At the same time, in the United States, daily reading for pleasure has decreased by two-thirds. In the last twenty years, that drop has been more than 40%. The detailed investigation by scientists from University College London and the University of Florida revealed a shocking picture. This alarming trend causes many important questions to emerge, one of which is how lower reading frequency impacts our society’s culture, education, and health.
These surprising findings are the result of a new analysis of data from the federally-sponsored American Time Use Survey. This survey recorded how more than 236,000 Americans spent their days between 2003 and 2023. The survey tracks the overall decline in reading for pleasure, which has fallen approximately 3% per year. This trend further implies that people aren’t finding the space in their day-to-day lives to read more books.
Cultural Shifts and Demographic Disparities
The study illustrated stark gaps in reading frequency amongst various demographic groups. The report found that Black Americans had greater declines in spontaneous reading than white Americans. Beyond this, we found that declines were significantly deeper among those with higher disadvantage, such as lower income or educational attainment. People living in rural areas experienced more significant declines in reading for enjoyment compared to those residing in metro areas.
Jessica Bone, Ph.D., is a senior research fellow in the Department of Statistics and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London. She underscored the importance of these disparities.
“While people with higher education levels and women are still more likely to read, even among these groups, we’re seeing shifts,” – Jessica Bone.
The results indicate a dramatic cultural change. More than anything, though, they illustrate how reading for pleasure is becoming less an option for more and more core constituencies of our society.
Implications for Public Health and Education
The downward trajectory in reading has elicited alarm bells far and wide about what this might mean for public health and education. Experts argue that reading for pleasure has historically been a low-barrier, high-impact way to engage creatively and enhance quality of life.
Jill Sonke, a co-researcher of the study, stressed how serious this decline is.
“This is not just a small dip—it’s a sustained, steady decline of about 3% per year,” – Jill Sonke.
As Sonke pointed out, this drop might be attributable to changing social norms.
“Our digital culture is certainly part of the story,” – Sonke.
He went on to elaborate that structural factors are at the heart of this challenge. Access to reading materials, economic insecurity, and a national leisure gap exacerbate the challenge.
“If you’re working multiple jobs or dealing with transportation barriers in a rural area, a trip to the library may just not be feasible,” – Sonke.
The Role of Family and Early Literacy
Despite the overall drop in reading for pleasure, the study revealed that reading with children has remained stable over the past 20 years. This aspect of family engagement is key in promoting children’s early literacy development and overall academic success.
Daisy Fancourt, a co-author of the study and researcher at University College London, said reading serves an important purpose within families.
“Reading with children is one of the most promising avenues,” – Daisy Fancourt.
Bone underscored the importance of communities creating cultures where reading is valued. She is currently campaigning to reform local libraries to make them more welcoming and attractive places in order to bring communities back to reading.
“Ideally, we’d make local libraries more accessible and attractive, encourage book groups, and make reading a more social and supported activity—not just something done in isolation,” – Jessica Bone.