Who here still reads?
Dec 4, 2010 at 8:12 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 43
blackbird

blackbird

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I have noticed the level of scholarship quickly declining among students (as I am one of them). Of course, the level of plagiarism is at an apex, but because there is another thread discussing this matter, I will only touch upon it very slightly. Lets just say, a majority of people, from my experience, either do their homework last minute in class, or copy it from a friend (Person A does hw today, but Person B does it tomorrow, and they both copy).
 
However, the issue of reading is an even more depressing situation. Over the past year, I have seen 3 bookstores close down, despite being in high-traffic areas in Manhattan. I am currently volunteering in my school library, and in an institution of over 1000 students, we rarely get more than 10 books a week taken out and returned. This is very saddening. We had a milk jug requesting that people suggest books they would like to see in the library, and in an entire month, only 9 pieces of paper show up. I feel that the library is now a place where people just use the computers, or as a place to do last minute assignments.
 
This is not only apparent in my school library. I had the leisure of visiting the Epiphany branch on 23rd street and 2nd avenue (not an impoverished area in the loosest sense of the word), and I was so surprised to see the horrible conditions. All the books, newspapers, and magazines were simply out of place and on the floor. The Library was only patronized by elderly people, who are reading the daily newspaper, or apparently jobless people who are using the computers to find an occupation.
 
I am fortunate enough to have a library literally across the street from where I live. Although I live in a more humble area (I'm still in school, and my parents aren't the richest people. Can't complain about it), the situation is the same. Here, the books are kept in a significantly better condition, but yet, I still see that most people and kids are simply bringing their laptops to leech off of the free internet. Yeah, that's all the people are doing.. Nobody was reading a book. At all.
 
I like to come there often to read the NYTimes, because every branch has a subscription to the newspaper, and not one time did I have difficulty getting it when I wanted. This is both a boon, and a maxim of the sad state of matters. This means that nobody is interested or has the time for reading a multipage newspaper, instead opting for the local free daily newspaper, if any newspaper at all.
 
Sure, one can easily dismiss this as being the consequences of an economy gone wrong, but I really think it is the accroaching to digital media and other mediums. To tell you the truth, I see more people with smartphones than with books in their hands, when taking the crowded 4 train everyday.  Even when people do have books, it is most often due to a trend, perhaps "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" or "Angels and Demons."
 
Of course, I shouldn't be making this statement without referring to myself. I have also begun to read less and less books, but I am starting to reverse this trend. I regularly borrow my school libraries copy of "The New Yorker" for the week (before it goes missing, which is pretty often), and as I mentioned before, I like reading the NYtimes. Despite not being able to afford subscriptions to either, I am still able to do so, and I think that as a result, poverty is not an excuse for not reading.
 
What have you observed? Do you still read books? Why are libraries being underfunded and understaffed? Is it because people are having a general decrease of interest in books? Is it a money issue?
 
In the long run, I think this will decrease the overall education and literacy of the population.
 
Dec 4, 2010 at 8:26 PM Post #2 of 43
Hmm... Interesting subject.
 
I value knowledge. But I don't read in the 'traditional' sense. And by that I mean... I'm online so often that the internet has become an extension of me. And because of the efficiency with which information can be found, and found succinctly, I don't find myself having an urge to seek out a book very often. Books are an answer to a genuine interest in something and the trail of questions that go with it. But nowadays, most people seem to operate simply on queries.
 
Which is funny because, as an example, my mother who is in her 60s knows practically nothing about the internet or computers. Her gauge for intelligence is how many books a person reads. She doesn't really fathom that I know a crap ton at a relatively young age but only own enough books to make a booster seat for a rag doll.
 
And insofar as my perception of books as a source of information, I think I'm far from alone. Information has become quick, easy and in many cases fun thanks to technology. Books, in my opinion, are usually only one or two of those things and never all three. They've become outmoded, and not only as a medium but as a way in which information is organized. They're so... hierarchical - inconveniently so in the at-your-fingertips age.
 
If 'books' as we think of them have one final crutch, it's Fiction. And even though there probably wont be a change in the way stories are written, there certainly will be in the way they're distributed, stored and accessed.
 
I've no doubt that I'll live to see the day when books become like a nice bottle of wine or a craft beer... You buy one when you really care, but most of the time you grab what's quick and convenient to get your fix.
 
