Reading Practices of the MTSU Community

Abstract

While the cognitive and emotional benefits of reading are well documented and researched, many adults report difficulty sustaining reading practices due to time constraints, limited access to engaging materials, and a lack of guidance or support.  To better understand these challenges, we conducted a study to explore the reading habits, obstacles, and motivations of adult readers within the MTSU community, including students, faculty, and staff.  The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining existing scholarly research with an MTSU Institutional Review Board-approved Qualtrics survey distributed between April and July 2025.  The survey collected both qualitative and quantitative data on participants' reading habits, perceived benefits, and obstacles, yielding 313 responses.  Findings indicated that although many adults have the desire to read more, there are structural and motivational barriers that often prevent sustained engagement.  Based on these findings, we propose community-centered, educator and librarian-led strategies to alleviate reading barriers, such as book clubs, digital media literacy, reading kits, reading challenges, and workshops.  By fostering creativity, support systems, and intentional collaboration, we week to reengage adults with reading and build long-term, enriching, and meaningful reading habits.