Not to worry, though. Whether you're an older adult on a budget or simply can't bring yourself to pay $25 or more for a hardcover book, there are still plenty of ways to build a TBR with large print reading material.
(TBR stands for "to be read" — as in your to-be-read pile of books.)
Many libraries stock a number of large print books. If you want to read a popular book in this format, you're likely to find it at the library. Check the online catalog to see if there's an option to search for large print book formats. You can also ask your local librarian to help you search for available books that match your needs. Some libraries also shelve large print books in a specific location to make them easy to browse.
Consider creating an informal book club of sorts. Ask friends who read whether they tend to buy and read large print books. Invite them to swap books with you and others so you all have access to more books in the format you enjoy without having to buy them. This can be a great option for older adults living in an independent or assisted living community, such as Cambridge Court in Kearney, Nebraska. You can get together with other residents for weekly or biweekly book swaps. Once everyone's had a chance to borrow and read a specific book, you can discuss it.
While new hardback books with large print can cost $25 or more, you can get secondhand or thrifted books for under $5 and sometimes for only $1 or $2. Here are some options for shopping for secondhand books:
You don't need a physical book to read stories in larger fonts. If you regularly read on a Kindle device, you can easily change the fonts to make any e-book a large print book. On most Kindle devices, you do this by clicking or tapping the top of the screen where you're reading to bring up the reading menu. Look for an icon that shows letters of different sizes. Typically, the icon depicts the letter A in various sizes. Click on the icon and follow the prompts to resize the fonts on your screen.
You can adjust font size on other digital reading devices too, including your smartphone, computer or iPad. Sometimes it's as simple as tapping or pinching on the screen to zoom in on content. Other times, you may need to change your settings so fonts are displayed larger on the screen. Check owner's manuals for your device, or Google how to make e-book fonts bigger when reading on your device.
When you're using devices that emit blue light to read, practice good eye health. You can usually turn the blue light off and select a display that emits warmer light to reduce eye fatigue. It can also be a good idea to avoid reading on these types of devices right before bed, as blue light can interfere with sleep patterns.
If you need to give your eyes a break or can't find books or e-books with fonts that work for you, consider engaging with fiction and nonfiction in a different format. Audiobooks let you listen to stories as you clean your home, get some walking in or even run errands around town, and they don't require you to see any font at all.
