Page 254 - JOURNAL OF LIBRARY SCIENCE IN CHINA 2015 Vol. 41

Extended English abstracts of articles published in the Chinese Edition of Journal of Library Science in China 2015 Vol.41 253

experimental results of study may have certain implications for school teachers, individual learning
and library reading promotion.

Knowing and doing of residents’ reading in rural areas in China: A survey of
the current situation in the ethnic minority regions along the Nenjiang River

1 ∗
Hong WANG , Jingyan YUE, Hongyan YANG & Changqing WANG

Concerning the problem of the lack of reading for the residents in Chinese rural areas, the
existing studies mainly focus on developing rural reading facilities and improving the service
models in use. Nevertheless, the problems, which arise from the fundamental characteristics
of the rural residents (predominately farmers), have not been sufficiently studied. This paper
reports on a research study, which aims to address these problems through a survey of 51 ethnic
minority villages along the Nenjiang River. The survey reveals several significant problems:
firstly, even though reading is valued as important, reading in reality is insufficient; secondly, the
reading facilities are ineffectively and inadequately used, despite evident demands of reading;
thirdly, whilst advising and expecting others to read, there is a general lack of motivation for
self-reading; and finally, the effects of reading facility development have not been satisfactorily
manifested, albeit government investments and funding are actively and frequently requested and
acquired.
Due to lack of unity between the existing theory and the practice in reality, many fragmented
and even erroneous understandings have in fact resulted in a number of biases and mistakes in
the development of rural reading facilities, services and in research investigations. Firstly, it is
inappropriate to conceptualize the awareness of the value of reading as reading demands. It is
also incorrect to hypothesize that a greater awareness of reading value indicates higher demands
for reading. Secondly, it is inappropriate to accuse that there is a significant lack of investment on
rural reading development and that social resources are unevenly and unfairly distributed. Thirdly,
it is inappropriate to criticize that there is an absence of service motivation in libraries. Fourthly,
it is inappropriate to blindly determine that reinforcing reading assistance provision is the only
approach to promote actual reading. In truth, rural reading facilities have been repetitively invested
and renovated. Also, the quality of reading services has been consistently increased. Nevertheless,
the lack of reading has not been effectively mitigated and resolved.
In this study, the problems of insufficient reading in rural areas are explored from the very
root. Specifically, this study aims to gain understandings through investigating rural residents.
It is identified that the most significant problem emerged is the substantially large number
of rural residents who have reading difficulties. Moreover, the study points out that breaking

* Correspondence should be addressed to Hong WANG, Email: tsgwh@tom.com, ORCID: 0000-0003-2438-6959