Letters to the Editor: Print books still the choice of many readers; seashells hard to find by the seashore anymore
To pick up on one small point in the article, “Local Rotary clubs donate little free libraries to Burbank,” the statement which begins the article, “In a time when most people read books via a tablet or e-reader ...” is patently untrue. As reported in the Los Angeles Times in 2017, among major publishers, ebook sales have plateaued or been on the decline since 2015. Since 2016, sales of hardcover books have outpaced ebook sales. Pew Research found that 79% of Americans read a book in any format in 2017, and for 67% of respondents, at least one of the books they read was in print. Only 26% reported reading an ebook.
Books, whatever format they come in, are meant to be read and enjoyed. The Rotary clubs understand this, and want to foster a lifelong love of reading and literacy, which is commendable. But for many people, particularly those with certain physical requirements, ebooks are a lifeline, and the best way for them to do most or all of their reading. The Burbank Leader has no need to propagate untrue statistics or fearmonger about the decline of print books. Print books began mass production in the 15th century, and as the above numbers reflect, are still doing just fine.
Lauren Bauer
Burbank
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The next time you go for a walk along any of our beaches, from Santa Barbara to Orange County, try to find a sea shell or sand dollar. For that matter look for a starfish in tide pools or pier pilings. I have walked many miles over the past couple of years and found almost none of them anymore, except for black mussel shells. I have boxes of pretty shells I picked up in the sand since I was a small boy going for walks along the shores of Santa Monica with my dad, but kids today have to go to a gift shop to obtain any.
Are we witnessing a mass extinction in our local ocean? Alarming to me is that most people I’ve spoken with about it don’t even seem to have noticed this, even oceanographers I’ve called up at local colleges to ask about it!
Doug Weiskopf
Burbank