Itamar Vieira Junior addresses reading access at Flipelô

Writer Itamar Vieira Junior addressed the Pelourinho International Literary Festival (Flipelô), arguing against the notion that Brazilians lack an interest in reading. He stated that while interest is high throughout the country, significant barriers to access remain due to socio-economic inequality.

Vieira Junior highlighted the high cost of books and the scarcity of public libraries in peripheral neighborhoods. Drawing from his own experience using public libraries in Salvador, he advocated for expanding the number of libraries to ensure every neighborhood has access to literature.

Data from the 2024 Retratos da Leitura no Brasil research by Instituto Pró-Livro indicated that 47% of the Brazilian population aged 5 and older identify as readers, totaling approximately 93.4 million people. However, the study also noted that 53% had not read any part of a book in the previous three months, reflecting a loss of 6.7 million readers over four years. Conversely, the publishing market has shown signs of recovery, with reports indicating a slight increase in adult book purchasers in 2025.