Reading still popular, despite internet

Dubai: Reading is the cornerstone of development for children and adults alike, and through centuries of human societal development, reading books has remained a constant.

Ancient Egyptian civilisations collected and stored information, recording writing on papyrus (an early form of paper) and evidence of the first libraries has been found dating back to 700 BC.

In the modern world, the rise of the internet, e-books and mass communication techniques, as well as concerns about sustainable resources, have been seen to threaten the existence of the book in its paper form.

Popularity

There's no doubt that e-books and online reading have gained in popularity, which is comparable to the way people consume online news as opposed to physically reading printed newspapers.

According to Ebooks Corporation, the ebook market is set to be worth $3-$5 billion (Dh11-Dh18.4 billion) by 2011 - a considerable increase from 2007 figures placing the sector's worth at $220 million.

For many consumers, downloadable information is becoming more convenient than searching through hard-copies. However, e-information has its pitfalls, with its dependence on internet connectivity, hardware performance and susceptibility to damage.

Traditional readers - also known as "bookworms" - sometimes reject modern methods of electronic reading, preferring to stick to the age-old method of reading from books.

Bisham Sainani has a passion for books and reading. He is most likely to be found in Bookworld, Satwa - a second-hand bookshop that also operates a library-style buy-back return policy.

"I sleep with books, I live with books - it's my life. I will die with books," Sainani said.

"Reading is food for thought - food for the mind. I encourage my children and anybody in my family circle to read. It's the basis of development, for any child or adult.

"I encouraged my children to read from the age of six months, or from whenever they could understand the pictures," he said.

Bookworld has been open in Satwa for the past seven years, and also has an outlet in Karama.

"Books are a passion," Sainani said, "I don't have a TV or anything."

From February 26 2009, Dubai will host the region's first international literary festival - The Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature (EAIFL).

Renowned authors, writing in Arabic and English, will attend the festival hosting workshops and including a dedicated 'Education Day'.

'Supporting initiatives'

Isobel Abulhoul, director of EAIFL and Magrudy's book stores, said: "We are supporting various initiatives in the development of better education and literacy levels across the Arab world. With over 860 million illiterate adults across the globe, there is a great need to provide access to books.

"Through inclusive festivals such as EAIFL, we aim to raise awareness of the importance of literature and education."

"Books are fundamental communication and educational tools. The more access that people have to books in any form, whether electronic or printed, should be promoted.

"Literature serves as a gateway into other cultures offering an array of different experiences and journeys, and aids in building a more accurate picture of a world one might have otherwise thought foreign," Abulhoul said.

Home to books

The UAE is home to many bookshops and a network of libraries.

Book World, by Kinokuniya, is one of Dubai's newest bookshops, which recently opened in Dubai Mall.

The Japanese bookstore was first opened in January 1927 by Moichi Tanabe, with just five employees. By April 1949, having burnt down and been rebuilt, Kinokuniya started importing books.

The construction of its headquarters in March 1964 signalled massive growth for the bookstore. The nine-storey building, including two underground floors, was a far cry from the two-storey wood-built store with which the chain first opened.

Despite the rise of digital communication and electronic reading matter, many believe the book will never die in its paper format.

The experience of physically holding and reading a book, it seems, can never be completely replaced with electronic formats.

When was the last time you read a book? Which is the most memorable book you have read? Has the quality of literature available to readers changed over the years?