The average number of library books checked out by primary school students in the 2007 academic year hit a record high of 35.9, the Education, Science and Technology Ministry said Thursday.

Based on its findings, the ministry said the trend in which children were reading less appeared to have been halted to some extent.

The survey, which traces the number of libraries and library users nationwide, has been conducted every three years since the 1954 academic year.

According to the latest survey, the number of public and private libraries across the nation stood at an all-time high of 3,165, as of Oct. 1 last year.

The survey found about 3.98 million primary school students were registered as library users in the 2007 academic year.

The average user in this category checked out 35.9 books, up 2.9 books compared with the previous survey. Based on the latest figure, the registered primary school students are estimated to have read a book every 10 days.

There was a total of 34 million library users, each of whom checked out an average of 18.6 books, up 0.4 books from the previous poll.