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Reading Matters: What the Research Reveals about Reading, Libraries, and Community
Drawing upon data published in a variety of scholarly journals, monographs in education, cultural studies, media studies, and libraries and information studies, as well as their own research findings, these authors shatter some of the popular myths about reading and offer a cogent case for the library's vital role in the life of a reader. By providing a road map to research findings on reading, reader-response, audiences, genres, the value of popular culture, the social nature of reading, and the role of libraries in promoting literacy and reading, this guide offers a clear rationale for making pleasure reading a priority in the library and in schools.
The authors assert that reading for pleasure is as vital as ever; and that it is, and should be, woven into the majority of activities librarians consider fundamental: reference, collection building, provision of leisure materials, readers' advisory services, storytelling programs, adult literacy programs, and the like. Reading Matters covers myths about reading, the boy problem, reading and identity, how readers select books, and reading as a social activity. An essential resource for library administrators and personnel, the book will help them convey a message about the importance of reading to grant-funding agencies and others. It contains powerful proof that can be used to justify the establishment, maintenance, and growth of fiction (and other pleasure reading) collections, and of readers' advisory services. It is also of interest to LIS faculty who wish to establish/maintain courses in readers' advisory, and can be used as supplemental reading in these classes. Finally, it is a great model and aide for additional research on this topic.
The authors assert that reading for pleasure is as vital as ever; and that it is, and should be, woven into the majority of activities librarians consider fundamental: reference, collection building, provision of leisure materials, readers' advisory services, storytelling programs, adult literacy programs, and the like. Reading Matters covers myths about reading, the boy problem, reading and identity, how readers select books, and reading as a social activity. An essential resource for library administrators and personnel, the book will help them convey a message about the importance of reading to grant-funding agencies and others. It contains powerful proof that can be used to justify the establishment, maintenance, and growth of fiction (and other pleasure reading) collections, and of readers' advisory services. It is also of interest to LIS faculty who wish to establish/maintain courses in readers' advisory, and can be used as supplemental reading in these classes. Finally, it is a great model and aide for additional research on this topic.
288 pages, Paperback
First published December 30, 2005
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197 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 16, 2016
I skimmed this one in preparation for a new "Reading Experience" class I'm teaching in May. I was surprised to find that while this book is published in 2006, many of the sources are at least two decades old. This isn't always an issue but many times these resources are discussing genre with book lists, and clearly they would be out of date. Puzzling, but that doesn't entirely negate the overall usefulness of the book.
I was looking for "reading reflection" and "reading experience" ideas, and found a few good ones, including an entire section on "Reflecting on Reading." I also found the section on "Reading and Identity" very applicable.
I was looking for "reading reflection" and "reading experience" ideas, and found a few good ones, including an entire section on "Reflecting on Reading." I also found the section on "Reading and Identity" very applicable.
March 29, 2017
This has been a highly fascinating book to read. I really enjoyed learning about the research of reading, libraries, and communities. I had to read it for class but it makes me want to read more. I can't wait to learn more! I would have liked in the last chapter something about the blogging community though. The last chapter goes into the social aspects of reading, so blogging definitely fits that. Really good read though! Lots of food for thought.
November 16, 2008
Reading a book about reading? How very meta.
As someone who has been reading from a very young age and hopes to become a teacher of literacy someday, I found this book to be a very satisfying survey on the state of reading in today's society. The authors organized this book very nicely in terms of reading habits at various stages of life (childhood, adolesence, adulthood), and gave particularly good insights for those of us who are teaching students to hopefully become life-long readers.
One thing that I found interesting from this book is the authors' focus on reading as a social activity. There are some instances in which we think about reading as something we share, for example reading in class, or a parent reading a bedtime story, or even LeVar Burton sharing books on the TV show Reading Rainbow (I was surprised there was no mention of this show in the book until I realized that the authors were Canadian, and the program might not be as culturally relevant north of the border; Canucks, if I am mistaken, please say so). In reading this book, there is a sense that the social aspect of reading has really come full circle, from the ancient and medieval practice of reading aloud to those who could not read for themselves to the current contexts of classrooms and book clubs.
This book is a good reference tool for anyone who deals with reading in their professional lives. It is also an intriguing read for those of us who simply find pleasure and interest in the act of reading itself.
