Read Great Things Challenge

Welcome to the home of the Durham Tech Library's Read Great Things challenges, past and present!

Here you can find info about the current reading challenge(s), including links to blog posts about the challenges, "rules," information about prizes, and links to the current online completion form.

The Read Great Things Challenge is a category-based reading challenge sponsored by the Durham Tech Library that lasts throughout each calendar year (that's January 1 through December 31) that encourages folks to diversify or increase their reading goals by completing books that fit into at least 10 of 12 semi-specific categories.

The challenge is open to anyone who wants to participate, but prizes are prioritized for current Durham Tech students, faculty, and staff. 

It’s pretty simple— decide you want to participate and just start reading! You don’t have to sign up and you can start at any point in the year. You’ll need to finish reading books that fit into at least 10 of the 12 categories by the end of Fall semester (December 2022) to complete the challenge.

2. What types of books count?

Hardcover, paperback, e-books, audiobooks, graphic novels, comic books, library books, books you own, books you’ve borrowed, books you’ve read to children, books FOR children— all books count! You just need to have finished them in 2022.

 We’re not here to judge or assign reading levels—books are books.

3. 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.

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

To win and complete the challenge, you should finish books that fit into at least 10 of the 12 listed categories. Once you fill out either the paper form  or the online form and submit it to the library, you’re considered a winner! Yay!

By December, we’ll have bookish prizes available for those who participated and completed the challenge—keep your eyes on the blog and check your email for details.

5. Do the books have to be from the Durham Tech Library?

Nope, but we’re glad to point you in the direction of one already in our collection and help you fulfill that final checklist item. We do have some great books just waiting to make it on your list!