This survey analyzed data from 696 Italian parents regarding their children's use of digital books versus printed books. Key findings include: - Nearly 35% of parents reported their children using digital books in 2014, up from 30.3% in 2013, with apps being the most commonly used format. - Daily reading of printed books was reported by 72.6% of children, compared to 16.1% for daily or weekly reading of digital books. - Tablets were the most common device for digital reading at 73%, followed by e-readers at 22% and smartphones at 17%. - Digital books were most often read alone at 58% compared to with adults at 34% and siblings at 8%. -

1. #NATIDIGITALI
A survey about children, parents,
(digital)books for childhood
Survey 2014
Story-telling and story-selling. Digital kids between transmedia
experiences and market trends
Bologna Children’s Book Fair - 26 March 2014,
10.30 – 12.30 a.m., Centro servizi D, Sala Suite

2. Promoted by:
In collaboration with:
Partners

3. The Survey
Update and analysis of the 2013 survey
The survey was distributed on line, in January and February 2014,
and promoted through:
Newsletters
Facebook pages, Twitter
Web sites, blog
Press
The survey was addressed to:
Parents
Librarians
By February 28th:
910 answers collected
696 answers analyzed (excluded answers from librarians).

4. 1) Parents’ attitude towards new technologies and
reading, with particular regard to parents of pre-school
aged kids (53.35% of the answers) and of those attending
primary school (34.6%)
2) The inclination to let kids use new devices (ereaders,
tablets, smartphones) for extra study purposes; the benefits
and the issues according to parents
3) The relationship between reading printed and
digital books, the sources of information, the sales
channels of printed and digital books
4) Where and when kids and parents read together printed
and digital books
The aim of the survey was the analysis of:
Aim of the Survey

5. 696
89%
11%
55%: 31 - 40 years old
Average age: 39 years
45% graduated 40% >400 books at
home
1 kid: 46%
2 kids: 43%
Smartphone 77%
Tablet 57%
Pc (at home) 88%
Ereader 22%
The survey was distributed in February and March 2014 through an
online questionnaire. The profile of the respondants is not
representative of the attitudes of average Italian parents, but just of
the most innovative part.
Respondants Profile

6. 2014
34.6%
used children
digital books
2013*
30.3%
used children
digital books
Grade
(Range 1-5)
App 4.11
eBook 2.25
Online 1.35
* Survey #NATIDIGITALI
Trends in Digital Reading of Children Books
Almost +5% the
parents’ inclination
to let kids read digital
books: mostly apps,
and ebooks
Formats usually used
by kids for reading:

7. * Digital books: app, stories read on e-reader, tablet, smartphone
72.6%
reads everyday
printed books
16.1%
reads everyday and
at least once a week
digital books*
By kids age:
Everyday:
79% (0-2 years old)
83% (3-5 years old)
71% (6-11 years old)
38% (12-14 years old)
Everyday and at least once a week:
56% (0-2 years old)
51% (3-5 years old)
81% (6-11 years old)
88% (12-14 years old)
Printed and Digital Books Reading

8. What do You Use for Digital Reading?
Tablet eReader Smartphone Computer
73%
22%
17%
14%
Value s in %

9. Where and How do You Read?
Values in %
Question 11: «In which situation does your kid usually read print ed books?» Question 25: «In which situation does your kid usually read
digital books?»
* Digital books: app, stories read on e-reader, tablet, smartphone
Occasions for reading
printed books (and their
benefits)
Occasions for using digital
devices (and their benefits) ><
78.0%
59.0%
26.0%
12.0% 14.0%
20.0%
27.8%
34.0%
12.0%
34.4%
38.6%
0.0%
Before going to
sleep
When I don't
have time to
read with the
kid
For school
purposes
(textbooks
excluded)
When I need to
entertain the
kid but I can't
deal directly
with him/her
Travelling On holiday
Printed books Digital books*

10. My Kid Reads Digital Books* With…
Question 23 «Your kid mostly reads digital books with …»
* Digital books: e-book, app, other online formats
Value in %
0 - 2 years : 100%
3-5 years: 72%
3-5 years: 21%
6-11 years: 48%
12-14 years: 94%
My kid reads digital books…
34%
8%
58%
Alone
With siblings and other children
With an adult

11. It’s a daily activity, like any other game.
«When does Your Kid Usually Read Printed Books»?
Anytime he/she can.
When he/she wants it.
When he wants to play. Reading is a
game.
When he/she is sad and I want to
cheer him/her up.
Whenever.
He/she goes to his room, chooses
a book and we read together.
After dinner.
I read for him/her, before
going to sleep.
In the bathroom.
When he wants to deepen a
subject.
We read every evening.
He/she can’t read but he/
she looks at the pictures.
To relax together.
The relationship with
the parent
Reading as game
or deepening
Every moment and
place is good to
read a book
On the potty.
Anytime he/she can.
Question 11: «In which situation does your kid ususally read printed books?»

12. «When does Your Kid Usually Read Digital Books?»
For the pleasure of alternative stories.
Waiting in public places,
in absence of other options.
Where a book would be
uncomfortable to handle.Whenever he/she wants.
During aerosol inhalation.
Using the iPad, he/she
opens the interactive books app.Innovation of technology
and storytelling
Reading shared with
peers
Convenience
In occasions similar to
those for printed books
Moments of playing.
In sparetime, as for printed
books.
With friends.
With cousins. In the weekend, when
we don’t have much time.
Question 25: «In which situation does your kid usually read digital books?»

