Tumblr's Library Tags

You can become really immersed in Tumblr's endless stream of library lore - images tagged #library, #books, and #reading. This flow of books, reading, and library spaces is pretty amazing - take a gander!

 

National D.E.A.R Day - Drop Everything And Read Day

The Mouse and the Motorcycle
by Beverly Cleary - HarperCollins

This multi-organization sponsored* commemoration falls yearly on Beverly Cleary's birthday. Cleary, as any fan of Children's Lit knows, is the author of the Ralph S. Mouse, Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and other series of juvenile books. D.E.A.R Day promotes sustained silent reading on a voluntary basis to encourage the habit of regular reading. When children are encouraged to read this way, they learn that reading becomes a solace and source of growth which can be relied upon for life. Books truly are the one friend that will never let you down, whatever circumstance in which you may find yourself. There is nothing like the feeling of knowing you have a good book in hand which will envelope you in hours of rapt reading. A wondrous journey that essentially never ends. The beginning and end of each book marks a station break whereupon a new book picks up and resumes the journey in another direction. D.E.A.R. Day promotes this practice and provides children with a lifelong habit that will serve them better than any other on their life's journey.

*NEA, PTA, ALA, GFWC, NAA, among others.

Tolkien Reading Day

Shire-like English Countryside by Scott Rimmer - Wikimedia Commons

A day to celebrate the works of J.R.R Tolkien by reading any of his books. The Tolkien Society has an interesting explanation for why March 25th was chosen for this purpose: it was on this day that Middle Earth saw the downfall of Sauron. This year's theme is "Tolkien's Landscapes" as much of his works are drawn against wondrous and majestic vistas which have fueled readers' imagination throughout the years. Many of his landscapes were also immensely comforting, as the Shire most often evokes a sense of homecoming.

Dr. Seuss Day - Read Across America

Read Across America is celebrated on March 2 coinciding with Dr. Seuss' birthday, although this year Read Across America Day is actually on March 1. It's confusing, because some states (Maryland, e.g.) celebrate Read Across for the whole month of March. In any case, it's nice to celebrate Dr. Seuss and his contributions to encouraging children to read. Reading builds knowledge and courage, for understanding the world helps to banish fear.

"Have no fear of this mess!" -- the Cat in the Hat

Young Readers - Not an Oxymoron



Young person demonstrating e-reader
By Sigismund von Dobschütz (Own work)
via Wikimedia Commons

Very heartening news from a Pew report about the reading habits of young people today - the fact that they do read is one of best news at all! And kids don't eschew print books in favor of e-books, which was a bit surprising, but also welcome news. This report contains a wealth of data on youth reading habits, attitudes toward libraries, and format preferences. And along a similar vein, a writer talks about her preference for print books over digital for olfactory reasons, among others! Apparently, books have a certain fragrance that many people find enticing - eau de musty, maybe?

The End of Books?

Antique Book

Any article about the end of books will generate considerable buzz on the web, and a recent article in the NYT by Leah Price, no less. What sets Ms. Price's essay apart from so many others is the depth to which she has explored the subject. She is a professor of English at Harvard and a specialist on the history of  books. Ever since technology began its exponential growth, scholars and technophiles alike have predicted the end of books. But this discussion has been sloppy to some extent because people do not distinguish between the written word and its vehicles. In her article, Ms. Price examines the rise of new technologies which were predicted to supplant older ones, but which actually never happened, such as books with radio, and radio with TV. Which all begs the question, is it really about the end of books or of reading? And what will be the ultimate killer of the printed book? Even ereaders, despite their explosive popularity, have their limitations. Any physical medium which requires one to grasp and interact with it will be supplanted by others that will reduce the strain our hands and optic nerves. Maybe a new technology that will simply generate words in front of our eyes, for those who actually still wish to read as opposed to listen to books. And I don't mean by the use of goggles or any device that simply projects words on a screen, but which may be able to transmit them through the optic nerve to our brains. A kind of reverse projector through the eyes. After all, necessity (and laziness) is the mother of invention, so it may happen, as sci-fi authors have often forecasted.

Lovely Paean to Public Libraries





The Librarian, a 1556 painting
by Giuseppe Arcimboldo

The late Mary Lee Dante said several years ago, "Libraries are the canaries of civilization .... and the canaries are dying." She must have had some sort of foreknowledge because all during the years that libraries were growing their internet presence, she was lamenting their general demise. Now it would seem that libraries everywhere are last on the list of priorities for those deciding their fates. And to add insult to injury, Forbes not long ago listed an MLS degree as one of the least valuable of graduate degrees. It's true it doesn't pay well, but the rewards are tremendous for anyone truly wishing to make a difference in people's lives.

Now, comes a very convincingly written article by Emmily Bristol enumerating the reasons for preserving libraries. Library degrees may not be valuable, but libraries promote civilization unlike any other institution. As much as one hates to think so, it may be a losing battle; the tide is rapidly moving information away from the hands of independent curators to corporate entities that do not freely purvey it. And unfortunately, not enough people really care enough to stop this trend. The aforementioned article quotes President John F. Kennedy on the need for libraries: "If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. These libraries should be open to all except the censor. We must know all the facts and hear all the alternatives and listen to all the criticisms. Let us welcome controversial books and controversial authors. For the Bill of Rights is the guardian of our security as well as our liberty." Sadly, this plea is falling on deaf ears today, though we need libraries now more than ever.