Fanfiction, a future opportunity? : Using new media to promote reading at public libraries

Promoting reading and literature is a part of the librarian’s duties in a public library. In this study, fanfiction and digital media were investigated as reading-promotion methods. Furthermore, the knowledge and attitudes to these were investigated among public librarians and consultant librarians. Semi-structured interviews were used as survey method. Four people were interviewed: two public librarians and two consultants. Data was analysed with thematic analysis. The respondents considered that the most important with reading promotion is the story rather than the format. However, most digital media are used to promote book reading. The respondents considered fanfiction to be a usable method but then they thought that more knowledge about the topic is needed, e.g. about copyright, among librarians to reach the full reading-promotion potential of fanfiction