Ireland, a country of readers (in decline)
While I was visiting Ireland for the first time last month, I saw this sign on the Cork City Library, which is on the edge of the downtown shopping district:
Cork: A city of writers, a city of readers.
As a marketer, my first thought was that this was some wonderful aspirational marketing. Of course the library wants the city’s residents to think of themselves like this.
But then I realized that I’d passed three bookstores downtown. I’ve been all over the US and I can’t think of a time when I passed three bookstores on the same street all within a mile of each other.
Then I saw a frontpage story in The Irish Times Weekend edition about how teachers are battling a “crisis of literacy.” Yes, despite Ireland being No. 1 in Europe in the international reading league tables and 7th globally, they’re battling the same rapid decline in reading that we’ve seen here in the US among young people.
As here, Ireland sees a huge correlation between the decrease in reading and the increase in smartphone ownership. They also see a massive positive correlation between parents reading for fun and their children reading for fun. Sadly, only 2% of American parents read to their children.
It feels like a little chicken and the egg scenario. But I think the battle for books and literacy is most likely to be won among kids, rather than trying to turn things around with adults. If we can instill an appreciation and enjoyment of books in kids before they leave high school, then they’re likely to hold onto that and pass that love of books on to their children.
What do you think?
Related posts:
The Long Room at Trinity College Dublin: ‘Beauty & The Beast’ Library Vibes
The even more alarming stat underlying the big decline in reading for fun
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