Extreme Reader Challenge
February 2021
 
In This Issue
Extreme Reader Challenge February 2021
New Year, New Challenge
Updates
Overbooked
Booklists Added
Extreme Reader Staff Profile
2020 Recap
Goodreads Group
Reading Resources
Contact Us
New Year, New Challenge
Extreme Reader 2021 is off to an amazing start. To those of you who participated in the 2020 challenge, welcome back! If this is your first year, thank you for joining us.
 
If you haven't yet had a chance to look around the Extreme Reader 2021 page, you can find the category list here.
 
Key Dates for the 2021 Challenge:
 
Tuesday, Jan. 5 – 2021 Extreme Reader challenge began
Sunday, Feb. 21 - Sunday, Feb. 28 – TPL Budget Closure – see 'Updates' below
Saturday, July 31 – Final day to register for the challenge 
Monday, Aug. 2 – First day to complete the challenge 
Sunday, Nov. 28 - Sunday, Dec. 5 – TPL Budget Closure – see 'Updates' below
Saturday,  Dec. 18 – Last day to complete the challenge 
 
 
 
 
 
 
What's New:
  • For 2021, booklists will be released in waves throughout the first several months of the challenge.
  • See 'Booklists Added' below for newest set of links.
  • If a catalog link isn’t currently available, please check again in the coming months. Booklists can be found here.
Updates
Tacoma Public Library Budget Closures
 
Please take a moment to read the information regarding the upcoming closures of Tacoma Public Library during Feb. 21–28 and Nov. 28–Dec. 5, 2021. A full list of specific service disruptions is included in this information.
 
How will this impact Extreme Reader?
 
ER Facebook Group - Extreme Reader Facebook group will be archived during these time frames. Group members will receive a notification once the group has been archived. Existing members can still see and access group content but cannot post, comment, or react. No new members can request to join. Once the closure time has ended, the group will be unarchived and all functions will return to normal.
 
ER Website Access - The library website and online catalog will be unavailable, including the dedicated Extreme Reader web page. Challenge information, category lists and definitions, along with access to booklists for the challenge will be unavailable as well. Sign ups for the challenge will not be available.
 
Email - Contact via extremereader@tacomalibrary.org will be met with an auto-reply. Staff will respond once they’ve returned to work.
 
Overbooked - Overbooked meetups will not be held during these time frames.
Completion Reporting - An update will be given for the Nov. 28–Dec. 5 2021 closure and how it will impact completion reporting, once it has been established.
 
 
Overbooked
The first Overbooked of the year is almost here!

 
The first virtual Overbooked meetup of 2021 has been scheduled! 
 
Please join us on Saturday, March 13, from 12 to 2 pm. If you would like to participate, please RSVP here.
  
You will receive a Zoom link one hour before the event. If you would like assistance setting up a Zoom account prior to the event, please email extremereader@tacomalibrary.org.
 
 
Booklists Added
A new wave of booklists have been added!
The next collection of recommendations is ready.  
Keep an eye out for the final set coming in March.
 
1. A book about climate change
3. A book about or involving social media use
4. A book about or with art or museums 
7. A book about social justice 
9. A book in which a natural disaster takes place
14. A book set in Ireland
17. A book that takes place in the 1920s
18. A book that takes place during the middle ages
20. A book where the characters save (or attempt to save) the world
25. A book with a map
26. A book with a medical professional
29. A book with a royal moniker in the title
34. A book with military personnel
38. A book written by a South American author
41. A book written in the first person
45. A magical realism book
 
Did you miss our 2021 category reveal event on Facebook?
Check out the video here!
 
