More Poles Reading Books, But Still a Minority
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Loading... - Edrice Sabry
- 15 Aug 2024
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According to a recent survey by Poland's National Library, 43% of Poles have read at least one book in the last year, a significant increase of 9 percentage points from 2022 and the highest figure since 2010. However, this still means that a majority of Poles do not read at least one book per year.
Demographics and Reading Habits
The survey found that:
- Women (50%) are more likely to have read at least one book than men (36%)
- The most-read author for the fifth year running is Remigiusz Mróz, followed by Stephen King and Polish Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk
- The group most likely to have read at least one book are those still studying (68%), followed by those with a university education (54%)
- Readership is highest among those aged 25-39 (48%) and lowest among those aged 60 and over (37%)
Impact of Pandemic and War
The survey suggests that the pandemic and the war in Ukraine have not deterred Poles from reading. In fact, the National Library notes that there are signs of increased optimism, which may be contributing to the rise in reading.
Library Usage and Book Purchases
The survey also found that:
- The requirement for public libraries to be open on at least half of Saturdays during the year has widened the accessibility of libraries for working people
- The largest increase in the use of public libraries was among men aged 25-39
- Nearly half of Poles (48%) said they bought a book last year, 12 percentage points more than in 2022
- Physical books remain the most popular format, with only 7% of Poles reading digital books
Favorite Genres
The survey revealed that:
- Criminal and thriller novels are still Poles' favorite genre, with 28% of people declaring that they read those last year
- Casual literature and romance are also popular (22%)
- Non-fiction is also growing in popularity (11% last year against 7% in 2020)
