LONG LIVE THE LIBRARY

I read an article today on the CUNY Library Science listserv.

The article stated, that the CIA Fact book currently lists the United States ranked 21st in the world in literacy. Literacy is defined (well at least in this article) as the ability to read and write on a fourth grade level.

21st? Kazakhstan, (thank you Sasha Baron Cohen), Tajikistan and Cuba ranked higher than the United States.

As a person, born in the United States, perhaps I take most things for granted, especially being able to read and write.

Could this be? A basic education is free in most places, God Bless America.

This motivated me, to try an experiment for a day.

I pretended I was illiterate. I thought this would be easy. I got on the train, and I grabbed a copy of the AM NY as I always do. Oh, but wait! I cannot read, so I threw away the newspaper.

I listened to my MP3 player. Then I had this thought, how will I know what stop to get off the train as I cannot read. No problem, I can just listen for the announcement, better turn my music down. Thank goodness the announcements were clear. I arrived at my destination.

At work, no need to check my email, as I cannot read. How did I get this job, if I was unable to read the application?

I continued with the experiment.

Now what will I do? I read/looked at the latest issue of People Magazine only to gaze at the pictures. Enough!

Experiment over, it lasted all of 90 minutes and I was unable to do it.

How do people do it all of their lives, I will never know. Long live the library and give me a book to READ.



Happily able to read: The 5 Second Rule & Other Myths About Germs. (A little knowledge is a dangerous thing).