 
Extreme Reader Staff Profile
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hello Extreme Readers! My name is Tiffany (she/her/hers) and I am one of the Extreme Reader team members. Here are a few tidbits to help you get to know me:
  • I am of Apsáalooke (Crow), Blackfoot, Ashkenazi Jewish, and European ancestry and identify as LGBTQIA+. I am pagan and would absolutely call myself a witch
  • My favorite book genres are Teen Fantasy and Romantic Comedy (the steamier the better) but currently I'm reading nothing but Historical Romance (thank you, Bridgerton)
  • An entire room in my house has been taken over by Funko Pop! figures. I think I own close to 300 at this point, of which, my collection of Loki’s are my most treasured
  • My favorite book to recommend is The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. It works for #25 A book with a map, #27 A book with a metallic cover, #29 A book with a royal moniker in the title, #32 A book with an unlikely pair, #37 A book with parents or parental figures in it, and #41 A book written in the first person
2020 Recap
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2020
Extreme Reader Challenge!
                                                                                         
 
 
2020: By The Numbers
 
 
  • 520 - registered participants (478 adults, 42 teens) (18% growth from 2019) 
  • 191 - participants that completed the challenge (182 adults, 9 teens) 
  • 27 - library staff participants (6 completed) 
  • 149 – first day sign ups (198% growth from 2019) 
  • 247 – Facebook members (37% growth from 2019) 
  • 5 - Overbooked meetups 
  • 1 - 24in7 Read-a-thon virtual challenge hosted 
 
 
Top 3 Favorite Categories:
 
 
  1. A non-fiction and fiction book about the same topic paired category 
  1. A book with a ‘blank’ in the title-style categories 
  1. LGBTQIA+ categories: A book written by a LGBTQIA+ author and A book with an LGBTQIA+ protagonist 
 
What's Everyone Saying About the Extreme Reader Challenge? 
A few quotes by participants from our wrap-up survey   
                                              
  • I love being pushed to read a book I normally wouldn't. I've expanded my literary interests through this challenge. 
  • I loved the diverse categories, it really challenged me as a reader to get out of the box I usually place myself in with my reading choices.
  • It felt akin to a scavenger hunt, in a way.
  • During this crazy year, the challenge gave me a focus and goal, as well as a chance to have a local reading community. 
  • Being part of a community of readers and having a way to structure my reading choices. There is *so* much to read! This helped me narrow it down. 
  • Having a concrete measurable goal, discovering new authors, reading new genres, and finding a community of other readers. I really loved this!  
  • I really like the harder categories that make you stretch and expand your reading like the fiction/nonfiction pairing. I also liked learning new thinks like the Printz Award and the Library Reads list. (How had I never heard of that list before?!) Finally I liked the online book meet ups that were a nice way to socialize about books in times of COVID. 
  • I liked that I read some great books that I wouldn't have read without the Extreme Reader challenge. 
  • The Extreme Reader Challenge really helps me expand my reading topics and I always learn something new! 
  • My reluctant reader teenage son participated with me this year and was proud of himself. 
  • I loved the sense of community from the Facebook group! 
  • Trying new formats, seeking new sources of recommendations. 
  • I read way more books than I have any other year this decade!  
  • It required that I read books that I might not otherwise read. Different voices, different genres, etc. It also kept bringing me back to reading. The pandemic made it challenging for me sometimes to focus on reading but this was a gentle nudge to get back to it. 
  • My favorite aspect is that it helped me read WAY more than I usually do. I *want* to read a lot, but it's hard to prioritize the time. This helped me do that. 
 
Goodreads Group
 
 
 
 
There's a Goodreads group again this year!
 
At the request of many members, a group was created in Goodreads for the challenge, so you can get the recommendations flying!
 
Please note, this is going to be a participant-run group. Other than adding events and maybe popping in occasionally, the Extreme Reader staff will be completely hands off.
 
You can access the group with the link below or by visiting www.Goodreads.com>Community>Groups>search for TPL Extreme Reader 2021 and request to join.
 
Extreme Reader 2021 Goodreads Group
 
Reading Resources
NoveList Plus
Find new books to read! Search for a favorite author or title, browse booklists, award lists, or find the next book in a series. Fiction and Nonfiction books for all ages are included.
NextReads Newsletters
The NextReads email newsletter and outreach service delivers reading recommendations and library information by email.
Contact Us
TPL Extreme Reader 2021
on Facebook
extremereader@tacomalibrary.org
tacomalibrary.org/extreme-reader
Tacoma Public Library
extremereader@tacomalibrary.org
253.280.2800
tacomalibrary.org