A study of upper secondary school students’ views on reading promotion work in schools and libraries

Over the last few years, the reading of fiction by young people in Sweden has declined, and the comprehension of what they read has decreased. The purpose of this thesis is to increase the knowledge of how young people view their reading and their opinions on how schools and libraries can enhance students’ desire to read. The problem is targeting how schools and libraries can enhance the students’ desire to read, as well as what the students themselves consider competitors to their reading. The research is based upon five qualitative, semi-structured interviews with five upper secondary school students (Gymnasium in Sweden). Hermeneutics is used as a theoretical foundation as well as a tool for analysing the empirics. Three of the five informants are avid readers, whereas two hardly ever read in their spare time. The results of this study show that students generally have a relatively negative attitude towards required reading in school, whilst the attitude to the casual environment in the library is more positive. At the same time, they see potential for reading in school. Students’ motivation to read may increase if schools give students the possibility to choose their own fiction, give them the option to discuss literature before choosing and individually oriented book tips. For readers, the competition to reading is schoolwork and extracurricular activities but for non-readers, it is not lack of time but lack of motivation that make them choose not to read.