Prompt Wk. 16

I used to travel by bus with my sister each Saturday to our local library. It was a Carnegie library and I loved to walk up the marble stairway to the children’s department. I still have my first library card. Reading was my primary hobby and I took my visits to the library seriously. There were fewer activities and sports offered in the 60’s and 70’s, particularly for girls. Today, there are many more demands on children’s free time and reading sometimes takes a back seat. Each week I chose several books from the shelves and then waited for my sister who was browsing in the young adult area. At that time, young adult books were housed on the first floor next to the adult section.  Besides a quieter atmosphere, the function of the library was also quite different from libraries today. It was primarily a repository for books.

Today libraries are striving to be the hub and center of the community as well as an information resource.  There are programs for every age level that strive to satisfy many different interests.   It is the destination for those needing computer access, tax forms or assistance researching their family ancestry. 

A major difference in library services today is that libraries serve each individual’s unique needs on their own terms. Accessing library resources today does not have to take place in the physical building. Library patrons can check out e-books from home. Materials can be renewed, holds can be placed, and the library catalog can be viewed all from the comfort of home. At the same time, the library can be a community center and a destination. Children and teens can attend a variety of programs or just hang out with their friends. Instructional classes are held as well as a variety of book clubs. While readers may not be as dependent on open library hours to have access to books, they may seek out the library to be their 'third place.'

I think reading for pleasure may increase in the future because of so many varied formats now available. So many readers, both young and old, enjoy and often prefer the feel of a paper book in their hands, so I would not expect print books to disappear.I think different formats will coexist, each filling a niche for readers.   The abundance of different options may allow many nontraditional readers to become readers. Audio books may appeal to those who previously did not feel they had the time to read or who just prefer the auditory component for a variety of reasons. Readers can now listen to their book while driving to work or walking. E-books are often a more convenient option and digital formats will likely increase in popularity. While I anticipate there will continue to be varied reading formats to be available, I would not expect reading for pleasure to decline. I hope that just the opposite will happen.