The Library Visit

[days_unfolding]

A remedial reading class was visiting the library today.
Student: Where are the good books?
I brought him over to the new book section because, frankly, those are the more interesting books, and most of them were bought with this class in mind.
Student: What is the easiest book to write a paper on?
Librarian: Probably a fiction book.
Librarian: Have you read Stephen King? He writes horror books.
Student: Well, I don't read books.
I gave him the Stephen King book, but it had a character that was a minister, and the student "didn't like God stuff".
Librarian: What are you interested in?
Student: I dunno.
Student: (picking up a book) This was a good movie.
Librarian: Well, if you liked the movie, maybe you should read the book.
He finally checked out the book, but looked highly dubious about the whole enterprise. This gave me a lot of sympathy for public librarians, who do this all the time!

Comments

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

But a good librarian has the chance to figure out the non-reading person's interests and with the knowledge of the range of books out there, set a hook that will start them on the path to compulsive reading ;)

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

I hope that he likes the book that he checked out....

[platofish.livejournal.com]

He is not alone.....42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college. 80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year. 70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know the statistics, but they boggle my mind. I can't imagine not reading.

[platofish.livejournal.com]

Yeah, its by far the statistic I've quoted most often. Its hard to believe someone with a college level education isn't curious enough about life, people, places to read. Stunning.