In 2025, 41% of people in Poland aged 15 and over read at least one book in the previous twelve months, the same as a year earlier. 7% read seven books or more. Those are the headline figures from the Polish National Library’s report „Stan czytelnictwa książek w Polsce w 2025 roku” (in Polish), the country’s long-running reading survey. Below are the key numbers, the trend over twelve years, and a few takeaways for anyone who’d like to read a little more, wherever they live.
The key numbers
- 41% of people aged 15+ read at least one book in 2025.
- 7% read seven or more, which the report treats as reading fairly regularly.
- 47% of women and 34% of men say they read.
- 64% of people still in education read books; among university graduates it’s 54%.
- 19% of readers named a public library as a source of their books, up from 15% a year earlier.
- 71% of people in cities of over 500,000 read, compared with 34% in villages.
How it has changed
Share of people who read at least one book in the year, by survey year:
| Year | Read at least 1 book |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 42% |
| 2015 | 37% |
| 2016 | 37% |
| 2017 | 38% |
| 2018 | 37% |
| 2019 | 39% |
| 2020 | 42% |
| 2021 | 34% |
| 2022 | 34% |
| 2023 | 43% |
| 2024 | 41% |
| 2025 | 41% |
Over twelve years the figure moves between 34% and 43%. The authors describe the split between readers and non-readers as stable.
Who reads most
People in education. Pupils and students read most (64%), and they’re also more likely to read seven or more books a year. Fewer people read after they finish education, but the chance of picking up a book still rises with education level.
Women. 47% of women read, against 34% of men. The report links the gap partly to women in Poland staying in education longer on average and being less likely to stop reading after university.
Younger people. The share falls with age: 45% at 15–24, 46% at 25–39, 42% at 40–59 and 33% at 60 and over. Teenagers aged 15–18 read most of all (56%).
Big cities. In cities of over 500,000, 71% read; in cities of 200,000–499,000, 54%; in villages, 34%.
The authors note it’s not a simple line: many people living in small towns around big cities commute to jobs where reading is part of the work.
Family. People who grew up in homes where books were read are the most likely to read themselves. Nobody is born a reader, the report says: we learn it from family, friends and school.
Where books come from
Readers were asked where the books they read came from. Many named more than one source, so the figures don’t add up to 100%.
| Source | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Bought it themselves | 50% | 43% |
| Borrowed from family or friends | 33% | 26% |
| Received as a gift | 34% | 26% |
| Public library | 15% | 19% |
| Own home collection | 10% | 10% |
| School library | 5% | 6% |
Public libraries are the only source that grew noticeably. 19% is the first result above the pre-pandemic level (18% in 2019). The report also mentions ebooks and audiobooks read through access codes from libraries, and, on a smaller scale, books from bookcrossing points.
What people read
Genre fiction leads: crime and thrillers, popular and romantic fiction, and to a lesser degree fantasy. Crime is read by 30% of women readers and 22% of men; popular and romantic fiction by 30% of women and 4% of men. School-reading classics, reportage, biographies and self-help also have a solid place.
The most-read author is Remigiusz Mróz, a Polish crime writer who has topped the National Library’s list every year since 2019. In 2025 he was followed by Stephen King, Henryk Sienkiewicz, J. K. Rowling and Andrzej Sapkowski.
How the survey works
The survey used face-to-face interviews (CAPI) with a representative sample of 2,005 people aged 15 and over. Fieldwork was run by Research Collective, and the questionnaire and analysis came from the National Library’s reading research unit.
Two things to keep in mind. First, these are self-reports: people say what they read and name up to five titles. Second, any book counts, in any form: print, ebook or audiobook, bought, borrowed or from a library. These aren’t sales or lending figures.
What it means for you
These numbers aren’t a verdict. Reading books has never been universal, the authors point out, and a “reader” here is simply someone who picked up one book in a year. Every page counts, including a romance on the tram and a thriller before bed.
A few practical takeaways:
- Libraries work. More people read from public libraries. Ask yours about ebook and audiobook access too. We list free ebooks from your library and other legal sources separately.
- Reading is social. We read what the people close to us recommend. Reading together or a reading challenge with friends runs on the same idea.
- A small goal is enough. Seven books a year is the threshold the report calls fairly regular reading. That’s roughly one book every seven weeks. For choosing your own target, see how many books a year to read, and for how long one book takes, our piece on reading speed.
Talemi helps with that last part: log your pages, see your progress on the shelf and race your friends if you like. For more on apps like this, read how to choose a reading tracker app. See how Talemi works or join early access.
Sources
- Chymkowski, R., Koryś, I. and Zasacka, Z. (2026). Stan czytelnictwa książek w Polsce w 2025 roku. Komunikat (in Polish). Biblioteka Narodowa (National Library of Poland).
