+44 (0) 1273 386849Are Reading Logs Good or Bad for Motivation? Exploring Book Lists and Challenges
*Ping* My Kindle app interupts my reading to alert me to a new reading challenge. I don’t remember my teetering pile of hard copy books reminding me to read them!
With this in mind, I was listening to an episode of the Strong Message Podcast: Game On episode – you can hear it here – and one part of the discussion got me thinking about this.
We measure everything now. We log, compare, and quantify not just steps, food, mood or sleep, but the things we used to do simply because we enjoyed them. Music, films, games, books – all of which are becoming less something we hold, more something we access.
My e-reader tells me about challenges, goals, my current streak, even the bookmarks I have “won”. Is this useful or necessary? Because if you’re simply trying to carve out a moment to read, you might reasonably ask: is there not already enough going on without turning reading into another task to manage?
I wanted to find out more about current book tracking trends, what it might mean for libraries, challenges for those who don’t do challenges, and how we can balance the pros and cons of tracking our (and our children’s) reading
What are Readers Saying About Book Challenges and Reading Logs?
Book-based podcasts are amazing for inspiration. When a listener outlines their lengthy to-read list, even as a librarian, it never fails to amaze me how organised and focused people can be about something that is done for pleasure and self-improvement. I enjoy listening to readers and understanding the unique ways people approach reading.
Some readers thrive on structure; being part of reading challenges and active members of platforms like Goodreads or StoryGraph. These offer motivation, direction, and a sense of progress. For those rebuilding a reading habit, that technological scaffolding can make all the difference.
But there is another side to the story. (Forgive the pun!) Are reading logs good or bad?
Some people talk about rushing books to hit targets. Or about choosing titles that “count” rather than the ones they’re actually curious about. Or even about the pressure – sometimes internal, sometimes external – to keep going, keep logging, and maintain that 3 week reading streak.
The variety in motivational reading habits is familiar to teachers and school librarians. It isn’t just happening to adults; it reflects a conversation that has been happening in schools for years. Educators have debated the role of reading logs: do they support reading, or risk reducing it to a task? Do they encourage reflection, or is it just a tick box list of books?
The answer is complicated because we need a “why”, and that “why” varies from person to person. For some, a list of book titles is boring, but for others it’s a valid achievement over a period of time.
Perhaps a handwritten journal of quotes, notes, and emotions might inspire you – and yet be an unwelcome distraction to the actual reading habit to someone else.
Whatever the reasons to record what you read, what we’re seeing now isn’t a new issue. It’s a familiar one, which has been made more obvious by e-readers and digital tools.
What This Means for Teachers, Educators and School Librarians?
For those of us running school, community, or prison libraries, this matters because we’re often working with very different needs at the same time.
- Some readers are engaged and motivated by structure and goals
- Some are disengaged and need encouragement, routine, and gentle accountability.
- Others are already immersed and simply want the freedom to read without interruption.
And, of course, many readers move between these states.
It’s also worth recognising that reading logs haven’t persisted by accident. In many settings, they are one of the most practical ways to evidence reading, even if they don’t always capture the richness of the experience.
There’s also the question of pace and access. Not all readers move at the same speed, and not all reading fits neatly into measurable units. When everything is counted, faster readers can be unintentionally rewarded, while slower, more reflective readers – or those with less time – may feel like they are falling behind.
So the question isn’t whether to use logs or challenges at all. It’s about balance and about understanding why a particular approach is useful at a particular time.
So Are Reading Logs Good or Bad? Simple Ideas for Challenges That Don’t Feel Like Challenges
Libraries are one of the few places that can guide readers without being prescriptive or judgmental. You don’t need to abandon reading challenges, but you can soften them for people who prefer to read in different ways.
- Encourage readers to keep a notebook, not a log, but a kind of commonplace book. A place for lines they liked, thoughts that surfaced, questions that they might want to google later. A notebook is something they can hold, and interact with in a more meaningful way.
- Encourage readers to explore other genres, and create permission to leave a book unfinished and note negative or surprising responses. Shift the focus from finishing to noticing. “What stayed with you?”, “what didn’t work for you?” rather than “what did you complete?”
- Encourage readers to return to the familiar. Some people benefit from the comfort of an old friend and the security of knowing how the story plays out. Let them sit with that and reflect on why. What is the common thread of their rereading?
Shall I Simply Turn Off My Kindle Notifications?
Reading doesn’t need to be measured to matter.
In answer to the question are reading logs good or bad, for some readers, logs and challenges will always be helpful. It is also necessary for measuring educational progression. For others, they can get in the way of the very thing they’re meant to support.
The role of the library – school library, public library, any kind of library – is not to insist on one approach but to offer multiple. To support the reader who needs a starting point, and protect the experience of the reader who simply wants to get lost in a book.
What are your thoughts about Kindle notifications and challenges? Have you embraced it or turned off the *ping*?
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