Reading.

British people read a lot. They read books, newspapers and magazines. And of course they read text messages on their mobile phones. Sixty-five per cent of British people list' reading for pleasure' as a major hobby. A quarter of the population reads more than 20 boooks each year. In this library you can borrow books but you can also buy a cup of coffee, look at an art exhibition, sit in a quiet study area or connect to the Internet. You can also now borrow CDs, videos and DVDs of films and television programmes. There are often reference rooms where you can go to look something up or go to study. Libraries are very important in schools and universities both for study and for reading for pleasure. The British Library is one of the world's greatest libraries. The Queen opened its new building in 1998. It receives a copy of every book published in Britain and adds 3 millions new items every year. It's got books of course, but also sound recordings, music, maps, newspapers and magazines. People predicted that radio, then television, then the Internet would kill reading, but it is still a very popular activity.