Recognition of the Achievements and Practical Effects of Reading among Members of Kermanshah’s Public Libraries

Due to the importance of reading for individuals and society and the low per capita reading in some countries like Iran, some researchers, thinkers, and authorities on reading, including those of public libraries are attempting to attract people towards reading through providing approaches, programs, and fitting and establishment of infrastructures and suitable advertisement. There is no doubt about reading and its advantages and benefits for individuals and society, but the effects and results of reading in people’s life is important, eventually. This study aimed at studying the achievements and practical effects of reading among the members of Kermanshah’s public libraries.

This research has been done in a qualitative methodological approach named content analysis. Data has been gathered with a deep interview technique. Participants were 31 members of Kermanshah’s public libraries in autumn 2016. Sampling was done in a purposeful way and continued up to saturation of information. Data analysis was done at the same time with data gathering along with content analysis approach.

Data analysis led to extraction of 14 main subjects, 27 sub-subjects, and 21 subsidiary subjects. 14 main subjects including scientific progress, development of mind, updating, useful recreation, reaching to calm and vitality, self-development and character creation, achieving power and social rehab, earning experience, problem solving, improving the quality of life, earning credibility, creativity and mental participation. Each one of these main subjects has sub-subjects and subsidiary ones.

Results showed that people will get achievements through reading that causes them to reach success and positive objective and subjective changes, tangibly or intangibly. Although these changes are individual, but are indirectly effective in progress and improvement of society. So, emphasizing on/and recognition of these achievements could be a way to reaching the reading community.