January 16 - February 28
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Stay cozy this season while doing something you love—using the Library—and get prizes, too!
Complete new challenges at any of our 41 locations or from the comfort of your home. Open to adults ages 18 and over.
Participate for Prizes!
Stay Cozy with Mugs and Totes!
Participants will get a tote just for joining Winter Checkout Challenge! How Does it Work? Head to any of the Library’s 41 branch locations to sign up, grab your tote, and pick up a themed bookmark. Each bookmark includes five activities.
Complete four of the activities on one of the bookmarks and return the bookmark for an entry to win a blanket. You can pick up the next bookmark while you’re there to keep the cozy going and get more entries for the blanket raffle.
Once you reach the halfway point, return to your branch to receive a Winter Checkout Challenge collectible mug. You can also track your progress online using Beanstack! Â
Pick up at any CHPL branch library while supplies last.
Complete four activities per bookmark
Kickoff Winter Checkout Challenge with...
A Cozy Night In
Cozy up for a Cozy Night In on Friday, Jan. 9 from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Downtown Main Library.
Enjoy a panel and signing with authors Abby Collette / Abby Vandiver (A Deadly Inside Scoop; Secrets, Lies & Crawfish Pies), Heather Webber (The Forget-Me-Not Library; Midnight at the Blackbird Café), and Kerry Winfrey (Just Another Love Song; Waiting for Tom Hanks).
Your $25 ticket can be purchased through Bookery Cincy's website.Â
Each ticket includes a book of your choice from one of our featured authors, a tote bag, cookies, warm beverages, crafts, and also supports The Library Foundation.
Challenge Themes
Explore
Want to try something new this winter? Consider settling in with translated fiction or new-to-you genre. You can even visit a library branch you haven't yet explored or transport yourself to a faraway fictional land! Unwind with a movie night via Kanopy!
Cozy Up
Stay snug with the Library by checking out a movie or book, making a warm meal using one of our cookbooks, or bundling up with a blanket and an audiobook.
Relate
Connect with others by asking for a book recommendation, chatting with our staff about your current read, taking a pal to the Library, or interacting with our social media or blog posts.
New Discoveries
Need some fresh air? Get outside at a Great Parks location using Discovery Pass! You can also discover a new eBook or eAudiobook from the comfort of your own home via Libby. Better yet, pick out your next read by browsing the New Arrivals section, using Book Hookup, or through NoveList.
Personal Pursuits
Get a headstart on your 2026 goals with the Library! Try a new hobby using a Library resource, complete one of our honor puzzles, take a course on LinkedIn Learning, make buttons or stickers at MakerSpace, or learn five words of a new language using Transparent Language.
Reflect
Happy New Year! Start 2026 by setting a reading goal, journaling about a memorable read or memory from the previous year, revisiting a favorite book from your childhood, and ranking your favorite reads of 2025.
Cozy Winter Reads