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Despite the growing digitisation of books, Greeks continue to read printed editions, with borrowing from public and municipal libraries also on the rise, according to official data.

Adult fiction remains the most popular category among library loans, accounting for 389,638 borrowings in 2025, or 44.5% of the total. It was followed by children’s fiction, with 152,688 loans (17.4%); children’s picture books, with 120,276 (13.7%); and scientific books, with 61,343 (7%).

The figures were compiled by OSDEL, the Collective Management Organisation for Literary Works, based on data submitted by public and municipal libraries across Greece. They confirm that public lending remains one of the country’s most important avenues of access to books, recording another year of growth.

A total of 876,885 books were borrowed in 2025, compared with 846,225 in 2024, an increase of 30,660 loans, or 3.6%. The data also show that readers are turning to both contemporary titles and older, enduring works. Some 24.5% of loans involved books published within the past five years, while another 24.5% concerned editions six to 10 years old. Books published 11 to 15 years ago accounted for 18% of loans, those 16 to 20 years old for 13.2%, and editions more than 20 years old for 19.8%.

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The 10 most-borrowed books in 2025 included The House Beside the River, The Seal, The Green Dress, A Journey to Venice, The Three Aces and The Letter in Gold by Lena Manta; Almyra and Turquoise by Rena Rossi-Zairi; The Great Chimera by M. Karagatsis; and The Cobbled Street by Giannis Kalpouzos.

The 10 authors whose works were borrowed most frequently were Eugene Trivizas, Lena Manta, Rena Rossi-Zairi, Chrysida-Chrysa Dimoulidou, Maria Tzirita, Pashalia Travlou, Giannis Kalpouzos, Giolanda Tsoroni-Georgiadi, Menios Sakellaropoulos and Sofi Theodoridou.

The data submitted for the 2025 figures came from the National Library of Greece, 25 public libraries, representing 55.56% coverage, 54 municipal libraries (31.21%), and five public or municipal children’s libraries (16.67%).