Promoting the culture of reading in private school libraries in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the promotion of a reading culture at private primary schools in Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. A school library can be seen as the “heart” of the school, and it is essential that its services are regularly evaluated to ensure they meet the needs of students. This investment in education will go a long way toward addressing the challenges of high illiteracy levels in any developing country, which also contribute to inequality, poverty, and unemployment. The literature reviewed for the study indicated that the school library today faces the challenge of competition with evolving technology, which often overshadows paper-based reading materials. Through semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively selected teachers and school librarians, the study revealed that while school libraries and educators play a crucial role in fostering a reading culture, several barriers hinder this process. These include constraint-led factors (such as limited time for reading), lack of peer and parental support, and linguistic diversity in classrooms. Despite these challenges, librarians were found to be instrumental in encouraging early reading habits, while teachers play a pivotal role by allocating time for structured reading activities. To enhance the promotion of a reading culture, the study recommends peer reading programs, increased parental engagement, and the integration of multilingual reading resources. These interventions can strengthen reading habits and create a more inclusive and supportive literacy environment in primary schools.