Reading and Knowledge Society

Reading serves as a window for intellectual communication and interaction with the outside world, however, it is not the sole means of acquiring knowledge, as methods have varied, and levels of knowledge among individuals in society have differed, this diversity has resulted in a phenomenon known as the knowledge divide within a single society, considering this, Saudi Aramco initiated a nationwide study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to understand the trends and patterns of reading in Saudi society, along with knowledge acquisition methods, the goal was to provide reliable information for establishing a database that decision-makers could rely on to formulate plans based on a survey with trustworthy results.

We executed this project on behalf of Saudi Aramco to conduct this national study, providing necessary recommendations for formulating national and local initiatives across the administrative regions in the Kingdom, aiming to elevate the level of knowledge within Saudi society, project future forms and means of knowledge acquisition, and identify necessary changes contributing to progress towards the ultimate goal of reaching a knowledge society.

The project’s goals included studying reading and the knowledge society to understand:

• Reading trends and patterns among Saudi society and knowledge acquisition methods for all age groups and social classes throughout the Kingdom. This involved examining their reading habits and the types of topics they prefer to read.
• The role of parents, libraries, and schools in developing reading trends and patterns in society.
• Identifying factors contributing to the integration of Saudi society members in reading, along with the potential impact of an individual’s gender, age, educational level, parents’ education level, family income, and administrative region of residence on the various reading trends and patterns.
• Factors influencing reading behavior and limiting knowledge acquisition in Saudi society.
• Gaps in Arabic knowledge content and the role of publishing and translation in narrowing these gaps and diversifying knowledge sources.
• Emerging challenges and opportunities towards integration into the knowledge society.