READING CULTURE MAP

TURKEY
READING CULTURE MAP
Purpose
This study targeting to reveal our citizens' reading habits has been conducted by interpreting the data collected through
field study using advanced analysis techniques.
The reading culture is one of the important indicators that are associated directly with the development level of the
countries. This study is important from the point of both detecting the current situation and setting targets to develop
the reading culture.
It is targeted to profile the readers and determine the reading tendencies in Turkey; find solutions to eliminate the direct
and indirect problems in accessing the information; provide the related persons and organizations with suggestions;
determine the library perception in the society; raise and diversify the service quality provided by the public and
children's libraries of our Ministry; and draw the roadmap for the future.
1
Sampling
Within the scope of "Turkey Reading Culture Map Project", 6212 persons have been interviewed in 26 cities capable of
representing Turkey.
The research has been conducted with 6212 persons from Adana, Ağrı, Ankara, Antalya, Aydın, Balıkesir, Bursa, Erzurum,
Gaziantep, Hatay, Istanbul, Izmir, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kırıkkale, Kocaeli, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Samsun,
Şanlıurfa, Tekirdağ, Trabzon, Van, and Zonguldak selected from NUTS2 level of Turkish Statistical Institution.
For the sampling based on the Address-Based Registration System (ADNKS) of Turkish Statistical Institution, cities have
been selected from each geographical region. While selecting the cities, instead of the similar cities, those with different
socioeconomic and sociocultural development levels have been preferred. The selected sampling represents the
sampling universe, i.e. Turkey, in terms of the rural and urban distribution.
This study conducted in cities selected from NUTS2 level determined by Turkish Statistical Institute remains within 0.95
confidence limits, and its error margin is ±1.23%.
2
Method
Acception
of proposal
Method
The data of research have been collected through the "questionnaire technique" composed of closed and open-ended
questions.
Report
Submission
Questionnaire
Pilot Test
Sampling
Interviewer
Training
Admendments
Reporting
Brain
Storming
Field Plan
Field
Organization
The level selected in the study is the Level 2- NUTS2 level that is one of three levels determined by the Turkish Statistical
Institute (TUIK) and the State Planning Organization (DPT) within the framework of Turkey Statistical Regional Units
Classification (Türkiye İBBS) and composed of 26 regions. It has been prescribed that 26 cities can represent Turkey for
this study.
Reliable
Field Work
After the questionnaires acquired through field study have been checked, the data coding and loading processes have
been completed, and the data have been analyzed and reported.
Data Processing
Fine Checking
of Field
3
4
Book Selected Randomly And Read Irregularly (45.3%)
Selective And Regular Readers
Individuals in the 7-14 age group (35.4%)
Women (29.1%)
Hermits (32.4%)
Widows (30.1%)
Singles (29.0%)
Those who earn more than TL 5000 a month (41.2%)
Those who have internet connection at home (26.4%)
Those who lead mostly an urban life (30.5%)
Public employees (36.8%)
FINDINGS
5
6
Book, The Most-read Printed Material (54%)
The Heaviest Readers:
Selective and regular readers (74.7%)
Those reading over 51 books a year on average (94.1%)
Individuals in the 7-14 age group (87.5%)
Women (60.8%)
Singles (68.3%)
Those who earn more than TL 5000 a month (67.6%)
Large families (69.9%)
Those who lead mostly an urban life (57.7%)
Those who lead mostly a town life (57.5%)
Students (78.2%)
7
7.2 Books Are Read A Year On Average
Readers:
Selective and regular readers (14.5 books a year on average)
Individuals in the 7-14 age group (12 books a year on average)
Women (7.3 books a year on average)
Men (7.1 books a year on average)
Singles (10.1 books a year on average)
Those who lead mostly an urban life (7.7 books a year on average)
Those who earn between TL 3001 and 5000 TL (10.9 books a year on average)
Members of a 4-person family (7.6 books a year on average)
Those who have internet connection at home (8.4 books a year on average)
Students (11.1 books a year on average)
8
Mostly, The Recommended Books Are Read (61.5%)
Criteria Guiding The Reader's Book Choice:
Book name (25.6%)
Literature supplements of magazines / newspapers (23.7%)
Bookstore visits (14.4%)
Author's popularity (14.3%)
Book cover design (13.2%)
Book blurbs in internet sites (12.8%)
Book promotions in TV (11.6%)
Publisher's reputation (3.6%)
9
There Is No Author Followed Regularly (84.2%)
Ratio Of Authors Read Regularly (15.8%)
Ömer Seyfettin
Ayşe Kulin
Orhan Pamuk
Elif Şafak
Canan Tan
Yaşar Kemal
Dostoyevski
10
Public Libraries Are Known (77%)
No Publisher Preference In Book Selection (90.16%)
Preferred Publishers (9.84%)
Can Yayınları (% 1.19)
Zambak Yayınları (% 0.61
Timaş Yayınları (% 0.52)
Remzi Kitabevi ( % 0.34)
11
Those Who Don't Know:
Those who are 65-year-old and above (33.8%)
Widows (33.1%)
Those who lead mostly a rural life (30.0%)
Those who earn more than TL 5000 a month (34.3%)
Hermits (35.1%)
2-person families (32.4%)
Private sector managers (38.2%)
Those who buy 41-50 books a year on average (34.5%)
Those who have over 151 books at home (26.5%)
Selective and casual readers (23.9%)
Never-ever readers (32.9%)
Those who have internet connection at home (24.3%)
12
Generally Speaking, Not Many People Need Public Libraries
Reasons
1. I'm not used to going to library (43.5%)
2. I don't like reading (16.2%)
3. I meet my information need via internet (12.1%)
4. I don't like libraries (9.4%)
5. I use the other libraries (6.2%)
6. I don't have time (4.1%)
7. The library is far/I don't know its location/There is no library (4.6%)
MAPS
13
14
Average Number of Books Read in One Year
Leisure Time
Having time with friends
Having time with family
Listening to music
Reading Books/Newspapers/Magazines
Number
0,0-1,0
1,1-2,0
2,1-3,0
3,1-4,0
4,1-5,0
5,1-6,0
6,1-7,0
7,1-8,0
8,1-9,0
9,1-10,0
10,1-11,0 11,1-12,0 12,1-13,0
Watching TV
15
16
What is the number of books, except the course books, you have at home?
Number
17
10-15
16-20
21-25
26-30
31-35
36-40
41-45
46-50
51-55
Subject
History Education Religion Literature
18
Theme
Adventure Historical Detective Psychological Romance
19
Genre
Story
Novel
20
Public Library Membership
%
21
0.0-2.0
2.1-3.0
3.1-4,0
4.1-5.0
5.1-6.0
6.1-7.0
7.1-8.0
8.1-10.0 10.1-11.0
Do you use Public Libraries?
11.0+
%
2.5-5.0
5.1-7.0
7.1-9.0
9.1-11.0 11.1-13.0 13.1-15.0 15.1-17.0 17.1-19.0 19.1-21.0 21.1-25.0 25.1-30.0 30.1-35.0
22