Promote and make reading accessible to young people. This is one of the challenges entrusted to the Culture pass, a system launched in 2019 and which offers young people aged 15 to 18 an envelope for the consumption of cultural goods. And the bet seems to have been met. According to the results, revealed this Thursday, June 27, of a study carried out by the Culture pass with the Bookstore Observatory of the French Bookstore Union (SLF) on the impact of the system on the reading habits of young people French, beneficiaries buy and read more books than average. With a preference, regarding the current year 2024, for novels and short stories.
Based on the analysis of usage data for the device application and a survey carried out among its 990 users, the study determined that the book sector is the primary cultural target for young audiences. On average, they spend 114 euros on the acquisition of books. Beneficiaries also buy more books than the national average: 42% of them buy at least one book per month, which usually concerns less than a third of 16-19 year olds, according to a recently released survey. by the National Book Center (CNL). And while the time spent by young people on screens worries institutions, the study actually reveals that 54% of respondents say they spend more than 30 minutes a day on screens to… read.
85% of Culture Pass beneficiaries frequently buy books
Contrary to the stereotypes which still weigh on the system, accused of only benefiting the manga, the study also indicates that it is the novel, neck and neck with the short story, which wins. Since 1is January, reservations for these two genres increased by 41% compared to 30% for manga.
Finally, the actions carried out by the system, such as the “Book Club” application, which brings together 170 young enthusiasts sharing their favorites every week, or the proposal for author meetings, seem to impact the perception that young people have of the book. Thus, 21% of beneficiaries who read for leisure today did not have this habit before benefiting from the pass. Added to this quality is an increase in curiosity: more than half say they have used the credits to discover new literary horizons and 85% say they frequently buy books.
The big Culture Pass competition
After photography and documentaries, it is now around writing that the big Culture Pass competition will be played out. Sponsored by the author and filmmaker Laetitia Colombanithis will be held from July 5 to August 31, 2024. Open to all beneficiaries of the scheme, the competition will reward several budding writers who have worked on the theme “A step towards the other”. The ten winners will be offered the opportunity to be accompanied by an editor to rework their texts, before being published in an illustrated collection.
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