Adults

You can participate offline with our Adult Winter Reading Club package (by picking it up at your local branch on or after January 2 or printing it off yourself) or on the Beanstack app.

Print version (offline)

• Write down what you read in January and February 2025.
• Fill out one draw slip for each completed book and enter at your local library branch for a chance to win a prize!
• Bonus draw slips can be earned by completing bonus tasks
• Feel free to substitute a task that might not be accessible to you with something that works for you. As always, audiobooks count as reading!

Pick up your reading record at your local branch, or access it here.

Draw slips available here, and at your local branch!

Online

• Register for the challenge in Beanstack.
• Record your books read in the Logging Badges section for January and February.  You can record a max of 40 titles.
• Earn bonus draw entries and really challenge yourself  by completing the bonus tasks under the Activity Badges section.
• Feel free to substitute a task that might not be accessible to you with something that works for you. As always, audiobooks count as reading!

Unfortunately, no. You must choose whether you want to play online or offline (with our Adult Winter Reading Club package available in branches or to print).

Feel free to substitute a task that might not be accessible to you with something else. As always, audiobooks count as reading!

Remember! You can combine challenges, one book might fulfill more than one!

1. Read a book about survival. 

Find fictional stories of survival here, or try one of these books on survivalism.

Try this booklist on Libby for audiobooks and ebooks about survival!

2.Read a book that gives you chills.

Try something suspenseful, or perhaps a thriller!

Maybe even a dystopian tale, or some true crime! What about some horror or gothic fiction?

Do you prefer an audiobook or ebook? Try one of these lists on Libby!

Dark Academia

True Crime

Noir

3.Read a book that warms you up. 

Take a look at these ebook and audiobook lists on Libby:

Feel Good Reads

Hilarious Nonfiction

OR

Try Novelist!  

Access with your library card and search by appeal factor to find a book with just the right mood! 

Go to “Advanced Search” and change the “select a field option” to “Appeal Factor.” Type in any of these appeal factors to find your next book! 

• Inspiring 
• Funny 
• Feel-good 
• Moving 
• Upbeat 

4.Read an essay collection.

Search essay collections in our catalogue here, or try this booklist!

5. Read a book that takes place in a cosy setting!

How about a cosy mystery booklist title?  Or take a look at all of these cosy mysteries in our catalogue.

6. Read a book about new beginnings. 

Enjoy this Libby booklist of fictional stories, true stories, and good advice for those wanting to start anew!  Or find physical items to try here.

7. Take the current book you are reading and go to page 125, what is the 25th word on that page? Read a book with that word in the title.  

8. Take a course on LinkedIn Learning.  

Access LinkedIn Learning for FREE with your VIRL library card! Courses are available on business, design, marketing, photography, and much more!

Access LinkedIn Learning here. Click “Get Started” and enter your library card number!

If you want to know more, visit our website for a tutorial here.

9. Explore CBC Corner! 

Access CBC and Radio-Canada digital content! Check out CBC Corner here.

Your local library will decide how many draws it’ll hold. Please connect with your local team for more information. A final draw for a prize valued at $40 happens after March 7, 2025 (for draws in branches and on Beanstack).

Winners will be notified by phone or email (depending on the information you’ve shared in your draw slip). A skill-testing question will be required.

Participants need to be over the age of 16 to join the Adult Winter Reading Club and live within the Vancouver Island Regional Library service area to be considerd a winner. The winner(s) must also be able to pick up their prize at a local Vancouver Island Regional Library branch.

A skill-testing question will be required to pick up the prize.

Vancouver Island Regional Library employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter and win prizes. 

Local prize: Each branch will have a cozy gift valued at $40 (please ask your local branch for more details).

Beanstack prize: A $40 Chapters/Indigo gift card.

For any contestant who has not reached the age of majority, a parent or guardian’s consent is necessary to obtain the prize, should the minor win. Where appropriate, the terms “contestant” and “winner” mean parent or guardian of that person.

A random draw will be made by a VIRL representative from all qualifying entries. The winner(s) will be contacted using the contact information provided at the time of entry (e.g. telephone number, email address, or Facebook account).

