When I was younger, my favourite place in the world was either the library or the local bookstore. I loved being surrounded by so many books and these places had a very distinct smell, partly made of dust and something else. Was it the ink on the pages? Was it because the air was different from outside and in my house? Maybe it was special to me because of how homey those places meant to me. There were so many stories and adventures laid out in front of me that were begging to be known, read, and loved. I knew every time I went to the library or bookstore, I couldn’t leave without buying or renting out at least one book. But even having only one book felt strange, so I usually ended up with three.Â
Since I started university, going to the library means that I’m going there to do schoolwork, so for a very long time, I couldn’t see it as a safe haven or a place to have fun. Only when I made a trip to my hometown library last year, without the intention of research or schoolwork, and just walked around, I remembered how much I loved being in a library. It looked different than how I remembered it, but the change didn’t feel unsettling. There were still aisles of books that stretched along the walls and that was the most important part to me; you cannot have a library without books, no matter how old or new they are. Whenever I go to the mall, I still make a pit stop at the bookstore, just for the atmosphere and to feel less alone. I can guarantee there is at least one novel on every shelf that can make me feel like I’m reading my own writing. Most stories evoke feelings in me that I never even realized I’d been feeling: my heart and soul feel forever changed with each book I read. Even if I didn’t like the book, I can always learn something from one.
When I was younger, lots of people around me liked reading as much as I did, but as I grew up, they found new interests while I still really enjoyed it. I recognized that and it never bothered me until I got to a point in my life where I had absolutely no friends who enjoyed reading for entertainment. During that time, I felt lonely, so I loved my books in silence.
But something has been happening recently within the past few years. Social media has created an uproar of readers; new and old rejoicing at the idea of books and sharing their thoughts. In some ways, I feel as though I am in a very big book club. I can easily find someone who has the same opinions as me about a particular book and I feel so validated. For a while, I thought the world’s appreciation and love for reading was dwindling—and I suppose it is in some ways—but social media has made me feel connected to people who I don’t know yet, where some are almost exactly like me. I wonder if it’s due to readers reaching out to others like themselves based on what they are seeing too: a lack of reading and love for books.
Technology has made reading easier and more accessible than it ever has been. I can read any book on my Kindle without needing to physically go somewhere or move at all, which is helpful for some days where I simply want to rot in my bed and relax. It was hard to get started reading on my Kindle at first, but now it’s all I can read on. I’ve been trying to read physical books again, but I’m finding it’s difficult to switch back to my old ways.
But as much as I have been loving the new changes, I feel there’s still a disconnect between readers and their books. A Kindle, as convenient as it is, does not recreate the feeling of holding a physical paper or hardcover book. As much as I love reading, reading on the Kindle feels unnatural in a sense. I miss the feeling of having to flip pages and hearing them move from one side to another. I miss the smell and holding a book, placing in a bookmark, then checking how far I’ve gotten through the book. Sure, my Kindle tells me what page I’m on, but it doesn’t make me feel as accomplished or that I’ve gotten far in the book.
Whenever I went to a bookstore or library, I would be nosy and look at what other people were reading. If I knew the book they were reading, I would feel inclined to talk to that person—if only I hadn’t been so scared to talk to people, I probably would’ve. I can’t do that anymore now that people borrow books online or if they read on their Kindle. I think that’s why I get so excited meeting other readers; everything has been digitized so it’s more difficult to connect to someone in front of you than someone you’ve never met on the internet. I love when someone tells me their favourite books, current reads, or their thoughts on some of the books that I liked to read. I find that every reader is unique in their tastes and the way they think and view books; I always get a new perspective, and the best part is that I can talk to them face to face, have in-depth conversations, and feel a true connection. Meanwhile, readers on social media can make me feel understood, but I know these readers are not physically with me to discuss these books, so there’s a connection, but it’s far away and one-sided.
All in all, I love that reading has been re-popularized on social media and through the many adjustments to the bookish world for accessibility; but there are some parts of the experience I wish were still more common and appreciated in this new world of reading.