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The purpose of this study is to understand the role and impact of gender on reading habits. It is an attempt to explore the probable reason why or why not gender differences take place concerning reading time, reading purpose, reading resources and digital devices among undergraduate students in the digital environment.

For this study, the researcher used a survey-based approach. To accomplish the study’s goals, a meticulously designed questionnaire has been disseminated among undergraduate students in selected colleges located in the western district of Tripura, a northeastern state in India.

The study found that female respondents have a slightly higher level of liking for reading than males. For both genders, the major purpose of reading is to enhance their knowledge unvaryingly. Furthermore, it has been observed that female respondents read electronic and print reading material more frequently compared to their male counterparts. Female respondents read fiction more frequently than males in print form. Both genders have more ease in reading print resources than digital resources. Among all digital devices, respondents are most competent at using mobile devices and prefer them for digital reading.

As part of the pilot study, investigators surveyed a limited sample population, where the participation of students was further lower because of the unavailability of students.

The gender-based level of competency with digital devices is studied as a variable among the adult population to measure its correlation with reading habits.

This study aims to investigate English recreational reading habits of Arab Jordanian EFL university students when classes are in session and during vacation, and the types of recreational reading they engage in. In addition, the study explores other relationships such as the relationship between reading habits and students ' cumulative grade point average (CGPA); and the effect of parents ' educational level and their time spent on reading.

The respondents, comprising 225 third- and fourth-year English majors, completed an English recreational reading habits questionnaire. The study utilised a non-probability sampling method, namely, purposive sampling. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS software v. 20.

The findings indicated that students read more when they were on vacation compared to their readings while classes are in session. The students ' average time spent on reading when classes are in session and during vacation is 2.15 hours and 2.82 hours per week, respectively. Slightly more than half (57 percent) the students always read emails/chat rooms/Facebook, which are their most preferred type of recreational reading. Non-fiction books were the least favourite among students with 47 percent of students indicating that they never or rarely read this type of genre. Among all the reading interests, only novels had a significant correlation with the students ' CGPA. The findings showed that the respondents with higher levels of fathers ' education were significantly reading more.

The reading habits of EFL students have received little attention and there is limited research that surveyed Arab EFL students ' recreational reading habits at the tertiary level. The purpose of this study is to address this gap in the literature and set out to be a point of reference and comparison for future investigations about English recreational reading habits of Arab EFL tertiary students.

This is an exploratory study of reading behaviors and interest among students residing in a female residential college of Kolej Datin Seri Endon (KDSE), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and the use of reading stations (RS) placed at strategic locations throughout the main campus. The UTM's Vice Chancellor project of developing various RS was to promote a reading culture in UTM. Currently there are 48 RS in the main campus of Skudai and ten more in UTM International campus. Most of the books were donated by UTM staff and students themselves.

Using simple random sampling, 187 students were selected from a population of 1,300 female students. The survey instrument was designed in the form of structured questionnaire comprising a series of close‐ended and open‐ended questions design. A team of researcher investigated and evaluated at least 15 Reading Stations through out the campus.

The findings highlighted some factors related to reading habits and interest of students. The student's evaluation of the RS has been positive. Students however lamented that the books found at the RS are outdated, too academic and unrelated to their specific interest. This showed that even though the RS have been well received by students but it called for many areas of improvement in order for the RS to be of benefit and relevant to the campus community.

It is hoped that this study will stimulate further in‐depth studies and institutional budget allocation for training courses such as speed reading and mind mapping to inculcate a reading culture among students.

This is an original article on the reading habits of students in a certain college in UTM and the evaluation of RS, a newly launched project to promote reading culture among students.

This study aims to attempt to understand the reading habits and attitudes of the Bachelor of IT students and the Bachelor of Arts students from the International Islamic University Malaysia. The study also aims to explore these differences in terms of gender.

The study used a survey approach in collecting the data. The population of the study was the undergraduate students from two academic faculties at the university. The faculties were Kulliyyah of Information and Communication Technology (KICT) (IT‐based) and Kuliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Science (KIRKH) (arts‐based). Based on the 400 sample drawn, 127 responses were received from the survey.

