Week 16 Prompt Response

The most visible changes in reading since I was a child have been the result of new technologies, such as audiobooks, ebooks, virtual reality, and devices that can adapt fonts and font sizes. The new media have made reading more accessible for everyone. Graphic novels have been increasingly accepted as literature and as a format uniquely suited for telling stories with sensitive or difficult subjects. Nonfiction titles directed at children are designed to be much more appealing and fun. One example is the growth of nonfiction graphic novels. Self-publishing and Indie publishing have gained respect and brought diversity into the industry. I have worked in public library children’s departments for 8 years. One thing that has not changed is children’s excitement about reading, particularly print materials.

I do not anticipate the extinction of print materials over the next two decades. The sensory experience of holding a book still appeals to new and experienced readers. Print may not monopolize the reading format, but it will continue to be in demand. Larger publishing houses will absorb the smaller more specialized publishers, imprints will continue to grow as popular authors like Rick Riordan and celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker enter the field. Changing demographics and the need for representational literature will compel large publishers to expand the diversity of their publications to appeal to different market segments and to cope with a growing number of specialized publishers.

In our library I have seen an increased interest in book clubs, storytimes, and other interactive events that bring people together. The library has become a place for families to spend an afternoon, attend a program, or browse the shelves. I do not know if we will read more or less, but I like to think that we will read more as new media create ways for people of diverse backgrounds and abilities to read.