BookNet Canada

We share some highlights from our newest study, Turning Pages: Print Book Use in Canada 2023, all about print books: who’s buying them, borrowing them, and reading them. And what did we learn about their book acquisition and reading behaviours?

This month, we invited Wendy Reid, the Accessibility and Publishing Standards Lead at Rakuten Kobo and the co-chair of the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) Advisory Board to talk about the W3C, the EPUB Fixed Layout Accessibility document, and more. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/9/26/podcast-the-w3c-and-digital-publishing

In this month’s podcast episode, we talk to Nick Maturo, Interim Executive Director at the English Language Arts Network (ELAN), to delve into the aftermath of a cybersecurity incident that ELAN faced a few years ago. Nick offers valuable insights into the incident's repercussions, the invaluable lessons learned from the experience, as well as the implementation of best practices and procedures in response. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/6/25/podcast-best-practices-for-navigating-cybersecurity

This month, we invited Janis Nostbakken, the Project Director for Accessible Books for Young Readers at the Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) to talk about their services. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/5/28/podcast-accessible-canadian-childrens-books

We invited Jarin Pintana, speaker at the first Swiftposium, to come and talk to us about Taylor Swift and her impact on the book industry. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/4/30/podcast-taylor-swifts-impact-on-the-book-industry Further reading: - MPub alumnus Jarin Pintana presents at the first-ever 'Swiftposium': https://www.sfu.ca/publishing/news/news-announcements/jarin-pintana-presents-at-swiftposium/ - All the hidden literary references in Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/taylor-swift-tortured-poets-department-lyrics-literature - BookTok: The next chapter for booklovers: https://stories.uq.edu.au/contact-magazine/2023/booktok-the-next-chapter-for-booklovers/index.html - Taylor Swift's impact on Poetry: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2024/4/26/taylor-swifts-impact-on-poetry

In this month’s podcast episode, cybersecurity expert Francis Syms joins us to discuss the evolving landscape of digital security. In our conversation, we explore key insights and best practices to safeguard digital assets against cyber threats. Find the transcript and additional resources here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/3/26/podcast-navigating-cybersecurity-insights-for-the-publishing-industry

This month we’re bringing you a small taste of a Tech Forum presentation with booksellers from Little Ghosts Books, Cross & Crows Books, Cedar Canoe Books, and Analog Books Inc. where they share insights into their bookselling journeys, collaborative strategies with various partners, and their approach to online vs. in-person bookselling. Find the transcript here:https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/2/27/podcast-booksellers-adapting-engaging-and-thriving

In this podcast episode we share some high-level data for what was going on with the print book market in Canada last year and share some highlights from the BookNet research and education channels. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/1/30/podcast-looking-back-at-2023 Show notes: - BNC SalesData: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/salesdata - Canada's population estimates: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/231219/dq231219c-eng.htm - Trending now: Book subjects on the move in the Canadian market: https://bnctechforum.ca/sessions/trending-now-book-subjects-on-the-move-in-the-canadian-market/ - Book industry state of the nation 2024: https://bnctechforum.ca/sessions/book-industry-state-of-the-nation-2024/ - eNews newsletter: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/newsletter-sign-up#enews - Bestselling books of 2023: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2023/12/14/bestselling-books-of-2023 - Bestselling Canadian books of 2023: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2024/1/8/bestselling-canadian-books-of-2023 - BNC LibraryData: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/librarydata - Most circulated books of 2023: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2023/12/12/most-circulated-books-of-2023 - Most circulated Canadian books of 2023: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2024/1/4/most-circulated-canadian-books-of-2023 - Tapping into Ebooks: Ebook use in Canada 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/tapping-into-ebooks-ebook-use-in-canada-2022 - Winning Kidlit: The Impact of Children’s Book Awards 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/research-reports-for-sda-subscribers - Tech Forum website: https://bnctechforum.ca/

In this month’s episode, we hear from Daniella Levy-Pinto, Manager at the National Network for Equitable Library Service, and Sarah Smith-Eivemark, Associate Director of Retail Marketing and Partnerships at Penguin Random House Canada about the latest collaboration project between their organizations and its impact on accessibility. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/12/19/podcast-jamie-oliver-braille-publishing-milestone-impact-on-readers-and-the-industry Further reading - 5 Ingredients Mediterranean by Jamie Oliver: https://bnccatalist.ca/viewtitle.aspx?ean=9780525612902 - Billy and the Giant Adventure by Jamie Oliver; illustrated by Mónica Armiño: https://bnccatalist.ca/viewtitle.aspx?ean=9781774884140 Lean more about: - National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS): https://nnels.ca/ - World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): https://www.wipo.int/portal/en/index.html - Accessible Books Consortium (ABC): https://www.accessiblebooksconsortium.org/ - Braille Institute: https://brailleinstitute.org/ - Marrakesh Treaty: https://www.wipo.int/marrakesh_treaty/en/

