As the children themselves are allowed to answer questionnaires about their reading habits, the Swedish Media Council has for a long time noticed that more and more people spend less time on books and newspapers.
It is mainly in older children that reading of books has decreased, in the latest survey 79% between the ages of 13-16 answered that they do not read books and newspapers at all or less than an hour.
- It is decreasing and it is very boring, but I do not think it is so black and white. Children read a lot but in different forms. They do not always read printed books, but they read fan fiction, things online, in their video games, says Maria Fredriksson, youth librarian at Uppsala City Library.
Hear more about young people's reading habits and how Uppsala City Library works to follow developments in the clip above.