Reading with a Purpose

Reading with a Purpose was an influential series of study guides published by the American Library Association, beginning in 1925. Designed as a response to the growing need for structured self-education during the post-World War I era, these booklets were intended to provide the general public with curated reading paths on specific subjects. The series served as a bridge between formal academic training and the autodidactic habits encouraged by public library systems, offering both a bibliography and a brief introductory essay for each topic.

The editorial quality was high, as the American Library Association commissioned subject matter experts and prominent scholars to curate the lists for each volume. By framing literature and history through these focused thematic guides, the series aimed to democratize access to liberal arts education. It was well received by the library community and remained a staple of American bibliographic guidance for decades, reflecting the optimism of the early 20th-century adult education movement.