COVID-19 Has Affected Reading Habits

During COVID-19, although recreational activities were limited, some have sought adventures through the pages of a book. Quarantine has given more time to read, but there has always been one burning question for readers: Where can one even get books?

The library is closed. Yes, the place where books are free is closed. So, how did readers decide where they were going to find their next adventure? 

“Since COVID, I have not been able to go to the library, unfortunately,” said Ava Olguin, a sophomore at Freedom High School who loves binge-reading books. “Although, I hope to go soon, as I would much rather not pay for books. I am not made of money, so in the beginning of COVID, I generally just used my kindle to read.” 

Readers have already lost the library, their second home, due to COVID-19, and readers do not want to lose another important part of their lives: money. Buying books is very expensive, and although books enrich people’s minds, they do not enrich people’s wallets.

In fact, they do the very opposite–and during these difficult times, money is not something that should be in short supply. As a result, readers have resorted to other options, such as finding books from completely legal websites, finding free books on Amazon Unlimited plans, and other alternatives that are not usually one’s cup of tea. 

“I mostly find books from the library electronically,” said Christina Farello, a 10H and 12 DE English teacher at Freedom High School. “So I’ve still been able to access them.”

While others have been greatly affected by the closings of libraries, there is less of a burden on those who borrow e-books instead–borrowing e-books from the library has not been affected by COVID-19, since it does not threaten any safety protocols.

Not all readers have been extremely heartbroken by the limitations of COVID-19, but the pandemic has definitely affected readers who prefer to hold a physical book in their hands. However, the severity of COVID-19 has lowered, and stores are slowly starting to open again. So readers, do not fret–along with opening books, await the reopening of more bookstores and libraries!