Dec 4, 2010 at 8:26 PM Post #3 of 43
Interesting of course with all statements, opinionated or fact everyone cannot be placed in the same 'category'. I too agree with seeing a decline, the majority of the time all I see is 'computer users' laptop/library. Nice post, I myself think it's because of book stores, going to the library is.....like going into the attic. Everyone time I step in it it's boring and lifeless I can't explain it but this is the feeling I get. Actually I was surprised to see it still populated I guess because I've grown older. I go back and see younger people laughing and talking. I think everything the same I'm just of a different mind set now. They are doing what I USED to do. Also they have no new books (at least my library) the book store is a better option. Even if you just come there to read it's just nicer and even peaceful, as the library should be but the book store is life. The library is a coffin done deal.....
 
 
Dec 4, 2010 at 8:47 PM Post #4 of 43
I have to admit that I don't read books as often as I used to. I used to have two or three going at any time and got through at least 100 every year. I still keep books around, but I'm usually reading off a screen today. The twist is that I'm consuming more of the written word than ever, just not in the form of a book.

I have thought about spending more time with books, however. I miss reading novels, because most of what I consume are articles and short stories online. It would be great to get deeply into novels and literature again. I miss being consumed by a story for several days since what I've been mostly reading is instant gratification.

Libraries are wonderful, but I haven't had much time to haunt them like I did. Through undergrad and grad school, I spent a lot of time in them. Actually, it became a bad idea in law school. Several classmates referred to me as the "Study Menace." I'd go into the library to study, run into people, start talking, and then wind up heading out for food and drinks. :) I have a terrible way of doing that to people. Instead, I started going to the state supreme court library across the street. You had to be quiet in there. Often, there were judges and justices about. Good folks, but they were serious about keeping it quiet. You had to buckle down and study. The best thing about that library was that it was old and hadn't been modernized. There was a 19th century feel to the place - I loved it. Unfortunately, they modernized a few years back. Still a nice library, but it doesn't have the same feel.
 
Dec 4, 2010 at 9:04 PM Post #5 of 43


Quote:
uncle erik said:
I still keep books around, but I'm usually reading off a screen today. The twist is that I'm consuming more of the written word than ever, just not in the form of a book.
 
Click to expand...

 

This articulated what my current reading situation is to a tee, well said. I read so much online currently that it really does dig into the time i have to read a proper novel, or my favorite music bios. Though i do still on average get 1-2 books a month under my belt as i really enjoy going to used bookstores to extend my book collection.
 
I haven't been in a library in some years now, though not being a student could be the defining factor in that equation. I much prefer the small book stores and finding a gem of a book accidentally for very cheap at a goodwill or salvation army.
 
I fear my purchase of physical books will diminish greatly in the coming years due to my prospected purchase of a nook colour, though i really do love to pick up a book and read so i may have to segregate my nook usage to graphic novels, comics, and the like.
 
Dec 4, 2010 at 9:32 PM Post #6 of 43
I was a very voracious reader until about 2 years ago when I started spending considerably more time out, listening to music, and on the internet. I've also noticed that my manner of speaking and writing has changed quite a bit, I'm much more succinct and direct than I used to be, and I vary my word selection much less. I really don't like that change at all, so I've made a concerted effort to read more like I did when I was younger.
 
Dec 4, 2010 at 9:41 PM Post #7 of 43

 
Quote:
blackbird said:
I have noticed the level of scholarship quickly declining among students (as I am one of them). Of course, the level of plagiarism is at an apex, but because there is another thread discussing this matter, I will only touch upon it very slightly. Lets just say, a majority of people, from my experience, either do their homework last minute in class, or copy it from a friend (Person A does hw today, but Person B does it tomorrow, and they both copy).
 
However, the issue of reading is an even more depressing situation. Over the past year, I have seen 3 bookstores close down, despite being in high-traffic areas in Manhattan. I am currently volunteering in my school library, and in an institution of over 1000 students, we rarely get more than 10 books a week taken out and returned. This is very saddening. We had a milk jug requesting that people suggest books they would like to see in the library, and in an entire month, only 9 pieces of paper show up. I feel that the library is now a place where people just use the computers, or as a place to do last minute assignments.
 
This is not only apparent in my school library. I had the leisure of visiting the Epiphany branch on 23rd street and 2nd avenue (not an impoverished area in the loosest sense of the word), and I was so surprised to see the horrible conditions. All the books, newspapers, and magazines were simply out of place and on the floor. The Library was only patronized by elderly people, who are reading the daily newspaper, or apparently jobless people who are using the computers to find an occupation.
 
I am fortunate enough to have a library literally across the street from where I live. Although I live in a more humble area (I'm still in school, and my parents aren't the richest people. Can't complain about it), the situation is the same. Here, the books are kept in a significantly better condition, but yet, I still see that most people and kids are simply bringing their laptops to leech off of the free internet. Yeah, that's all the people are doing.. Nobody was reading a book. At all.
 
