reading for pleasure is in decline. By Kelly Virgo
Setting up for success
This year is an ideal time to start a new reading habit. Just ten minutes a day can make a difference, lifting your mood, reducing your stress levels and helping you to see life through someone else’s eyes. Some studies suggest just six minutes of reading can reduce anxiety by up to 68% – contributing to feelings of social connectedness, confidence and self-esteem.
Making the most of your library
Books are free to borrow from your local library, and with a library account you can sign up to apps such as Libby and Borrowbox, which offer free access to online audiobooks, books and magazines through your library account.
If you like the idea of quiet reading in the company of others, many libraries host regular free Silent Book Groups. After reading, participants often stay and chat about their books.
Join the club
Book clubs and reading groups often source books using the library service and sometimes meet in their local library. In the RH area, Crawley and East Grinstead Libraries hold free monthly Visually Impaired Reading Groups.
Large print books and audiobooks are available for those who cannot read regular text.
Challenge yourself
Of course, reading is not just for adults. The Summer Reading Challenge is a great tool to encourage children to read during the long holiday. The Challenge runs every year throughout the summer holidays, and all children up to the age of 11 are welcome to take part. They can read anything they like, and collect free rewards for their reading. This year’s theme is Read to the Beat, and it aims to bring music and reading together. Sign up in your local library from Saturday 4th July.
It may be early to be making New Year’s resolutions – but the benefits of reading are manifest; an escape from the everyday, a way to connect with like-minded people, and a sense of achievement when you reach the final page.
And best of all – at your local library, you can enjoy all of this without spending
a penny.
Learn More
Kelly is a Senior Library Assistant at Crawley Library, which holds free drop-in sessions and events throughout the year.
