Does 1:1 technology make you read less?

I was chaperoning a movie night at school on Friday, and a former students approached me.  "Do you have a copy of Divergent that I could read?  Every time I go to the library, it's checked out."
"Of course I do.  Do you want me to get it for you now if it's on the shelf?"
"Yes, please."
A few minutes later, she was walking into the auditorium with the book in her hand, and I'd matched a reader with a book.

I wish I could say that I felt the same excitement about being a "matchmaker" this year.  It's not the kids.  I really enjoy them!  Or maybe it is the kids.  And what we've done to them.  This is the first year I've noticed it, but it also happens to be the first year that we've gone 1:1 with iPads.

So what's different?

At this time last year, students had read double the number of books this year's students have.  You read that right.                                                                        

DOUBLE.  

This year, students think nothing of taking 6 weeks to finish a book.  Six weeks into a book and you hardly remember the beginning!  Many talk about how they don't love to read.  And yet, when they get time to read in my class (which is almost daily) they seem to enjoy it.  They can read paper copies, online versions, or audio books.  It doesn't make any difference.  Outside of my classroom, the default is no longer to pick up their book when their work is finished.  Instead, they pick up their iPads.


I'm curious.  Are you seeing this in your classrooms, too?