Are you ready to dig out new ROOTs in 2016?

Yes, in 2016 is around the corner, and I don't know about you, but I still have ROOTs to take care of.

ROOT - Read Our Own Tomes - it can be all of us cheering or shouting encouragement for a team or it can be each of us weeding out those old books that have been sitting on the shelf for too long. The challenge is what you define it to be! And who knows, you just might find a diamond buried beneath!

Take some time, look over your shelves and make an honest evaluation of the books that you believe that you can read in 2016. Then sign here with your estimate of the number of books for your goal and then create your own individual thread to show your progress and boast of your efforts.
Once you've made your individual thread, I would appreciate if you have a ticker if you would add it to the ticker thread for the year. If you put the same ticker (copy the HTML) in this ticker thread, whenever you update your thread the ticker thread will also be updated. This really, really helps me with the monthly totals, so if you need help with your ticker, just ask, we'll be glad to explain it.

The Ticker Thread is https://www.librarything.com/topic/208665

Once the team members are all here, I will create the list for the monthly progress report. Join in the game against unread books! So dig out the opponent - HELP OUR SHELVES TO BLOSSOM WITH NEW SPACE! Dig down deep!

I guess as the leader, I'm first to sign up.

I will aim to read 84 ROOT books in 2016.

Woo Hoo! I'm the first after our illustrious creator. On LT for 8 years, and I've never done that. There's a moment.

ETA: my goal is 50 books. A challenge, but attainable.

Hi from down under. I am excited to be the second to join up for next year, the rest of you are probably all tucked up in bed in your winter pyjamas while we are enjoying the beginning of summer. I will have to think hard on how to set up my new ticker. I will stay with 48 as I have only just managed to achieve it.

I'm in! I'll stick with 30 Roots for 2016. Ticker added to the ticker thread, and group ticker updated with my goal.

I'm in. I'm planning on combining ROOTs with Reading Through Time and satisfying the theme-reads and quarterly time periods off-the-shelf. I'll also be working on my Virago backlist.

Not really sure what my goal is, at least not yet.

ETA: OK, just set it at 75.

I completed my goal last year so I'm in again for 2016 with a goal of 50 books (manga)! All tickers have been uploaded and updated.

I will be joining next year but won't be able to assess a realistic goal till I get home after my Christmas/New Year holiday.

I'm in again! Unfortunately, I missed my target of 24 for 2015 but this year, I'm aiming for that again. That's 2 a month. I will conquer those shelves!

I'm back too. But although I far surpassed my goal for this year, I'm dropping it because I'm planning to read lots of long books so expect to read fewer books this year total.

So I'm planning on 50 ROOTS out of a total of 75 books for the year.

Another reason I'm dropping my ROOT total, is because my focus this year is on series, and I want to finish several although I don't own all the books. This way I won't feel guilty reading library book versions or books I've recently purchased in order to read newer entries to series.

I'm back with a target of 52, that's one book per week. Based on last year's reading that should be doable, even if I pick the occasional fat book.

Nice to see you all again!

I am back with a target of 50. I would really like to concentrate on print ROOTs in 2016 but will still be counting all formats!

Reading >11 MissWatson: goal, maybe I should switch to 52. It has a nice sound to it - a book a week!

I will be back again with a goal of 40, seems like a good number for me. Can't wait to start the new challenge, I have a pile of ROOTs ready to go!

I forgot to ask....

I'm in again and with 10 books again too. Each book I'll read more goes to the group.

>14 cyderry: I kind of like the stars but it seems like a lot of work for you. So it would be OK from my perspective if you didn't want to do them in 2016.

I'm in! Of course I'm in! Silly question.

I'm going for 36 ROOTs for the year 2016, leaving room for the shiny new books.

Going to start my thread now!

I'm so excited!

I'll be ROOTing too in 2016 - my target is going to be 12 books (1 per month in 11+1 categories, so I can combine ROOTing with the 2016 Category Challenge). Any over will get added to the group total. I reduced my target from the last couple of years where I aimed eventually for 18 and read just over 20 both years, as I am using the Jar of Fate for the first time and realise that I might pull out several chunksters!

I'll start my thread and tickers in the next couple of days - I have one more day left at work to get through first!

I'm back with my usual goal of 50!

I'll be back with a goal of 9 for 2016. If my total is low, I'm more likely to achieve it. My ROOTS will be for books which I acquired in 2012 or earlier.

I'm back in too, with my usual goal of 30.

Count me in again as well, with my regular goal of 50! Seems like that's the magic number for me--enough for it to be a challenge, but not so many that it becomes a chore to reach it.

Hi all ,please count me in as well. My goal will be a tiny 12- so far this year I've read 52- but the 12 are all thick books . I found myself buying lots of books with a few love stories in one book this year. You know 4 stories -700pages. And a few other large ones to read, as well.

