Every organization that supports reading today faces the same challenge: attention is becoming increasingly hard to earn. Streaming, gaming, social media, short-form video—we have more ways to spend our time than ever before. And many platforms are designed to capture attention quickly and keep people coming back, regardless of age.

Reading asks us to slow down. It rewards curiosity, imagination, and sustained attention. That doesn’t make reading less important. If anything, it makes reading engagement more essential than ever.

Schools and libraries continue to play a vital role in helping young people develop literacy skills. Equally as important is helping readers develop a love of reading. They need an experience that keeps them coming back. One that doesn’t compete with technology but feels flexible, meaningful, and worth returning to.

Reading Isn't One-Size-Fits-All

Reading habits have changed, not just for students but for all of us. We discover, consume, and share stories in different ways, and reading programs should reflect that reality.

Today's readers move fluidly between formats. One student may lose themselves in a fantasy series, while another connects through a graphic novel, an audiobook, or nonfiction tied to a personal interest. Most adults do the same, moving between books, articles, podcasts, videos, and social feeds depending on where we are, what we're trying to learn, or how we want to spend our time.

Rather than expecting every reader to follow the same path, we should create opportunities for students to discover stories in the formats that resonate with them. When students have choice, they're more likely to stay engaged, build confidence, and develop lasting reading habits.

One More Chapter, Not One More Video

When almost every experience begins with a tap, swipe, or scroll, reading doesn't need to compete by becoming louder. It simply needs to be easy to discover, easy to join, and rewarding enough that students want to come back.

Schools and libraries have long excelled at creating welcoming spaces for the communities they serve. Participating in reading programs should be just as welcoming. Limited access to books and what “counts” as reading can discourage students before they ever get started. The most successful programs meet readers where they are. They make it easy to find books, recognize multiple reading formats, celebrate progress, and invite families to participate to establish a daily routine. Milestone celebrations, themed challenges, student recommendations, and shared reading goals can also help students experience reading as welcoming and rewarding.

When participation feels simple and inclusive, students spend less time figuring out how to join and more time discovering stories they enjoy. In a world full of distractions, making reading easy to choose may be one of the most powerful ways to keep students choosing it.

Connection Builds Curiosity

Reading's greatest benefit is the way it connects people. Some of my favorite reading memories were not simply finishing a book, but the conversations in a book club and reactions from friends as we discussed the protagonist.

I’ve seen and experienced reading habits grow through relationships: teachers who recommend a favorite novel, librarians who know exactly what to suggest next, and families who read together at home. Our school and library partners create countless opportunities for these moments through summer reading challenges, hallway book displays, student reviews, family literacy nights, and classroom celebrations. Individually, some of these moments are small, but together, they send a powerful message: reading matters here.

That’s how reading culture is built. A consistent experience where students feel like they belong. Where they feel like a reader.

We Can't Improve What We Don't Understand

If we're asking students to choose reading in a world full of distractions, we also need to understand what motivates that choice.

Participation numbers tell us part of the story. Reading minutes, books completed, and challenge completion all matter. But they don't tell us how students feel about reading—or what encourages them to keep coming back. Understanding motivation helps schools create experiences that resonate with different readers, identify barriers to participation, and better support lifelong reading habits.

That’s one of the reasons we developed the Reading Motivation Index (RMI). Based on research from the National Reading Research Center, the RMI measures the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence reading behavior. Measuring motivation over time provides a lens into what drives reading, and what may be standing in the way.

Helping Reading Win Attention

In a world full of distractions, we can't expect students to choose reading simply because we tell them it's important. We need to give them reasons to come back. Creating reading experiences that feel welcoming, meaningful, and connected to their lives is one of the best ways to engage today’s youth. It starts with giving students choice, removing barriers, celebrating progress, and connecting every reader with stories they genuinely enjoy.

When schools and libraries prioritize motivation alongside literacy, reading becomes more than another activity competing for attention. It becomes a habit, a source of connection, and an engaging experience students want to return to. That's how lifelong reading habits are built.

In a world where attention is one of our most valuable resources, making reading worth choosing may be one of the most important things we can do