Current worldwide analysis reveals Australians are shopping for and studying fewer books than folks in lots of different international locations. However why?
A report by the European and Worldwide Guide Federation discovered that solely 64 per cent of Australians purchased a e book prior to now yr, in comparison with a mean of 72 per cent of individuals throughout 19 international locations.
Equally, 80 per cent of Australians learn a e book prior to now yr, barely under the worldwide common of 85 per cent. These variations are slim, however as e book patrons and readers, we’re among the many lowest within the pattern, alongside Aotearoa New Zealand, Finland, Latvia, and the US.
The quantity of people that had learn a e book prior to now yr in Italy, Spain, the UK, and Eire all got here in at over 90 per cent.
Native analysis additionally suggests studying charges in Australia are falling.
Again in 2017, a Macquarie College examine discovered 92 per cent of us learn books at the least as soon as within the earlier yr.
By 2021, within the Australia Reads nationwide survey that determine had dropped to 75 per cent.
What’s behind these numbers?
Worth could be much less of an element than we frequently assume — and surprisingly, Australia’s dependence on automobiles might play a job.
Worldwide examples exhibiting how different international locations defend and worth their e book cultures — from authorities insurance policies to counter the energy of Amazon to public holidays for poets — counsel measures to actively increase our personal might assist.
The value delusion
There is a normal notion that books price an excessive amount of in Australia. However they are not essentially costlier right here than elsewhere. Competitors from on-line retailers like Amazon and will increase in manufacturing prices globally have levelled costs internationally.
In reality, Australians typically pay comparable or much less for books than readers in Canada, New Zealand, and the US.
Tim Winton’s new novel, Juice, for instance, has an Australian really helpful retail worth of $49.99. It is virtually precisely the identical worth in New Zealand ($49.81) and prices extra in Canada ($54.59). Within the US, Juice is $44.02, and within the UK, it is $43.07.
Round 80 per cent of Australians have learn a e book within the final yr, based on a European and Worldwide Guide Federation report. Supply: Getty / Regulation Ho Ming
Whereas UK e book costs are decrease, that is primarily as a result of books there do not appeal to gross sales tax. The UK made books exempt from its value-added tax utilized to most items and companies — a deliberate determination to make studying extra inexpensive.
Pauline MacLeod, the kids’s and younger grownup literature specialist at Brisbane’s Riverbend Books, stated youngsters’s publishers are “making an attempt arduous to maintain native books priced between $22.99 and $25.99”.
Nonetheless, within the present price of dwelling squeeze books are a discretionary spend some can’t afford.
Public transport is nice for studying
Curiously, international locations the place extra folks use public transport —just like the UK, France, Germany and Spain — are inclined to have increased studying charges. It is simpler to learn a e book on a practice than in a automotive, and these international locations typically have bookshops in practice stations, making a tradition of studying whereas commuting.
In distinction, car-dependent international locations like Australia, the US and New Zealand present decrease studying charges. Our reliance on automobiles may clarify why audiobooks are extra common in Australia than in lots of different international locations.
A vacation for a poet
In Eire, the place 91 per cent of individuals have learn a e book prior to now 12 months, there’s a robust cultural historical past of storytelling. Studying is supported by an arts council offering grants and bursaries, and a wholesome ecosystem of literary festivals and magazines, public libraries and bookshops.
Australia has a lot of this stuff, however Eire additionally considerably helps writers, with a tax exemption on artists’ earnings as much as €50,000 (roughly $81,500) and a basic-income pilot scheme granting 2,000 artists €325 (roughly $530) per week.
In France, the place the federal government actively protects its studying tradition, 88 per cent of individuals have learn a e book prior to now 12 months. In 2022, France launched a legislation to make French bookshops extra aggressive with on-line retailers like Amazon which regularly supply free supply of books. By setting a minimal supply payment for all on-line e book orders of lower than €35 (round $57), the federal government goals to stage the enjoying area for native booksellers.
Maybe unsurprisingly, solely 5 per cent of French folks purchase all their books on-line, versus 12 per cent in Australia.
Australia has public holidays devoted to sports activities, like and the AFL Grand Last (each in Victoria). In Portugal, a nationwide vacation, Portugal Day, commemorates the demise of poet Luís de Camões, thought of Portugal’s best.
Whereas 85 per cent of Portuguese folks have learn a e book prior to now 12 months (precisely the worldwide common), they think about studying as one in all their hobbies (37 per cent) and have purchased a e book prior to now yr (76 per cent) at charges above the worldwide common.
Curiously, simply 32 per cent of Australians stated they think about studying a passion, in comparison with 44 per cent in Spain and 42 per cent within the UK.
Households, the training system and the media are additionally all key to inculcating this tradition of studying, as is a robust native publishing business.
Some international locations have launched measures to guard and worth e book tradition. Supply: Getty / ipekata/iStockphoto
The best way ahead
Native booksellers report declining studying charges in Australia, too. Robbie Egan, CEO of Australia’s peak bookselling business physique, BookPeople, stated: “The competitors for eyeballs is actual, and it’s fierce, and client discretionary {dollars} are scarce.”
Trade leaders like Egan counsel we’d like a nationwide marketing campaign to advertise the good thing about studying.
We all know from native analysis that Australians worth books and storytelling. With growing competitors from different types of leisure and tighter family budgets, encouraging a stronger studying tradition could also be extra vital than ever.
Katya Johanson is a professor of publishing and viewers research at Edith Cowan College
