Digital Reading Network

Today digitisation is changing the way we consume and respond to literary texts, as we can download books instantaneously, read the same book across a range of mobile devices, and discuss our views with others on online discussion forums and book groups. Digitisation also opens up new possibilities for researching the activities of readers of literary texts, allowing us to detect patterns and trends in their behaviour, and to understand how they relate to others within their social networks. The scale and extent of these transformations of an important aspect of our cultural heritage means that there is a pressing need for research that is responsive to the changes taking place. It is also vital that we examine the truth behind many of the assumptions made about the decline of reading and the habits and preferences of so-called 'digital natives'.

Although it has frequently been argued that access to literature has been greatly increased by digital devices, we must also examine the ways in which they may limit reading, for example by fragmenting the experience with constant distractions. Moreover, while online communities are often hailed as democratic, hierarchies soon emerge along with bullies and lurkers, making an analysis which is reliant on statistics alone unsatisfactory. Finally, while digitisation provides reams of data that are there for the taking, we must ensure we conduct research in this area with an attitude of reciprocal exchange rather than one-way surveillance. We need to explore and apply methodologies that allow for participatory research: focusing not on individual bits of information ("data") but instead evaluating the ongoing relationships between reader, text and medium.

The proposed network brings together leading academics from a wide range of disciplines interested in collaborating and sharing best practice to address these important issues. The network also include stakeholders whose views are vital in shaping policy and commercial interests, as well as forum moderators, book club members and teachers and librarians who all work closely with readers in both real life and virtual communities. Through the network website and accompanying blog, there will be opportunities for the widest level of participation as interested parties will be able to comment on and contribute to the work of the network, and researchers will collaborate to produce a series of papers and journal articles focusing on specific issues arising from these ongoing discussions.

The network will be managed by a Steering Group, with input from an International Advisory Committee and a number of consultants with expertise in digital web design, digital publishing and forum moderation. A series of themed workshops will identify key research questions and the international symposium will provide an opportunity to present the ongoing research of the network members to a wider audience. It is expected that the work of the network will extend long beyond the lifetime of the award, but the opportunity to meet regularly around a series of focused activities and events in its early years will be invaluable in establishing and consolidating shared interests and areas of expertise.

Key benefits and outcomes of the network will include
- new approaches and insights into digital reading practices benefiting industry, policy-makers and academia
- enhancing our understanding of literary reading, benefiting teachers and students of literature
- connecting with real and virtual communities of readers to harness their enthusiasm in ways that enhance research and pedagogy
- developing new methods and theories which respond to the transformations affecting reading in a digital age.

The work of the network will bring about new theories and methodologies for the study of readers, contributing to knowledge in ways that benefit both industry and academia. By collaborating across disciplinary, geographical and cultural boundaries, network members will produce innovative research disseminated via traditional routes such as conference papers and journal articles.

The network will also be responsive to the needs and interests of groups outside of academia, engaging with a range of stakeholders and members of the public through our public engagement events in Bournemouth and London, and through the website and social media. Regular reports on the activities of the network will be posted on the website and will address a general rather than an exclusively academic audience.

Network activities will deliver benefits to policy makers concerned with preserving and reinvigorating our cultural heritage, and with improving standards of reading in schools, colleges and universities. They will also benefit the creative industries, libraries and commercial organizations interested in gaining information about digital reading practices, and digital readers.

The involvement of international members will ensure that the research is of benefit to academics and stakeholders in Europe, North America and China. The network's commitment to involving user communities and online book clubs will also provide the potential for international participation across geographical, cultural and linguistic boundaries. At the same time, we will explore the ethical issues raised by this kind of research, which will benefit many academics and non-academics working with digital data and online social networks.

The work of the network has the potential to transform existing research on literary readers, providing invaluable insights into their practices in ways not possible before. This is likely to have long-term effects on the teaching of literature in schools, colleges and universities, as well as informing future directions for literary criticism and research.