January 10, 2011 | 4:01 PM | By

Reading is Fundamental– and Popular in D.C.

FILED UNDER: Delightful City

Flickr: Chotda

Amazing bookshelves, right?

Something a little lighter, after two Tucson posts– more proof that D.C. is the smart city, via WaPo:

D.C. residents rank as the nation’s most well-read, according to the America’s Most Literate Cities study. But the news is not all good.

The decline in newspaper readership and book purchasing are major cause for concern, said the author of the report, Central Connecticut State University President Jack Miller.

These trends raise real concerns about Americans’ literate behaviors, the report states.

I think one of the reasons D.C. loves reading is because we’re always on our way somewhere, waiting for a bus or train. I also wonder if the internet is responsible for the declines that the report’s author is so concerned about…I read and buy less books and one less newspaper than I did a few years ago, but that’s only because the way that I consume news and reading material has changed– I am able to find both, online.

About the author

DCentric was created to examine the ways race and class interact in Washington, D.C., a city with a vibrant mix of cultures and neighborhoods. Your guides to the changing district are reporters Anna John and Elahe Izadi. View all posts by Anna →