Published: December 05, 2005 02:29 pm      

Reading is alive and well

For more than a decade, the experts have been telling us that television and video games have usurped the written word — people do not read anymore, they say.

Not so.

Reading may not get the attention that television and other technological mediums get, but anyone who doubts that reading is a thing of the past missed the influx of people at the Effingham Daily News Book Fair.

When the EDN first embarked on the used book fair to help fund our Newspapers in Education program in area schools, it was uncertain how many books would be donated to the cause. Even the highest hopes did not come close to the more than 15,000 books contributed to the event.

Then came the next worry: What if the experts were right and only a few die-hard readers came to the book fair? What were we going to do with all those books?

There was no reason to worry.

From the number of books donated to the number of people browsing the aisles, one thing was evident — people continue to read voraciously and they enjoy doing it.

Reading is alive and well; it just does not get the focus of the media that other entertainment venues get. And perhaps that is because most people read for more than pure entertainment value. Yes, people read for distraction and enjoyment, but they also read to learn, whether it is from the subtle knowledge found in fictional pieces or from lessons expounded upon in political and historical accounts.

From the number of children’s books donated and bought during the three-day book fair, it doesn’t look as if reading is anywhere near to being on its way out. It is clear that those people who love reading want to share the pleasure with the younger set.

It is also clear that even though today’s world is busier than ever for adults, they still make time to read. What they read varies from political to historical to romance to mystery to everything in between, but in the end they have one thing in common — they absorb the written word.

It is refreshing to know that this usually solitary entertainment venue is still as avidly undertaken as it ever was. Reading opens up worlds and is the fundamental tool of education, and the turnout at the book fair indicates area residents seek out and find comfort in the entertainment and knowledge they find through words.

The book fair was a success because area residents, from school children to senior citizens, dug through the boxes in their basements and attics and cleared out their bookshelves in order to share their enthusiasm for reading with others, and then a few weeks later, they put on their coats and headed to the book fair to replace those empty spaces with the new adventures and knowledge found in the pages between the covers.

Not only will their efforts bring reading rewards for themselves, but it also helps the EDN place newspapers in schools as educational tools.

We thank all of those who donated books and dropped by to pick up books. We couldn’t have done it without you, and of course, we hope to see you all next year!