The Wise Man Said it Best...

Fotalia

John Green, amazing YA author and YouTube sensation, recently tweeted the following,

"50 million Americans haven't read a book in the past 12 months. As a business, THAT'S our #1 problem--not format or distribution models."

Of course we have to think about format and distribution models.  It's our job to provide for our patrons in the most friendly, useable, cost-efficient, and sustainable ways possible.  It's our job to meet their information and reading needs. 

But if our patrons don't have reading needs, John Green is right.  Helping to create readers should be our priority.

A reading resolution

Is anybody else a tad depressed with all the resolutions this time of year? Honestly, I am probably not going to lose that five pounds around my middle, lower my cholesterol, or get up an hour earlier to exercise.

What I can do is resolve to read.

As librarians, I think it's our responsibility to read. Yes, we want to be experts in many areas, but we're likely the best and only reader's advisor in our schools. And a reader's advisor can't just talk about reading, we need to read.

So I propose a resolution that's fairly realistic. Resolve to read 100 books in 2012.

How can we reach this goal? Read a book a week and listen to a book a week.

At two books per week that's about 98 books per year. During holidays and long weekends we can likely read a couple extra books to put us at the 100 mark.

If you always have a book on your smartphone and soak up those wasted minutes in the grocery store line and at soccer practice, a book a week is pretty attainable. Listen to a book while you commute, fold clothes, and walk the dog. Two books a week--done!

Remember to keep a reader's list (see previous post), and at the end of the year it will be great to have actually kept a resolution, and especially one that helps kids by helping you be a great reader's advisor.

The future of reading and libraries

Things I believe...

1.  Nobody knows the future of reading and libraries.
2.  There will always be people predicting doom and gloom.
3.  Budget woes come and go.
4.  Libraries date back to hundreds of years BC and will likely be around many more centuries.
5.  Reading is more important than the format of the book.  If printed books eventually get squeezed out in favor of digital formats, we'll still be reading.
6.  Education is slow moving and school library budgets are slim.  So while school libraries may move toward online and digital formats, especially for reference and nonfiction, traditional printed books will be around a long time.
7.  There's a difference in libraries merely surviving and libraries being vital.
8.  Librarians are that difference.
9.  A few critical things to vibrant libraries:  relationships, service, willingness to share knowlege, meeting students and staff where they are, and keeping current.
10. If we hold on to the 20th century model, we'll be alone in our quiet libraries!