In this month’s podcast episode, we take a look at the data on book formats, the people behind the data, and what it means to be a good reader. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/11/28/podcast-book-formats-and-what-it-means-to-be-a-good-reader Further reading and listening: -Is BookTok sucking the joy out of reading?: https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/60751/1/is-booktok-sucking-the-joy-out-of-reading-tiktok-competitive -Do experts think audiobooks count as reading?: https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/books/editor-s-picks/do-audiobooks-count-as-reading -Why Spotify is betting big on the booming audiobooks industry: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231103-why-spotify-is-betting-big-on-the-booming-audiobooks-industry -Tracking banned books in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2023/11/16/tracking-banned-books-in-canada -There’s really no wrong way to read a book: https://www.tor.com/2023/02/16/theres-really-no-wrong-way-to-read-a-book/

In this episode we look at two upcoming reasons to get your metadata in order (whether you’re a data sender or a data user): I Read Canadian Day and the holiday season. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/10/31/podcast-the-power-and-importance-of-metadata Further reading and listening: - I Read Canadian: https://ireadcanadian.com/day/ - Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-leisure-and-reading-study-2022 - Canadian authors: The whys and hows of identifying them in your data: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/5/26/canadian-authors-the-whys-and-hows-of-identifying-them-in-your-data - Give them what they need: A case study of what retailers can accomplish with good metadata: https://bnctechforum.ca/sessions/give-them-what-they-need-a-case-study-of-what-retailers-can-accomplish-with-good-metadata/

Listen to this month’s episode where we hear from Max Arambulo, Bookseller & Manager at TYPE Books Junction, about how they run the bookstore with inclusivity and equity in mind, create safe spaces for their staff and customers, and build community. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/9/26/podcast-running-a-bookstore-with-inclusivity-and-equity-in-mind Further reading and listening: - The Juncture Substack: https://thejuncture.substack.com/ - Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-leisure-and-reading-study-2022

This month we talked to Christen Thomas and David Stinson from CNIB Beyond Print about accessible audiobooks, braille, and more. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/6/27/podcast-making-books-accessible-for-everyone Further reading and listening: -CNIB Beyond Print: https://cnib-beyondprint.ca/ -Centre for Equitable Library Access: https://celalibrary.ca/ -CNIB braille transcription services portal: https://cnib-beyondprint.ca/braille-portal/ -Benetech’s Global Certified Accessible (GCA) Program: https://bornaccessible.benetech.org/global-certified-accessible/

Authors of the short book Reading Bestsellers: Recommendation Culture and the Multimodal Reader, Danielle Fuller and DeNel Rehberg Sedo, join us for this month’s episode to talk about their research into the relationship readers have with bestsellers and what they found from their qualitative work with a group of international Gen Z readers. Link to the transcript: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/5/30/podcast-reading-bestsellers - Reading Bestsellers: Recommendation Culture and the Multimodal Reader by Danielle Fuller and DeNel Rehberg Sedo: https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/reading-bestsellers/8C6D9254C5B8C6DD87714DE3A98CEA77 - Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-leisure-and-reading-study-2022 - What makes a book a bestseller: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/11/12/what-makes-a-book-a-bestseller

Book industry leaders EJ Hurst from New Society and Jen Knoch from ECW Press talk about their work and progress in making their operations greener. Brian O’Leary from the Book Industry Study Group shares insight into the mission of the Green Book Alliance, the resources they have made available, and what they’re hoping to accomplish in the near future. Link to the transcript: www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/4/25/podcast-industry-leaders-on-making-publishing-greener Further reading and listening: - element6 Dynamics and Ingram Content Group Announce Strategic Supplier Relationship for Industrial Hemp-Based Paper: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/element6-dynamics-ingram-content-group-183000632.html - About B Corp certification: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/certification/ - Banking on Climate Chaos: https://www.ran.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/BOCC_2022_vSPREAD-1.pdf - Green Book Alliance website: https://www.greenbookalliance.org/ - Publisher-Printer Sustainability Checklist: https://www.greenbookalliance.org/checklist - Making Sense of Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG Emissions webinar: https://www.greenbookalliance.org/post/gba-sustainability-series-an-introduction-to-your-carbon-footprint - Canopy: https://canopyplanet.org/solutions/next-generation-solutions/ - This is what the world looks like if we pass the crucial 1.5-degree climate threshold: https://www.npr.org/2021/11/08/1052198840/1-5-degrees-warming-climate-change - Bloomsbury wins inaugural sustainability prize at LBF International Excellence Awards: https://www.thebookseller.com/news/bloomsbury-wins-inaugural-sustainability-prize-at-lbf-international-excellence-awards - 5 questions with ECW Press: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/01/10/5-questions-with-ecw-press - 5 questions with New Society Publishers: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/01/17/5-questions-with-new-society-publishers - Green Games Guide: https://www.greengamesguide.com/ - IPCC Reports: https://www.ipcc.ch/reports/

