[Moderator: Christopher Kenneally –Dir., Author & Creator Relationships, Copyright Clearance Ctr. Panelist: Paul Dry - Publisher, Paul Dry Books; Irene McDermott - - librarian and author, The Librarian's Internet Survival Guide; Randy Testa - VP Education, Walden Pond Press]
“It doesn’t matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don’t read anymore,” he said. “Forty percent of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year. The whole conception is flawed at the top because people don’t read anymore.” – Steve Jobs, New York Times, January 15, 2008
The above statement made by Steve Jobs, a leading visionary in media and music, formed the background for the panel discussion.
Kenneally stressed that The future will always be an unknown, even for gurus like Jobs. Kenneally is assured that we will continue to read to nourish our minds just as we will continue to eat to nourish our stomachs. Hence just as there are different kinds of food (from junk to fine cuisine) to cater to different eaters, there is an equally wide range of reading materials available for different readers. The need, however, is to recognize and know the purpose of one’s reading.
The Greatest Allies
The panel concluded that for reading to have a future, there must be future readers.
- There is a need to create awareness as readers need to know of the reading choices available;
- Authors want to be read and more collaborative relationships should be established to help the creative build readership; and
- Parents are always grateful for any initiatives to introduce or bring their kids back to reading and hence are the greatest allies available.
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