The Minot Public Library will celebrate the start of its 2024-2025 Sweater Weather Reading Challenge on Thursday, Sept. 26.

People of all ages are invited to participate in the challenge and attend the cozy and fun-filled kickoff party, according to a library news release. The party will be held from 4-7 p.m. in the library’s North Meeting Room.

There will be LEGOs, board games and tons of reading recommendations to get through the winter. Librarians will be present to answer questions about Beanstack and how to use it and to talk about all things books and reading. Snacks and prizes also will be available.

From Sept. 26-Feb. 28, the challenge encourages people to read from as many different genres as they can. The more genres, the greater the chance to win prizes. Each month will have a different themed challenge for readers, based on logging each day they read. The monthly themes are: October, Slice of Reading; November, Still Here; Indigenous Authors; December, Music; January, Hygge; and February, Black History Month.

Over these five months, readers can use Beanstack to sign up for the challenges they want to participate in and log their reading. Beanstack can be accessed from a desktop computer or through a mobile app.

While it is tempting to stick to the tried-and-true genres that you know you love, it’s important to read widely, the news release stated. Books, like music, change over time, so it is worth revisiting some genres previously passed on. For help choosing a book in an unfamiliar genre, visit with library staff.

Every year, Minot Public Library runs the Sweater Weather Reading Challenge for more than an excuse to have fun, according to the release. Reading for pleasure offers a host of benefits for everyone of all ages, including learning more about the world, relaxing, developing empathy and learning and developing new skills. During the winter months, library staff also want to ensure people still have access to community, and turning reading into a game goes a long way to accomplish that, the release stated.