1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/01/2003   
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Contents >> Culture and Recreation >> Literature and print media

Reading habits, book buying and borrowing

Books Alive is a four-year campaign funded by the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and coordinated by the Australia Council. The aim of the campaign is to promote the intrinsic value of books, reading and literacy (particularly for children), and the books of Australian writers. To inform the development of the campaign, a national telephone survey of about 1,500 people aged 18 years and over was conducted in June 2001 to obtain information about patterns of reading, buying and borrowing books for pleasure.

The incidence of Australians aged 18 years and over who had read books for pleasure in the week before interview (72%) was lower than for newspapers (91%), but ahead of magazines (63%) and reading for work or study (44%).

Those who had read books for pleasure in the previous week were asked about the source of each book read. The origins of all the books read were as follows:

  • 29% were bought new
  • 20% were borrowed from a library
  • 19% had been in the house for a long time (origins unknown)
  • 13% were borrowed from a friend
  • 10% were received as a gift
  • 5% were bought second-hand
  • 2% were borrowed from someone in the house
  • 2% were from other sources.

In summary, 44% of books were purchased (new, second-hand or as a gift) and 35% were borrowed. Most borrowing was from libraries, but informal networks also played a significant role.

Book publishing

During 2000-01 there were 228 businesses which were either predominantly engaged in book publishing, or generated income of $2m or more from this activity. Table 12.10 shows that these organisations generated $1,361.2m in income, of which $1,260.6m was from the sale of books. Of the total book sales, $747.7m (59.3%) was attributed to Australian titles.


12.10 BOOK PUBLISHERS - 2000-01

Units
Value

Organisations at end June 2001
no.
228
Income
Sales of all books
$m
1,260.6
Sales of Australian titles
$m
747.7
Sales of imported titles
$m
512.9
Sales of other goods
$m
29.6
Other income
$m
71.1
Total
$m
1,361.2
Average income per business
$m
6.0
Expenses
Wages and salaries paid
$m
223.7
Royalties and fees paid
$m
85.0
Other expenses
$m
1,013.0
Total
$m
1,321.7
Average expenses per business
$m
5.8
Ratio of royalties and fees paid to sales of Australian titles
%
11.4
Export sales of books
$m
162.2
Internet sales of books
$m
1.1
Operating profit before tax
$m
62.7
Profit margin
%
4.6
Industry value added
$m
382.0

Source: Book Publishers, Australia, 2000-01 (1363.0).



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