“We asked New Zealanders if they enjoyed going to the library as children, and 84% said yes, so it’s clear they want to still have that experience available for their own children in the future,” Revell adds.
And while Kiwis may be worried about the impact of digital media on literacy, that’s not stopping them increasingly using e-books, online newspapers and magazines to get their reading fix.
Forty-six per cent said they had downloaded or read an electronic/e-book in the past 12 months, and one in four believed they were likely to consume more, or do this for the first time, in the coming year.
“While the numbers of those aged 18 to 34 years old are highest for reading e-books, we found just under 40% of those aged 65+ have also tried a digital book,” Revell adds.
“Plus, a greater number of people aged 55-64 intended to consume more electronic books in the next 12 months than any other group, so this is definitely not a trend limited to the younger generations.”
Meanwhile, uptake of reading online newspapers and magazines was also high, with 7 out of 10 Kiwis having read a digital version of a newspaper online or via a smartphone or tablet app in the past year.
Magazines were less popular as a digital product, but one in four people had read an electronic/e-magazine in the previous 12 months.
“Kiwis may be worried about literacy, but it’s clearly not stopping them from using their smartphones, tablets, e-readers and computers to consume books, news and magazine content,” Revell adds.
“One in five of those surveyed intend to read online newspapers even more in the next year.”
Other figures from the survey show that uptake of digital TV and radio is also high, with TV promising to see the highest increase over the next twelve months as over one-third of Kiwis say they’ll consume more online.
The availability of services such as Netflix and Apple TV in New Zealand, as well as local network on-demand offerings, are likely to increase these figures even further, Revell adds.
“Kiwis are looking for ways to fit books, magazines, TV and radio into their busy lives, so digital offerings that can be consumed wherever, and at a time that suits them, seem to be winning the race at the moment," she says.