How my Relationship with Reading has been Different since COVID-19

I access books three ways:

1. Through my awesome public library system.
2. Through my own HS library collection.
3. Through NetGalley, which gives me access to books before they are published because of my work as a librarian.

I also find books in the three Little Free Libraries in my neighborhood. And sometimes I purchase books, both from big retailers as well as my in-walking-distance local bookshops. Book purchasing decisions are made based on a few questions I ask myself:

1. Will I want to refer back to this title enough times to justify purchase?
2. Will this book be valuable to others, to whom I can lend it.
3. Is this a book by an author I love, whose books I buy before or soon after publication and will keep in my collection?

I want to reflect on how I have changed my book buying habits since going into isolation in March 2020.

As life was changing and I no longer needed to commute to school each day, we decided to head to Florida where the weather would be nicer and we could isolate ourselves with a change of scenery. This was a good decision.

• The weather was far nicer than here in Washington, DC, which meant frequent walks, runs, and bike rides.
• Not knowing anyone in the area meant no temptation to behave unsafely by socializing.

I also began a daily yoga habit that I have kept up since returning home. Each day the morning sunshine invigorated me, an experience that taught me a few important things about how I interact with the change of season.

Since we traveled to Florida by car and did not anticipate staying as long as we did (8 weeks) I packed only a milk crate of books to take, along with my Kindle. (This might be an affiliate link, which means I would make a small amount of money if you click and buy this product in this way. - I am new to this part of blogging, and am not sure if it will work, AND I am not 100% sure I want a relationship of this type with Amazon, but I own a Kindle, which I love, and use it to borrow books from the library and make purchases.)

I chose my crate of books from the unread items on my shelves. I did not bring any previously read books. I chose from a variety of genres: fantasy, mystery, science fiction, and non-fiction all in both adult and YA titles. What I did not anticipate was how my preferences would change as the number of COVID cases rose, more and more of life was cancelled, and my anxiety levels rose.

I found that I did not want to read about murder OR intergalactic battle OR intense angst. I wanted to read, more than usual, as an escape from what I was reading online and seeing in the news. I know I am not alone in this shift. Reality was enough for me, I wanted little reality in my reading. I turned instead to fantasy, which can be troublesome, but I made sure to thoroughly vet titles before settling in to read. I also found comfort in reading romance.

One of my favorites was The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. The inside of this book turned out to be as charming and delightful as the cover. I also found great comfort in Buzz Saw by Jesse Dougherty, which chronicled the 2019 season of my beloved World Series Champion Washington Nationals. Two romances I read back-to-back were Get a Life, Chloe Brown and Take a Hint, Dani Brown, both by Talia Hibbert.

What this means though, is that I purchased more books than usual. Because I am not a resident of the town we were staying in, I could not get a library card, and via my hometown library, ebooks were on a long waiting list. Even now I am still on the list for books I put on hold in March. (I am ecstatic that so many people are reading, I just wish they would read faster.) The local Barnes & Noble did no contact pick ups for almost all the time we were there, and I was able to order from some of my local stores and have books shipped to me. (I think my next post will be an ode to bookstores and the tactile pleasure I get from roaming around a store.)

I am adjusting to our different world. I am taking in the news in smaller doses, choosing my outlets more carefully, and educating myself about how I can be a force for good as an anti-racist. I have re-introduced mystery and science fiction to my regular reading. I am not sure when I will be fully ready to embrace some of the titles I have waiting on my shelves, but I am grateful to have had the means and knowledge to seek works that would offer solace.