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Both of our readings this week talk about the culture of reading and the future of the book. So I have two questions for you as readers, pulling on your own experiences and all of the readings we have done over the semester: 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? This is a very free-form question, feel free to wildly extrapolate or calmly state facts, as suits your mood!
Oh boy, this is perhaps the biggest ( and hardest question) to think on!!
I've always been a reader ( and always will be). I've loved reading since I was a child ( and recall my parents reading to me at bedtime instead of sitting in front of the TV with a video.) And I loved, loved going to the library when I was little and bringing home many many books (and yes, played librarian). And I'm being a night owl, I love staying up during the wee hours reading YA, Children's, Romance, Gentle, whatever. I don't think I've ever stop ( I may have an occasional burn out and may step away for a few days but I'm never without a book.)
I have notice that since getting a job at a library, I have bought less and less books because I figure " I work at a library, I can get my books for FREE". Sure I might buy something if I really like the book ( or really like the series) but after a while I may still get rid of it ( I've also cut down in buying CDs because again , I can get them for FREE. I have noticed that I am buying more DVDs. Odd.)
I don't think my taste in books has changed that much. Now maybe because of this class, I will probably be more open to horror and sci fi ( and maybe street lit and gay fiction, not sure about Westerns), but I pretty much love reading the stuff that I read as a child, but love whatever there is in Thrillers, YA, Romance, Mystery, Gentle, and NA. I think in the future there will be more genres and ( they may get more complicated to keep track of because more books will be of more than one genre.)
Yeah, I have a feeling we are heading more and more to a technical future. Obviously there will be more ebooks, more audio books ( and they will definitely become more interactive.) However, I really hope it does not mean an end to the physical book. I'm seeing more and more magazines decided to cut back, go ditigal or end altogether, so I wonder what that means for the future of all print. It would be a really really sad day if books vanish. And when I do have kids, I really want to read them Goodnight Moon and Llama Llama Red Pajama than stick in a video of a book.Sure it brings the book to life but it's just not the same. Perhaps we'll have to find ways to make the printed book more interesting to keep it going for years and years to come.
Well, I hope that covers the post. I'm going to try the readings but found them to be a bit on a stuffy side. I'll also be posting more of my RA Lab. Thank you for reading.
