Was L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz written as a parable of the Populist Movement of the 1890s? Are there lessons about human psychology hidden within Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion? Or is there something more sinister lurking in the pages of Oz books–something that made American librarians censor the Oz series well into the 1960s?

The Readers of Oz answers these questions by showing how interpretations of Oz books and movies are constructed. Using reader-response criticism and the concept of interpretive communities pioneered by Stanley Fish, this dissertation focuses not on Oz texts, like previous studies, but on readers who appropriate and make meanings out of Oz texts based on the beliefs of their interpretive communities. Thus, this dissertation goes beyond studies that claim Baum's book is a political parable or psychoanalytic fable and argues that all readings of Oz are valid and potentially useful interpretations. Moreover, it reveals that even negative practices like censorship can increase the popularity of Oz by promoting discussion among interpretive communities and developing reading strategies.

Each chapter concentrates on a different reading community. "The Librarians of Oz" explores how the history of children's librarianship gives librarians both a positive and hostile relationship with Oz. "Academia in Oz" reveals the origin of popular academic readings of Oz, including the Populist parable and psychoanalytic interpretations. Finally, "The Fans of Oz" examines the origin, evolution, and practices of the International Wizard of Oz Club, a fan club that merges reading strategies of other communities–including librarians and academics–into its own ideology.