April Bozada-Armstrong, Selection Librarian and Digital Collection Curator at Jackson County Library Services (left) and Josh Letsinger, Community Outreach Manager at JCLS, join Mike Green, host of the Jefferson Exchange in the JPR studio on Jan 13, 2026. (JPR Senior Producer Natalie Golay)

Jackson County librarians have been tracking shifts in how people read and what they reach for next.

Reading trends

• Read what you own. Many readers are turning back to unread gift books or long-neglected titles on their shelves. This year, librarians say, is a good time to rediscover what’s already at home.
  
• Annotated reading. Writing notes, underlining passages and actively engaging with the text is on the rise — especially when reading personal copies or revisiting old favorites. (Library books, of course, should stay unmarked.)
  
• Pair reading. Librarians also recommend pairing fiction and nonfiction on the same topic. Alternating between the two can deepen understanding and offer multiple perspectives on the same subject.

Recommended books

• Vigil, by George Saunders
• Good People, by Patmina Sabit
• Range, by Dorthe Nors

Youth reading programs

• Reading Pals in Shasta County
• Beanstack in Jackson County

Guests

• Josh Letsinger, community engagement manager with Jackson County Library Services.
• April Bozada-Armstrong, selection librarian responsible for the digital collection at Jackson County Library Services.
• Holly King, literacy coordinator with the Shasta County Office of Education.