Critically Apprasing the New York Public Library’s #Instanovels as Technauriture

Objective: This study investigates the potential of emergent digital literary forms, such as The New York Public Library’s InstaNovels, to challenge and reconfigure reading habits and foster a more inclusive reading culture. It aims to explore how digital technologies, through the lens of the technauriture paradigm, can problematise traditional definitions of reading, literacy, and reading culture, particularly within South Africa’s multicultural and multilingual context. Theoretical Framework: The research is situated within the technauriture paradigm first advanced by Kaschula (2011), which examines the intersection of orality, literacy, and technology. Supporting concepts, including multimodality, multiliteracies, and the complementary and displacement media models, provide critical tools for understanding how InstaNovels integrate diverse modes of information processing—linguistic, visual, and gestural—into the reading experience. These frameworks also highlight the interplay between new and traditional media, questioning whether digital formats displace or coexist with older literary forms, offering a deeper understanding of how digital platforms reshape reading practices. Method: This study employs a conceptual and theoretical approach, analysing the InstaNovels project as a case study to explore its implications for reading culture. Secondary data sources, including academic literature, media reports, and the New York Public Library’s tutorial videos, were examined to assess how this initiative exemplifies the principles of technauriture and challenges conventional approaches to literature. Results and Discussion: The findings reveal that InstaNovels seamlessly integrate traditional textual foundations with innovative digital features such as visual animations and gestural interactions, enhancing accessibility and engagement. By situating literature within the familiar context of Instagram, the project fosters a culture of reading that is intertwined with social interaction and playfulness. These results align with the complementary media model, suggesting that digital formats can coexist with and even enhance traditional literary practices. However, the study also considers the displacement model, discussing whether the popularity of such formats might detract from the depth and critical engagement typically associated with traditional reading. The adaptability of the technauriture framework is further explored in its potential for integrating South African oral traditions into digital formats. Research Implications: The research demonstrates the potential for digital platforms like Instagram to democratise access to literature, reimagining storytelling in ways that resonate with contemporary audiences. By bridging traditional narratives and modern technologies, the findings have implications for literacy initiatives, education, and cultural preservation, particularly in multilingual and multicultural contexts such as South Africa. Furthermore, the complementary media model underscores how these innovations can coexist with existing literary practices to enrich rather than replace them. Originality/Value: This study contributes to ongoing discussions about reading culture by showcasing how digital literary forms like InstaNovels embody the technauriture paradigm. Its originality lies in analysing how these projects reimagine reading habits, engage new audiences, and integrate diverse cultural practices into the digital landscape. The inclusion of the complementary and displacement models provides a nuanced perspective on the coexistence of new and traditional media. The relevance of this research is underscored by its potential to influence how literature is accessed, disseminated, and preserved in the digital age.