Sponsored by the Nova Scotia Provincial Library

This presentation examines the role of reading for pleasure in the 21st century. Is pleasure reading a well-established habit in Canada or is our country experiencing the same precipitous decline in recreational reading that has been identified in the United States? First, the context will be established through an overview of recent large-scale studies of pleasure reading by both adults and teens in Canada and the United States. Significant national differences will be highlighted. Next, the presenter will describe her own recent research study which used surveys and focus group discussions to investigate the role of pleasure reading in the lives of junior high school students in the Halifax Regional School Board. Key motivators and barriers to pleasure reading for this young teen age group will be analysed and the implications for public and school libraries will be discussed.

Supporting Materials: Howard2009.ppt