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How Book Access Improves Literacy Outcomes for Children

A recent New York Times opinion piece by New York Public Library Chief Librarian Brian Bannon offers a compelling perspective on America's reading crisis. While much of the conversation focuses on screens, attention spans, and individual reading habits, Bannon argues that reading is fundamentally an access issue. When communities create opportunities for people to engage with books through libraries, book access programs, and welcoming reading spaces, people read. 

At Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), we couldn't agree more. 

The literacy crisis facing America is real. Today, 25 million children in the United States cannot read proficiently. Behind that number are children who may not have consistent access to books, opportunities to practice reading, or the resources needed to build confidence as readers. 

Improving book access and literacy outcomes requires more than teaching children how to read. Children also need books in their homes, opportunities to choose what they read, and environments that encourage reading as a meaningful part of everyday life. That is why expanding access to books remains at the heart of RIF's mission. 

The Connection Between Book Access and Literacy 

Bannon's article highlights how libraries remove barriers to reading by eliminating fines, expanding collections, and making books easier to access. These investments work because they address a fundamental truth: people read when books are available. 

The same principle applies to children. 

Research continues to confirm what educators and families have long understood: access matters. Decades of research have demonstrated that the number of books in a child's home is closely linked to educational success. Children with 100 or more books at home have about a 90% chance of completing ninth grade. For children with no books at home, that number drops to just 30%. 

More recent research provides even stronger evidence. In a 2026 study conducted by literacy researchers Dr. Geoffrey Borman and Dr. Hyunwoo Yang, students attending high-poverty schools received seven high-quality books each year for five years, building personal home libraries of 34 books. Over time, those students scored higher on state literacy assessments than their peers who did not receive books. Students who received books most consistently experienced the greatest gains. 

The findings reinforce a simple but powerful idea: book access can improve literacy outcomes. 

Why Children's Book Ownership Matters 

Access is important, but ownership can be transformative. 

For decades, RIF's Books for Ownership program has focused on helping children build home libraries by providing free books they can choose and keep. The program is built on a simple belief: every child deserves access to books that reflect their interests, experiences, and identities. 

Choice plays an important role in children's book ownership. When children select books for themselves, they are more likely to engage with them. A child fascinated by animals, sports, graphic novels, or fantasy stories is more likely to pick up a book when those interests are reflected on its pages. 

Ownership creates opportunities that extend beyond the classroom or library. Children can revisit favorite stories, read independently, and share books with family members and friends. Books become part of daily life rather than something borrowed temporarily. 

A book on a child's shelf is more than a resource. It is an invitation to read again and again. 

Books for Ownership: A Proven Literacy Solution 

The latest research supports what RIF has observed for decades: children's book ownership leads to stronger literacy outcomes. 

When children have books of their own, they spend more time reading, develop greater confidence as readers, and gain additional opportunities to practice literacy skills outside of school hours. The effects can be especially meaningful for children living in communities where books may not otherwise be readily available. 

Building home libraries is not simply about increasing the number of books a child owns. It is about creating ongoing opportunities for reading, learning, and discovery. 

Literacy Is a Community Investment 

One of the most compelling ideas in Bannon's article is that reading thrives when communities invest in it. Public libraries, reading programs, neighborhood book access initiatives, and other literacy supports are not luxuries. They are an essential infrastructure for literacy. 

The same is true for efforts to put books directly into children's hands. 

Solving the literacy crisis will require strong instruction, effective schools, and evidence-based reading practices. But it will also require something more fundamental: ensuring that every child has meaningful access to books. 

The good news is that creating conditions for reading is something all of us can support. 

Through RIF, individuals, educators, community organizations, and corporate partners help expand book access and literacy opportunities for children nationwide. Whether it's donating, volunteering, advocating for literacy, participating in book drives, or helping connect children with reading opportunities, every action contributes to building a culture where reading can thrive. 

At RIF, we see the impact every day. When children receive books, they can call their own, excitement grows. Families read together. Confidence develops. Most importantly, children begin to see themselves as readers. 

The reading crisis is real. But as Bannon reminds us, the solutions are not theoretical. When communities invest in reading, people read. When children have access to books, they read them. And when we work together to expand children's book ownership, we create opportunities for lifelong literacy. 

Creating a nation of lifelong readers requires more than teaching children how to read. It requires ensuring that every child has books, support, and opportunities they need to become a reader in the first place. That's a responsibility we all share.