Welcome to New Friends!

Welcome to the 18th year of the challenge! We get lots of new people each year, and we know it can be difficult to "catch up". This thread is just the place for you. The info below will help you get started and make your experience here a good one.

Please stop by our Introductions thread to meet folks.

First, where did we come from? Well, back in 2008, Cariola decided to start a group for folks who wanted to challenge themselves to read 75 books in a year. We were a small group, but loved our experience, so decided to do it again! Since then, I've made the yearly groups.

We're at bit of an amorphous organization. Members have jumped in to add features since. SqueakyChu runs the TIOLI challenge. Monthly themes are proposed by many of us - and some have carried over from year to year, like the Halloween read in October. If you've got an idea to try, propose it!

Some Important Things:

- The Threadbook is a directory of our threads. Looking for someone? Try here!
- The Group Wiki is another directory - this time for important thread like group reads and challenges or the Group Announcements. The Wiki"

The Group Announcements thread is just what the label says - where we announce things of general interest to the group. Star this one if you'd like to stay informed. Check here!

I’m off to a good start. I just posted in the wrong year… Copying and pasting

Hi all. I’m Dan from Houston for my working life, and most of my reading life. I grew up on south Florida. I do reading plans instead of challenges. (My plans this year include a lot of Virginia Woolf. And the Booker Prize longlists.) I love talking books, when not reading them. I’m joining 75ers for the first time in 2026, but not keeping a thread here. I keep them in Club Read. I’ve been on LT since before Talk, and I do know many of you lovely readers through our little social medium.

>2 dchaikin: Dan, I’ve done the same thing several times.

Happy New Year!

>2 dchaikin: Hello Dan, welcome to 2026 and wishing you a year of great reading.

>1 drneutron: Thank you so much for all the work you do on this group. I hope to be more regular in my posts and of keeping up with other friend's posts here this year.

Could you change the link to me the wiki list from Delicates (I like that, although I'm far from delicate, ha ha) to DebiCates? with a "b"?

A few moments later...Never mind, I did it myself! I forgot that I just learned how to do some wiki stuff and that on wiki a person can edit any page. I feel a little like the cat that ate the canary at the moment.

Happy New Year, Jim!

>5 DebiCates: Ack! Autocorrect is my worst nightmare... Glad you got it fixed. Wiki's great for collaboration!

>6 drneutron: No worries. It was a little feather in my cap fixing it.

I need to ponder how I might use wiki more for collaboration. It's sitting here, a wonderful LT resource!

Heyy
I joined this grp today...hope to feel included and have a lovely time talking abt books!

Welcome!

>8 HEHEHE26: Welcome!!

Mary Beth Mignano- I've been on LT for many years but some years just didn't want me to play! So, back to try my luck at 75 books completed. You can't lose at this!

>8 HEHEHE26: You always feel included on LT! No worries 👍

>11 Mary_Mignano: It is true you cannot lose at this! We do not have strict policies about the number of books you must complete in this group. We are just happy people are reading no matter how many or how few books you complete! Welcome to the group, Mary_Mignano!

Hello! I am Talya living in South Korea! I used to be on Librarything back in 2008-2010 but left as life got in the way. I am excited about this group and being back. I miss my online bookish friends. I am currently on book 8 for 2026 so off to a good start.

Welcome back!

>14 supertalya: Welcome back Talya

Hey, to pop in: Who's going to come up with an image for this group? It's the most active group and has the default image!

If nobody wants to make one, I can.

>17 timspalding: We'd love to have an image from you! Work's been nuts so I haven't put much thought into it yet.

>17 timspalding: >18 drneutron: I second that!

Hi all! I am an old friend who has been gone for awhile. Things have changed a bit and my memory is failing so I may need to be considered new.

Welcome back, Lois!

And I’m back as soon as I figure out how to join

>22 beeg: it seemed to happen automatically once I read a post in the group or posted in the group (not sure what caused it).

Hi, I'm new here and today I made my first posts (this is my third).
I tried to join 2 other groups. I thought that would be automatic by posting
in those threads but I guess not. Anyway, I'd like to join this group as well please.

So far this year I think I've finished four books. I usually read fast (currently reading 6 books as well and that's
about the usual amt. at any given time then when I finish one I add another). I think I can get 75 finished this year.

I need new glasses also though -- so I'll try to get that done too :)

LOL. I need new glasses too. Maybe that will solve my problems. Welcome to the group!

>24 rowendelle: Welcome to the '75'ers, Kim!! Look forward to seeing you around the thread :)

Thanks up there!

>24 rowendelle: Welcome! You can join this group or any group by clicking on "join this group" at the top right of the group page (or at the very bottom if you're on mobile). But you also don't have to join (most) groups to post in them.

>24 rowendelle:, >28 norabelle414: Agreed, no need to click the "Join" button to participate in this group. The advantage, though, is you can use the "Groups and Posts" link over on the left side of Talk to see threads in the group without having to go to the group page.

ah! thanks again up there both of you.

I am new to this group what do I do in it?

>31 Kimshii_Ch: Mostly, we talk about what we're reading here. With the interests you have mentioned on your profile, you might find more conversation to your liking in this group: https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/7179/Manga-and-Anime-Addicts

>32 laytonwoman3rd: K, thanks!

Welcome to the 75 challenge group. I'll be sure to check back and see what you are reading.

I'm not a really chatty person...would like to connect with like minded readers...I am not a FanGirl of some of the "personalities" i've seen here, so far....what do I do? Where do I go?

>65 TSSTxym: The way to connect with like minded readers is to read around the threads until you find some, and then engage. This group is not about "FanGirls" and "personalities".

>66 laytonwoman3rd: Yes, there are threads here that read like Middle School snooty/snotty children...almost Cult-like

So find the ones by people you want to read about, and/or who read books you want to know about, and follow those; ignore the ones that don't sound right to you. It's utterly impossible to follow every thread (even all the threads in 75 Books Challenge would be a challenge! and one that would greatly limit your reading of actual books), so just find the ones that appeal to you. I follow four or five threads here, another set in Club Read, and a few elsewhere that are discussing things I find interesting; I post much less often than I read. And I theoretically have a thread in Club Read but I'm being very bad about posting there this year - pop in once in a while, usually when someone @ me, converse briefly and am gone again. Post your own thread about what you're reading and what interests you, see who comes and says things that resonate, and follow them (at least, long enough to find out if you want to read what's being posted in their threads). Nothing is required, find some place (a group, some threads, whatever) that works for you.