Released: October 23, 2012 Younger Americans’ Reading and
Library Habits Summary of findings More than eight in ten
Americans between the ages of 16 and 29 read a book in the past
year, and six in ten used their local public library. At the
youngest end of the spectrum, high schoolers in their late teens
(ages 16-17) and college-aged young adults (ages 18-24) are
especially likely to have read a book or used the library in the
past 12 months. And although their library usage patterns may
often be influenced by the requirements of school assignments,
their interest in the possibilities of mobile technology may
also point the way toward opportunities of further engagement
with libraries later in life. The Pew Research Center’s Internet
& American Life Project has taken a special look at readers
between the ages of 16 and 29 because interest in them is
especially high in the library world and the publishing world.
This report examines how they encounter and consume books in
different formats. It flows out of a l