we buy books

(image courtesy Statistics Canada)

Statistics Canada has released some new numbers on the book publishing industry in this country. Of course, reading any sort of economic stats package in 2009 is sort of like surveying the hill country after we've fallen off the cliff; but if we can find no consolation in numbers, where will we find it?

So, a highlight:

Canadians still buying books

While factors such as the availability of free information on the Internet may have affected Canadians’ willingness to pay for content, evidence from the Survey of Household Spending suggests book publishers may be faring better than other corners of the publishing industry. In contrast to steady declines in household spending on newspapers, magazines and periodicals, average household spending on books rose from $86 in 1998 to $111 in 2005. In 2006, it had eased to $108. Residents of Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario were the most avid book buyers, as spending on books exceeded the national average in all three provinces.

... and yet:

Operating revenues for the book publishing industry in Canada edged down 1.2% to $2.1billion in 2006 after increasing 3.2% in 2005, according to data from the Survey of Book Publishers.