AAP Reports Book Publishing Sales Gains in September

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November 19 – November 26, 2009 Edition

AAP Reports Book Publishing Sales Gains in September

NEW YORK, NY/Authorlink News/11/17/09–Book sales tracked by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) for the month of September increased by 12.3 percent at $1.26 billion and were up by 3.6 percent for the year. All sales reflected in the report are net domestic sales.

The Adult Hardcover category jumped up by 74.1 percent in September with sales of $302.4 million; year-to-date sales were up by 2.9 percent. Adult Paperback sales decreased 1.7 percent for the month ($132.4 million) and were down by 8.2 percent for the year. The Adult Mass Market category was up 33.3 percent for September with sales totaling $89.9 million; sales were down by 0.2 percent year-to-date. The Children’s/YA Hardcover category decreased by 24.3 percent for the month with sales of $92.7 million, but sales for year-to-date were up by 5.1 percent. The Children’s/YA Paperback category increased by 8.6 percent in September with sales totaling $54.2 million; sales were also up by 2.5 percent for the year.

Audio Book sales posted an increase of 2.9 percent in September with sales totaling $22.0 million; sales to-date decreased by 21.2 percent. E-books sales reached $15.9 million, reflecting a 170.7 percent increase for September and a 176.1 percent increase year to-date. Religious Books saw a decrease of 18.4 percent for the month with sales totaling $67.4 million; sales were down by 10.6 percent for the year.

Sales of University Press Hardcover books reflected a 3.6 percent decrease in September with sales of $5.7 million; sales decreased by 7.3 percent for the year. University Press Paperback sales posted an increase of 5.0 percent for the month with sales totaling $6.4 million; sales were down 3.0 percent for the year. Sales in the Professional and Scholarly category were down by 3.7 percent in September ($58.7 million) and decreased by 4.6 percent for the year.

Higher Education publishing sales rose by 5.8 percent for the month ($408.3 million) and increased 13.1 percent for the year. Finally, the net El-Hi (elementary/high school) basal and supplemental K-12 category posted an increase of 1.0 percent in September with sales of $335.6 million; the category was down by 19.4 percent for the year.

The Association of American Publishers is the national trade association of the U.S. book publishing industry. AAP’s more than 300 members include most of the major commercial publishers in the United States, as well as smaller and non-profit publishers, university presses and scholarly societies-small and large. AAP members publish hardcover and paperback books in every field, educational materials for the elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and professional markets, scholarly journals, computer software, and electronic products and services. The protection of intellectual property rights in all media, the defense of the freedom to read and the freedom to publish at home and abroad, and the promotion of reading and literacy are among the Association’s highest priorities.