I like to come there often to read the NYTimes, because every branch has a subscription to the newspaper, and not one time did I have difficulty getting it when I wanted. This is both a boon, and a maxim of the sad state of matters. This means that nobody is interested or has the time for reading a multipage newspaper, instead opting for the local free daily newspaper, if any newspaper at all.
 
Sure, one can easily dismiss this as being the consequences of an economy gone wrong, but I really think it is the accroaching to digital media and other mediums. To tell you the truth, I see more people with smartphones than with books in their hands, when taking the crowded 4 train everyday.  Even when people do have books, it is most often due to a trend, perhaps "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" or "Angels and Demons."
 
Of course, I shouldn't be making this statement without referring to myself. I have also begun to read less and less books, but I am starting to reverse this trend. I regularly borrow my school libraries copy of "The New Yorker" for the week (before it goes missing, which is pretty often), and as I mentioned before, I like reading the NYtimes. Despite not being able to afford subscriptions to either, I am still able to do so, and I think that as a result, poverty is not an excuse for not reading.
 
What have you observed? Do you still read books? Why are libraries being underfunded and understaffed? Is it because people are having a general decrease of interest in books? Is it a money issue?
 
In the long run, I think this will decrease the overall education and literacy of the population.
Click to expand...

 
Personally, I always loved books and continue to love books. I think at any given time of the month, I usually have 5-6 books that aren't getting read because I'm in the middle of 2-3 others. Between working full time, and still being a full time student, my time that can be put aside just for reading has effectively gone down, but I still try to make as much time as possible to read. I haven't actually used either of my library cards (public or university) to actually check out a book in nearly 13 years, because I actually prefer to haunt my local used book stores and used book stores on the internet to purchase older books I'm interested in and buy newer books wherever I can find them, and then hold onto what I want to keep in my personal library and sell off whatever doesn't appeal to me. This has become my current trend because of late, I've found that the libraries generally have been ordering books that don't appeal to me, so I may as well buy what I like and want.
 
In regards to seeing fewer and fewer people in libraries and seeing libraries being understaffed, I think part of this has to do with where you live. When I stayed in Oklahoma City (decent sized metropolitan area) I saw very few people in the city library reading or checking out books: most like you said appeared to be on their computers or phones on the internet. However, I look at my city's public library (a much smaller city with many, many people living outside of city limits and in cabins) and I see lots of books getting checked out. In part though, I think a major issue is that in the past, the library was the place to go to do research on anything you wanted, but these days, almost any research can be done from home with little need to go to the library. Papers assigned to me throughout high school and college actually came with written instructions specifying that some sources of research cited in our papers had to be from books. When I did my master's thesis, I actually never set foot in a library at all: I was able to access multiple online databases right from my computer and basically did all my research over the internet.
 
Dec 4, 2010 at 10:03 PM Post #8 of 43


Quote:
logwed said:
I was a very voracious reader until about 2 years ago when I started spending considerably more time out, listening to music, and on the internet. I've also noticed that my manner of speaking and writing has changed quite a bit, I'm much more succinct and direct than I used to be, and I vary my word selection much less. I really don't like that change at all, so I've made a concerted effort to read more like I did when I was younger.
Click to expand...



Oh this is scary I feel the same.....less reading and more texting, not good.
 
Dec 4, 2010 at 10:11 PM Post #9 of 43
Someone's got to be the outlier.
 
I read 2-3 books a month, on average. Bought at book stores, borrowed from the library, retrieved from my bookshelves, or downloaded on my Kindle. I spend more time reading than listening to music.
 
Dec 4, 2010 at 10:15 PM Post #10 of 43
I grew up in an age where books, magazines and newspapers were thriving.  Computers didn't intrude into personal lives or even business.  I was a voracious reader.  The local library gave me an adult card at about 11 years of age because they got tired of ordering books for me from the adult department.  At school we were required to keep a log of books we read each school year as part of our English class grading.  
Readers don't get raised in this way anymore.  It's an age where snippits of information are fed to everyone and critical thinking has fallen by the wayside (I don't know anyone, even my American friends and relatives, who have bothered to read the PATRIOT Act).  I know few people who read books and even fewer in the under 40 age group who can claim to have read a book in the past 2 years.  
Chapters in Canada has just really expanded their Kids section in every store.  They know that making reading an enjoyable habit from childhood is the only way they will have future customers.  They won't survive otherwise.  Borders and Barnes & Noble are not expected to survive to see the year 2020, according to an article I recently read on US companies at risk.  
I read professional journals, magazines, books on audio, fantasy, science fiction, thrillers and the occasional biography.  I don't read as much as I wish because work intrudes into my personal time and energy.  If I manage to retire in a decade or so this will hopefully change.  I'm also writing a technical book on physical security for personal satisfaction and to give something back to my industry.  
 
