Smartphone Addiction and Consequential Decline of Library Use and Reading Habit of the Youngsters of Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study

Over the last decade or so, the use of smartphones has grown exponentially, affecting not only communication and information access, but also contributing to excessive use which has become a major challenge, especially for the younger generation, who are reading less, using libraries less, and reducing their academic engagement. This study investigates the impact of smartphone addiction on the usage behavior and reading practices of adolescents and youth in Bangladeshi libraries and identifies possible strategies to address these problems. It was a cross-sectional study using a mixed-method research design and a purposive sampling technique, with a total sample of 310 respondents comprising 200 students (ranging from 14-25 years, median age 19 years) and their corresponding teachers (60) and parents (50). Structured questionnaires were used to collect data, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that 68% of the students were addicted to smartphones, and 74% of students experienced issues in their daily functioning because of using smartphones. Smartphone addiction was associated with anxiety, depression, insomnia, poor concentration, cyberbullying, irritability, and academic decline, among other adverse outcomes. Students themselves reported that overall, 62% were unwilling to use the library, while 38% used it, mainly university students. All teachers 100% agreed that student reading and library usage were impacted by the overuse of mobile phones. It also revealed that 80% of the institutions surveyed had libraries, and many of these institutions were deficient in basic facilities, particularly in secondary institutions. Even so, 68% of parents reported that their children were more interested in smartphones, and 32% reported that they preferred to read or play. Students’ excessive interest in smartphones is highly detrimental to their academic performance. It has proposed a few provisions regarding the proper use of smartphones, the improvement of library infrastructure, the integration of libraries, regular activities into the academic curriculum, and making the digital literacy programs more effective in revitalizing the reading culture and accelerating the overall intellectual development of the country’s youth.

Smartphone Addiction, Library Use, Reading Habits, Youngsters, Bangladesh.

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