For Immediate Release

July 19, 2007

Contact: Tina Jordan

Ph: 212-255-0200 x263

Book Sales Bounce Back in May

Monthly and Year-to-Date Sales See Increase

July 19, 2007, New York, NY: Publishing sales tracked by the Association of American Publishers for the month of May saw an increase of 18.3 percent for the month; yearly sales were up as well with an increase of 8.9 percent.

The Adult Hardcover category was up by 28.5 percent in May with sales of $156.7 million; year-to-date sales were up also up by 21.2.  Adult Paperback sales declined slightly by 1.8 percent for the month ($108.9 million); sales were down 2.0 percent for the year.  The Adult Mass Market category rose by 28.5 percent for May with sales totaling $86.4 million; sales declined by 1.7 percent year-to-date.  The Children’s/YA Hardcover category declined by 4.4 percent for the month with sales of $42.7 million; however, sales year-to-date were up by 14.3 percent.   The Children’s/YA Paperback category increased 13.9 percent in May with sales totaling $43.2 million; sales were also up by 9.3 percent for the year.

Audio Book sales posted an increase of 34.6 percent for May compared to last year’s figures with sales totaling $20.3 million; sales for the whole year were up by 22.6 percent.  E-books sales rose by 13.6 percent for the month ($2.8 million); the category also posted an increase of 21.2 percent for the year. (E-book figures were compiled in cooperation with the International Digital Publishing Forum).  Religious Books posted an increase of 21.1 percent for the month with sales of $37.0 million; sales were up by 7.2 percent for the year.

Sales of University Press Hardcover books were up by 0.2 percent in May with sales of $5.0 million; sales were also up by 1.6 percent for the year.  University Press Paperback sales increased by 5.1 percent for the month with sales totaling $3.4 million; sales were up 3.9 percent for the year.  Sales in the Professional and Scholarly category posted an increase of 20.9 percent in May ($52.5 million); sales were up 7.3 percent for the year.

Higher Education publishing sales were up by 30.9 percent for the month ($118.3 million); sales were also up by 18.3 percent for the year.  Finally, the net El-Hi (elementary/high school) basal and supplemental K-12 category posted a decrease of 1.9 percent in May with sales of $337.2 million; this category also posted a decrease of 7.6 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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