I read excerpts of Tennyson’s Ring out Wild Bells to my sons this January, hoping to inspire the spirit of the New Year (and segue into some goal setting), but after hearing the words, rather than catching a spirit of forward-looking enthusiasm, my six-year-old instead pronounced the song a sad one.  Admittedly, the wording is a bit dire, “the year is dying in the night” and all that, and he decided that the thought of letting go the old things wasn’t so cheery.

I found myself relating to this feeling, as I occasionally tend to favor old things: old buildings, old-fashioned names, old music, and so on. Anyone who knows me will tell you I am usually the last person to adopt the new technology—especially where my reading habits are concerned. My husband would probably rejoice if I would start downloading books instead of accumulating them by the boxload.  As it is, I keep bringing them home, the older the better—I love the smell and feel of them in my hands.

A few weeks ago I heard Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) interviewed.  When asked about his thoughts on the role of books in an increasingly technological world, his answer surprised me.  While admitting to being a virtual luddite, he was willing to acknowledge the benefit of having books available in the same way as other media like music, movies, games, etc.  The mere ability for kids to click on their favorite books and access them on various devices, he suggested, would help keep reading relevant for a new generation.

So, in spite of my own reluctance to “ring out the old,” I am once again recognizing that there is value in “ring[ing] in the new,” and am deciding to venture more regularly into the technological world…starting right here.