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FEBRUARY 11, 2009
Most Literate?
Not long ago there was a study reported in U.S.A. Today and subsequently on various internet sites, that cited Minneapolis and Seattle as the most literate cities in the country. Boston, the only New England city in the top 10, ranked 8th. Last year, Boston ranked 10th and the year before, not in the top 10 at all. The study measured six indicators of literacy: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment and Internet resources. It did not actually measure how much or how often people read. If you’re like me, this can be very misleading. I frequent bookstores. Clearly, I frequent libraries. I purchase books – I have shelves full! But do I read? I am often depressed at how little I actually read. For me, as I’m sure like most, this is an issue of time. Or should I say the lack of it. Still, the study did suggest some interesting findings. Cities that ranked high for bookstores, also had a high proportion of people buying books online. Likewise, cities that ranked high for having well-used libraries, also had more booksellers. While I’m not sure that this research truly enlightens us on literacy, it does tell me one thing: Borders and Amazon does not replace your local library. Happy reading… And an interesting bit of trivia … this study was done by our local resident, Jack Miller, president of Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Conn. |
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