The author of a recent study on the deteriorating state of Canada’s libraries has hope that they can be rebuilt.

Dr. Paul Bennett is a senior fellow with the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy and a director of Schoolhouse Institute in Halifax and author of an extensive report on the condition of school libraries.

He says there has been a significant shift in how information is relayed and gathered in recent years. Reading, critical thinking, and searching for information has been replaced by scrolling and instant gratification.

“In the schools, it has broader implications, because there used to be an expectation that from the earliest grades…students would be introduced to books, they would appreciate book culture, they’d learn the value of books, how to read books, and they’d experience whole books, not just snippets.”

He adds that libraries; what used to be quiet haven for reading and thought, are now hubs for computers and visiting. Bennett says a lack of books in schools, whether textbook or storybook, is also making itself evident in the literacy rate of Canadian children.

“There’s quite a clear relationship between the disappearance of books in broader society and the threat to our current culture which is we’re becoming a generation of non-readers.”

He adds that the selection of books in schools happens to be dwindling, with ‘book banning’ becoming a popular pastime for many teachers and librarians.

“I’ve recommended that we build back libraries with collections that are composed of modern-day classics and Canadian standards. For each grade level from Kindergarten to Grade 9, I’ve identified ten or twelve books that should be part of every school library.”

He says this list can and should be used to build back a strong foundation for students.

Bennett encourages everyone to step away from the screen and get back to the basics before the skill of reading becomes a lost art.