A study investigated the diversity of reading behaviors reported by 3,354 middle-aged (45-64) and older (65 and older) Canadian readers in response to a questionnaire on reading habits. The study coupled the amount of time spent reading with a "breadth" score based on the variety and frequency of books read. Based on the subjects' time and breadth scores, four groups were discerned: (1) light-narrow, (2) light-broad, (3) heavy-narrow, and (4) heavy-broad. Readers who selected from a wide variety of books tended to spend more time reading, and those who spent a limited amount of time reading tended to choose from a narrow range of books. It was observed that there was an increase in the time spent reading and a narrowing in the variety of books read as the reader's age increased. Reading breadth increased with education, and women appeared to read more and from a wider range of literature than did men. The results also indicated that heavy-broad readers made greater use of libraries and bookstores than did light-narrow readers and read from habit and for pleasure, while light-narrow readers read only for highly specific information. (HTH)