The implementation of a shared reading programme within a university : a case study

Based on research into the benefits of involvement in reading for pleasure and the operation in the US of pre-arrival shared reading schemes for those about to embark on a university education, both within the context of wider research into how to engage newly arrived students in their institution, an exploration was made of the likely response to such a shared reading scheme within a London university. A representative sample of current first years were asked about their how they spent their leisure time, their attitudes towards and involvement in reading for pleasure and their reactions to such a potential scheme. The findings were that more reading for pleasure was taking part than had been anticipated, that students were generally keen to become more involved in reading and that a shared reading scheme would be welcomed by the majority of students. The decisions made on the basis of the outcomes are discussed, along with recommendations for future associated research

How do you choose a book for a pre-arrival shared reading scheme within a University? A case study

This paper continues the exploration of Kingston University’s pre-arrival shared reading scheme, the Kingston University Big Read (KUBR), this time considering action research into how best to choose a common book. After a review of methods used to choose books both specifically in American universities and generally within large shared reading groups, the method used for the KUBR is described. A key objective of the KUBR is to promote inclusion, so the longlist of titles considered was produced by inviting the entire community to submit suggestions. Since the list was extensive, time to make a choice was short, and there was a strong desire for the methodology to be as objective as possible, it was decided to identify the key criteria relevant to choosing a suitable book and then use a simple algorithm—essentially a weighted scoring system—to score each book using readily available data in order to make a shortlist of six books. These were then read by a panel of students and administrative and academic staff. The book finally chosen was Matt Haig’s The Humans. This paper details each step of the method and finishes with an appraisal and lessons learnt for next time.</jats:p