Dec 5, 2010 at 12:05 AM Post #11 of 43

 
Quote:
blackbird said:
What have you observed?
Click to expand...


I grew up in a place where avenues for entertainment were quite limited.  There was no TV, computer games, digital media, or any of that stuff.  For entertainment  You could hang out with friends, play sports, or read a book.  We had a good library. Even in that place, only a few people read books for fun or even to learn something.  Even fewer loved reading and considered it a favorite hobby.
 
So every time I hear "People no longer read" the skeptic in me fires up and I wonder if the person making that statement is being nostalgic about a time that never actually existed.  I think there will always be some people who read constantly because they love it.  I also think there are a bunch of people who used to read purely for its entertainment or practical (e.g. the news) value, but have now shifted to other things that provide that same entertainment or content.
 
One could make the same observations about FM/AM Radio.  I've heard stories of a time when people would gather around their radio to listen to the news, dramas, and so many other things.  TV was unheard of.  Nowadays people only seem to use the radio for background noise when they are driving or sitting in the office.  The only people I know who really listen to the radio now are NPR listeners.  And even they seem to only listen when they are doing something else.
 
All of the above is conjecture.  Maybe I'm just talking out of my rear :)
 
Dec 5, 2010 at 2:02 AM Post #12 of 43


Quote:
odigg said:
I grew up in a place where avenues for entertainment were quite limited.  There was no TV, computer games, digital media, or any of that stuff.  For entertainment  You could hang out with friends, play sports, or read a book.  We had a good library. Even in that place, only a few people read books for fun or even to learn something.  Even fewer loved reading and considered it a favorite hobby.
 
Click to expand...



I'd imagine that a pretty major part of the old demographic of the avid reader has been diverted into avenues like gaming and major internet use rather than reading novels. I know that my children will not grow up with the internet, cable and video games readily available because I feel that I'm a better person for my parents keeping me away from those things for the bulk of my childhood. 
 
Dec 5, 2010 at 2:04 AM Post #13 of 43
I read six to ten books a year aprox.  Could be more, just depends if my more favorite authors get releases out and some are more difficult to read than others.  Got a nook now so mainly read them from download.  I have had a book in the background that i keep putting other books in front of and then come back to and it seems like i have been at it for a while, called Shantaram.  Otherwise I read "Flawless" about a real diamond hiest, and an action book called "Worth Dying For" which was kind of a cheap thrill book and a bit more violent and predictable than i normally read.  Two a month so maybe twelve a year.  I read more than most though.
 
Dec 5, 2010 at 3:16 AM Post #15 of 43
I love books, that's why I studied literature.  I remember when I lived in the library, I spent my summer days from opening till closing some days.  I have cut down considerably since and have noticed a disagreeable pattern forming: I skim more.  I am on more sites and my RSS feed is always brimming with articles but I notice I skim more and read carefully less.  I've been rather busy but usually I spend some time on my subway ride and lunch reading a few passages--not possible with my current workload.
 
One of the problems I am facing is that I still prefer traditional books to their ebook form--I guess I'm just addicted to that new book smell.  This makes it a bit difficult to carry them around and NY apartments are just not meant for storing a lot of things.  The library would be great but my work hours do not allow me to apply for a library card much less have the time to browse and check out books on a regular basis.  Luckily I've been taking advantage of the great used book stores here to buy and sell back or give out as presents.
 
And with a long vacation (first one in two years) coming my way soon, I have taken the time to buy 10 books for my flight and purchased quiet a few ebooks as backup on my phone.
 
But back to the point at hand.  I believe we do consume quite a bit more text with the advent and proliferation of computers and the internet, but it's become far more passive.  Not just reading, but reading good books is necessary.  Good books tend to lead to active reading and critical thinking.  This in turn leads to clearer thoughts and better writing--which I am sorely lacking having spent so long from academia and surrounded by a boss that pronounces caption as cap-tation or calls me up to spell the word "shoe" for him.  But I digress.
 
Personally, I just hope people read to emulate proper writing so I do not have to see college-educated adults writing cover letters for their CVs with "i hope to meet u 4 a interview soon, kthx" on it.
 
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