The Future of Reading:
In the future all books will be beamed directly into our brains via a wireless connection to a chip implanted in our skulls.... Hey I can dream can't I.... :)
Being a Gen X-er my recollections of childhood reading are either going to the library and checking out a big stack of books or walking to the bookmobile when it was nearby. I also am old enough to remember dial-a-story, which was quite a treat for a rural kid with no TV. The biggest changes that I've seen are the obvious ones; the advent of the internet and subsequent addition of digital formats. I am not someone who moans about the good old days, viewing the past with rose tinted glasses. I think the digital revolution has been wonderful for readers. So many more options and material at your fingertips literally 24 hours a day.
I enjoyed Le Guin's article particularly her quote: "..the stupidity of the contemporary, corporation-owned publishing company is fathomless: they think they can sell books as commodities." (Le Guin, 2008, p. 35) to which I say: Hear! Hear! I generally have a low opinion of those whose primary concern is making a quick buck with little concern for the future whether it be the environment or artistic expression. Yet, I'm not worried. Great works are still being written and self-publication has never been easier.
Le Guin also expresses concern with the decline in reading which is truly not a good thing but looking at the big picture I'm optimistic. Pew released an article last year that indicated that older Americans are a bit more likely to have not read a book than younger Americans (Perrin, 2018a). Couple this with 2017 article which indicates that Millennials are more likely to have visited a library in the past year than any other generation (Geiger, 2017a) and most Americans (especially Millennials) trust libraries (Geiger, 2017b). I would say things are looking up.
In twenty years I imagine that ebooks and e-audiobooks will have a bigger market-share than they do now but books will still remain as an important format. The death of books has been erroneously reported many times. To help bolster my case:
A 2018 Pew study reported that:
In my opinion I think Millenialls are only beginning to flex their reading muscles along with their cultural, social, and political might. I look forward to it.
References
Geiger, A. (2017a). Millennials are the most likely generation of Americans to use public libraries. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/21/millennials-are-the-most-likely-generation-of-americans-to-use-public-libraries/
Geiger, A. (2017b). Most Americans-especially Millennials-say libraries can help them find reliable, trustworthy information. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/08/30/most-americans-especially-millennials-say-libraries-can-help-them-find-reliable-trustworthy-information/
Le Guin, U. K. (2008). Staying awake: notes on the alleged decline of reading. Harper's Magazine, 316(1893)
Perrin, A. (2018a). Who doesn't read books in America? Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/23/who-doesnt-read-books-in-america/
Perrin, A. (2018b). Nearly one-in-five Americans now listen to audiobooks. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/08/nearly-one-in-five-americans-now-listen-to-audiobooks/
Being a Gen X-er my recollections of childhood reading are either going to the library and checking out a big stack of books or walking to the bookmobile when it was nearby. I also am old enough to remember dial-a-story, which was quite a treat for a rural kid with no TV. The biggest changes that I've seen are the obvious ones; the advent of the internet and subsequent addition of digital formats. I am not someone who moans about the good old days, viewing the past with rose tinted glasses. I think the digital revolution has been wonderful for readers. So many more options and material at your fingertips literally 24 hours a day.
I enjoyed Le Guin's article particularly her quote: "..the stupidity of the contemporary, corporation-owned publishing company is fathomless: they think they can sell books as commodities." (Le Guin, 2008, p. 35) to which I say: Hear! Hear! I generally have a low opinion of those whose primary concern is making a quick buck with little concern for the future whether it be the environment or artistic expression. Yet, I'm not worried. Great works are still being written and self-publication has never been easier.
Le Guin also expresses concern with the decline in reading which is truly not a good thing but looking at the big picture I'm optimistic. Pew released an article last year that indicated that older Americans are a bit more likely to have not read a book than younger Americans (Perrin, 2018a). Couple this with 2017 article which indicates that Millennials are more likely to have visited a library in the past year than any other generation (Geiger, 2017a) and most Americans (especially Millennials) trust libraries (Geiger, 2017b). I would say things are looking up.
In twenty years I imagine that ebooks and e-audiobooks will have a bigger market-share than they do now but books will still remain as an important format. The death of books has been erroneously reported many times. To help bolster my case:
A 2018 Pew study reported that:
- 67% of Americans have read a book.
- 26% have read an ebook.
- 18% have listened to an audiobook.
- 71% of Americans have read a book.
- 17% have read an ebook.
- 11% have listened to an audiobook.
(Perrin, 2018b)
In my opinion I think Millenialls are only beginning to flex their reading muscles along with their cultural, social, and political might. I look forward to it.
References
Geiger, A. (2017a). Millennials are the most likely generation of Americans to use public libraries. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/21/millennials-are-the-most-likely-generation-of-americans-to-use-public-libraries/
Geiger, A. (2017b). Most Americans-especially Millennials-say libraries can help them find reliable, trustworthy information. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/08/30/most-americans-especially-millennials-say-libraries-can-help-them-find-reliable-trustworthy-information/
Le Guin, U. K. (2008). Staying awake: notes on the alleged decline of reading. Harper's Magazine, 316(1893)
Perrin, A. (2018a). Who doesn't read books in America? Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/23/who-doesnt-read-books-in-america/
Perrin, A. (2018b). Nearly one-in-five Americans now listen to audiobooks. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/08/nearly-one-in-five-americans-now-listen-to-audiobooks/
I agree that print materials are still very popular. It is surprising how many people check out cook books and self-help books. For myself, if I need to look up something for a recipe, I just 'google'. Also I do the same if I want to know 'how to do' something and I am strictly into hardcover books. But the easy access and availability of online just makes more sense to me.
ReplyDeleteI always chuckle at those whom feel that print books are on their deathbed. If you think about it, books of some sort (stone, clay, papyrus, animal skin, paper, etc) have been around for thousands of years. Do people really think that a few decades of technology is going to out-due or overshadow thousands of years of history? Good Luck.
ReplyDeleteAll excellent points! I love that you included the PEW data to back up your post! Full points!
ReplyDeleteI don't know that your chip idea is all that far off, although I do read a lot of science fiction. I agree that people will continue to read, perhaps even more than recent generations. I think other trends with millennials, like not buying houses, low paying jobs, etc. will also help bolster use of libraries and bring back free and cheaper forms of entertainment, like books.
ReplyDeleteThank you for providing documentation to support my own observations! People who predict the demise of print have not visited a public library. In the future the current generation of children asking for print materials will be adults with established connections to books. It is not uncommon for me to offer an audio or ebook version when the print version is checked out, only to have the child ask me to put the print one on hold because they like it better.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it will take a long time for physical books to go out, if they ever do. I feel like they are a better format than e-books are for children's books, especially as we learn more about the potentially harmful effects of overexposure to screens at an early age.
ReplyDelete