It's clear that romance titles are seeing an increase in sales in the Canadian market. In this month’s podcast, we look beyond the numbers and discuss why we're seeing this trend. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/3/28/podcast-the-resurgence-of-romance-books) Further reading/listening: - Romance book sales in the Canadian market: A love story: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2023/2/16/romance-book-sales-in-the-canadian-market-a-love-story - Trendspotting: Book subjects on the move in the Canadian market - Tech Forum 2023: https://youtu.be/6huV7CUt-QI - The Canadian Book Market: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-book-market - The real impact of #BookTok on book sales: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/9/29/the-real-impact-of-booktok-on-book-sales - How TikTok is changing the music industry: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-marketing-discovery-2021-7 - How TikTok is changing book cover designs: https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/books/editor-s-picks/how-tiktok-is-changing-book-cover-designs - Most Americans who are ‘single and looking’ say dating has been harder during the pandemic: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/04/06/most-americans-who-are-single-and-looking-say-dating-has-been-harder-during-the-pandemic/ - Key findings about online dating in the U.S.: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2023/02/02/key-findings-about-online-dating-in-the-u-s/ - The "Dating Wrapped" Movement On TikTok Will Entertain You For Hours: https://www.bustle.com/life/tiktok-dating-wrapped-2022 - I Found Mr. Right — Unfortunately, He Only Exists In My Romance Novels: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/03/10328800/romance-novels-bad-unrealistic-expectations

This month we chatted with Taste Canada’s Karen Baxter about the work she and Taste Canada are doing to promote Canadian books and the business case for identifying Canadian authors in your metadata. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/2/28/podcast-talking-canadian-contributors-with-taste-canada) Further reading/listening: - Canadian contributor content on the BookNet Canada blog https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=canadian+contributors - Canadian authors: The whys and hows of identifying them in your data: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/5/26/canadian-authors-the-whys-and-hows-of-identifying-them-in-your-data - Celebrating Canadian contributors on I Read Canadian Day 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/11/21/celebrating-canadian-contributors-on-i-read-canadian-day-2022

Wondering how events have changed for independent booksellers now that we’re three years into the pandemic? We sat down with John Toews, the Event Coordinator at McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg to chat about the positive side of hosting virtual and hybrid events, how they measure success, the challenges that came with pivoting to virtual, and so much more. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/1/31/a-conversation-with-john-toews-from-mcnally-robinson-booksellers-about-events)

The BookNet staff recaps 2022 in terms of book sales and library circulation in the Canadian book market, popular BookNet blog series, and some other 2022 book related highlights. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/12/20/podcast-another-year-in-the-books-2022-highlights) Further reading/listening: - Tech Forum to-go series:https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=tech%20forum%20to%20go - Must-Watch, Must-Read: Book-to-Screen Adaptations in the Canadian Book Market 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/must-watch-must-read-book-to-screen-adapatations-2022 - Book adaptations blog series: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=book%20adaptations - The real impact of #BookTok on book sales: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/9/29/the-real-impact-of-booktok-on-book-sales - The real impact of #BookTok on library circulation: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/10/7/the-real-impact-of-booktok-on-library-circulation - The State of Publishing in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/state-of-publishing - On Loan: Library Use in Canada 2021: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/on-loan-libary-use-in-canada-2021 - Easier with BookNet blog series: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=easier+with+booknet

In this month’s episode, we again pull back the curtain for a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be a BookNet staff member. CataList Project Coordinator Vivian Luu, Project Manager and Retailer Liaison Tim Middleton, and Senior Software Engineer Tom Gerrard join this episode to tell us what they do, their favourite part of the job, and what they do when they're not working. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/11/29/podcast-behind-the-scenes-again-at-booknet) Further reading/listening -Podcast: BookNet behind the scenes: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/8/31/podcast-booknet-behind-the-scenes - BNC CataList: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/catalist - The Legend of Drizzt series by R.A. Salvatore: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Drizzt - BNC BiblioShare: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/biblioshare - BNC SalesData: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/salesdata - Peak Mind by Amishi P. Jha: https://bnccatalist.ca/viewtitle.aspx?ean=9780062992154 - The Great Transformation by Karen Armstrong: https://bnccatalist.ca/viewtitle.aspx?ean=9780676974669