In a bid to reverse the slide in reading for pleasure, many librarians and researchers are pointing adults back to books with practical steps that start small and lean on routines, not willpower. In the U.S., a recent analysis of U.S. government data found that the share of Americans who read for pleasure during an average day dropped to 16% in 2023 from 28% in 2004, a trend that covers more than print books and includes audiobooks, e-books and periodicals such as magazines.

The reasons people stop reading for pleasure as adults vary. Some people say they feel worn out by years of assigned reading in school, others say they do not have time or prefer to zone out by scrolling social media, and many say they simply fall out of the habit. For readers trying again—often with 2026 goals or resolutions in mind—the guidance in libraries and in attention-research circles focuses on reducing friction and choosing reading that fits daily life.

Jacqueline Rammer, director of Menomonee Falls Public Library in Wisconsin, described the challenge for people who are “really tired and busy,” saying it can be “difficult for people who are really tired and busy to think about getting into reading if it’s not something they’re used to.” Her approach is rooted in matching readers with material they might actually want to open.

Rammer and her staff ask library visitors a simple question—what was the last book, TV show or movie that someone really enjoyed—and then look for similar genres or themes. She also highlighted the emotional payoff that routine readers often seek, saying she likes books that end with a “happily ever after,” and describing it as “really reassuring” to know things will end up OK.

When choosing the next book, Rammer’s guidance is complemented by book recommendations from readers themselves and from outside services. Jocelyn Luizzi, a Chicago software engineer who blogs about books, said: “Your first book should be something that you think will be joyful.” The suggestions include seeking recommendations from friends, booksellers and online communities such as BookTok, and using tools libraries may offer, including a service called NoveList that suggests “read-alikes” for books and authors.

To make reading stick, researchers emphasize routines. Gloria Mark, an attention span expert with the University of California, Irvine, said: “start by scheduling reading into your day,” and recommended “Read five pages during a lunch break or right before bed.” Mark also said that if readers are using physical books, they should avoid distractions by keeping phones and laptops out of sight. She added that trying different formats can help—e-books can be portable, and audiobooks can fit around chores or commuting—and she noted that people may access both for free through an app called Libby if they have a library card.

Although quiet reading is often encouraged, the guidance also leaves room for social involvement. People can read in shared settings, including silent book clubs in coffee shops and libraries. For adults setting goals, libraries and organizers may offer winter reading challenges, and some readers say that motivation can come from making progress visible—though Mark and others cautioned that goals can feel like “added pressure” if they are treated like another task.

Social media can also play a role for some readers, but with a specific mechanism: not as a distraction, but as reinforcement. Shannon Whitehead Smith, a book blogger from the Atlanta area who also works in marketing, said that scrolling through others’ reads and using trackers like StoryGraph encourages her to keep reading. She said: “Seeing all these other people reading motivates me to put my phone down and pick up this book that’s sitting beside me.”

Finally, reading experts and librarians urge adults to loosen the grip of perfection. If a book feels sluggish, they say it is OK to stop and start another. Jess Bone, a researcher at University College London who analyzed the survey data about American adults reading for pleasure, said reading “shouldn’t feel like a burden,” framing the habit as a choice that is meant to be enjoyable rather than endured.