As someone who has been reading from a very young age and hopes to become a teacher of literacy someday, I found this book to be a very satisfying survey on the state of reading in today's society. The authors organized this book very nicely in terms of reading habits at various stages of life (childhood, adolesence, adulthood), and gave particularly good insights for those of us who are teaching students to hopefully become life-long readers.
One thing that I found interesting from this book is the authors' focus on reading as a social activity. There are some instances in which we think about reading as something we share, for example reading in class, or a parent reading a bedtime story, or even LeVar Burton sharing books on the TV show Reading Rainbow (I was surprised there was no mention of this show in the book until I realized that the authors were Canadian, and the program might not be as culturally relevant north of the border; Canucks, if I am mistaken, please say so). In reading this book, there is a sense that the social aspect of reading has really come full circle, from the ancient and medieval practice of reading aloud to those who could not read for themselves to the current contexts of classrooms and book clubs.
This book is a good reference tool for anyone who deals with reading in their professional lives. It is also an intriguing read for those of us who simply find pleasure and interest in the act of reading itself.
August 3, 2011
Good nonfiction makes me a very annoying person. While reading this book, I forced pretty much everyone around me into conversations about their reading histories and habits. Sorry, friends.
But this was a seriously interesting read. It summarizes a wide range of studies done on reading throughout the life cycle, and made me think a lot about my own reading - why I read, how I choose books, my experiences with different genres, etc.
It also gave me the energy to set two new reading goals for myself: 1) read five books from every genre, and 2) reread two books per year.
Reading Matters is a fun and easy read, and I'd definitely recommend it to readers who want to learn a little more about reading.
P.S./Confession: two of the authors are former professors of mine, so it's possible I'm a wee bit biased.
But this was a seriously interesting read. It summarizes a wide range of studies done on reading throughout the life cycle, and made me think a lot about my own reading - why I read, how I choose books, my experiences with different genres, etc.
It also gave me the energy to set two new reading goals for myself: 1) read five books from every genre, and 2) reread two books per year.
Reading Matters is a fun and easy read, and I'd definitely recommend it to readers who want to learn a little more about reading.
P.S./Confession: two of the authors are former professors of mine, so it's possible I'm a wee bit biased.
November 22, 2019
This book absolutely challenged me to reconsider everything I knew about reading, the social function of the librarian and their roles for readers, and the way we intellectualize and theorize about the practice of reading. This is a book primarily for librarians, but bibliophiles should take a moment and consider this book if only for the fact that it offers an understanding of reading as more than just a means of acquiring knowledge. Reading is an activity that encourages emotion and intellectual growth as much as it entertains, and for that reasons, the act of reading is vital to encourage free thought, exchange of information and ideas, and most importantly to get the next generation to see what Wishbone and Sesame Street: Reading is cool yo.
June 9, 2009
This book is a very good overview of the research available in the area of reading for pleasure. The organization of the book is very good looking at history of reading and what we know from the research. This is followed by specific chapters focusing on what is known about children, about young adults, and about adults. In addition, the book contains small sections at the end of the chapters for what can libraries do to apply the lessons of the chapter. This is very useful and practical advice. Also, there are small segments, in gray boxes, that look at small case studies or other interesting details. A reader can easily read the whole book, or he can choose to browse the parts of interest. Some of the material I read here I had seen in other books about reading I have read. The strength of this book is not so much on novelty, though there are some new things, but on the excellent synthesis of various sources. The book is well written; it is engaging, and it makes some very good points about the need and desire of reading for pleasure. I think that librarians and educators alike should be reading it as well as anyone with an interest in reading.
Finally, as a small exercise for myself, this is a partial list of books mentioned in Reading Matters that I have read. By the way, the book provides a convenient title index in the back, which made it easy for me to go back and have a look. The list then:
*Janice Radway, A Feeling for Books: The Book-of-the-Month Club, Literary Taste, and Middle Class Desire. I don't quite recall when I read it, but it was a few years ago. It is not listed here in GR.
* Diana Herald, Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction,. I read it in library school, and I still consult it on occasion. I keep my copy in my office. One of these days I have to list it here on GR.
*Alberto Manguel, A History of Reading. I read this one years ago, so it is not listed in GR. I have to reread it one of these days.
