Reading patterns may be shifting from printed to online material

Reading is a preferred hobby to 38 percent of the country's adult population according to a Lifestyle Survey carried out by the National Statistics Office.

The survey showed that reading was the most popular among people living in the northern district (42.3 percent) and least in Gozo and Comino (29.9 percent).

An analysis by educational level revealed that 59.8 of the adult population with a tertiary level of education indicated reading as one of their hobbies compared to 9.4 percent of those with no schooling.

New membership in public libraries continued to register a falling trend last year, with 5,049 members joining public libraries when compared to 5,257 in 2007, 5,917 in 2006 and 6,447 in 2005.

On a district level, the only district with an increase in both adult and junior membership during 2008 was the morthern district. Total book loans by public libraries in Malta and Gozo also continued to decrease to 758,779 in 2008 when compared to 813,153 in 2007; this indicated a drop of 6.7 percent.

Private consumption expenditure on books, newspapers and periodicals showed a negative growth last year when compared to 2007. Expenditure on books went down by four percent whilst expenditure on newspapers and periodicals went down by 8.2 percent.

These drops could indicate a shift in reading patterns from printed-book material to online journals and magazines, the NSO said.