According to the new annual Book Panel report, published in December, Danes are reading and buying more books than they have in the past ten years. Last year, 32 million printed books, audiobooks, and e-books were issued, with sales up 8.5 percent compared to the previous year.
The rise in interest in printed books is partly attributed to screen fatigue and a desire for more mindful reading. Culture Minister Jakob Engel Schmidt welcomes this trend, emphasizing that books retain their value amid fierce competition for people’s attention. Another factor is the active work of libraries, which are developing new event formats and attracting readers, especially families with children and people aged 30-50.
At the same time, experts note that the success of printed books should not be attributed solely to the abandonment of digital technologies. Marketing, new forms of promotion, and the development of the library environment play a significant role.
Amid overall growth, popular science and professional literature are experiencing particular difficulties. The number of publishers in this segment is declining, as such books are less suitable for audio format and require a high level of concentration. The number of publishers releasing new nonfiction literature fell from 609 to 463 over the year.
“When our books are sold through streaming services, a certain type of literature performs best—for example, feel-good books and detective stories. This is literature that is published in series, so people can continue listening after finishing one book,” says author Iben Mondrup, a member of the expert group on the new literary guidelines. At the same time, the authors emphasize the importance of maintaining accessibility across all genres to support a culture of deep and meaningful reading.
