Education

Less reading means less literacy

By Evelyn Ramirez

As the popularity of physical books and bookstores continues to decline, John Kruth tries to make the shop he helps manage a comfortable place for people who love and buy books.

 I “can’t imagine going through life without having so many books. Just like albums and records, [they] have made a difference to me,”  said Kruth, 74, Kruth, 74, a part-time shopkeeper at Mercer Street Books and Records.

Jazz played in the background as he worked and shoppers shopped.

While teaching at Manhattan University years ago, he observed many of his students avoiding reading.  He believes, he said, they feared giving books the attention and intimacy that reading demands.

Sarah Beck, an NYU English education professor and researcher, said bookstores and libraries have played a key role in giving people access to books. “Humans are wired to be curious, but that curiosity needs to be fed and nurtured,” she said. “One way to nurture curiosity is through books and media that allow children to explore their interests and their passions, and that takes resources.” 

According to ABC News, overuse of cellphones, tablets and other computer screens has hindered progress in ensuring that students are reading at the right levels for their age and grade in school. It’s more likely that readers skim information on devices than in books with pages, limiting how they process the meaning behind what’s written.  

Additionally, teens in the United States increasingly are choosing to spend more of their free time on social media than reading. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, 80% of teens use social media every day, while only 20% read books, newspapers and so on for information and pleasure. 

The decline of reading has been impacting the literacy skills of teens and young adults. In the past two decades, reading for pleasure has decreased more than 40% in America, according to researchers quoted in USA Today.

“Reading is such a big necessity for everybody,” said Ciara Lee, 40, who was browsing at Strand Bookstore recently. “It helps with reflection a lot, especially with AI here. Reading books keeps you thinking, helping you to stay grounded.”

Reading has remained one of Kruth’s greatest passions: “It’s just you and the author. That is a very intimate exchange between the author and your open mind.”