Digital social reading services: needs and values of Finnish readers

Digital social reading services have the possibility to expand both digital and traditional reading of books. Currently there are a number of services for social reading. A web questionnaire including a 3-minute video and four written concept stories was designed to study the attitudes of Finnish consumers towards social reading service concept. 1316 persons answered the questionnaire, and the respondents were predominantly women (92%). According to the results, the general attitude towards social reading services is positive, although the response to some social reading concepts was divided. The most popular social reading concepts include features that enable finding new books and hobby-related problem solving. The results thus suggest that the popularity of the concept increases if the concept provides effective solutions and help for solving practical problems. The most popular specific features are controlling bookshelf visibility, recommendations by comparing bookshelves, parallel digital/print reading and giving digital reading rights to friends. Social interaction generally, and finding like-minded people and sharing thoughts is important among the respondents. Social reading concepts are seen as a possibility to enhance social interaction in its various forms. Furthermore, social reading service could enrich or enhance book contents, reading habits, reading motivation, apposite reading choices and learning. Generally, the respondents saw that reading as a hobby could become easier in many ways due to digital social reading services.