By exploring how people read, one can also discover how to promote reading. This master’s thesis explores the different reasons and ways in which audiobook readers and traditional readers read. The purpose is to see how the reading experience differs between traditional readers and audiobook readers, with the intention of support-ing reading promotion efforts. Interviews have been conducted with seven audiobook readers and five traditional readers. Regardless of the format, readers have varied reasons for reading and obtain various aspects from their reading experience. The interviewed participants read for entertainment, knowledge, personal insights, and anxi-ety relief regardless of the format. It was also not unusual for the participants themselves to have different goals for their reading depending on things like their mood and wellbeing. The audiobook readers chose the audiobook format for practical reasons, rather than aesthetic preferences. Some claimed to still prefer traditional reading, while some didn’t specify their preferred format. The traditional readers saw practical advantages with the audiobook format, but chose to continue reading in the traditional format due to aesthetic preferences or an inability to concentrate on the audiobook. Several readers from both groups also claimed that they didn’t like the performing narrator interpreting the book for them. With this in mind it is possible that the two formats would fit different kinds of reading experiences better. Interviewed participants from both groups multitasked while reading, though the traditional readers multi-tasking was more stationary than mobile. Both groups highlighted that the performing narrator has a crucial role in whether the audiobook was enjoyable. The traditional readers also considered aspects such as the font and the cover image important for their traditional reading. From this it is possible to draw the conclusion that the format does affect the reading experience.

The purpose of this master’s thesis is to examine reading groups participants’ motivations for and expectations on participating in reading groups. The focus is on why the respondents read and take part in reading groups in a time of decreased reading. The theoretic framework in the thesis is Furhammar’s analysis model of why one is reading. Semistructured interviews have been held with four respondents from free-standing reading groups and four respondents from library reading groups, to see how and if their view on literature and motivations differ, and also if this differs between the two different kind of reading groups. The empirical data have been analysed through qualitative content analysis. The empirical data shows that there are some differences between how the two different types of reading groups work and therefore also in the participants view of reading and motivations, which is based on the participants’ personal lives.