Reading books manages to keep its place in the "top 5" activities practiced by Bulgarians in their free time.

At the same time, significant changes are taking place both in people's activities outside of their professional activities, as well as in the forms and ways of reading, according to research by Alpha Research.

The survey was conducted in the field in the period November 24 - December 5, 2021 through a direct standardized interview with tablets.

The sample is stratified by region and type of settlement, and the selection of respondents is based on a quota based on gender, age and education, "Darik" adds.

The leading place in the structure of free time continues to be occupied by watching television (69.5%).

However, this share has decreased by 15 to 20 percentage points compared to 2016, and among the youngest generations the decline is more than 30 points.

Of the 36 percent of respondents indicating reading as their usual occupation, only 11% are up to 30 years old and 15% - up to 40 years old. All these indicators show a very serious and deepening displacement of classic reading from activities in the electronic environment.

The long-term trend is to decrease the number of active readers.

From the point of view of reading books, the adult population of the country can be divided into three large groups: one third - weak or non-readers;

one third - sporadic and situational readers and one third - intensive readers.

About three quarters of Bulgarians do not use libraries to borrow books.

Local libraries (mainly in community centers) remain the most used libraries (17.6%), especially in smaller settlements. 

Today, 60% of Bulgarians, compared to 56% in 2019, strongly support the statement that it is worth reading.

For 28% (30% in 2019) the importance of reading gives way to other activities considered more important, and 12% are of the opinion that there is no point in reading.

The higher the socio-economic status of the respondents (higher education, type of employment, income), the more pronounced is the attitude that reading is important. 

For the 18-30 age group, the value of books and reading has been largely displaced by activities in a digital environment, such as watching movies, listening to music, playing games on the Internet, spending time on social networks.

Among this group, among the oldest, the second highest proportion of not having read a single book in the last year was registered.

The New York Library kicks off the literary season with a Bulgarian novel

On the International Day of Literacy, the Association "Bulgarian Book" gathered the institutions at a conference, where startling data from a nationally representative study "Bulgarian and Reading" conducted by "Alfa Research" was presented.

The study covers four main thematic circles: the place of reading in the lives of Bulgarians and the change in the ways of reading;

the importance of reading in the personal biographical path and upbringing of children;

the book market and book borrowing;

reprographic rights and the "downloading" of books from the Internet. 

books

Alpha Research