Books have the power to connect us in socially distanced times —
Writing about the importance of books and reading for a university audience is akin to preaching to the choir, but I think the pandemic has provided an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the role that literature can play in our lives, and what it offers us as we deal with these unprecedented challenges, individually and as a society.
In the chaotic and frightening early days of the pandemic, when our world seemed to fall apart and none of us knew what the future would bring, some of us found the activity of reading difficult. Some of my colleagues and friends shared that they just could not focus on reading a whole book. For others like me, being able to retreat into a novel and immerse myself in a completely different life from my own was a tremendous comfort, and a momentary escape from the stress of dealing with COVID. If this isn’t the time for you to pick up that great literary classic, that’s okay. There are many different kinds of books to choose from.
Fictional works – novels and short stories – take us into the lives of others, of characters living different lives from our own. They may take place in a time and location that looks very much like ours, or some place quite different. Whether set in present-day Canada, historic times, or a dystopic future (or contemporary!) fictional world, these stories allow us to step into the lives of characters and live vicariously through them. This can be a wonderful escape, a welcome break from our own lives. It is also a chance to learn about others, to start to understand the experiences of people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives; to develop empathy. As humanity faces a common viral enemy, it’s more important now than ever for us to be united and supportive of each other.
Many readers take comfort and joy in books of poetry. Poets are able to distill the essence of something – a thing, a situation, an emotion – and use the beauty of language to offer us a new perspective and appreciation. Like novels and short stories, poetry can help us temporarily escape to a different place, but also offer insights into our own experiences.
Books of non-fiction are as varied as the possible topics on which they are written. Some are scholarly, carefully researched, and written by experts in their fields. Our UFV library is full of these, including books by our own faculty members. These works of scholarship can help us gain a deep understanding of a topic, and provide additional resources to pursue. Popular (not scholarly) non-fiction, often addresses issues of the moment and can provide more information and background than what print or other media are able to cover. With the COVID-19 virus presenting so many questions, looking at what scholars and journalists have written about pandemics can help us understand what researchers are confronting today.
I want to wade for a moment into the controversial topic of format. Many of us are passionate about the printed book, and want very much to have it survive. I definitely prefer to read a printed book if I’m going to be reading it cover-to-cover, and I have concerns about e-books. There are issues around the economic model for e-books, and the accessibility, usability and compatibility of devices and platforms. Researchers are still looking into how our brains absorb information from electronic sources. But e-books are here to stay, and they have been a life-saver during the library closures necessitated by the pandemic. Libraries were able to make e-books available when physical collections were off-limits. UFV Library was able to purchase e-book versions of print resources that were no longer accessible, assisting many faculty and students this way. I can’t imagine what we would have done if this pandemic had struck 20 years ago, when e-books were just beginning to be available.
Books have enriched my life beyond measure since I was a little girl and my parents read me nursery rhymes and children’s stories. I remember learning to read and the incredible feeling that I had just been provided with a key to a treasure chest. Books are helping me through this pandemic, and I hope they are doing the same for you. Please join me for this year’s Book Lovers Day on Sunday, August 9th, and celebrate how incredibly fortunate we are to be literate and have access to such a range of books.
Kim Isaac
UFV University Librarian
Sunday, August 9 is Book Lover’s Day.