The title of This Boston Globe Article gives me the creeps for some reason. Last year the National Endowment for the Arts reported that not only had the number of Americans reading books of any kind been steadily dropping over the last two decades, but the trend was accelerating. During the period tracked from 1982 to 2002, recreational reading of literature took the sharpest fall and declined most dramatically among young readers (ages 18 to 24), of whom just 43 percent in 2002 said they had read a novel for fun in the past year, compared with 60 percent in 1982.
To reverse the trend, libraries across the nation have been increasingly reaching out to teens.
Why is this creepy?
I’d be interested to know why this article gives you the creeps. Libraries — particularly libraries that are dependent on public funds for their survival — have to reach out to the community and bring people through the turnstiles in order to continue keeping their doors open. Maybe I’m missing something, but I see nothing particularly odious about screening flicks and hosting the Teen Advisory Group — in fact, those things seem to me to be well within the purview of what a public library is there to do.
Re:Why is this creepy?
Hmm, I agree with Blake. The article is good, but the title is just creepy. The word “lure” is ujst plain creepy. You see “lure” more often in titles of articles about pedophiles in the library. Unfotunately.
Re:Why is this creepy?
exactly it’s luuuuure, just doesn’t seem like a good word, probably just me though.
Creepy…but also the flawed report that won’t die
I’m with Blake on this one: “C’mere, kid, we got pizza inside…” [and the first book’s free!]
There’s also the matter of that NEA report. Rather than recount the flaws and overstatements in the report, I’ll point you to piece I wrote about it when it came out.
Re:Why is this creepy?
Come on Blake, take a chance. Maybe his old rusty van is filled with candy.
Re:Why is this creepy?
Sorry — I didn’t realize it was the headline that creeped everyone out. Now that I look at it, I suppose it creeps me out as well. Point taken.
Even creepier
Even creepier is this article from today’s New York Times (registration required) on a new marketing campaign for Cuvée du Cent Cinquantenaire, an orange-flavored cognac-type liqueur from Grand Marnier:
The ads will run in the October issues of Desert Living, Robb Report, Departures and City Magazine, and will appear on telephone kiosks near the New York City Public Library in an effort to encourage passers-by to visit the library, expand their use of language and learn to pronounce the words.
Re:Even creepier
Cuvée du Cent Cinquantenaire
This violates my First Law of Booze:
Never drink anything you can’t pronounce while still sober
It burns to the touch and goes where I lead
Midnight Hobo is the booze that I need.