| dc.description.abstract | The contents of the article was based on MA theses written at the Institute of Library Management and Scientific
Information at the Pedagogical University named after the National Education Commission in Cracow. The article
discussed the reading habits of pupils from grades five to eight of elementary schools in Brzeszcze, Jaćmierz,
Kunów, Zarszyn and Cracow, and it presented reading activities, home book collections and pupils' reading
preferences concerning authors, titles, subject matters and values attached to particular books. The following
conclusions were formulated: pupils from grades five to eight of elementary schools treat reading as an important
form of participation in culture and a recognised value. The condition of reading among children and teenagers
would be worse if not for the obligatory nature of reading lists. An optimistic phenomenon is the fact that all
pupils acquire home collections of books. Active readers have no problems with school education and they are
usually high achievers. There are no big discrepancies between reading preferences of pupils from great urban
centres, small towns or rural areas, whereas the differentiating factors are sex and age. In spite of the mass
media competition, the book continues to stimulate a considerable interest among pupils, and it fulfils many
functions for them. | en_EN |
