Who has the time to read anyway?
Have you noticed having less time to read? When you do sit down to read, whether for fun or for class, do you find yourself getting distracted easily? Have you ever read a whole page of text and then realized you can't remember anything you just read?
Sitting down to read for an hour, or for even 15 minutes, may seem like a luxury you can't afford. There's always so much to do, places to go, people to see. Reading seems like such an unproductive way to spend your limited time.
If any of this strikes a chord with you, then what I'm about to say may surprise you. Reading, regularly and with intention, can actually help you save time. Reading regularly helps you to improve your focus, comprehension, and retention of information – all saving you time when studying, researching, and completing assignments [i].
But saving time isn't the only reason to read. Reading is of course a way to obtain information. But people aren't just empty vessels to be filled with knowledge[ii]. When we read, we are interacting with the information on the page[iii]. We all come to the page with unique experiences and perspectives. We bring our own imagination and interpretation. Beyond providing you with "facts", reading can help you to consider different perspectives, deepen your empathy, and challenge your biases.
Reading can also help calm anxiety, increase mindfulness, and improve your creativity.[iv] Reading can make you laugh, cry, and get so mad that you throw the book across the room[v]. It is important to emphasize that there are both unique and overlapping benefits from reading both fiction and non-fiction. Reading doesn’t have to be “academic” or “scholarly” to be beneficial.[vi]
So, I encourage you to pick up a book you've been meaning to read, browse the stacks in the library or join us at our weekly reading hour[vii]. You can start with just 10 uninterrupted minutes per day. The nice thing about reading is that a little goes a long way, and the more you do it the easier and more enjoyable it becomes. Read what you like, and most importantly, give yourself the time to read.
Suzanne Maguire
Instruction Librarian
Favorite book genres: murder mysteries, magical realism, romance, history, critical pedagogy, folklore, and poetry
[i] Dewan, P. (2016). Economic well-being and social justice through pleasure reading. New Library World, 117(9/10), 557–567. https://doi.org/10.1108/NLW-03-2016-0019; Gilbert, J., & Fister, B. (2011). Reading, Risk, and Reality: College Students and Reading for Pleasure. College & Research Libraries, 72(5), 474–495. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl-148
[ii] Freire, P. (2018) Pedagogy of the oppressed. 50th anniversary edition. New York: Bloomsbury Academic.; hooks, bell. (1994). Teaching to transgress : education as the practice of freedom. Routledge.; Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 69–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361332052000341006
[iii] This is also true with eBooks and audio books
[iv] Brewster, L., & Cox, A. M. (n.d.). Taking a “whole-university” approach to student mental health: The contribution of academic libraries.; Dewan, P. (2023). Leisure Reading as a Mindfulness Activity: The Implications for Academic Reference Librarians. The Reference Librarian, 64(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763877.2022.2156968; Higher Education Research and Development, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2022.2043249
[v] Please don't throw library books.
[vi] Boswell, H. C., & Seegmiller, T. (2016). Reading fiction in biology class to enhance scientific literacy. American Biology Teacher, 78(8), 644–650. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2016.78.8.644; Dewan, P. (2013). Reading Matters in the Academic Library. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 52(4), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.5860/rusq.52n4.309
[vii] Reading Hour is held every Tuesday at 3:00 on the first floor of the Library Addition (under the dome) There is no required reading list, simply a place and time to read and connect with other readers. Bring your own book or get a customized recommendation from a librarian.
