Reading and Reader as Objects of Study

The article provides a brief overview of the current state and prospects for studying the history of reader and reading in Russia, as well as existing Russian and foreign works on this topic. The purpose of the article is to justify the need to study reading and reader within the framework of the book culture study. Reading is considered as an integral part of book culture, largely determining its character and content. The author analyzed the reasons for the current crisis in the practice of reading traditional paper texts, a modern feature of the young generation. The author affirms the need for an interdisciplinary approach to the study of reading problems that is involving the use of the achievements of media studies, book studies, psychology and sociology of culture and historical psychology.