Thank you cyderry for setting this up it is truly appreciated!

I'm in with a goal of 30 books from my TBR pile

I'm in but only for 24 print books off the shelf in 2016.

I'm in with a goal of 45, up from 40 in 2015. E-books count :).

I'm in and will keep my goal of 55 - hoping for more but this should be challenging enough.

>23 LadyBookworth: ditto! Goal of 12 chunkster ROOTs :)

I just joined the group and hope to read 26 already owned (root) print books this year. I chose 26 because that gives me two weeks to read one of my long on the shelf books. I especially want to read all the Hamish Macbeth books........all 26. If I just read that series alone I will have met my goal. I'm not very good or sure how to do the tickers, but, will give it a try. This is like belonging to a root book club where everyone helps each other to reach their goal. Glad to be a part of the group. Also, Merry Christmas to all the 2016 rooters!!!!

cdcherry> love the picture of the dog rooting around in the garden.

Well, I was able to put up a ticker, hope its ok and will try to keep updated.

I'm in for 24 books. Is it fair to start one now???

PS: Having trouble choosing the right code for the ticker for this space...

>32 VertOlive: copy the html code (it's the middle of the three options of code), that should do the trick!

>32 VertOlive: You can start a book whenever you want! We only count the books we finish after the new year, so if it's a long book, feel free to start!

I also joined again and tentatively have a goal of 86 ROOTs planned to read in 2016. I expect that goal to increase slightly as I generally like to always read one more than last year! :)

Welcome to the group! Always nice to see new members.

I'm back again this year with a goal of 25 ROOTs!

Hi all, I'm rejoining after a hiatus in 2015. I just counted my reading list from last year, and I managed to read 48 of my own books, so I'm aiming for 50 this year.

Good to be back!

I am in for this year again. I am aiming for 40 roots this year. I need to downsize my physical books so hoping I will read mostly those and not e-books

Hello everyone! I managed to read 12 books this year so I'm aiming for the same in 2016.

I'm back for this year and have increased my goal to 50. >11 MissWatson: Strangely enough I never did the math to figure out that 52 books would be one a week - that sounds impressive, even 50 (so 2 free weeks) sounds impressive when you think of it that way!

Just joined, but ignorant concerning adding a ticker :(

For 2016, my ROOT goal is 60 books.

There is a thread on how to add a ticker, Mr.G.

http://www.librarything.nl/topic/209536

Love the opening photo! Perfect, perfect, perfect!

I'm going to try 50 again this year.

I'm signing up for another season aiming for 25 ROOTs again - it felt really good actually reaching that goal.

I'm in again. Upping my goal to 80 books. Off to limber up with some last roots for 2015.

I am in for another year of ROOT reading. I am going to try for 40 ROOTs in 2016.

I'm in for another try. This time, I'll stick to 50 books, half of last year's goal. That should be attainable.

Good luck to us all in reading those ROOTs. An extra day of reading this year, as we attempt to beat our ROOT total for a second straight year.

January thread is up!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/210960#

I'm in - my goal is 50.

I am going to join again and since I did so well last year and think I am on a roll I am going to up my goal for this year to 40.

The first year I was in this group I set my goal as 25 and each year I have been doing so well that I have been upping my goal. Last year I made a concerted effort to read books already in my collection and to use the library more rather than buying books and it was surprising how well that small step kept me on track. Overall I am pleased with the progress I have made on clearing my shelves and reading books that are already on my list. This group keeps me somewhat more disciplined. I will continue to do what I have done in the past and report my monthly totals here on the list.

By-the-way, I just posted my December 2015 total on the December list. I was very successful and took 6 ROOTS off my shelves. I spent a very pleasant 2weeks reading and baking so knocked off more titles than I thought I would while wiling away some pleasant hours with coffee and baked goods. It is a good thing my resolution for last year had nothing to do with losing weight! and everything to do with reading more.

I'm also in again this year. I have not completely made up my mind, but think I might do well with 12 ROOTs as an aim for the time being. I will make up a ticker as well some time soon.

>52 benitastrnad: That sounds like two delightful and cozy weeks you had back there! Hope you keep your roll on the ROOTs this year!

I'm aiming for at least 33 ROOTs in 2016 - though I'm counting books culled from my to-read list and adopted out to new homes (because they just aren't relevant to my tastes anymore) as well as books actually read. I just want to get that to-read pile down and pruned of anything that's been on the heap longer than 6 months!

I set up my ticker this morning. My goal last year was 25 and I came in just a tad under (with 21 I think) so I've set my goal this year to 20.

Good to see you back and Happy ROOTing, avidmom.

