Clerisy

I love coming across new words while reading books, and occasionally, I find one that I really like. This time it came from John Stilgoe's Outside Lies Magic: Regaining History and Awareness in Everyday Places.

clerisy |ˈklerəsē|
noun [usu. treated as pl. ]
a distinct class of learned or literary people : the clerisy are those who read for pleasure.
ORIGIN early 19th cent.: apparently influenced by German Klerisei, based on Greek klēros ‘heritage’ (see cleric ).

Stilgoe was using it to explain why main street shops need not feel threatened by Wal-Mart and shopping malls. I could take the time to explain, but really you should read the book. It's not long, and it's quit interesting.
In any case, the word feels right to me. My nightly routine includes the better part of an hour of reading with my kids and I'm always in the middle of several books. Book lovers of the world (global clerisy) unite!