"Romantic Attraction": Increase in Visitors at Libraries
Growing Visitors at Hamburg's Book Halls: A Boost in Young Readers and Popular Genres
The book halls of Hamburg have seen an increase in visitors, with over 30 locations registering 237,787 active library cards last year – a significant jump of nearly 17,000 cards compared to the previous year and more than 64,000 more than a decade ago, according to Bibliotheksdirektorin Frauke Untiedt of the German Press Agency.
The city celebrated the 125th anniversary of its book halls in early October, with Untiedt emphasizing the importance of preserving libraries as democratic spaces offering free access to information and the opportunity for free thought.
Book reading habits have shifted over the years, according to Untiedt. While more people are reading, fewer individuals are reading as much as they used to – a trend evident in the rising number of people with library cards, albeit with a stagnant growth in book loans. If given a choice, Untiedt mentioned that more e-book and e-audio licenses for new releases would be desirable, as many people are open to digital reading.
Young people and families make up a major portion of the 3.7 million annual visitors to the libraries. In Germany, the importance of the youth demographic for the overall book market has grown in recent years. While around 1.6 million 10-15-year-olds bought books in 2020, this figure has risen to 2 million by 2023, according to the German Publishers & Booksellers Association. The number of book purchases among 16-19-year-olds has also significantly increased, as shown in a GfK study.
One-third of young people are discovered new books via social media channels, according to the German Publishers & Booksellers Association. Communities on platforms like TikTok and Instagram – known as "BookTok" and "Bookstagram" – have emerged, where books are rated, discussed, and recommended.
Among the latest trends, romance novels are particularly popular among the young demographic in Hamburg, according to Untiedt. These books may contain explicit content. Untiedt sees this trend as a welcome development, as it encourages reading among many young people.
mü/dpa
Kristin Mueller
Gegensätze ziehen Kristin Mueller, geboren 2001 in Ulm, regelrecht an. Sie wuchs in Baden-Würremberg auf, spricht allerdings kein Schwaebisch, trinkt gerne Guinness, mag aber eigentlich kein Bier und hat sich tierisch ueber den Cliffhanger aus Crescent City aufgeregt – nur um den naechsten Band nicht zu lesen. Nach ihren journalistischen Anfaengen bei der Walsroder Zeitung landete sie während des Studiums im Community Management des Stadtportals "bremen.de" und bei der Social Media Agentur Himmelrenner. Fur den Master wurde die selbsterklaerte Bremen-Liebhaberin schliesslich zur Wahl-Hamburgerin. Kein Gegensatz, wie Kristin findet.Kürzel: mü
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In line with the growing interest in books among young people, Kristin Mueller, a Hamburg-based journalist, proposes a shift in her writing style to cover lifestyle topics, including fashion-and-beauty and entertainment, in addition to her usual news and local interest pieces. With her sincere passion for books, Kristin also plans to delve deeper into the world of literature, reviewing the latest releases in various genres, such as romance novels, as a means to encourage more young people to embrace reading.
