Books We Read celebrates diversity in reading, Part 2

Following up on our semester kickoff post, Books We Read celebrates diversity in reading, Part 1, we are delighted to share how our motive and purpose worked in the past to impact our readers.

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Motive and purpose

With the goal of connecting readers with the right book at the right time, the blog emphasizes the impact and power of reading—not just for academic success, but for personal well-being. Its roots lie in the belief that books can be tools for reflection, healing, and self-discovery.

With its strong educational commitment, the blog also supports instruction at Rutgers University Libraries, helping students navigate academic resources while encouraging them to read for pleasure. It challenges the notion that academic libraries are only for scholarly texts, showcasing the value of recreational reading in higher education.

Finally, the blog serves as a platform for dialogue, reflection, and creative writing. It has invited contributions from graduate students, librarians, and library staff, fostering a community of readers who share insights, book recommendations, and even personal stories. The blog’s conversational tone and accessible format make it welcoming to readers of all backgrounds.

Impact over time

The Books We Read blog has the potential to make a lasting impact in several areas.

• Mental health and wellness: By promoting bibliotherapy, the blog supports wellness and mental health initiatives on campus. It offers a gentle, accessible way for students to engage with difficult emotions and experiences through reading.
• Library engagement: The blog enhances the visibility of Rutgers University Libraries, showing that they offer welcoming physical and virtual spaces for exploration, creativity, and connection, in addition to research.
• Academic success: The blog complements mentoring programs by encouraging reading as a tool for academic and personal development. It helps students build confidence, stimulate curiosity, and develop critical thinking skills.
• Cultural literacy: Through its focus on food, history, and storytelling, the blog also fosters cultural awareness and interdisciplinary learning. It encourages readers to see books as gateways into diverse worlds and provides fresh perspectives.

Books We Read also partners with campus events, library initiatives, and reading groups. Whether it is a spotlight on banned books during Banned Books Week or resources for Disability Awareness Month, the blog aligns its content with broader cultural and academic conversations.

Books We Read in numbers

In FY25 (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025), the blog featured diverse, long-term topics, such as banned books, science communication (753 views), audiobooks (381 views), eBooks, holiday reads, stressbusters, genre fiction, staff picks, and some of our more personal or current interest, such as food (429 views), archives, humor, and the Neimark Fund, sharing the donor’s background.

Our most viewed posts are related to banned books (4,723 views: book reviews, thematic posts, news, zines), followed by RUL resources (2,026 views on eBooks, newspapers, SCUA), Ukrainian topics (864 views: Holodomor, thematic collections), bibliotherapy (504 views: reading for recovery, memoirs), and food (429 views: history, cookbooks, food in fiction).

We continued to promote NJ authors (144), our own work, such as Zines with Megan Lotts at ALA, and an interview, about our book. Also popular are some previous posts related to Library School and grad school (431 views), to which SA Danielle Pitter contributed, too. We added AI and its ethical use as a new topic (60 views).

• Total number of blog posts since August 12, 2019: 386 
• Total Page views since March 20, 2020 (Google Analytics): 93,795 
• Number of page views in FY25: 17,683

Where to from here?

At its core, Books We Read aims to remain what it has always been: a celebration of reading as an introspective and community-building activity. It’s a reminder that books are not just objects—they’re experiences, relationships, and bridges between worlds.