"Books are a uniquely portable magic." – Stephen King
August 9
International Book Lovers Day falls on August 9 each year. It's a day dedicated to the joys of books and the value of knowledge and stories in our lives. August 9 would be a great day to start that book you've been meaning to read (or write), or to take time to share a book with someone learning to read. Whether fiction or non-fiction, print or digital, books help expand our understanding of the world and provide us with pleasure and insight.
Evolution of the Book
In different parts of the world, items such as bones, shells, wax tablets and scrolls contained writing before books emerged. Some early books could take up to a lifetime to write and illustrate. In medieval monasteries, books were sometimes chained to desks to prevent theft, indicating how rare and valuable they were. Things began changing drastically in the 15th century when books started to be mass-produced using printing presses, leading to the growth of literacy and accelerated social change.
Print and Digital Books
Today we have the choice of reading print books or eBooks. Many of us love the familiarity of print books. However, eReaders, phones and tablets offer the convenience of fitting a huge number of titles on them. You can also listen to eAudiobooks on a digital device. San José Public Library offers a wide variety of eBooks and eAudiobooks on multiple platforms, as well as assistance with checking out and downloading them. Explore, and see what interests you!
Love of Books
Please let us know what your favorite books are and why you like them in the comments section below. Or, leave reviews and ratings on our catalog for your favorite books!
Is your love of books so vast that you cannot figure out what to read next?
- Try our Staff Picks! Check out these carefully curated lists of books by our wonderful librarians.
- Ask the Experts! Get a personal recommendation on what you should read next with 5ForU.
- Maybe you love the library, but are not too much of a reader. You can always look into our More Than Books section.
Also, check out some of the following titles, available through SJPL:
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