We’ve all heard the conventional wisdom that staring at screens all day is somehow bad for our brains: supposedly it destroys our attention spans, blunts our intelligence, and transforms us into technology-dependent zombies. But is there any truth to such grim speculations? Are screens really changing our brains?
Reading
Reading Audiobooks
By Megan Huddleston @MNHuddleston
There is currently much debate over whether listening to an audiobook counts as “reading” a book. However, oral storytelling has been around longer than books. In fact, the first books were written in order to be read aloud.
Sparking Conversation: Prevalent Issues in Sleeping in My Jeans
By Massey Barner
Sleeping in My Jeans by Connie Kind Leonard is a powerful book that highlights the struggles of homelessness through the journey of sixteen-year-old Mattie that she, her mother, and her sister are forced to face after a domestic abuse dispute. While carrying the question of where she will sleep at night, Mattie also has to juggle the pressures and tribulations of high school, boys and sisterhood. After the disappearance of their mother, Mattie is pushed to fight against the threat of starvation and ultimately, the threats to young women who appear homeless.
5 Ideas for Summer Book Tourism in Oregon
By Erin Bass
The sun has finally shown its face after months of chilling rain and grey days here in the Pacific Northwest. If you’re anything like me, you’re torn between your can’t-stop-won’t-stop addiction to reading and your desire to soak up some of that sweet, sweet sun while you can. Lucky for us, I’ve created a list of ten books and corresponding activities for this summer.
Listening In: Is Voice Command Technology Changing the Way We Read?
By Monique Vieu
Publishers, just like any other business, must keep up with changing tides in order to stay relevant, and as the demand for easy technology grows, the industry is increasingly turning towards audio and digital in order to survive.
Typefaces as a Soft Science: How They Affect Our Perception of Information
By Zoe LaHaie
Many of us associate certain typefaces with specific situations or ideas—Times New Roman is generally used for anything academic or professional, Courier is reminiscent of old typewriters, and Blackletter or Gothic script makes us think of newspapers.