As I got older, I enjoyed reading on my own. Whether it was books of my own, or local library books, I loved falling into the magical messages that the stories held.
Nowadays, with our youth being so preoccupied with video games and social media, I wonder if they take the time to read books for pleasure— not just read textbooks because of homework assignments.
Apparently, the American Library Association (ALA) has the same concern, and to help address the matter, starting this next Sunday through Saturday (Oct. 9-15) it is sponsoring Teen Read Week. This year’s theme is “Read for the Fun of It.” According to its website ALA.org, Teen Read Week is a national adolescent literacy initiative created by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). It began in 1998 and is held annually in October, the same week as Columbus Day. Its purpose is to encourage teens to be regular readers and library users.
I too encourage all young adults to put down their cell phones and open a book, whether it be borrowed or purchased. Most of us know that books can easily be bought online. I, however suggest we all find more creative ways of finding our reading material.
Libraries are a great place to locate books covering all subjects. The books are free to borrow. All one needs to do is acquire a library card for one’s school or city library.
Furthermore, I have other suggestions:
Independent bookstores are certainly dwindling. However, we are fortunate to have such an establishment in east Long Beach. Gatsby Books, located at 5535 E. Spring St., just east of Bellflower Blvd., and owned by Sean Moor, shelves both new and used books. If a particular book is not in stock, chances are he can order it for you. The Gatsby Books phone number is (562) 208-5862.
Another great place to find books is local thrift stores. Whether it be run by the well known organizations like Salvation Army or Goodwill, or at other smaller thrift stores, most books in these shops are placed on shelves in no particular order. Nevertheless, I find the fun is in the hunt and have found vintage books at these places, including a few author autographed paperbacks in quite lovely condition.
One particular thrift shop that stands out in my mind is the one organized by the folks at St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP). The store of theirs that I frequent is the one located at 2750 E Pacific Coast Hwy. Just a few blocks from my home, this store has a fabulous separate book room that is organized by category. Keeping the area in order are a lot of staff members and volunteers. No reason to spend time with your head tilted to the left trying to read hundreds of titles— just find the section marked with the topic you are interested in, and you will be on your way to finding just what you are looking for. At SVDP, the hardback books start at $2.10, with paperbacks starting at just 99 cents. They also have reasonably priced kids’ books starting at just 25 cents. Magazines are available too, and the ones I’ve seen there are certainly newer than the reading material available at my doctor’s and dentist’s offices.
So, whether you prefer to purchase new or used books, or borrow them from your local library, do encourage your kids to read. As Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis said, “There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” (from Goodreads.com)
