Why it is Important to Keep the Library Collections Contemporary

Books that are relevant to the readers are the best choices. It can be difficult to get new and struggling readers to read for recreation. The best way to encourage them to read is to give them books that relate to them in a personal way. Young readers like to read about children experiencing some of the things they are experiencing. As times change, so do the events that effect the students. Books about children in the fifties, while they can be interesting to some, modern children cannot fully relate to them. For English class, I had my son read To Kill a Mockingbird. It is a great book, but he could not relate to children. Today, it is not safe to let the children run all over town until after dark.

Modern writers have a better understanding of what today’s children are experiencing. They can see what the world is like today, and they write about it. Even modern fantasy novels have something that can relate to modern children.  As librarians, we need to make sure we are meeting the needs of our patrons, and keeping the library up-to-date on all the current reading trends and modern authors, is a big part of that. Students hear about a new and exciting author, and they will want to find their books at the library. Librarians need to be prepared by having these author's books available.

Technology has changed a great deal over the years, and many modern books will have that technology being used. Technology is also used to read books in this modern age. Part of purchasing modern books is purchasing eBooks. Librarians need to carry contemporary books in both paper and digital forms, to be able to better serve the needs of their patrons.

My Reading Preferences Then and Now

What did you like to read when you were young? 

I have always been an avid reader. I was very fond of fantasy books. I loved books about princess, witches, dragons, and vampires have always fascinated me. I loved reading Mary Poppins, the Oz books, The Last Unicorn, Charlotte’s Web, A Wrinkle in Time, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. I also likes mysteries. I loves Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and Encyclopedia Brown. Science fiction was fun to read when I was a child. My favorite Science Fiction books were H.G. Wells classic, The War of the Worlds, and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. I started reading Shakespeare in fourth grade. I loved the comedies, and some of the tragedies.

What do you like to read now? 

            I am still a big fan of fantasy books. My favorite author is Terry Brooks. I also read a lot of historical fiction books. I love stories about the kings and queens of England. The Other Boleyn Girl was one of my favorites. I also tend to read quite a bit more non-fiction than I did as a child. I love reading Shakespeare, I have developed a love of his histories. I also read a lot of poetry.

How have your reading interests changed over the years? 

            The biggest changes in my reading habits are I have lost interest in Science Fiction books. They just don’t interest me anymore. I also have not red a mystery in several years. Now, I like historical fiction, which I hated as a child. I still love Shakespeare, but now, I love all his plays. When I was younger, the only poetry I enjoyed was Shel Silverstein. Now, I love poets such as Robert Frost and Maya Angelou.

What do you think caused the change(s)?

The reason for this change is that as we grow, we mature and our interests change. Our reading preferences reflect these changes. Many thing that we did not understand as children, make sense to us now, and we can appreciate them. And, many things we loved as children, we have simply outgrown.