Noting that the technological revolution in book production has led to more effective means of distribution and increased the number and variety of reading materials available in the world, this report examines several issues connected with the international circulation of books. Following a brief introduction to the subject, the various sections…

This paper presents a brief history of the decline in recreational reading in university libraries and provides suggestions for ways to reverse the trend. The paper argues that students' anxiety about using the university library can be reduced by incorporating library instruction into existing courses. The paper also argues that prominent,…

To identify the profile of the active older reader, indepth taped interviews were conducted with 23 retired individuals for whom reading was an important part of daily living experience. Demographic data indicated that the highest education level attained varied from grammar school to a master's degree. Developmentally, the lifetime reader…

An inventory test, simply constructed of book jackets, given at the beginning of a school year, may aid the teacher in determining the reading interests of children. (JH)

The novel is important to teach; there is no one novel, though, that every student needs to read; flexibility and ingenuity are called for. (JH)

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is a national program that seeks to motivate children to read. Implemented by local sponsors and aimed at disadvantaged groups, it offers participating children a wide selection of attractive paperback books about interesting people, places, and events. The multisite evaluation summarized in this report studied…

This research report examines the effect of sexual orientation in reading material upon reading test scores of boys and girls. (MK)

Elementary school children were questioned about what and why they read. The 20 children, four each from kindergarten and grades one, three, four, and six, included 12 boys and 8 girls. The teachers were asked to send two good readers and two poor readers from each grade, without indicating which children were good or poor readers. During…

A study investigated the diversity of reading behaviors reported by 3,354 middle-aged (45-64) and older (65 and older) Canadian readers in response to a questionnaire on reading habits. The study coupled the amount of time spent reading with a "breadth" score based on the variety and frequency of books read. Based on the subjects' time…

Library historians and historians of literacy have been more creative than journalism historians in using individual-level historical data such as deeds, wills, depositions, surveys, and census figures to study reading behaviors of the past. For example, the series of family cost of living surveys conducted in the United States by state and…

Forty-four secondary school teachers and 43 elementary school teachers were surveyed to determine their reading habits. The survey instrument elicited (1) demographic information, (2) purpose for reading, (3) types and number of books read in a six-month period, (4) types and number of newspapers read, (5) number of professional and…

Predicated on the assumption that if teachers are to have a positive influence on the reading and television viewing habits of their students it is important for them to be aware of their own reading and viewing habits, a study was conducted to determine whether teachers spent more time reading or watching television. Fifty-six teachers in an…

The responses of 36 publishers and editors of city magazines--magazines such as "Chicago,""MPLS," and "Texas Monthly" that are published primarily for a local or regional market--provided data for an analysis of the positioning of these magazines in the media marketplace, factors leading to their success, their…

Focusing on the extent to which high school students are interested in their free-choice books and on the relationship between the students' reading level and the readability level of the chosen books, a study was devised to test the validity of Edward Fry's Readability Principle. This principle states that high motivation can overcome high…

A study was designed to formulate a taxonomy of the literary response processes of children. Three fifth grade girls reading above grade level were asked to read two books that treated a common subject (the death of a child) in different ways. Interviews with the children were recorded so that their literary responses could be analyzed for…