*Jim Burke, I Hear America Reading: Why We Read, What We Read,/i>. This one is listed in my GR list.
*Jonathan Kozol, Illiterate America. This book came out in 1985. I remember being very moved by it when I read it during my undergraduate days. Since it was so long ago, it is not listed in GR.
*Robert Burgin, Nonfiction Readers' Advisory. This one is I have listed on my GR list.
*Harold Rabinowitz, A Passion for Books. This one, a favorite of mine, is also listed in my GR list.
*Joyce G Saricks, The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction. I read this in library school for my RA classes. Not listed in GR. I also read her Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library for the same classes.
*Dilevko and Gottlieb, Reading and the Reference Librarian: The Importance to Library Service of Staff Reading Habits. This one is listed in my GR list. It makes an excellent point on the need for librarians and library staff to actually read (yes, believe it or not, a lot of my brethren do not read outside what little they may need professionally).
*Azar Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran. I do not have this one listed in my GR page, but if I did, it would be on the "dropped" shelf. I simply could not get into this book, which I found pompous and pretentious at times. But hey, if it is your cup of tea, go for it. Remember the old adage: never apologize for your reading tastes. This book was simply not within my reading tastes.
*Sara Nelson, So Many Books, So Little Time. I have it listed on my GR. However, it was not a particularly good book in my estimation.
* Harold Bloom, The Western Canon. Read this in graduate school. Not listed in GR.
Finally, as a small exercise for myself, this is a partial list of books mentioned in Reading Matters that I have read. By the way, the book provides a convenient title index in the back, which made it easy for me to go back and have a look. The list then:
*Janice Radway, A Feeling for Books: The Book-of-the-Month Club, Literary Taste, and Middle Class Desire. I don't quite recall when I read it, but it was a few years ago. It is not listed here in GR.
* Diana Herald, Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction,. I read it in library school, and I still consult it on occasion. I keep my copy in my office. One of these days I have to list it here on GR.
*Alberto Manguel, A History of Reading. I read this one years ago, so it is not listed in GR. I have to reread it one of these days.
*Jim Burke, I Hear America Reading: Why We Read, What We Read,/i>. This one is listed in my GR list.
*Jonathan Kozol, Illiterate America. This book came out in 1985. I remember being very moved by it when I read it during my undergraduate days. Since it was so long ago, it is not listed in GR.
*Robert Burgin, Nonfiction Readers' Advisory. This one is I have listed on my GR list.
*Harold Rabinowitz, A Passion for Books. This one, a favorite of mine, is also listed in my GR list.
*Joyce G Saricks, The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction. I read this in library school for my RA classes. Not listed in GR. I also read her Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library for the same classes.
*Dilevko and Gottlieb, Reading and the Reference Librarian: The Importance to Library Service of Staff Reading Habits. This one is listed in my GR list. It makes an excellent point on the need for librarians and library staff to actually read (yes, believe it or not, a lot of my brethren do not read outside what little they may need professionally).
*Azar Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran. I do not have this one listed in my GR page, but if I did, it would be on the "dropped" shelf. I simply could not get into this book, which I found pompous and pretentious at times. But hey, if it is your cup of tea, go for it. Remember the old adage: never apologize for your reading tastes. This book was simply not within my reading tastes.
*Sara Nelson, So Many Books, So Little Time. I have it listed on my GR. However, it was not a particularly good book in my estimation.
* Harold Bloom, The Western Canon. Read this in graduate school. Not listed in GR.
July 8, 2024
What surprised me about this book is how much research has been done on reading. I really had no idea. Now I am starting to understand how complicated and difficult managing a library can be. Just looking at the controversies of genre fiction vs non-fiction or literary fiction, I was actually encouraged to find that it really doesn't matter and that a good principle is to never apologize for you reading tastes. I have always felt a little guilty about reading graphic novels, comics, and manga. But no more, the research even while being a bit dated, is in, and any reading is good for you. Even watching Netflix and playing games is not bad and can lead to discovering more reading material. Take into consideration about how many streaming based shows are based on books.
And while this book is definitely dated, it is still very relevant. And surprisingly so, but I still think any update would be nice. To see how social media, youtube, podcasts, streaming media, and AI are influencing reading. But regardless, this book has been very insightful and inspiring. Another huge takeaway is that the greatest single factor that studies have found in the success of children in reading is when parents read to their children. The cozying up, the association with warmth and safety, and the on judgmental environment are what instills the love of reading at a young age.
