In considering how I read and process information, I find that I enjoy reading fiction on a backlit ereader. I don’t need to refer back to other sections, I progress through the text linearly. I do like to have some method of tracking how far through the book I am, perhaps a scroll bar on the side or similar, as this helps me with predictions about what is going to happen etc. I like having chapters that are easily accessible and allow me to have a sensible stopping point, otherwise I would never sleep. I like that I don’t need to have a lamp on, I can adjust my font size, background colour etc. However, when I am reading non-fiction or non-linear text, I much prefer to have a printed version. In this way, I can annotate what I am reading, take notes easily, refer back to other sections or other texts. I find that I take in the information much better if I read from paper rather than from a screen. I find it interesting that Kamenetz (2018) has identified that the brains of children do actually function differently when experiencing texts differently. She identifies that the brain and the comprehension is most active when children experience illustrated texts read to them. This has always been my preference too and I am pleased to see my own preference backed up by research. I think that there are benefits and disadvantages to all types of text and as teacher librarians, it falls to us to ensure that each student and faculty member has available to them the most appropriate tool for the job in hand. It therefore behooves us to understand the benefits and disadvantages of all formats and presentation modes
Kamenetz, A. (2018, May 24). What’s going on in your child’s brain when you read them a story? KQED: MindShift. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/51281/whats-going-on-in-your-childs-brain-when-you-read-them-a-story
