MAIN NEWS HEADLINES
December 20 – December 27, 2007 Edition
AAP Reports
Publishing Sales
Are Up for October
NEW YORK, NY/12/17/07–Book sales tracked by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) for the month of October saw an increase of 2.1 percent for the month; yearly sales were up as well with an increase of 9.3 percent.
The Adult Hardcover category was up by 9.7 percent in October with sales of $329.0 million; year-to-date sales were up by 13.7 percent. Adult Paperback sales rose 3.0 percent for the month ($124.0 million); sales were down slightly by 1.3 percent for the year. The Adult Mass Market category declined by 18.1 percent for October with sales totaling $62.6 million; sales also declined by 7.5 percent year-to-date. The Childrens/YA Hardcover category saw a decrease of 1.5 percent for the month with sales of $82.0 million; however, sales year-to-date were up by 52.7 percent. The Childrens/YA Paperback category was down by 5.2 percent in October with sales totaling $49.3 million; sales were up by 3.3 percent for the year.
Audio Book sales posted a decrease of 17.5 percent for October compared to last years figures with sales totaling $20.4 million; sales for the whole year were up by 29.7 percent. E-books sales rose by 23.5 percent for the month ($2.7 million); the category also posted an increase of 23.7 percent for the year. Religious Books declined slightly by 1.2 percent for the month with sales of $75.3 million; sales were up by 6.8 percent for the year.
Sales of University Press Hardcover books were up by 24.5 percent in October with sales of $7.3 million; sales were also up by 9.7 percent for the year. University Press Paperback sales posted a decline of 1.8 percent for the month with sales totaling $4.8 million; sales were up 2.4 percent for the year. Sales in the Professional and Scholarly category were up by 11.4 percent in October ($49.6 million); sales were also up 7.0 percent for the year.
Higher Education publishing sales rose by 9.0 percent for the month ($-11.0 million. This negative figure reflects returns); sales were also up by 9.0 percent for the year. Finally, the net El-Hi (elementary/high school) basal and supplemental K-12 category posted a decrease of 1.1 percent in October with sales of $171.3 million; this category posted an increase of 2.8 percent for the year.
The Association of American Publishers is the national trade association of the U.S. book publishing industry. AAPs 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 societiessmall 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 Associations highest priorities.
NOTE: All sales figures cited in this release are domestic net sales