OK, I'm back for 2016. 2 down, 64 to go.

welcome back everyone and welcome newbies!

I'm back again too!

Goal for the year: 75

Just added my ticker to the ticker thread as well!

My goal is to read 10 of my own books this year. Good luck to all!

I'm back! Shooting for 52 read and reviewed this year, best of luck to everyone!

Hi, I've just joined and am hoping this group might help me be a bit more mindful about what I pick up to read.

I have a question. I would like to make a dent in my huge Kindle tbr collection as well as the books that are actually sat on my shelves. Do e-books count as tomes or this group just for recording physical books read?

>62 Soupdragon: Hi Soupdragon, welcome to the group. The good thing about this group is that you can pretty much make up your own rules. Some people only count physical books, but plenty of us (including me) most definitely count our ebooks too. So please do join us! :)

>63 Jackie_K: I'm definitely in then, thank you Jackie!

#62
I count my recorded books and the ones on my NOOK as well. The rules here are loose so you can make your own.

>62 Soupdragon: I count ebooks, audiobooks (I've previously downloaded) as well as ARDs (antique reading devices - what I call paper books) I actually set a goal of each kind - 45 ebooks, 25 audiobooks, and 14 real books. Just because the books aren't physically sitting on a shelf, doesn't mean that I haven't been letting them languish somewhere unread. You get to set your own goals here.

>65 benitastrnad: >66 cyderry:, Thank you! I've only just found this group and wanted to make sure I wouldn't be committing some huge faux pas! I've read through a few threads now and really like how people are setting their own rules and goals to suit their own reading.

Edited to add: I have now started a thread, set 40 ROOTS as my goal and created a ticker.

Yikes! My goal is rather small compared with most of you, but challenges tend to work out rather poorly for me. My humble goal is to read one book still classified as 'tbr' for each year entered. That makes it 9 books for 9 years, excluding 2016.

>68 karenmarie: I think that's a great plan--I have the tendency to read the most recent TBRs, and the oldies keep getting pushed to the back. Good luck!

Thanks, kac522!

Welcome Karen, Happy ROOTing.

>68 karenmarie: and >67 Soupdragon: Welcome! Set your goals so that they work for you! Besides, if you do more ROOTS during the year than you planned to the extras will count toward our group goal.

Happy reading!

My goal is to read 24 of my own tomes in 2916.

>73 mhmr:

2916!? I need to know your secret! Think of all the books we'd get to read by then!

Hi everyone! This group looks made for me. I am having a sort of ''filling the ignorance gap''year. I am going to be reading a host of old books,the majority from before 2000,a lot from the 50s to 70s,so there isnt much shiny or new there! I have a lot of 50s,60s and 70s science fiction,all acquired from second hand book sellers,or reluctantly loaned by the library from the depths of the depository,often original editions,usually rather dusty!
I am also going to be reading vintage crime and classic junior fiction.I am really looking forward to those old nostalgic books,which I enjoy so much more than modern stuff :0)
Now for the hard part,trying desperately to puzzle out how to import the ticker I got from the ticker website,and where exactly to put it! I am relying on you all for help.Treat me as if I am a rather slow 10 year old.lol.
Here's hoping I can do it

Hi, dusty and welcome to the group!

The ticker should be posted in this thread - https://www.librarything.com/topic/208665 and if you have your own thread, there as well.

>75 dustydigger: Tickers were a bit of mystery to me too. You need to copy the middle code (html) given to you when you've completed the ticker and then post it as cyderry says above.

When you want to update the ticker, clicking on the ticker itself takes you back to the tickerfactory website where you can edit it.

>75 dustydigger: Just to follow-up with >77 Soupdragon:, when you sign into your ticker, there's an option button to "Get Code." That's where you'll copy the middle code (HTML), then paste it into a new message on the Ticker thread in >76 cyderry:. I also paste the code into a Word document (with my PIN!) & save, so that I can copy/paste it at any time for later use.

I'm late signing up, but have one book down, so that helps. I only got to 20 of my existing books last year, but will once again aim for 25.

Now to go and sort out the ticker... (Edited- done and on the ticker thread)

ROOT #1 A Fearsome Doubt

And my ticker and thread are here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/217444

I'm so excited to find this! I set this goal for myself this year - finding a group of alike minds makes me so happy. I've already done 3 books off my shelf...

I've been around here a long time but have never done this before. I'm going to try to figure out the thread and ticker thing - but hopefully can come back here for help if I need it?

>80 carriehh: We're all happy to help in any way we can. Glad you found us!

Do you have a particular goal in mind?