13. 4.08
+
4.66
+
Question 12: «What is the role of these aspects in a printed book?» Question 27 «What is the role of these aspects in a digital book?»
(1=least important / 5= most important)
* Digital books: app, stories read on e-reader, tablet, smartphone
What’s Important in Printed and Digital Books?
Average score values
What’s important to
me:
The learning side
Entertainment
Encouraging imagination
Encouraging independence
3.89
4.21
3.98
Printed book
4.07
4.37
3.27
Digital book
=
+

14. >
Question 20 «You think that digital reading for children…»
* Digital books: ebook, app, other online formats
Values in %
Reading Digital Books* …
A printed book is
magic, tactile
experience, encoura
ges concentration
A digital book is
handy, engaging, he
lps learning and
independence
>
71%
37%
9%
7%
48%
28%
5%
5%
4%
24%
16%
6%
49%
7%
1%
22%
13%
5%
20%
10%
9%
63%
52%
18%
It has practical benefits
(portability)
It's more engaging
It's more instructive
It fosters sharing
It helps to learn the language
It fosters indipendence
It can create damages to sight
Drops concentration ability
Discourages reading alone
Loses the 'magic' of the book
Loses tactile and sensorial
experiences
Discourages imagination and
creativity
Parents whose kids DON'T
read digital books
Parents whose kids read
digital books

15. A Digital Book* Should…
Values in % (max 4 answers)
Question 26 «According to you a digital book should…»
* Digital books: ebook, app, other online formats
Digital books should…
The editorial
value
Technological
and
multimedia
value
>
>
80.5%
62.2%
19.9%
32.8%
15.4%
29.9%
49.4%
62.2%
Be interactive
Be multimedia (audio, video)
Be animated
Allow to read in different languages
Be readable by kids with reading
difficulties
Have a voice which tells the story
and allows the kid to 'read' alone…
Be well-illustrated and with a
beautiful layout
Have a good story, be well-written

16. My Kid doesn’t Read Digital Books Because…
Question 19 «My kid doesn’t read digital books because…?»
There are few digital books.
He/she is too young.
We do other things with the iPad.
We don’t read.
He/she is too young.
We read printed books together.
He/she is too young and
destroys it (the tablet).
He/she is too young to
appreciate printed and digital
books as well.
He/she is too young. The tactile
experience is too important.
It’s some distraction.

17. Why don’t You Read Digital?
Question 19 «My kid doesn’t read digital books because…».
* Digital books: e-book, app, other online formats
The lack of
occasions, no
ownership
No digital reading
as a matter of
principle
Values in %
< >
4.6%
19.1%
33.4%
12.1%
61.1%
16.3%
I didn't know
digital books for
children existed
I don't own
devices to read
them
I never had the
occasion
I'm adverse to
digital reading for
children
I prefer print
books for my
children
My kid prefers
print books

18. «Reading Digital Books Can…»
Question 20 «You think that reading digital books can…»
Lose the pleasure of touching.
Encourage the habit of
staying too long in front
of a screen.
It can create
problems to sight.
It’s related to games.
The tech side prevails.
It’s a different way to read, but
As important and beautiful.
I can’t see substantial
Differences.
Printed or digital is the same.
What matters is the story.
We don’t think about
It.

19. Which Digital Books? Titles and Characters
Question 28 «Suggest an example of a quality digital book»

20. Question 13: «Which sources do you mostly use to get a a printed book to read?» Question 30 ««Which sources do you mostly use to get
a digital book to read?»
* Digital books: app, stories read on e-reader, tablet, smartphone
Values in %
How do I Get Information?
Looking for printed books to
read, I mostly use:
Looking for digital books to
read, I mostly use:
< >
15.0%
43.0%
39.0%
18.0% 19.0%
27.0%
16.0%
21.0%
49.0%
12.0%
1.0%
5.0%
37.0%
5.0%
8.0%
16.0%
37.0% 38.0%
54.0%
30.0%
3.0%
Printed books Digital books*

21. Question 33: «How much do these aspects influence you when you purchase a digital book for children?
* Digital books: ebook, app, other online formats
Average grade values
When purchasing digital books I’m influenced by…
What Influences Your Purchase of Digital Books* ?
3.36
2.74
3.02
4.01
3.56
3.90
3.68
2.24
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
Fame of the story and of the characters
Fame of the brand which publishes it
Fame of the author (and illustrator)
Design and illustrations
Reviews of newspapers and newspapers
websites
Reviews of other users
The price or the fact that is free
None of those: my kid decides for
himself/herself

22. 75%
(8.00-17.99€)
Printed books Apps
59%
(1.00-4.99€)
23%: free
38%:1-2.99 €
eBooks
53%
(1.00-4.99€)
10%: free
32%:3-4.99 €
«What Price?»
Values in%
Question 15 «How much are you willing to pay for a printed book?», Question 34 «How much are you willing to pay for a digital book? »
Question 55 «How much are you willing to pay for a childrens’ app».

23. 61%
Sometimes + Often
Printed books
Reading in Another Language?
Digital books*
55%
Sometimes + Often
Values in %
Question 17: «Have you ever purchased printed books in a foreign language?», Question 34: «Have you ever purchased digital books
in a foreign language?».
* Digital books: ebook, app, other online formats

24. Thank you!