Week Sixteen Post

First, how have reading and books changed since you were a child, for you specifically? Second, talk a little about what you see in the future for reading, books, or publishing - say 20 years from now. Will we read more or less, will our reading become more interactive? What will happen to traditional publishing?

I have gone through a few different phases when it comes to reading.  As a young child, I did not spend much time reading.  We lived out in the country and going to the public library was not an easy option. I preferred to spend my time playing outside with my siblings. As a teenager and young adult, my interest in reading grew.  I think this happened because my parents were avid readers, and during this time began taking us on long road trips where there was not much to do in the car but read.  As a young mother, my time for reading was nonexistent.  There were too many other things requiring my time and attention.  However, now as my children have gotten a little bit older, and more specifically, when I began working in a public library, my love for reading has once again grown.  My list of books to read is impossibly long, and I wish now that I had taken more time to read when my children were babies.

I think that like many others, I didn't feel I would ever like using an e-reader. But as time has passed and e-books have become more prevalent in our society and in my library, I decided to give one a try - and I loved it. Reading with my Kindle has really become a great option for me.  It is lighter and less bulky to travel with than a stack of books, and I have found it to be very easy to use.  That being said, I still read print books on a regular basis as well. I don't think that this will every change.

In my opinion there will be a lot of changes in reading and books in the future.  I think there will always be a need and a place for books.  However, digital and interactive formats will continue to grow over time.  We have already seen a decrease in the number of reference books needed in our library due to the internet and the wide usage of smart phones and other devices.  I also think that libraries will see growth in the number of e-books in their collections, which will effect the number of print books purchased due to budget issues.  But, print books will remain.  I don't see one as a replacement for the other.  I think e-books and print books complement each other and can co-exist.

I would also like to think that we will read as much as we do now, but with the rapid changes in technology it seems like that may not be the case.  There will probably be more options available that benefit those that don't read.  Because of this, I see reading as becoming more interactive and requiring less work on the part of the reader.  I can't imagine a world with out books, and hope I don't ever have to.