Hi all, I've been a member of LT for many years but have never participated in any challenges. In fact, I'm still trying to catalogue my books. However, after receiving the January newsletter I like the sound of this challenge. Most of what I read is from my collection. It's been years since I've really dedicated any real time to reading but this year I have decided to make more time. Therefore, I am going to set my goal small to start with, this way I have a better chance of succeeding and rediscovering the joys of reading. My goal is 12 physical books and 3 ebooks, a total of 15. Now I'm going to see if I can work out the ticker. I'll give a yell if I get stuck.

So good to see that many new members overnight! Welcome to everyone.

There is a thread that can help you with setting up tickers http://www.librarything.nl/topic/209536

And Touchstones: http://www.librarything.nl/topic/211172

Happy ROOTing!

New to LT and ROOTs seems like a good challenge to enter the spirit of it - will aim for 12 (keeping it real as time isn't abundant) a mix of books and ebooks. Off to check out the ticker set up now...

Welcome floremolla. Happy ROOTing

Hi all, also a member of LT for several years, first time in a group / participating in a challenge. I'll aim at 20, staying reasonable for a start... The greatest difficulty is not to buy / get any new...

Hello and welcome to all newcomers! Hope we can all make a dent in our TBRs (to make room for more new books)!

Bumping this up again for the newcomers.

New also to ROOT and I already set up my ticker, but thought I should add a note in here. .trying for 75 if my own books this year.

Wow, so many new members! Welcome everyone!

Why not add an old TBR to the monthly TBR pile? I'm going to try for 12.

Another root for me. Off to update tickers and threads. Oops wrong thread

New this year and very excited about reading and clearing shelves! I have a goal of 52 books (paper, audio and maybe eBooks). When I fully retire, I might be able to accomplish more. At this rate, I'll need to live another 200 years to finish them all. I recently read a book I had bought in 1972 (in high school!)... it cost fifty cents. *dreams about how many more books she would own if they were still only fifty cents each*

I found this in the email this month.

I'm in for 50 of my own tomes this year. Tomes makes it sound like all high-brow reading. Nah - there's a lot of fluff on my shelves, and I often need that in between the more heavy weight reading.

I see some comrades who have more unread books that I do...feeling better...although I have *YEARS* of reading before getting to the bottom of the stash (or being able to retire a bookcase or two!)

Almost one month in, but I'd like to set a goal of 25 books from my to-be-read bookcases. I need to stop reading reviews for new books and series . . . they lead me astray.

>93 enemyanniemae: Welcome! Not to spoil your dreams but I've been retired 2 years and have learned that while I have more time to read, I also have more time to buy. The number of TBRs in my house has stayed about the same. I've finally gotten to the place where I just accept that I could have worse habits and continue to enjoy shopping for something to read from my own shelves.

I'm so excited that we have so many new members that are joining us this year.

>93 enemyanniemae: I have to go along with clue - I've been retired 10 years and even though I have read many more books than I did when I was working, I have also acquired a Nook and a Kindle so not only do I have old fashioned books but I also have those digital and audio books that are piling up. My TBRs are worse than ever!

How exciting to see so many new members on the ROOT team. I've been offline for a mere two days and see what happens, barely enough time to catch up. Welcome and happy reading!

To all our newest members - if you have set a goal, please be sure to create a ticker and copy it into your own personal thread as well as the group ticker thread - http://www.librarything.com/topic/208665

This will help tremendously at the end of each month when the totals are calculated to show our progress.

Cheli

I made on Excel a complicated grid based on four major categories and the number of titles I have in each. Here is my first round. It looks neat. The other rounds will be more complicated. I let Library Thing pick the titles, signing off, then on, and choosing what popped up in random titles. I expect to finish them reasonably quickly, despite the presence of a famous chunkster. I am not going to predict how many I will get done this year.

Genre Fiction J. M. Dillard Specters
Ramsey Campbell Obsession
Literature Victor Hugo Les Miserables
Nonfiction Philip Henry Sheridan Personal memoirs of P.H. Sheridan, General United States Army
Graphic Novels John Constantine, Hellblazer : original sins

Read quite a bit, but never entered a challenge before. Now I've entered 2. ROOTS and the 100 book challenge. I'm looking forward to them both.

We are honored that you are joining us in the quest against the unread books sitting on our shelves! HAPPY READING!

I just learned about the signup! Doh. My ticker dictates an unrealistic goal of 87 books. So far I have completed 3. So many books... : ) If this is a statistical problem (nightmare), I can change the goal?

I DID change the goal. I think 30 is more realistic...just wanted to spur myself on a bit. 0.o

Signing on for 24 books this year

Rejoining the group a little bit behind, with a 2016 goal of 40 ROOTs Read!

>103 0wllight: yes - sometimes you get halfway through the year and realize you ... may have been a bit overzealous ;) So no worries if you realize you need to change the goal!

I will go for 25.