The study finds that the web site is seen as an increasingly important reading source. Significant differences exist between academic programs and types of reading materials and reading resources particularly use the web sites. Some differences in reading habits and attitudes were also observed between male and female participants.

Limitations in this study are related to the small sample size, the inclusion of only two academic faculties, and the limited amount of variables studied.

In general, the findings of the study should assist the University authority, especially the library and the computing department, to look into service matters pertaining to accommodating the reading as well as the studying habits of the student.

The pattern of reading, as is known from the past, may not be the same as reading as it is known today or in the future. Research in reading habits needs to be further updated by including current advancement in ICT, where the technology has enabled reading to be more timely and somewhat non‐linear by using devices such as computers, PDAs and wireless phones without the presence of any printed document.

A rising trend has been observed to minimize extraneous cognitive load when reading by enhancing secondary knowledge through technology. For the readers to comprehend information more efficiently in their cognitive architecture, instructional procedures, which are secondary knowledge, should be aligned with the modern technology environment. With continual, rapid technological advances in modern society, people have changed their news reading habits after using mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and e-readers.

This research employed a quantitative survey to compare the changes in the news reading habits of the undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students in the Library and Information Management program of a university in Hong Kong after using mobile devices to read electronic news. A total of 102 responses were collected, which comprised 51 UGs and 51 PGs, respectively (the student population for the program was around 100 UGs and 100 PGs).

Survey results showed that mobile devices had changed the respondents’ habit of reading news to read more content on phones, with a variation on news categories. Such changes included the duration and location of news discussion among the respondents that shorter periods were used to read and that more people read while traveling and in restaurants. Notably, reading the news helped respondents in their learning. Most respondents preferred to read electronic news by using mobile devices. The convenience of reading and discussing news may also cause a potential threat that intensifies disputes, arguments or even bullying on controversial issues.

This study confirmed that the usage of the mobile devices changed the respondents’ habit of reading news. This user group constitutes the future generation of information specialists in various disciplines. This study fills the research gap of finding students’ reading habits when using mobile devices, especially in East Asia. Educators are encouraged to recommend relevant news content to students to improve their general knowledge base and arouse their interest in reading and discussing related news topics.

The purpose of this study is to explore the traditional reading habits of library users which were ignored when digital libraries were constructed in developing countries. It provides advice on how to solve the problem of the reading habits of library users in developing countries and how rapidly needs of readers with libraries are adopting alternatives to locally held print sources in order to meet the traditional reading habits.

Through reading and studying the related reference materials and literatures by searching in CNKI and checking web sites, the paper provides general tactics on how to develop digital libraries in developing countries. The paper first analyzes the definition and features of the digital library, and is followed by an introduction to libraries in developing countries, confronted with the problems caused by traditional reading habits. Before discussing digital resources and their applications, a brief introduction is presented to the development of digital libraries in mainland China.

The functions of digital libraries in developing countries are seriously diminished due to traditional reading habits. Libraries in developing countries should offer comprehensive services and take due account of the needs of the traditional readers when developing digital libraries. For many years, documents that the library has collected have mainly been various kinds of printed materials. Printed documents are an advantage of the library for traditional users because digital documents cannot totally replace them. It is also unnecessary to digitize all the collected documents of the traditional library. As digital libraries are developed, traditional libraries must continue to provide an excellent service in meeting the needs of users with traditional reading habits.

This paper provides some observations and insights into the design and development of digital libraries in developing countries. All of the above attracts the attention of the digital library in developing countries to the traditional users. To try to get the most appropriate architectural space, facilities and management, efficient service, comfortable environment and modern equipment to enable the libraries to offer the fastest information service for all the readers, the traditional users or modern users.

Providing equal opportunities in class as well as at home does not ensure equal promotion of leisure reading among girls and boys. Gender differences have wider impacts on their reading development. The purpose of this paper is to find out gender differences in leisure reading habits among children.

The search process was conducted during Aug.–Sept. 2019 using Scopus database. A total of 41 studies were selected for the review. The systematic review used Cochrane Methodologies reported as per preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines for identification, evaluation and selection of studies. The studies that dealt with leisure reading, reported gender difference of reading, had age group of 4–18-year children, were in English language and were accessible to the researchers were selected for review.