The prize will be forfeited, and VIRL will select another winner if a selected contestant:
• cannot be reached or qualified using the information provided at the time of
entry, within five business days
• incorrectly answers the mathematical skill testing question (where applicable)
• declines the prize
• fails to return any required release form.

Winners will be required to pick up physical prizes at their local VIRL branch. Unless otherwise stated, for VIRL Contests or Giveaways where the winner is responsible for picking up the prize, the prize must be picked up within 15 days or it shall be forfeited. VIRL reserves the right to select another winner at its sole discretion.

To be declared a winner, in the case of a draw or giveaway, the selected contestant may first be asked to correctly answer a mathematical skill-testing question.

Winner(s) may also be required to sign a release declaring their eligibility as stipulated in these rules; and releasing VIRL, any sponsor or prize donor and their directors, officers, and employees (the “Contest Parties”) from all liability for any damage or loss arising from participation in the contest or from the awarding, acceptance or use of the
prize.

Prizes must be accepted as is and may not be exchanged or refunded for an amount of money, sold, or transferred. No substitutions will be allowed. Any unused portion of a prize will be forfeited.

If the prize cannot be awarded as described in these rules, VIRL reserves the right to substitute a prize or prize component with another of comparable value, at its sole discretion.

Refusal to accept the prize releases the Contest Parties from any obligation toward the winner.

If a contestant makes any false statement, (s)he will be automatically disqualified from the VIRL Contest or Giveaway.

By participating in any VIRL Contest, contestants agree to VIRL using their name, image or Instagram/Facebook handle for advertising purposes related to a VIRL Contest or Giveaway free of charge.

The Contest Parties assume no liability for any loss, damage, or injury, including without limitation: (i) lost, stolen, delayed, damaged, misdirected, late, destroyed, illegible, or incomplete entries; (ii) loss, theft or damage to software or computer or telephone data, including any breach of privacy; (iii) fraudulent calls; (iv) inability of any person to participate in the VIRL Contest or Giveaway for any reason including mistaken addresses on mail or email; technical, computer or telephone malfunctions or other problems with computer online systems, servers, access providers, computer equipment, or software; congestion on the internet or at any website, or any combination of the foregoing; (v) damage to any person’s computer, including as a result of playing or downloading any material relating to the VIRL Contest or Giveaway; (vi) any delay or inability to act resulting from an event or situation beyond their control, including a strike, lockout or other labour dispute at their location or the locations of the organizations and businesses whose services are used to administer the VIRL Contest; (vii) any injury, damage or loss arising from participation in the VIRL contest or from the awarding, acceptance, or use of any prize, or (viii) prizes that are lost, damaged, or misdirected during shipping.

VIRL reserves the right to cancel or suspend the VIRL Contest or Giveaway should a virus, bug, or other cause beyond their reasonable control corrupt the security or proper administration of the VIRL Contest or Giveaway.

Any attempt to deliberately damage any website or to undermine the legitimate operation of the VIRL Contest or Giveaway is a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such an attempt be made, VIRL reserves the right to seek remedies and damages to the fullest extent permitted by law, including criminal prosecution.

All personal information, such as name and contact information, required to enter a VIRL Contest or Giveaway is collected by VIRL solely for the purposes of administering the VIRL Contest or Giveaway and shall not be used for any other purpose without your express consent. By providing this information, you consent to it being used for the stated purposes.

If the identity of a contestant is disputed, the authorized account holder of the email address, phone number or Instagram/Facebook handle submitted at the time of entry will be deemed to be the contestant. The individual assigned to the email address, phone number or Instagram/Facebook handle for the domain associated with the submitted email address, phone number or Instagram/Facebook handle is considered the authorized account holder. A selected contestant may be required to provide proof that (s)he is the authorized account older of the email address, phone number or Instagram/Facebook handle associated with the selected entry.

VIRL reserves the right to amend the Contest or Giveaway Rules or to terminate any VIRL Contest or Giveaway at any time without any liability to any contestant.

The decisions VIRL makes, with respect to any dispute or issue involving a VIRL Contest or Giveaway, are final and binding for all contestants.