Australia Reads is a not-for-profit national initiative that aims to increase reading rates across the country through research, advocacy, and programming. It is a joint initiative of major Australian book industry associations, publishers and Australian authors. Australia Reads believes that reading is key to a healthier, happier, and more connected nation.
In 2026 Mount Waverley Secondary College library staff will present the school community with a different conversation from Australia Reads as we engage in promoting lifelong reading and learning. We also encourage you to subscribe.
Social Media Ban – an opportunity to access new gateways to reading
Many families will be considering and having conversations about the December 10 ban on social media platforms for children under the age of 16. Restrictions on social media use for Australian children under 16 provide an opportunity to reengage children and teens with reading in their leisure time. So how can we support them to bring books back into their daily lives?
Reading for pleasure has a range of benefits for children and teens – reducing stress and anxiety, boosting cognitive development, and supporting literacy and educational achievement. But more importantly, it’s also just fun!
But new Australian research has shown that children and teen’s leisure time has been increasingly dominated by social media use, at the expense of reading and other recreational activities. Source: Slater, Rebecca. “With the National Social Media Ban Coming, How Can We Encourage Children and Teens to Get Back into Reading? – Australia Reads.” Australia Reads, 20 Nov. 2025, Accessed 27 November 2025.
On the Junior Campus many students have borrowed books for holiday reading.
Students can log in using their school gmail account for information and recreational reading anywhere, anytime, on multiple devices.
- Wheelers e books. The books cover many genres and some are available as audio books
- World Book encyclopaedia to access multiple media sources for information. Audio is included.
Ms Stephanie Thomas
Teacher – Librarian, Junior Campus
The Importance of Reading
The importance of reading is highlighted in the Australia Reads: Resources as it discusses different research that examines how reading patterns are emerging in Australia. Through research, advocacy, resources and campaigns, Australia Reads pursues meaningful social change and support for encouraging reading.
Australia Reads: Understanding Australian Readers is a good outline for how reading is being encouraged and supported for students. Mount Waverley Secondary College supports the importance of reading and learning for students. At the Senior campus library, the reading environment has been strengthened and motivated by staff with new genre collections, categories to easily distinguish between fiction and non-fiction books. At recess and lunchtime, many students are studying and reading in the library. Games and puzzles are also available for students to use. The library is a welcoming and comfortable place for all students.
A report about Understanding Australian readers is the first major report in Australia to examine recreational reading from a behavioural science point of view. The report is a collaboration between Australia Reads and Monash University’s BehaviourWorks Australia, and seeks to understand the drivers and barriers to reading amongst Australians aged 16 and older. A short summary of the 15 key findings is listed below:
- Understanding behaviours helps drive change: How and why do people choose to read? What messaging is likely to be persuasive and effective to get people reading more books and also more often reading them. We should design solutions to help people overcome barriers that prevent them from recreational reading.
- People want to read more: it is important to help people find new opportunities in their schedules to complete more reading activities.
- Different approaches for different readers: There is not a ‘one size to fit all’ model in people’s reading behaviours, but there are similar barriers and opportunities that can be addressed.
- Aim the focus on infrequent readers to have the greatest impact: A reader who currently reads less frequently but has the desire to read more is known by the report as an ‘aspirational reader’. A daily reader would be known by the report as an ‘avid reader’.
- The book industry is already going well with ‘avid readers’: The most active readers feel comfortable with reading.
- Making it easier to search for a book to read: a library is a great place to relax and find a good book and convenient for people to visit and borrow a book when it suits them.
- Regular reading routines help: Having a regular reading time provides more confidence for reading consistently and regularly.
- Making the experience of reading as comfortable and relaxing as possible: Aim to sell the positives of reading with a good book instead of other options available like television and entertainment.
- Make the presence of books ‘more visible’ and open for people: Providing affordable books for people to keep at home, in schools, workplaces, and other public spaces will always encourage reading. Making reading more accessible and appealing.
- Different reading formats are helpful: An example is listening to an audiobook while travelling to work from home.
- Take pressure off readers: People should read more or less frequently depending on their schedule and there is not any requirement to be expected to meet a standard.
- There are many ways to be a ‘reader’: Helping people to read is also a good way to become a better reader for your own confidence. Examples are shared reading experiences or reading aloud opportunities
- Show how others are doing it: Sharing success stories of other people who have integrated reading into their busy schedules may help in showing others that it is achievable and positive.
- Early reading experiences matter: It is often found that people who didn’t read from early years didn’t have a strong impact on subsequent reading behaviour.
- Social norms have a powerful influence: If more people are appreciating reading as an activity then more people will feel positively about reading.
Mr James Glover
Library Technician – Senior Campus