October Book Sales Up

For the month of October, book sales increased 2.1 percent over last October, according to the Association of American Publishers. Year-to-date sales increased 9.3 percent over the same time period last year.

Market segments that posted year-to-date sales increases included: adult hardcover (13.7 percent); children’s/young adult paperback (3.3 percent); university press hardcover (9.7 percent); university press paperback (2.4 percent); professional and scholarly (7.0 percent); higher education (9.0 percent); audio books (29.7 percent); e-books (23.7 percent); and religious books (6.8 percent). Sales of children’s/young adult hardcover books increased the most, by 52.7 percent.

Only two segments experienced a decline in year-to-date sales: adult paperback (1.3 percent), and adult mass market (7.5 percent).