News/Journalism
Locked-in for weeks on end, many people found new hobbies and talents to pass the time. Others rediscovered old passions to help distract from the chaos of our world seemingly collapsing.
I lost myself in books and after researching 2020 reading trends, I discovered libraries across the nation reported increased check-outs of e-books and other online reading materials (i.e. magazines, audio books, etc.).
Using data from Pew Research Center’s 2019 reading survey, combined with interviews from ten different librarians across the state of Idaho, I focused on how COVID-19 affected reading habits in Idaho, including its effect on libraries.
Further research on popular hobbies during lockdowns, mental health factors and other topics supplemented the librarian’s perspectives and provided more insight to effects of the pandemic.
I spent 57 hours researching, interviewing librarians, writing and creating a website to house all five articles. Each article provides a deeper and unique perspective on the pandemic’s effects in the world of reading.
