In this issue: Canadian reports related to book publishing and book reading, including a statistical profile of the book publishing industry, an examination of the impacts of digitization on book publishers and two studies of the social impacts of book reading.
The most recent Statistics Canada summary of the book publishing industry shows that book publishing revenues in Canada were $2.1 billion in 2006, while total expenses amounted to $1.9 billion. Before-tax profits were 10.3% of total revenues.
This report examines the impact of digitization on Canadian book publishers. The report provides recommendations about how the Association of Canadian Publishers and its members can stay abreast of the changes and implement best practices in their business activities.
Two recent reports from Hill Strategies Research investigate the social impacts of cultural activities, including book reading. Overall, the reports show that Canadians who read are more likely to be socially active than Canadians who do not read.
