Yes, Audiobooks Are Reading  | Libro.fm Audiobooks

Like clockwork, every few months the “do audiobooks really count as reading” conversation pops up on our social media feeds. There’s no doubt that some folks are doing this for click bait—it never fails to get traction and engagement—but there are also some people who just might not know the answer. So, we’re here to share why exactly audiobooks are a form of reading. 

The science says so 

As audiobooks continue to grow in popularity, so have studies about the benefits of audiobooks. And there are a ton! They help everything from our mental health to our reading comprehension skills. 

A 2016 study compared reading comprehension rates between adults who read an audiobook and those who read on an e-reader. According to Beth Rogowsky, a professor at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, “We found that there was no significant difference between reading a book using an [e-reader] or listening to a book or doing both—listening and reading simultaneously.” 

That being said, the study did focus on adults. While Rogowsky’s following studies show comprehension rates aren’t as strong for kids who read on audio versus those who read with an e-reader, there are still plenty of benefits for kids reading on audio. 

Not only are they a great gateway into reading for young readers, but studies have shown they improve their reading comprehension skills, develop vocabulary, and much more.

Another study published in the Journal of Neuroscience shows that our brains process stories the same way, no matter which format we read in. Looking at brain scans as individuals read and listened to a series of stories, researchers found that both ways stimulated the same cognitive and emotional areas.

Accessibility 

In 1932, The American Foundation for the Blind created a recording studio to create vinyl records of books. The next year, the Library of Congress began producing audiobooks. 

Audiobooks stem from accessibility needs. They help more readers read. That goes for everything from visual impairments to dyslexia to ADHD to general time constraints. 

For some, audiobooks are the only way they can read—and why would we want to gatekeep reading, when we could make it as enjoyable and widespread as possible?  

Cultural 

Oral storytelling is a big part of many cultures, and an incredibly important way to preserve history. From Choctaw oral traditions to oral interviews with Black Americans who moved during the Great Migration, passing information down is a way to share stories with one another. 

Read what you like, how you like 

When it comes down to it, shouldn’t we be able to read what we like, however we like? If you personally don’t consider audiobooks to be reading in your daily life, that’s ok! But let’s not prevent others from their own reading needs and interests. 

Knowing all this, we hope you’re able to dive into audiobooks, and enjoy them in a new light!

Not sure where to get started? We have a ton of great recommendations from our bookselling partners for you to explore.