How to get involved in Take 10
You can get involved at any time. Whether you have books to read on your to-do list, have a monthly subscription delivered to your door, or make use of your local library or online-library resources.
There are no set amounts to read or if you read for 10 minutes in one go or read twice a day for five minutes – Take 10 is flexible and works around you.
Rotherham Libraries and Rotherham Loves Reading have some fantastic ways for you to get involved in reading, including giving you recommendations, helping you find a book, and offering free activities for younger readers. They can also help you find or set up your own book club.
Here are some ways to boost your reading
- Read to your children at bedtime or read to an elderly relative
- Read while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil
- Set aside time to read after you’ve washed the pots or finished your daily chores
- Swap ten minutes of watching TV or social media scrolling for reading
- Put your book or magazine in a place you regularly go to
- Bookmark interesting blogs to read while you’re on the go
- Ask your local librarian for recommendations of what to read next
- Figure out what you want to get out of reading – do you want to learn something new or simply read for fun?
- Or ask your bestie to see what they’re reading
- Make it fun. Find a Book Buddy and give each other books to try or new genres out of your comfort zone.
- Pick something seasonal or something you can relate to at that moment in time
- Do:
- Talk to others about what they’re reading – you’ll be surprised how many people are willing to share!
- Find a place, a time, and something to read that’s right for you.
- Enjoy at your own pace. It’s not a competition or a chore.
- Make it fun – get a cute or funny bookmark
- Make yourself comfortable – get yourself drink
- Check recommendations online if you’re trying to find your next read
- Don’t:
- Feel you have to finish everything that you start – if you’re not into by paragraph/page/chapter three then chances are you won’t ever be.
- Start reading in loud areas or where distractions can find you.
- Force yourself – if you don’t feel like it, don’t
- Feel you have to read things that everybody is reading – find your own style.
- Start reading too late at night – sleep is just as important as reading!
- Judge a book by its cover – it’s a classic but it can lead to disappointment.
- Let one book put you off the hundred others out there.
And don’t be afraid to try!
If you have dyslexia, vision impairment or other learning difficulties, there are resources available through Rotherham Libraries to help you get reading.
There are large print versions of books, lighter reads and audio books.
You can also ease yourself into a book by watching a film or TV adaptation to help guide you through the plot and characters. It will also help you to visualise key parts of the story, such as places and people.