Reading groups: the first research in Italy on reading communities
The first qualitative-quantitative research on reading groups in Italy, edited by Chiara Faggiolani, director of BIBLAB, Laboratory of Social Librarianship and Applied Research in Libraries of the Department of Literature and Modern Cultures, was presented during the Più Libri Più Liberi fair held from December 4 to 8, 2024.
The project entitled S.T.O.R.I.E. (Storie Trasformative, Opportunità, Relazioni, Inclusione ed Emozioni - Transformative Stories, Opportunities, Relationships, Inclusion and Emotions), carried out in collaboration with Adei, the Association of Independent Publishers, and Cepell, the Centre for Books and Reading, aims to identify the characteristics of reading groups at national level. The research is the first step in the realisation of a more ambitious project: the creation of a publishing observatory, in order to achieve a complete mapping of Italian publishing.
The approach chosen for the six-month monitoring is a mixed one, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses. Many dimensions are also examined: from group identity to objectives, from the criteria for selecting readings to the impact of participation on the quality of life of individuals, in an attempt to shed light on a phenomenon that is as widespread as it is elusive, at least from an analytical point of view.
The results will then be presented at the Salone di Torino book fair 2025.
Further Information
Chiara Faggiolani
Department of Literature and Modern Cultures