Online Reading Increases Book Reading

Online reading opens the doors for more readers than ever before. The benefits of digital reading weigh the same as those of reading a more in depth source, like a novel. While reading a book may require the reader to think more deeply about the subject matter and give the reader things that online reading cannot, the benefits of online reading far exceed the cons. While an online reader may not have to think as much about the words on the screen, they are able to access the needed information at a much faster pace and without having to read unnecessary things. Some may argue that people favor online reading for convenience sake and are getting the information that they need without ever gaining knowledge. Just like Lee Siegel said in Against The Machine,"You can possess a lot of information about something without understanding it"(150). But in recent years online reading has sparked a greater interest in reading books. As the graph produced by the National Endowment for the Arts below shows, the percentage of adults reading online is very high. Their study also found that, “For adults who read online articles, essays, or blogs, the book-reading rate is 77 percent” (NEA 8). As the number of adults who read online increases, so does the number of people who are reading books. Therefore online reading not only is beneficial for quick access to information, but it is developing a greater desire for more in depth reading and in turn, more knowledge.

Macfarquhar reading

I posted a comment on CEC's blog post about the article "Who Cares If Johnny Can't Read?"

Comment about Bauerlein

I posted a comment on CEC's blog post"Is Bibliophobia a Social Disease?"