Lists are fun; they’re also revealing. Our Top 100 most‑borrowed titles of 2025 (headlined by Atomic Habits, Ikigai, Harry Potter, The Hidden Hindu and The Psychology of Money) paint a picture of readers who want agency, clarity, and confidence. These are a bunch of eclectic titles. And eclectic were the reading habits of corporate India in the past year, if you ask us!
Let me start by a little bit of our own trumpet blowing first. In 2025, the klib Corporate Library powered more than 1.5 Lakh orders across 189 organisations and 89 cities. That’s thousands of moments where someone chose books over screens to learn, to relax, to recharge or to spend time with a little child. The numbers are impressive, but the story behind them is even better: teams are building skills, leaders are finding their voice, families are reading together and books are here to stay.
What stood out for us is that 54% of readers came back for more. Reading isn’t a one‑off “New Year resolution” anymore. It’s becoming a habit, and a very rewarding one!
What We’re Reading, and Why It Matters
If we had to tell you what is it that people are reading, it would be very tempting to say, “everyone is reading everything,”. But the data tells a clear story:
- Self‑help leads. Atomic Habits, Ikigai, and Thinking Fast and Slow sit on top, and for a good reason. In the current times, when work is getting more stressful by the day and attention gets fragmented, people are reaching for clarity, productivity, and self‑mastery. From time management to destressing and emotional intelligence, this category found the most takers.
- Money on the mind. The Psychology of Money and Rich Dad Poor Dad are perennial favourites, with some new entrants like Make Epic Money, Mango Millionnaire and The Art of Spending Money. Peace of mind about money shows up in all areas of life, so this is not surprising. An interesting trend, however, is the uptick in the number of women borrowing these titles, esp the ones that offer financial advice particularly for women.
- Fiction remains essential. From The Hidden Hindu, The Immortals of Meluha to Before the Coffee Gets Cold and The Silent Patient, stories have helped us decompress, imagine, and connect. The fact that thrillers and mythology rank high clearly tells that readers want both adrenaline and meaning.
- Leadership & decision‑making matter. Titles like Start With Why, The 48 Laws of Power, Rework and Never Split the Difference suggest managers and aspiring managers are hungry for practical frameworks that travel well from pages to daily stand‑ups.
Where the Reading Culture Runs Deepest
If you’re looking for reading’s heartbeat, you’ll find it in Bengaluru and Mumbai. Together, these two cities account for the majority of borrows, which is not surprising given their concentration of tech and financial firms. NCR hubs of Gurgaon, Noida, New Delhi round out the top tier, with steady momentum and strong appetite for both skills and leisure reads.
On the organisation side, global banks, tech majors, and industrial leaders dominate. The interesting bit is the blend: teams borrowing investing and management titles also borrow thrillers and mythology. Reading at work isn’t siloed or limited. People want to grow and unwind. And that’s what reading does, for everyone!
A Reading Culture That Includes Families
Another pattern I love: children’s books are thriving. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Harry Potter, and weekend story picks like Grandma’s Bag of Stories move quickly. When organisations welcome families, reading stops being a “work program” and starts becoming a home habit. The ripple effects of attention, empathy and creativity are rea, and do get carried over to the workplace in the form of happy and productive workforce.
Closing Thought
Books aren’t just pages; they’re bridges between stress and calm, between today’s skills and tomorrow’s growth. In 2026, let’s build more of those bridges. If your teams are reading, your culture is learning. And when your culture is learning, your business is winning.
We sincerely thank all our partner organisations for believing in the cause of reading and giving us an opportunity to be with you on this journey. As always, we are here to help you curate this journey to achieve your organisational objectives.
