Books

The Nation - Take a peek into the library at Burlingame High School, located on the northern edge of Silicon Valley in California, and you’ll find students doing schoolwork on their computers, talking with friends, playing chess, or checking in with their college and career advisor. No one is reading a book.According to school records, only about 50 books were checked out by students during the 2023 fall semester. In response, the administration has decided to take a different approach, rebranding the library as a student union—a communal space for students to interact and complete school work.

At the beginning of this transition last year, the school moved the College and Career Center into the library. This year, this school is removing any book that has not been checked out for over a decade. hile school officials say the change is meant to cater to student needs and interests, it also feels like a capitulation to the basic fact that many in my generation simply don’t read much anymore—at least not books. A recent survey found that nearly 50 percent of American adults read zero books in 2023. Another by Gallup in 2022 found a similar decline in reading among young adults though not as severe as older age groups.