PurposeThe purpose of this study was to establish reading practices among retirees and to what extent public libraries in Kenya are a source of information and knowledge to them.Design/methodology/approachThis was a qualitative study whose research questions were; what are retirees' reading practices? why do retirees engage in the reading practices they engage in? and to what extent do retirees use the public library for their reading practices? Purposive and snowballing were used as sampling techniques and interview was used for data collection. Data were analysed thematically.FindingsThe findings were that retirees' reading practices are fragmentary and erratic; retirees mainly engage in reading practices for spiritual reasons and for access of current information; and that retirees do not use the services of the public library for their reading activities.Research limitations/implicationsThe research sample is 16 subjects who might not represent features of the whole population. The findings are, however, an index to what the situation might be.Originality/valueThe findings are the result of actual qualitative research.