Children in low-income, postcolonial countries such as Malawi have few opportunities with quality reading materials that promote independence as readers. In this study, we argue that access to locally produced text relevant to linguistic and cultural contexts is a fundamental human right for children throughout the world. Situating this study…

Higher education institutions worldwide are transitioning to electronic books which have become a standard platform in providing reading materials. This study investigated the determinants of the adoption of academic e-books by university students in Nigeria. Results showed that a majority of students were aware of electronic books but only 44.5%…

We examined the joint role of parental word reading skills and conventional home literacy environment measures among 320 Filipino low- to middle-income families in Cebu City, Philippines with children aged 5-8 years old. A ranking of parent-reported ratings of their frequency of engaging in home literacy activities and adult literacy practices…

This cluster randomized controlled trial tested the impact of school-only and lifewide-learning (LWL) approaches to supporting early-grade learning over 2 years in rural Rwanda. We compare school-only and LWL treatments with a business-as-usual control condition and with each other. Schools in both treatment groups received reading materials and…

Doctoral holders are considered to be key actors in the creation of innovation and knowledge. However, this generalization may not hold true for doctoral holders in all countries. This study sought to assess the scholarly productivity of these highly qualified individuals in Uganda. The investigation is based on data sourced from the 2012 Careers…

In 19 (sub)samples from seven countries (United States, Austria, Germany, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Vietnam, Brazil), we analyzed the impact of parental education compared with wealth on the cognitive ability of children (aged 4-22 years, total N = 15,297). The background of their families ranged from poor indigenous remote villagers to academic…

At the 17th General Conference the UNESCO Member States decided unanimously to promote worldwide action in favor of books and reading by maintaining the impetus of the International Book Year 1972. They adopted the four themes of the book year as long term objectives and set out suggestions for action for each of the themes, which are: (1) books…

To determine the consumption benefits of education, this report details a study that explored the cost placed on items or services associated with basic literacy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The first section both explains why consumer prices for books, newspapers, and postage are valid indicators of the consumption benefits of…

Emphasizing that books are keys to cultural development, catalysts to trade, and unparalleled (but "neglected") ambassadors of American culture, this report points out the need for a new international outlook on the part of the entire United States publishing community. The report calls for a renewed cooperative approach, which would bring…

Prepared as an update of research conducted in 1972 concerning the state of book production in the world, this report provides a wealth of data pertaining to books, book production, and reading. Various sections of the report deal with the following topics: (1) regional and national trends for industralized, deprived, and heavily and under…