Books or Beer? UConn’s plans send the wrong message 

The Daily Campus recently received an anonymous tip that the university plans to close downtown Storrs’ Barnes & Noble and replace it with a brewing company. While the University of Connecticut has not yet made a public announcement, the possibility raises serious questions about the university’s priorities, particularly at a time when the nation is experiencing a historic literacy decline. 

If true, the decision would eliminate one of the only dedicated literary spaces in the Storrs community and replace it with an alcohol-centered business. This would mark a striking shift away from fostering academic culture and community literacy.  

The United States is in the midst of a mounting literacy crisis — one far more severe, far-reaching and economically devastating than most Americans realize. According to recent data from the National Literacy Institute, 54% of adults read below a sixth-grade level, with nearly 20% struggling below a fifth-grade level. Even more alarming, 21% of adults in the U.S. were fully illiterate in 2024, meaning they cannot read or write well enough to meet everyday demands. This problem is not confined to adults. Among fourth graders, 40% are performing below basic levels, the highest percentage since 2000. These numbers reveal a startling decline in fundamental skills once considered a cornerstone of American education. 

But the crisis extends far beyond reading proficiency. Its consequences reach into nearly every dimension of American life: the economy, civic engagement and the ability of citizens to navigate a rapidly digitizing information landscape. 

When 44% of American adults do not read a single book in a year, the result is a society increasingly vulnerable to misinformation, polarized rhetoric and political manipulation. In a country where news, scientific data and public policy debates grow more complex each year, large segments of the population lack the literacy skills necessary to evaluate credible sources — or identify unreliable ones. 

The issue is compounded by inadequate media literacy education. In a recent nationwide study, only 38% of students reported being taught how to analyze media messaging in high school, a finding that helps explain the spread of conspiracy theories and the public’s declining trust in institutions. 

Economically, the stakes are enormous. A study by the Kutest Kids Early Intervention program found that illiteracy costs taxpayers $2.2 trillion annually through unemployment, reduced workforce participation and increased reliance on public assistance. 

The rise of artificial intelligence has complicated the landscape even further. A 2024 Statista report found that 86% of students use AI tools for schoolwork, with nearly a fourth using them daily. While AI can offer support, its overuse risks weakening students’ ability to think critically, read deeply and write independently, skills that cannot be outsourced without long-term consequences. 

Against this backdrop, replacing Barnes & Noble would be detrimental to students.  For a university whose core mission centers on education, the move reflects a troubling misalignment between its stated values and its development choices. Combating the literacy crisis starts with empowering students to take the lead in rebuilding a culture of reading and critical thinking. Students can advocate for stronger media literacy education in their schools and push for access to libraries and reading spaces. They can also hold universities accountable when they make decisions — such as closing bookstores — that restrict academic resources. By joining or creating book clubs, supporting local literacy initiatives and choosing to read beyond what is assigned in class, students can help normalize reading as a daily habit rather than a chore. Even small actions — like helping peers analyze news sources or swapping books with friends — contribute to a more informed and engaged student body. 

When students take ownership of their learning and demand environments that support literacy, they become a powerful force in reversing the national decline. Their actions today can shape a more thoughtful, critically minded future — one where reading remains not only a skill, but a shared cultural value.