Books are the most important means of transferring knowledge and experiences to future generations and bringing them together with future generations. For this reason, the value of books can only be recognized by those who need the information in books, who want to make their lives easier and put it at the service of humanity.
The notion that reading, in its narrowest sense, is a need of human beings only in school life is a thing of the past. The notion that reading is learned at school at a certain age has also lost its validity. As a result of the rapid changes in our age, reading has become a necessity of life rather than a leisure time activity. Reading habits are considered as a criterion of development not only in individual but also in social terms, and it is widely accepted that there is a significant correlation and interaction between reading and the level of interest and prosperity. When we look at the cultural structure of developed countries, it is seen that great efforts are being made to ensure that reading habits are acquired from an early age and that investment in people is the most productive and vital investment. The value of the book is known only by those who need and benefit from information. In this context, the future of societies that do not read and are not fed with books will be problematic.[1]
According to a study conducted by UNESCO, reading habits in Turkey are almost non-existent. A Japanese person reads an average of 25 books a year, a Swiss person reads an average of 10 books a year, a French person reads an average of 7 books a year and a Turkish person reads only 1 book in 10 years. The rate of book reading, which is 21 percent in Europe, is only one in ten thousand in Turkey.
Reading culture is the transformation of the skills individuals acquire in relation to the act of reading into a way of life in society. In another definition, reading culture is a set of behaviors “acquired by individuals who have met with the world of written cultural products; who have reached the competence of sharing, testing and questioning the messages offered to them by this world; and who have made it a habit to live with the opportunities offered by them”. Similarly, reading culture means “the level and quality of an individual, a social group or a society's relations with the act of reading. In other words, reading culture is the part of the lifestyle of an individual, group or society that is reflected in the field of ‘reading’. In short, reading culture is the individual and social way of life related to the act of reading”. In the most succinct terms, reading culture is a concept that requires the creation of a framework of meaning on an individual and social level; it is the process of structuring reading on a critical denominator and transforming this act from an individual one into a systematic structure on a social level.[2]
The skills that make up reading culture are interrelated. At the same time, reading culture is acquired by overcoming certain steps. In other words, reading culture includes the steps of “visual literacy, acquiring literacy skills and acquiring reading habit skills”.
Visual literacy;
-Image comprehension,
-Interpreting the image,
-Creating visual communication applications,
-Thinking critically about the visual,
-Includes the stages of creating visual communication applications.[3]
When we look at the history of reading culture and the habit of using libraries, it is seen that this habit has never had a basis in society. When the world's book reading rates are taken into account, the rate of reading books and newspapers in Turkey is considerably lower than in many developed and developing countries.
The Reading Culture Map of Turkey, commissioned by the General Directorate of Libraries and Publications of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and published in 2011, has provided very important clues about reading culture.
The following main results were obtained from the research on the Reading Culture Map:
-The reading rates of men and women are equal.
-In our country, an average of 7.2 books are read per year.
-% 31 of Turkey's population do not read any books.
-TV is mostly watched during free time (% 23.7).
-Books are still the most widely read type of printed material (% 54).
-Books are chosen randomly and read irregularly (% 45.3).
-Generally recommended books are read (% 61.5).
-One reader reads for a maximum of 30 minutes at a time without interruption.
-In Turkey, individuals learn the habit of reading books on their own ().
-No author is followed regularly (% 84.2) and no publishing house is preferred when choosing a book (% 90.16).
-The existence of public libraries is predominantly known (% 77), but utilization is low.
-Books are mostly purchased (% 82.9), but book prices are somewhat expensive.
-The rate of purchasing books other than textbooks is low.
-Literature is read the most (% 20), followed by religious books (% 18.5); books on education (% 16) and history (% 14).
-The most widely read literary genre is the novel (% 34), followed by the short story (% 27).
Adventure-themed books are read the most (% 22).
-Mostly Turkish books are read (% 85).
-Thrace, mainly historical books; Central Anatolia and South East Anatolia, religious books; Black Sea, Aegean and East Anatolia read literature.
-% 34 percent of respondents said that they also read translated books.
-Book selection is mostly based on recommendations (% 61.5).
-Households generally have fewer than 25 books (% 44).
When we look at the reading habits of academics, one of the main dynamics of our reading culture, we cannot say that we are in a very good place.
According to a 2006 survey conducted by Prof. Dr. Çağatay Özdemir, a faculty member at Gazi University (1915 faculty members participated), of academics working at universities do not read any books, read 1-2 books, read 3-5 books and % 1.4 read more than five books. In order to be considered a good reader, it is necessary to read a minimum of 10-24 books per year.
A similar situation is also valid for our teachers. According to a study conducted by Hacettepe University Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Bülent Yılmaz, the majority of teachers (.8) are never readers, followed by those who read a little (.7), those who read moderately (.8) and those who read frequently (%8.7). It can be said that the rate of ’never reading“ approaching is quite high for such a professional group.
In the same study, only %4,7 of the teachers used public libraries. In short, it is clear that teachers have a very serious problem of library usage habits. The seriousness of the problem is undoubtedly due to the fact that this professional group is responsible for teaching this habit to their students and they have the greatest responsibility in this regard, especially in the Turkish social structure. It seems doubtful that a teacher who does not have the habit himself can be useful to his students and fulfill his responsibility in this regard.
Our situation in terms of reading culture is quite dire!
However, it is not right to despair.
Teachers have the biggest role in helping children and young people acquire the habits of reading and library use, especially in societies where family interest is insufficient. Because they are at the center of the process of acquiring and imparting knowledge. However, in order for this to be realized, teachers must first have acquired the habit of reading and using libraries. Recent studies show that the students of the faculty of education have a positive development in terms of gaining reading habits, and that the reading habits of the teachers in the system have also improved.