Where have the book devouring children gone? : 9-12-year-old´s library-, reading- and spare time habits in a minor community in the west of Sweden

The aim of this study was to investigate the fictional reading habits and the spare time interests among a group of 9-12-year-olds. Based on the results from questionnaires, interviews and by compiling summaries of literature relevant to this study, I wanted to compare earlier research with my own results and also reflect on notions made by librarians and teachers concerning the children's reading and use of the library. The study shows great differences on most domains between gender. All children regularly visit the library with their teachers. These visits seem to satisfy most boys' need of fiction. During spare time they rather sport, play computer games or watch video films. But if the girls are not sporting or associating with friends they gladly read books during spare time, especially the kind of books the library doesn't stock, i.e. long-run serial books. According to this study book devouring children can be found among 15,7% of the respondents. Both librarians and teachers aspired to more collaboration in form of "book talks'· and book circles in hopes of visualizing the alternative books offered by the library and making the children want to go there during their spare time