EN
Reading, which is the practice of transferring knowledge through printed word, has never been very popular in Poland. At the root of this situation there laid state as well as peasant and proletarian character of the basic social classes in the past. Further retreat from the books was caused by the development of new media an consumption. Regardless of this, literature had developed the basic canons of values that for centuries have been and still are the basic of general education and culture. The book remains the primary medium of dealing with the past in historical education. The main motives for reading are: scientific (cognitive) and utilitarian (practical) reasons. The first of these relate to the world of scholars, the second shall be extended to all social circles. These include educational, technological, political, cultural, compensational, personal, artistic, ludic and many other motives. A large part of the modern readers use new carriers of the culture of language. They use the digital record. This helps to extend the reach of content and ideas created on the basis of literature. This causes that the alarming diagnosis and visions of readership should be judged with greater serenity and distance.