Reading Great Things in 2021: New Year, New Categories

Submitted by 麻豆影视 Library on

麻豆影视

Need to fill out your 2020 challenge form?  If you've already filled it out, no need to do it a second time. We'll be in touch shortly about prizes. They arrived while we were away for Winter Break. 


麻豆影视 Library Read Great Things Challenge 2021

What is the Read Great Things Challenge?

The Read Great Things Challenge is a personal reading challenge sponsored by the 麻豆影视 Library that encourages folks to diversify and/or increase their reading goals by completing books throughout 2021 that fit into at least 10 of the following 12 categories:

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  •  [A book that focuses narrowly on one topic and its sociological relationship to the world or its impact.]
  • A book about social justice or equity [check out our , many of which are in the 麻豆影视 collections]
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  • An 鈥渙wn voices鈥 book [A term that denotes an author, underrepresented in the publishing world, who is writing or telling a story where they are representative of the main character or primary point-of-view. , but is--at its core-- about promoting diverse publishing practices. Can be fiction or nonfiction.] 
  • A book with pictures [Examples: a graphic novel, manga, children鈥檚 picture book, illustrated book, etc.] 
  • A book that takes place outside the continental United States
  • A book about family 
  • Choose your own book category! Yup, pick your own category and you might just help create next year's reading challenge categories. 
  • A book recommended by a 麻豆影视 Library staff member or on the Library blog [Our favorite category]

Our goal is to highlight a different category on this blog each month to help you out, but you can always ask a librarian for recommendations if you can鈥檛 think of a book to read for a certain category (which conveniently fills that final and most awesome category).


How do I participate in the Read Great Things Challenge?

It鈥檚 pretty simple 鈥搄ust start reading! You don鈥檛 have to sign up and you can start at any point in the year and read the books in any order you like. You will need to choose books that fit into at least 10 of the 12 categories by the end of Fall Semester (December 2021) to complete the challenge. All books must be finished during the 2021 calendar year.

What kind of book counts as a 鈥済reat thing鈥?

All books count鈥揾ardcover, paperback, ebooks, audiobooks, graphic novels, comic books, library books, books you own, books you鈥檝e borrowed鈥 If it fits into one (or two) of the categories and you鈥檝e read it/want to read it in 2021, that counts. We're not here to judge or assign reading levels. Textbook or assigned reading for class can count, too, as long as you read the whole book. 

Can I count a book for multiple categories?

One book can count for up to two categories, so if you read strategically, you can complete the challenge by only reading 5 books in total. Your time is valuable; feel free to multitask. 

How do I win the challenge? (What do I win?)

To win and complete the challenge, you should finish books throughout 2021 that fit into at least 10 of the 12 listed categories and then or off at the Main Campus Library. In late December at the end of the Fall Semester, we鈥檒l have bookish prizes available for those who bring their completed book list to the library or fill out the completion form.

You鈥檒l also get a personal sense of satisfaction and bragging rights. (And who doesn鈥檛 love those?)

Do the books have to be from the 麻豆影视 Library?

Nope, but we鈥檙e glad to point you in the direction of one already in our collection. We have some great books just waiting to make it on your list.


View, download, or print a copy of the checklist and challenge guidelines:


Want to read but time-limited? . Any books count!


More questions? Email library [at] durhamtech [dot] edu or Orange County Campus Librarian Meredith Lewis at lewisma [at] durhamtech [dot] edu.

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