The results were presented in terms of identified reading factors including reading frequency, reading choice, reading time, reading media, reading influence, reading value and library use. The girls were more frequent readers than boys. The girls were in favor of fiction, while boys were interested in reading nonfiction. Girls preferred online materials but boys were in favor of printed materials. The boys were influenced by their fathers and peer groups’ reading, while girls were influenced by their mothers’ reading habits.

The study provided better understanding of boys’ and girls’ reading differences and required the librarians, teachers and academic policymakers to deal with them accordingly.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first kind of systematic review reporting difference of reading on the basis of gender and inferred reading factors. It will be helpful for librarians, teachers and academic policymakers to consider these differences while dealing with boys’ and girls’ reading choices and interests.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the reading habit and attitude among rural communities in the low literacy rate areas in Malaysia.

Multi-stage cluster and simple random sampling were employed and 400 respondents who live nearby the rural library were selected.

Moderate levels of reading attitude were obtained from the result of the study, in which several variables produced a significant relationship in the reading attitude (education level, household income and time spent in reading).

Better understanding on the reading habit and attitude among rural communities could produce better information on the service provision towards the establishment of rural libraries in low literacy rate areas in Malaysia. This would also increase the utilisation of reading sources and services provided.

The paper provides better understanding on the reading habit and attitude among the rural communities in the low literacy rate areas in using the facilities provided by the rural libraries. The findings may be useful to the rural literacy and library development community in the developing countries.

The purpose of this study was to attempt to answer some plausible questions like what do teenagers prefer to read at leisure, how do they read and why do they read? With the rapid changes in information technology, there is tremendous change in means of communication. Today, much more information is available from electronic and digital media as compared to traditional books. A paradigm shift in information delivery from just information to infotainment has also affected the preferences of the information seekers. Teenagers are a demographic group under transition and they are not untouched by these rapid changes in technology and their impact on their reading preferences.

For this purpose, a survey among 223 school-going (public/convent and government-/aided) teenagers aged between 12 and 18 years was done using a semi-structured questionnaire.

The findings revealed a decline in sports and outdoor recreational activities during leisure, and only 20.6 per cent teenagers preferred reading during leisure. However, self-perception as an avid reader was expressed by majority (53.8 per cent). Fictions were liked by > 75 per cent teenagers; however, non-fictions were also liked by majority (61.8 per cent). The reading preferences of the children were found to be affected by their age, their gender and the type of schools they attended. A significant inverse relationship of television watching and movie-going was observed with reading time.

The biggest limitation was inability to directly interact with the students and inability to gather data from more schools.

By knowing the current reading trends, leisure time habits and exposure to different means of information technology, the choice of medium for knowledge dispersal could be done. The study would help in providing a basis for a strategic change in the ratio of conventional books and other information media in the library.

By identifying the media exposure time and popularity, proper steps may be taken in order to enrich the particular media and to ensure that quality of information available on the media can be directed for social benefit in large.

The impact of demographic and environmental variables on reading habits of teenagers has not been evaluated in this part of the world, especially in view of the paradigm shift in information technology and the growing influence of electronic media and social networking. An understanding of this mutual relationship would help in modifying the reading behaviour of the teenagers.

The study aims to determine the level of e-reading habits and preferred electronic reading materials among nursing college students. The study examines students’ problems and difficulties using electronic resources and their knowledge of electronic literacy. Over the recent years, worldwide interest in reading electronic books has skyrocketed.

This study uses a survey research design and a structured closed-ended questionnaire as the data collection instrument. The sample population consists of college students. The study uses a quantitative method to investigate this population’s e-reading habits and preferred electronic reading materials.

The study findings indicate that while students prefer electronic resources, they need help accessing them due to various factors such as cost and availability. The survey results show that libraries must subscribe to a broader range of electronic resources, and academics and publishers must promote open-access articles to address these limitations.

The study addresses a current issue of students’ reading habits and preferred electronic reading materials and examines the limitations they face in accessing these resources. This research concludes that 21st-century students have transitioned from traditional to digital reading habits. They have a preference for electronic resources but their access to these resources is limited.