Reading Situation in

FinlandRebekka.Pilppula@jns.fi

Statistics• 650 000 buy more than

10 books in a year, 54% of all sold books

• Typical heavy user: female, 30-59 years, educated, active internet user, active library user

• People buy more fiction books than earlier, but they have less books in their homes

Statistics• 15-19 years old buy more books than 10 years

ago, but they don’t spend more money• Book sales has begun to decline• Non Fiction -10% in 5 years, Fiction sales grew

until 2010• Time spent for reading daily - 45 min, 15 min for

books – has been stable• 75% of adults reads at least one book a year• Youth read even more than earlier?

Reading of books 1991-2009

Libraries

• 2010 annual lending almost 100 million,18 per capita

• 53 million visits, 10 per capita

• 2005: lending 20/cap., visits 12/cap.

Kirjasampo.fi• 2007• Interactive literary web service• Presentations of books and writers, news about

literature• Informations about 74 000 pieces of fiction, 14

000 book covers• Ministry of Education and Culture, Turku City

Library, all the County libraries of Finland

Web services for promoting Literature

• http://www.okariino.fi/ for kids

• http://www.sivupiiri.fi/ for teenagers

• Regional web services: http://pkkirjailijat.jns.fi/

Book talk• Association of “Book

talkers” since 2009• Lobbying, advice the

members, promote reading, organize training sessions

• Finnish championship since 2005

• http://www.vinkkarit.vuodatus.net/

• http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kirjavinkkariyhdistys-ry/197355115440

Super librarian 2007-2011

• Media education project by Finnish Library Association

• Funded by the Ministry of Education

• Educate librarians in appreciating the changing media environment and working as advisor

• 20 regional trainers

• http://www.kirjastokaista.fi/mediadetails.php?key=f3e31b176c05f2129059&title=Is%C3%A4lt%C3%A4+pojalle