thumb|upright=1.35|United State presidential candidates [[Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter stand behind lecterns at a debate prior to the 1976 presidential election.]]
A lectern is a standing reading desk with a slanted top, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon. A lectern is usually attached to a stand or affixed to some other form of support. To facilitate eye contact and improve posture when facing an audience, lecterns may have adjustable height and slant. People reading from a lectern, called lectors, generally do so while standing.
The word has its origins in the medieval Latin term lectrum, related to legere which means 'to read'. In pre-modern usage, the word lectern was used to refer specifically to the "reading desk or stand ... from which the Scripture lessons (lectiones) ... are chanted or read." One 1905 dictionary states that "the term is properly applied only to the class mentioned [church book stands] as independent of the pulpit." By the 1920s, however, the term was being used in a broader sense; for example, in reference to a memorial service in Carnegie Hall, it was stated that "the lectern from which the speakers talked was enveloped in black." Lecterns are frequently also referred to as podiums, a word which can also refer to an elevated platform upon which a lectern is placed, derived from the Latin root pod-, meaning 'feet'. though some, rather rarely, instead take the form of a pelican,
In traditional yeshivas and some synagogues, students and members of the congregation may use small desks called (). These closely resemble conventional lecterns, and indeed, one may be used as a lectern by the hazzan leading the service. Each study group in a yeshivah may have its own and in some older synagogues individual members of the congregation may have their own .
Traditional frequently incorporate a locker under the desktop where prayer books and study material may be locked when not in use, and many feature a footrest for comfort during extended study sessions or standing prayers. Some older synagogues have large collections of .
Islam
thumb|[[Shia Muslim girls studying the Quran placed atop folding lecterns (rehal) during Ramadan in Qom, Iran]]
In Islam, lecterns are often used when studying in Islamic seminaries or reading and learning the Qur'an while sitting on the floor, called rehal. The name "" ultimately derives from the Arabic word () meaning "camel saddle", referring to the resemblance of the unfolded lectern to a saddle.
Political use
thumb|British Prime Minister [[Liz Truss speaks at her statement lectern during her resignation from government, 2022]]
Lecterns are used in political debates on stage, as well as for political speeches. Notable instances of these lecterns include the several types of American Presidential lecterns, of which the most secure is the "Blue Goose", a bulletproof lectern used by the president of the United States, its smaller counterpart the Falcon, and the series of lecterns used for statements outside 10 Downing Street.
Design features
While they are designed in a wide variety of variations, lecterns usually feature a sloped top on which to rest the material to be read. A lip at the bottom of this slope is typically present to prevent this material from sliding off the lectern. The width of a lectern can range from a slender pole to as wide as the lectern's top section. Some modern lecterns feature motorised height adjustment, and sometimes come equipped with a small podium on which to stand.