I also appreciated how this book shows that reading is not actually a solitary invent even though done mostly as one. We definitely see this today with Book Tube, Good reads, and Book Tok. Reading is social activity that connects people to other both living and dead. It connects you to the great conversation.
I do think the discussion about gender and related studies are weak, but it did at least try to show how reading is handled between the sexes. I think if there was an update a whole section could be devoted to gender and non-binary gender aspects in reading.
An excellent source, not for everyone, but a solid 4.5 for me.
And while this book is definitely dated, it is still very relevant. And surprisingly so, but I still think any update would be nice. To see how social media, youtube, podcasts, streaming media, and AI are influencing reading. But regardless, this book has been very insightful and inspiring. Another huge takeaway is that the greatest single factor that studies have found in the success of children in reading is when parents read to their children. The cozying up, the association with warmth and safety, and the on judgmental environment are what instills the love of reading at a young age.
I also appreciated how this book shows that reading is not actually a solitary invent even though done mostly as one. We definitely see this today with Book Tube, Good reads, and Book Tok. Reading is social activity that connects people to other both living and dead. It connects you to the great conversation.
I do think the discussion about gender and related studies are weak, but it did at least try to show how reading is handled between the sexes. I think if there was an update a whole section could be devoted to gender and non-binary gender aspects in reading.
An excellent source, not for everyone, but a solid 4.5 for me.
August 12, 2007
This book is a great review of reading research, from the earliest studies of reading and theories of librarianship to the most current studies of appeal factors in popular fiction. The research covered in the book range from early literacy all the way to adult literacy, and citations for all the research are included for further study. The book is well written in an accessible style, and I found it not only very interesting and informative but also a compelling read. It's a great jumping-off point for anyone interested in literacy issues, but will have particular relevance for reading teachers and librarians.
October 1, 2013
This truly interesting and readable book is one to buy and keep! To highlight and bring out at parent meetings, staff meetings, school committee meetings and budget times.
For those who are interested in history and trends in librarianship, there are some wonderful synopses of the leading library beliefs about reading and readers, major studies of reading done over the last 100 years, and rich annotated bibliographies for those who want more. I particularly appreciated that data and anecdotes were drawn from throughout the English speaking world, and not just the U.S.A.
For those who are interested in history and trends in librarianship, there are some wonderful synopses of the leading library beliefs about reading and readers, major studies of reading done over the last 100 years, and rich annotated bibliographies for those who want more. I particularly appreciated that data and anecdotes were drawn from throughout the English speaking world, and not just the U.S.A.
March 21, 2010
Informative introduction on how the act of reading is viewed and carried out in society by age group. Could go into more depth on some topics, but was overall satisfactory for an introduction. For each section of the chapters, there were a wealth of books listed for further reading on the subjects covered.
June 20, 2007
This is a very thorough and thoughtful examination of the issues around reading and readers. It is jam packed with research-both qualitative and quantitative. An important resource for projects and practice. (I'd put in more detail, but I'm using it for a project right now!)
March 10, 2018
Read this for a class, interesting ideas and research although starting to get a bit dated
June 6, 2018
A bit dated, but a great overview of research.
August 14, 2023
Great information within these pages. This is a must read!
December 10, 2018
One of the more fun books in my course literature! It's about why reading is good for you, how reading has been viewed throughout history and what it means to people, supported by statistics asking readers themselves (as opposed to what authorities or organisations WANT you to think about reading). A joy to read.
May 11, 2009
Pretty good. Very dense, they try to put a lot of information in this book. Most of it seemed like common sense to me but it was still a fairly interesting read.
February 11, 2018
Great discussion of reading trends in the world and reading development through various stages of life. Great book.
May 24, 2011
I liked this book, it was reasonably easy to read, for a textbook, and the resource/reference lists in each chapter section were very useful.
February 12, 2013
A very interesting book about reading. Gave me a lot to think about. Read for school.
January 30, 2013
i appreciated the info about ESL classrooms in this overarching thesis.
May 27, 2016
Great advice for me as an educator, and tons of great connections to research about reading. Practical and easy to understand and well organized!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews