Population · Chart
Fewer South African readers get their books from public libraries
48% 2006 · Highest
The share fell from 48% in 2006 to 24% in 2016 and 17% in 2023, a drop of 31 percentage points.
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Method and sources
Each bar is the percentage of South African book readers who usually get their books from public libraries, as reported in the article.
2006: 48% and 2016: 24%, from the South African Book Development Council (SABDC) surveys as compiled in the National Reading Barometer.
2023: 17%, from the National Reading Survey 2023 library issue brief. That survey covered roughly 4,250 adults aged 16 and over, interviewed in late 2022 and early 2023.
The three figures come from separate surveys. The article notes that repeats of the National Reading Survey in 2026 and 2030 will give the country its first true longitudinal measure, so read the trend as indicative. It also notes that 19% of adults still visit a library at least monthly.
The article gives years only, so the period runs from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2023.
Source: National Reading Barometer (https://www.readingbarometersa.org)
Figures as published in our article on South African literature and reading (last updated 21 July 2026): SABDC 2006 and 2016 surveys compiled in the National Reading Barometer, and the National Reading Survey 2023.
Chart updated · 14 Sep 2026. The observation dates above describe the data, not today’s conditions.
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