When I read this chapter first, a month or so ago, it was so captivating, that I thought about it for a long time and talked to my friends about their reading over and over again. I'm not sure that it is fair to be judgemental about why people read or don't read. Earlier in the year I was talking to the other teachers in my school because I wanted to put up a poster outside their rooms about the latest book they were reading. Most of them don't read. They say they don't read much because...1)if they started they couldn't put it down 2) they are too busy with life's requirements and don't even watch TV 3) they enjoy crafts more than sitting in one place 4) their kids, their work, their singleness require their attention...and so it goes. I think it's because they can't find an author or a style that they really, really like. It might be because they don't read fast enough to get engaged in short periods of time, and since they don't have long ones, they don't read at all. Some have a tendency towards short things like magazines and non-fiction pieces and internet news, etc.
Tunnell & Jacobs comment taken from a sign over the library that says, "The person who can read, and doesn't is no better off than the one who can't read." is shocking. I guess, although I am a reader, I understand my friends perspective and although I'm sorry that it is so, I don't really think they are no better off. Efferent reading has value too. Not everyone is emotional about books like I am. Individual differences should be respected.
On the other side, I keep thinking, if I could just find the key that would unlock the pleasure for them, maybe they would read. It's all really about choices and unfortunately, choices must be made. More on this later. My husband needs to get on the computer.
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Marilyn,
I know you have trouble pinning down your librarian, but she should have a copy or access to a copy of the American Library Associations "Read" CD that you can make read posters with (you know, like the one with the governor in the dogsled reading to the dogs). See if you can get her to make a couple with the staff and their current reads or favorite books...That might light a fire under some of them. The posters are great to encourage readers.
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