Which School Year Groups Borrow the Most Audiobooks?
By ePlatform Collection Management
| Jul 08, 2569
Categories : Learn about Audiobooks
Info
- Source: ePlatform Digital Libraries
- Date: July 2026
- Category: Audiobook usage in K-12 schools
- Study Methodology: ePlatform Audiobook loan data was filtered by student year level from Year 3 to Year 12. For each year group, the total Audiobook loans were summed across all Audiobook titles during the January to June 2026 period.
Essential Statistics
- Year 7 had the highest share of Audiobook borrowing, accounting for 23.7 percent of summed year-level audiobook loans.
- Year 8 had the second-highest share at 16.2 percent, followed by Year 5 at 13.4 percent.
- Years 7 to 9 accounted for 49.4 percent of summed year-level Audiobook loans, making lower secondary the strongest borrowing stage in the dataset.
- Years 3 to 6 accounted for 39.3 percent of summed year-level Audiobook loans.
- Years 10 to 12 accounted for 11.3 percent of summed year-level Audiobook loans, with borrowing declining each year from Year 10 to Year 12.
- Audiobook borrowing increased from Year 3 to Year 5, dipped in Year 6, then peaked sharply in Year 7.
- The data suggests Audiobook borrowing is strongest around the transition into secondary school, rather than being limited to primary year groups.
Key Takeaways
- Audiobook borrowing is strongest in lower secondary, with Years 7 to 9 accounting for 49.4 percent of summed year-level Audiobook loans.
- Year 7 is the clear peak, accounting for 23.7 percent of summed year-level loans.
- Year 7 and Year 8 together accounted for 39.9 percent of summed year-level Audiobook loans, showing that Audiobook use is not limited to primary students.
- Borrowing declines steadily after Year 8, with Years 10 to 12 accounting for 11.3 percent of summed year-level loans.
- The data suggests lower secondary is a key opportunity for Audiobook discovery, especially during the transition from primary to secondary school.
Actionable Insights
- Prioritise Year 7 and Year 8 audiobook discovery. Use lower secondary recommendation lists, library displays and staff prompts to keep students connected with reading.
- Create audiobook lists by school stage. Build separate lists for Years 3 to 6, Years 7 to 9 and Years 10 to 12 instead of promoting one general Audiobook collection.
- Use audiobooks during transition years. Year 7 is the strongest borrowing group, making it a useful focus for secondary orientation and reading engagement activities.
- Review senior student promotion. If Years 10 to 12 are borrowing less, test more age-relevant, mature or curriculum-adjacent Audiobook recommendations.
- Position audiobooks as a normal reading choice. Promote listening as part of everyday reading culture, not only as a support tool.
Digital reading for schools
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