Economic well-being and social justice through pleasure reading

Abstract

Purpose-Librarians planning for the future and unsure about the place of books in an age dominated by technology and media need evidence to make sound decisions. Library and information science researchers have studied the impact of pleasure reading on individuals but not on society. The purpose of this article is to raise awareness about the benefits of recreational reading for societies and to consider the implications of these findings for libraries. Design/methodology/approach-Examining a wide range of studies by government bodies, intergovernmental agencies, and academics, this article addresses a gap in the library literature by critically evaluating the combined implications of sources not hitherto viewed together. Findings-The more leisure books people read, the more literate they become, and the more prosperous and equitable the society they inhabit. Practical implications-Librarians should create a more robust culture of reading and play a stronger advocacy role for books in libraries. Originality/value-No one has yet examined government reports about literacy in relation to studies on the impact of pleasure reading. The implications of this combined research highlight the fact that pleasure reading benefits societies as well as individuals, a finding that has significant implications for the future direction of libraries. Decision makers who need a robust mandate for book-focused resources and services will find supportive statistical evidence in this article. Since the 1990s, libraries have focussed on technology-based products and services. Although this paradigm shift has revolutionized libraries, updated their image, provided fresh opportunities for innovation, and attracted new customers, it has also moved books to the margins. Over the course of the last decades, circulation figures for books have steadily dropped in public, academic, and school libraries. In its most recent "Materials Breakout | Materials

More than Lip Service

“…Viewpoint articles can be described as presenting the point of view of an individual on a specific and narrow topic which includes insights from their own experience and perspective, but which is grounded in research (Pugh, 2012). Viewpoints in this sample made contributions to the understanding of and knowledge of social justice research such as the social and economic justice values of pleasure reading (Dewan, 2016) and the importance of leaders in the adoption of social justice perspectives by an organization (Farrell, 2016). Frameworks represent ways of understanding relationships between theoretical and non-theoretical components of an area of research (Leshem & Trafford, 2007).…”

Book Reading Choices of University Students in Jordan

“…Whatever a reader's purpose for reading, whether "to escape from the intractable problems of everyday life, to enlarge their consciousness of the world, to discover images that have power and meaning for their lives" (Appleyard, 1991, p.163), or for "learning, polemicizing, or cultural enrichment" (Thelwall, 2017, p.3), there are books to match their taste. Not only does book reading offer these and more but it is its own best promoter, "The freedom and happiness experienced in reading are addictive" (Zaid, 2003, p.11); we try to do often what we love to do (Dewan, 2016).…”

Accelerated Reader and high school students' reading self-efficacy : a case study

“…In some cases, poor readers drop out of high school (Bauerlein, 2011), which would limit students' opportunities to attend college or work in their trade. Poor readers who graduate may face obstacles or even job loss in the workforce because they cannot understand written instructions, analyze information, or communicate effectively (Dewan, 2016). Therefore, the purpose of this case study was to understand AR's implementation and its relationship to students' reading self-efficacy at Washington Vocational Technical High School.…”

“…(Miller, Greenberg, Hendrick, & Nanda, 2017). When employees cannot read well enough to understand written instructions, analyze information, or communicate effectively, they risk poor work performance and potential job loss (Dewan, 2016). Consequently, unemployment leads to lower socioeconomic status.…”

“…Influences on reluctant readers include personal, environmental, and behavioral variables including family parental attributions (Baker & Scher, 2002;Hornstra et al, 2012;Simpkins, 2015), gender stereotypes (Baker & Mulligan, 2013;Lingard & Douglas, 1999;Watson et al, 2010), socioeconomic level (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002;Lam, 2014;Sullivan, 1996;Potter et al, 2013;Willingham, 2012), cultural capital (Chiu et al, 2015), native language (Nord, Lennon, Liu, & Chandler, 2000), parents' level of education (Duursma, 2014), and parental bookreading (Duursma, 2014). The implications for reluctant readers can be profound, making it difficult for them to succeed in other subject areas, to perform well on high stakes tests, and to succeed in higher education or in the world of work (Dewan, 2016;Goldrick-Rab, 2010;Miller, Greenberg, Hendrick, & Nanda, 2017;Olsen, 2006).…”