As a child I loved reading. Looking back now, it’s amusing to me that when I was in elementary and middle school, I read mostly adult books. I loved mysteries like Agatha Christie’s and books featuring pioneers, like Janette Oke’s books. Now, as an adult, I read mostly young adult novels. I’ve also gained more of an appreciation for non-fiction as I’ve gotten older. As a child, non-fiction felt like reading for school rather than pleasure. I have less time to read than when I was younger and I find myself listening to audiobooks more often than reading books.
I hadn’t
thought much about the social aspect of reading, other than book clubs, but I
do enjoy reading books everyone is talking about so I can be a part of the
conversation. I like being able to talk with others who have read the same book
I’ve read. I found Le Guin’s argument that bestsellers fill a social need for
people interesting (Le Guin, 2008 p. 35). There are so many hidden gems that
are rarely talked about because they don’t have the PR publishers are giving
other books. Librarians need to do the digging for patrons to find these gems
and make them more well-known. However, it is still up to the publishers to
promote more diverse books instead of letting the same authors and types of
books continually steal the spotlight. I think movements like We Need Diverse
Books and Own Voices can put pressure on publishers to change the way they
promote books. Promotion, from both librarians and publishers, is key. People
are going to continue reading what is marketed to them instead of taking the
chance of wasting their limited reading time on a book with few reviews.
As far as the
way we will read, I think publishing will trend more toward eBooks and audiobooks
as those are becoming increasingly popular. However, there are so many people
that still enjoy the feeling of a book in their hands that I think print books
will always continue to be published, but maybe not at the same quantity. The
pandemic has introduced even more people to eBooks and audiobooks. People are
wanting to leave their house for errands less and don’t want to touch something
many other people have touched. I think these new mindsets are here to stay.
Libraries will probably be buying fewer print materials and more e-materials,
which makes promotion of their databases more important than ever. Too many
times I’ve heard patrons remark that eBooks aren’t good for libraries and will
put them out of business. They need to understand that just like they borrow
free print books from the library, they can borrow free eBooks from the
library. The library is continuing to provide free access to information, just
in a different format. Marketing libraries in a way that shows people they are
not outdated, but are keeping up with books and information trends is so
important now and will continue to be even more important in the future.
Le Guin, U. K. (2008). Staying awake: notes on the alleged
decline of reading. Harper's Magazine,
316(1893).
I agree with you that libraries need to start promoting what they have to offer. I think marketing can bring more people into libraries that don't realize libraries are keeping up with the times.
ReplyDeleteHave a great summer!
Abby
Marketing our library services is so crucial, and I wish my own library would work harder to do so. We had a decent social media campaign about Overdrive and Libby, but those posts only reach the people in our community who already follow us. If libraries want to spread the word about all the e-materials they offer, they need to make an effort to reach those in our community who never or hardly ever use the library. This unfortunately means putting more money into advertising using resources like the local newspaper, paying for radio or tv ads, or paying for social media ads that go beyond just the people that follow our pages. That might be difficult with our limited budgets, but it would be worth it if we brought in more library users on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteChristina,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you! I also believe that publishers will lean more towards econtent, but I truly do not believe that in the near, or even far, future that print books will be completely gone. Holding a book in your hand and not having to rely on something that needs to be charged is an experience that you just can't replace. Great post and I hope you have a fantastic summer!
Hello Christina, You are so right about finding those gems and how librarians have a responsibility to do that. Of course following trends will never go away but it so good to see what else is out there.
ReplyDeleteI've found myself convincing patrons how the e-books are just as good. I can enlarge my font, even though it's not encouraged, I read at night, and most importantly, I complete many of the series I start. This is a problem sometimes because the library might not always have a complete series in print but it will be available on e-book. So at first I had to force myself to read them, but now I prefer it.
Hello Christina, You are so right about finding those gems and how librarians have a responsibility to do that. Of course following trends will never go away but it so good to see what else is out there.
ReplyDeleteI've found myself convincing patrons how the e-books are just as good. I can enlarge my font, even though it's not encouraged, I read at night, and most importantly, I complete many of the series I start. This is a problem sometimes because the library might not always have a complete series in print but it will be available on e-book. So at first I had to force myself to read them, but now I prefer it.
Hello Christina!
ReplyDeleteAlas, you make a very sad, but true observation that, as adults, it can be quite difficult to find the time to read, which definitely was not the case when I was a child. I find myself often yearning for that time to read hours on end without experiencing any guilt for not completing any of the more looming tasks that need to be done. As for patrons making comments about ebooks putting libraries out of business, this could be a great opportunity to make patrons aware of how a library operates and let them know that our offering of free ebooks is just as important as providing print copies to patrons. This ability to offer various formats for free is very appealing for people and this advantage helps take higher place over companies who are only trying to make a profit. Any opportunity to open a dialogue with patrons about the inner workings of the library is ideal.
Hi Christina! Though it makes me already nostalgic, I agree that ebooks are here to stay and we must promote them as well as we do print materials. Maybe there will also be a comeback in the future for print books as we are seeing with vinyl for music. The main point is, by then, our patrons will have established their preferred way of 'reading' amongst various possibilities and we'll have to continue figuring out the best format and materials to suggest. I really enjoyed your reflection!
ReplyDeleteFull points! Thank you for a great semester.
ReplyDelete