I’m sure most of us have a bucket list of things we’d like to do or places we’d like to go at some point in our lives. A lot of mine are on hold right now because of the virus (and money, always money) so it’s high time to turn my sights onto the items I can accomplish safely. A lot of which includes my bookish bucket list.

As a complete nerd for books, I have a lot of bookish goals I’d like to achieve at some point, so what better time than to start working on them now while I can’t really do any traveling  or other goals? That’s not to say that all of these are achievable during the pandemic, but some of them are. And in any case, it’s always fun to share these things!

My Bookish Bucket List

Read a book in another language

English is the only language I’m fluent in. I took Spanish back in middle school, but not much of it stuck. I would absolutely love to become fluent in French (I’m learning… slowly) and know some basic Hungarian (part of my heritage). While I have a few phrases down in both those languages, I’m nowhere near being able to read an entire book in either language. But my top one would be French. I even have a copy of the first Harry Potter book in French so I’ll be motivated to learn the language!

Meet a favorite author

Who doesn’t have this on their list? I have a lot of different favorite authors, so my top ones I’d like to meet would be Sarah Dessen, Jenna Evans Welch, Richard Paul Evans, or Karen M. McManus.

Leave notes in books for readers

This one is such an easy feat, but at the same time I never actually think to do it when I’m returning a library book or in a bookstore. Of course, now might not be the best time to do something like this, but maybe when this virus calms the heck down, I’ll get on it.

Encourage more people to take up reading

While that’s part of my job as a librarian, I’d like to really get people into reading. I can’t believe how many people honestly think reading is boring. It actually hurts me a little. A lot of the problem is that some people just don’t find that right book that’ll get them hooked.

Read the entire Poirot series by Agatha Christie

I’ve made a start, since one of my close friends got me into reading her books about him, but I’m a looong way from finishing. I’m slowly working on the short story collection, then I’ll get back to the novels, but I would love to finish reading that series in its entirety at some point soon.

Visit some well-known bookshops

The Strand in NYC is an obvious one. And there are a few more iconic bookstores that are in the states, but even eventually getting to some international ones, like Shakespeare and Company in Paris, would be amazing!

Reread childhood favorites

I just think it would be fun to read some books that I know I read as a kid and young teenager and see them from an adult perspective. I’ll either think I was insane for reading them (mostly the ones in my teens) or realize why they sparked my love for reading.

*Note: Harry Potter is excluded because I reread the series every 2-3 years

Attend Bookcon

I was planning to do so this year and guess what?! Pandemic, yay. I’ve been wanting to go to BookCon for a few years now and just either never have the money or literally forget until the weekend or two before, then it’s too late to take that Saturday off. Maybe next year.

Open a bookstore

I love my job as a librarian, but I would also love to eventually open up my own bookstore someday. My town doesn’t have a bookstore, and if I stay here, I know a lot of people would love it. But even if I didn’t stay in my hometown, it would still be fun to have a bookstore of my own.

Create my own home library

Another dream of every bookworm. My personal library has grown so much in the past few years and someday I would love to just have a room that’s my own library in my home. Well lit, of course, for instagram photos.

Start or join a bookclub

Probably something else that I could easily do, working in a library and all, but when it comes to running my own program, I’m a bit shy/nervous to do so. I’m totally fine with introducing our presenters and talking to them before and after the event, but I have yet to lead my own program, so that’s on the list as well. I’d actually love to start a ‘YA for Adults’ bookclub because so many of us that aren’t ‘young adults’ still love and read YA books.

Have my own ‘Little Free Library’

First, I need to buy my own property to do this, but that’ll eventually happen. But it’s right there with the bookstore dream. Little Free Libraries are the cutest things and I love it when people actually use them, so I’d like to open my own little one up someday to share the bookish love.

That’s it for my list right now. I’m sure there are other ideas I’ll have that come up later, and maybe I’ll make a page to dedicate to this bucket list. It would be fun to track my progress as I finish different goals.

What are some things on your bookish bucket list?