Estonia's Reading Habits Reveal a Stark Print-Digital Divide
Estonian library lending data for 2025 shows a strong preference for domestic authors in print, with Urmas Vadi's novel 'Kuu teine pool' leading the charts, while digital formats were dominated by an international and educational selection topped by a medical microbiology textbook.
- —Estonian National Library's 2025 lending statistics reveal a strong preference for Estonian literature in print, with Urmas Vadi's novel 'Kuu teine pool' being the most borrowed.
- —While 'Kalevipoeg' and Andrus Kivirähk's 'Rehepapp ehk November' maintained high positions, French author Valérie Perrin had three novels in the top 20 most borrowed print books.
- —In contrast, e-book and audiobook lending saw an educational textbook, Reet Mändar's 'Meditsiiniline mikrobioloogia. II, Bakterid ja seened', as the most borrowed, reflecting a trend towards international and English-language content in digital formats.
- —The Eduard Vilde literary award nominees for 2025 were announced, featuring six works by Estonian authors, including Kairi Looga and Andrus Kivirähk.
- —Triin Soometsa's poetry collection 'Jäälind', which addresses domestic violence and the experiences of Estonian women, was also released.
Recap
The 2025 lending data from Estonia illustrates a clear functional separation in media consumption: physical books serve as the primary vessel for national culture and storytelling, while digital formats are utilized for globalized information, education, and international entertainment. This divergence highlights how format choice is shaping content engagement, with print reinforcing local identity and digital platforms facilitating access to a broader, more utilitarian world of knowledge.