For Immediate Release

Contact: Tina Jordan

Ph: 212-255-0200 x263

Book Publishing Sales Post Gains in February

April 25, 2008, New York, NY: Book sales tracked by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) for the month of February increased by 4.8 percent and saw an increase of 6.2 percent for the year.

The Adult Hardcover category was down by 26.4 percent in February with sales of $83.5 million; year-to-date sales were also down by 12.6 percent.  Adult Paperback sales rose 30.8 percent for the month ($128.8 million); sales were up by 34.3 percent for the year.  The Adult Mass Market category rose slightly by 0.4 percent for February with sales totaling $59.5 million; sales increased by 8.6 percent year-to-date.  The Children’s/YA Hardcover category saw an increase of 8.1 percent for the month with sales of $40.7 million; however sales for year-to-date dropped by 8.2 percent.  The Children’s/YA Paperback category was up by 7.2 percent in February with sales totaling $37.2 million; sales were also up by 16.1 percent for the year.

Audio Book sales posted a decrease of 5.7 percent for February compared to last year’s figures, with sales totaling $10.8 million; sales for the whole year were up by 5.6 percent.  E-books sales rose by 6.7 percent for the month ($2.6 million); the category also posted an increase of 20.9 percent for the year. Religious Books saw a decrease of 6.8 percent for the month with sales of $49.2 million; however sales were down by 3.6 percent for the year.

Sales of University Press Hardcover books fell 6.5 percent in February with sales of $5.1 million; sales were also down by 1.7 percent for the year.  University Press Paperback sales posted a decrease of 3.2 percent for the month with sales totaling $4.5 million; sales were down 2.1 percent for the year.  Sales in the Professional and Scholarly category rose 17.1 percent in February ($43.5 million); sales were also up by 8.3 percent for the year.

Higher Education publishing sales increased 133.7 percent for the month ($24.0 million); sales were also up by 4.5 percent for the year.  Finally, the net El-Hi (elementary/high school) basal and supplemental K-12 category posted an increase of 0.1 percent in February with sales of $81.5 million; however this category was down slightly by 1.0 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.

NOTE: All sales figures cited in this release are domestic net sales

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