THE IMPACT

Reading matters at every age.  In Canada, 73% of boys and 81% of girls aged 5-11 read for enjoyment with a parent or on their own for at lest an hour during the week. Among youth ages 12-17, the numbers were 46% and 59%. Reading for enjoyment significantly drops during the teenage years, and we hope to help youth rediscover the joy of reading by giving them opportunities to inspire their creativity. 

The earlier children engage with books, the better. Statistics Canada says that time spent reading or looking at books for enjoyment is strongly associated with the development of early literacy skills, and also notes that early engagement with literacy has positive impacts on school readiness and skills later in life. The Book Project is not just about repurposing books. It's about developing intelligence and skills in youth from an early age.

Books at home can make a difference. Among Canadian-born university graduates, 31% of those who had 10 or fewer books at home by age 16 were in the lower range of literacy proficiency compared with the 9% of those who had more than 200 books. Out of the graduates aged 25-65, 32% reported having more than 200 books at home, while only 6% had 10 or fewer books. Among that 6%, 31% were in the lower range of literacy proficiency.

Books should be read, not kept. In the average household, anywhere from dozens to hundreds of books are left stagnant on shelves after they have been read once. The average reader often keep collections, but those volumes are rarely read again and instead gather dust as permanent shelf decor. Our goal is to collect those books and repurpose them so they can be read and enjoyed again.

The Book Project isn't just about reaching children. It's about reaching the households and families that can't afford or simply don't have books. Libraries aren't always easily accessible, and sometimes it's difficult to understand the importance of books when you didn't grow up with them. Around a quarter of Canadian households don't have any books, and this has nothing to do with the advance of digital devices. A lack of books can also have an impact on kids during the summer months, with some even falling a whole grade behind.

Reading a little bit a day expands the typical lifespan. A study posted in the Social Science and Medicine journal in 2016 showed that reading for at least 30 minutes a day expanded the average lifespan of the participants by 2 years.  Another study done by the University of Sussex established that silent reading for just 6 minutes can reduce stress levels by 68%.  By increasing access to books among children and adults of all ages, we can change lives.

Sparking passion for reading is essential. In 2010, statistics Canada found that 70% of 1-2 year olds were read stories by a parent every day. Building a reading habit can start early, and it starts by being able to access books. Books are undeniably expensive, and The Book Project hopes that it can make books more accessible to all families.

Access to reading isn't equal. Earlier Canadian reasearch found that children in lower-income households were less likely to be read to every day than children in higher income households. Books are expensive, and some households aren't able to financially afford them. This project aims to give them that opportunity for both the adults and the children.

Keeping books in circulation helps reduce waste. In 2022, 72.9% of Canada's solid waste was sent for disposal rather than being diverted through recycling or reuse. In the United States, approximately 320 million books end up in landfills each year. Although there is no statistic for Canada, the books that are undoubtedly heading to landfills can be repurposed and regifted instead of becoming more waste.