When new people find out I’m a librarian, their response is usually either “I love reading!” or “I’m not really much of a reader…” (I also get plenty of people who say “I didn’t know libraries still existed. The internet…” but that’s a different article) If you fall into the category of people who would tell me “I’m not a reader,” I’m here to tell you that may not be true. Even if you’re not reading a stereotypical format – print novels, you may still be a reader.
Let’s be clear, reading is reading is reading. Whether you spend hours reading the great tomes of literature, every car ride listening to an audiobook, or 15 minutes every night reading the funny pages in the newspaper, you’re reading. And if you’re enjoying what you read, you definitely get to call yourself a reader if you want to. You don’t even need to qualify it with your preferred reading format.
Schools, libraries, and even Audible have done studies that continually confirm reading comics/graphic novels, audiobooks, and traditional print all have similar and outstanding benefits. There is not one “real” reading. It’s all reading. It’s just a matter of finding what format is right for you or how to make a particular format work for you.
Recently, my spouse discovered he likes audiobooks better if he speeds up the narration. It makes it easier for him to pay attention. It seems to be a handy trick for those who struggle to keep their minds from wandering. For me, reading large print or increasing the font size on a digital book makes me feel like I’m reading So Fast! I am a slow reader and get discouraged, so this trick helps me get through longer books.
Let us know if you want help exploring reading formats or genres. We can even help you fine-tune your digital reading to make it work better for you.