Reading Trends for 2025–2026: What Libraries Can Expect

As we move through 2025 and approach 2026, reading habits continue to evolve in ways that matter for libraries, publishers, and the wider cultural landscape. Despite the fast pace of digital life, readers are gravitating toward stories, formats, and communities that offer depth, comfort, and genuine connection. The following three trends are especially relevant for libraries working to strengthen engagement, support discovery, and refine collection management strategies.

A Renewed Desire for Depth: The rise of Slow and Immersive Reading

Across many countries and age groups, reading is increasingly seen as a refuge rather than just a pastime. Readers are deliberately seeking out longer novels, reflective nonfiction, and even classic literature, not for academic purposes but for the sense of presence and calm these works create. After years marked by fragmented attention and quick-scroll consumption, slow reading is becoming a conscious counter-movement.

Recent European data supports this renewed interest in traditional reading habits. The European and International Booksellers Federation’s 2024 study found strong and steady engagement with print books, reflecting a desire for immersive, intentional reading experiences across markets.

For libraries, this shift highlights the value of collections that invite exploration and depth – from long-form fiction to essays, biography, and narrative nonfiction. It also reinforces the importance of creating physical and digital spaces that encourage concentration, comfort, and discovery.

Reading as a Shared Activity: Communities, Clubs, and Collective Connection

At the same time, reading is becoming more social. More people are seeking spaces where they can share what they read and hear what others are discovering. Library-hosted reading groups continue to attract participants, and digital communities make it easier for readers to gather around themes, genres, or seasonal challenges. Many readers find new titles not through recommendation engines, but through conversations - whether at the library or in an online forum.

Eurostat data from 2025 also supports the continued relevance of print books within these social spaces. Across the EU, significantly more readers purchased physical books online in 2024 than digital formats, suggesting that the printed book remains an important cultural and social object.

For libraries, this underscores the value of programming, displays, and community initiatives that make reading a shared experience. This social dimension strengthens engagement, encourages exploration, and gives readers a meaningful reason to return.

Genres and Moods on the Rise: Hope, Comfort, and Imaginative Escape

While readers’ tastes vary widely, a few genre trends stand out heading into 2026. Instead of broad lists, three movements seem especially influential:

Romantasy

A blend of romance and fantasy, romantasy continues to draw large and loyal audiences. Readers are drawn to its emotional intensity, escapism, and richly imagined worlds.

Cozy fiction

From gentle mysteries to warm contemporary stories, cozy fiction offers reassurance and comfort. These are books that focus on connection, kindness, and low-stakes tension—an appealing contrast to an unpredictable world.

Solarpunk and hopeful climate fiction

Rather than dystopian narratives, many readers now seek stories that imagine constructive or optimistic futures. Solarpunk in particular resonates with younger audiences who want fiction that inspires rather than warns.

These movements reflect a wider desire for emotional safety, optimism, or imaginative release. They are clearly visible in reading lists, library circulation patterns, and book club selections. Research from the UK’s National Literacy Trust also shows that young readers remain strongly attached to print books and gravitate toward stories that feel personally meaningful and emotionally engaging:

For libraries, these insights can inform collection development, display strategies, and recommendation practices—strengthening both library workflows and the overall user experience.

Looking Ahead

The reading landscape of 2025–2026 is shaped by a desire for depth, community, and emotionally resonant stories. Whether readers are seeking calm, connection, or imaginative escape, their choices reflect a broader movement toward intentionality. For libraries, these trends offer opportunities to curate more meaningful collections, support discovery, and build stronger engagement with the communities they serve.