American Academic Librarians' Attitudes Toward Recreational Reading: A Content Analysis of the Periodical Literature, 1945-1975

by Peterson, Kelsy L.

This study employed content analysis of the periodical literature of librarianship to address the current gap in knowledge about academic librarians’ attitudes toward recreational reading between 1945 and 1975. The study’s results suggest that during this time period, many influential members of the academic library community supported recreational reading for undergraduates and believed it was part of an academic library’s mission to encourage it. It appears that interest in and support for recreational reading was at its height between 1951 and 1960.

Several recent articles in the library literature have inferred that recreational reading was historically viewed as outside of the academic library’s purview. By introducing evidence to refute this commonly held belief, this research may help re-shape the discourse surrounding recreational reading in academic libraries. In addition, this new information may assist practicing academic librarians in making better-informed decisions about recreational reading collections and services in their own libraries.