Reading in Catalonia: analysis of data on reading practices and campaigns to promote reading

Abstract

The article presents the reading campaigns carried out in Catalonia, the agents behind them and their impact on the population. Also analyzed are the influence of reading practices in the home environment and of initiatives promoting child’s literacy carried out by educational institutions. Likewise, the article describes and evaluates the measures implemented by other cultural agents – especially libraries and bookstores – as well as the impact of events such as book fairs and reading campaigns. Despite the growing number of these activities and the efforts of the agents involved, available surveys do not show the expected improvements in reading habits. These data highlight the need to develop more instruments to collect data and obtain information to evaluate these initiatives.