A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF READING HABITS AND ABILITIES OF STUDENTS IN SELECTED ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN NORTH LOUISIANA WITH AND WITHOUT CENTRALIZED LIBRARIES

The problem addressed by this investigation is whether the provision of centralized school library services is related to the reading habits and reading abilities of elementary school children. In considering this problem, a survey approach was utilized which entailed the examination of standardized reading achievement test scores, student reading records, and parent, teacher, and student questionnaire responses. The study was conducted during the 1981-1982 school year. The subjects of the study included 763 students in self-contained third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms in four selected schools in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana. Two of the schools had centralized libraries, and two did not.;An initial analysis of the data failed to reveal a relationship between the reading abilities of students and the provision of centralized school library services; however, when categories of students were separately analyzed, a positive relationship was found. With regard to reading behavior, the students in schools with centralized libraries were found to read more books on the average than students in schools without centralized libraries. Students in schools with centralized libraries also read more books for school work and for general information. A greater percentage of students in schools with centralized libraries additionally reported liking to read for recreation than did students in schools without libraries.;Further investigations are recommended with other subjects and in other settings to determine if similar findings may be obtained. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs would appear to be desirable in this regard, and these might incorporate additional control variables, such as the accreditation status of schools and the professional qualifications of library personnel.;The investigator-designed data gathering instruments were field tested in an elementary school comparable to those included in the study and were reviewed by an informal panel of professors of elementary education from two Louisiana universities. The Science Research Associates (SRA) standardized reading achievement test was used to measure reading abilities. This test has been used nationwide and has been evaluated by professional reviewers of educational tests. The SRA test yields a reading comprehension score, a reading vocabulary score, and a total reading score for each student.