Final Report for the Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has established children’s reading literacy as a priority area for evidence building. IMLS aims to develop evidence-informed approaches to understanding the needs, opportunities, and solutions around improving children’s reading engagement in the public library field. As part of this effort, an IMLS review of the research literature on the effects of literacy and reading programs in public libraries (Guven & Haddad, 2023) found that successful programs are based on effective content, instructional methods, and motivational practices, and that programs that incorporate practices such as read-aloud, book discussions, social interaction, adult reading support, and community participation had promising results on children’s motivation for reading and reading skills. This review builds on that 2023 literature review by conducting analyses of data from secondary sources to better understand the components of reading engagement, how public libraries foster that engagement, and the role that public libraries play in a greater literacy ecosystem.

This report identifies evidence from research literature, landscape research and interviews with IMLS staff, and records from IMLS grants that support children’s reading literacy. Key findings include an in-depth exploration of reading engagement and how it is measured, an understanding of how libraries promote engaged reading, an examination of how libraries support caregivers in engaging children in reading, and a summary of how libraries contribute to the overall literacy ecosystem.

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IMLS’ Research and Evaluation studies align with the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 with the goal of using data and evidence to support its agency mission and improve its operations.