What if books had audio trailers, just like movies do? The SOAR (Spread of Active Reading) Initiative does just that; a podcast project that combats book deserts by producing audible book trailers. Initially for people with impaired sight, the SOAR Initiative has gained over twenty-one thousand listeners across six continents. It is among the top 50% of podcasts and is the 22nd best podcast in the books category in Sri Lanka as well as the 184th best podcast in the books category in Belgium.
The mission of SOAR is to increase global reading rates through the use of audio book trailers, similar to trailers for movies. SOAR is located in Chester Springs, PA and was initially a project to help those who are visually impaired to gain interest in listening to audiobooks. However, it was later realized that SOAR's vision could impact the entire world and help increase reading rates everywhere.
As SOAR’s audience grows, its founder, a 16-year-old Indian American student, Yajat Gupta, is already looking forward. He hopes the SOAR Initiative can host competitions, fundraisers, and drives to continue encouraging reading and increasing literacy and reading around the world. SOAR hopes to use fundraising money to build free libraries in book deserts and also to become one of the top worldwide podcasts in the books category as well. In the most recent book drive, SOAR raised over 3000 books and donated to children in book deserts across the globe.
" I eventually realized that SOAR could be used to help everyone, so I converted it into a podcast with the same idea of having book trailers. These trailers give a summary of the book without spoilers, ask questions to raise suspense, and analyse the book with insightful information as well."- Founder Yajat Gupta
For more information about SOAR: