Library 

Opening Doors to Reading 

Article by Paige Witcombe, Library Leader 

“Oh, the places you’ll go…” Dr Seuss’ well-known line captures the spirit of reading perfectly. Every book a child opens is a doorway — to new ideas, new perspectives and new possibilities. Reading is a journey, and the doors we keep open matter. 

Research consistently shows that student choice is one of the strongest predictors of reading engagement and long-term literacy development. When young people are given autonomy in what they read, they are more likely to read frequently, read for longer, and view reading as enjoyable rather than compulsory. Motivation matters. 

Sometimes, however, doors to literacy can close quietly - when graphic novels are dismissed as “not real books” or when audiobooks and eBooks are seen as inferior to print. Yet research indicates that the multimodal nature of graphic novels help support visual literacy, vocabulary growth and inferencing skills, particularly for reluctant readers. Audiobooks build comprehension, fluency and vocabulary, while reducing cognitive load so students can focus on meaning. Different formats, same literacy growth. 

Our library staff are committed to keeping doors open. Our collection includes print novels, graphic fiction, verse novels, audiobooks, eBooks and diverse non-fiction. Students can access ebooks and audiobooks via the Wheelers platform by logging into the library portal and selecting eBooks or audiobooks then using Single Sign On (SSO) to access the titles available to them based on their year level.  

When students are empowered to choose texts that interest them - in formats that suit them - reading is framed as exploration rather than obligation, students travel further. When we keep the doors open, there is no limit to the places they’ll go.