Canadians and Reading

BookNet Canada, a nonprofit book industry research organization, recently did a survey of the reading habits of Canadians.  It provides some interesting information:  audiobooks are most popular amongst younger readers (18 – 44 years of age) whereas print books are favoured by those 55+.  Though digital books are more popular amongst younger readers, print books are not far behind.  Word of mouth is the most popular way for readers to choose their next book; 50% of Canadians prefer personal recommendations.  35% of readers say they participate in a book club, and 75% of readers read book reviews.  Check out all the results:

https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/8/21/the-reading-habits-of-canadians?utm_content=buffer28aea&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer.

BookNet Canada also did a study of Canadian book buyers’ perceptions and attitudes towards Canadian authors and subject matter.  I love that 84% of book-buying Canadians are either “very” or “somewhat” interested in reading Canadian authors.  There’s a great infographic summarizing their findings:  https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/7/26/canadians-reading-canadians-2017?platform=hootsuite.

In July, Ian Austen, writing for The New York Times, suggested that libraries in Canada are thriving.  Vancouver’s Central Library is expanding; Ottawa’s Central Library is being replaced; and Halifax’s Central Library has become a tourist attraction.  “This year, a public outcry led Saskatchewan’s government to acknowledge that it was wrong to cut library budgets by 4.8 million Canadian dollars. Afterward, officials restored the flow of money.  Similar protests last year led Newfoundland to suspend its library closings” (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/world/canada/summer-books-canadian-writers.html?em_pos=large&emc=edit_cnda_20170721&nl=canada-today&nlid=65852785&ref=headline&te=1).   

On the topic of libraries, The Globe and Mail recently had an article on the $12-million newly redesigned and rebuilt Albion library branch in Toronto's Rexdale which has seen a 45% upsurge in attendance since it opened in June:  https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/property-report/whats-the-worth-of-your-publiclibrary/article36100795/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&cmpid=rss1&click=sf_globe.

And Newfoundland/Labrador readers received some good news last month.  Tom Osborne, the province’s minister of finance, announced that the 10 per cent tax on books, which was the first and only one of its kind for a Canadian province, will be lifted in January 2018:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/provincial-tax-system-review-1.4257194.   

But though things look rosy for Canadian readers, BookRiot did point out that Canadian book lovers do experience some distinct problems:  https://bookriot.com/2017/06/12/canadian-book-lover-problems?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Riot%20Rundown%20-%20June%2015%2C%202017&utm_term=BookRiot_TheRiotRundown_Tue-Thur.