BookNet Canada

This month's podcast episode is a continuation of the conversation from the Tech Forum webinar: Canadian book publishing: Insights from the latest salary survey. Saffron Beckwith, President at Ampersand Inc., joins us to chat about pay equity, inclusion, and more.

This month we're talking with Chandler Jolliffe, owner of Cedar Canoe Books in Huntsville, who pioneered the idea of a Canadian flag bookmark as a way to easily identify which books in his store were Canadian-authored. We also hear from Terilee Bulger, Jim Lorimer, and Howard White who are part of a group of publishers who are taking this program to bookstores from coast to coast.

In this podcast episode, we talk to Cassie Smyth about AI integration into audiobooks, accessible audiobooks, supporting the Canadian audiobook ecosystem, and more. Find the transcript and relevant links here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2025/3/25/podcast-canadian-audiobooks-in-2025

Listen to a sneak peek of BookNet Canada's upcoming research reports, The Canadian Book Market and The Canadian Book Consumer.

In this podcast episode, we share some snippets from last year's Tech Forum sessions on AI in the book industry. Find the transcript and relevant links here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2025/1/28/podcast-ai-in-the-book-industry

In this month's podcast episode, we talk to Simon Crump, Environmental Consultant for BIC, to discuss the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and its impact on the book industry. Simon offers insights on how the EUDR affects the book supply chain, practical steps for Canadian publishers to align with the regulation, and resources for non-European publishers aiming to understand compliance requirements. Find the transcript and relevant links here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/12/17/podcast-an-introduction-to-the-european-union-deforestation-regulation

In this episode of the BookNet Canada podcast, we share valuable tips and strategies for independent booksellers gearing up for the holiday season. From planning business hours and fulfillment options to creating engaging themed promotions and leveraging social media, this episode covers content that will help you increase sales and connect with your community. Find the transcript and relevant links here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/11/26/podcast-gearing-up-for-the-holiday-season-tips-for-independent-booksellers

We share some highlights from our newest study, Turning Pages: Print Book Use in Canada 2023, all about print books: who's buying them, borrowing them, and reading them. And what did we learn about their book acquisition and reading behaviours?

This month, we invited Wendy Reid, the Accessibility and Publishing Standards Lead at Rakuten Kobo and the co-chair of the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) Advisory Board to talk about the W3C, the EPUB Fixed Layout Accessibility document, and more. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/9/26/podcast-the-w3c-and-digital-publishing

In this month's podcast episode, we talk to Nick Maturo, Interim Executive Director at the English Language Arts Network (ELAN), to delve into the aftermath of a cybersecurity incident that ELAN faced a few years ago. Nick offers valuable insights into the incident's repercussions, the invaluable lessons learned from the experience, as well as the implementation of best practices and procedures in response. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/6/25/podcast-best-practices-for-navigating-cybersecurity

This month, we invited Janis Nostbakken, the Project Director for Accessible Books for Young Readers at the Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) to talk about their services. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/5/28/podcast-accessible-canadian-childrens-books

We invited Jarin Pintana, speaker at the first Swiftposium, to come and talk to us about Taylor Swift and her impact on the book industry. Further reading: - MPub alumnus Jarin Pintana presents at the first-ever 'Swiftposium': https://www.sfu.ca/publishing/news/news-announcements/jarin-pintana-presents-at-swiftposium/ - All the hidden literary references in Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/taylor-swift-tortured-poets-department-lyrics-literature - BookTok: The next chapter for booklovers: https://stories.uq.edu.au/contact-magazine/2023/booktok-the-next-chapter-for-booklovers/index.html - Taylor Swift's impact on Poetry: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2024/4/26/taylor-swifts-impact-on-poetry

In this month's podcast episode, cybersecurity expert Francis Syms joins us to discuss the evolving landscape of digital security. In our conversation, we explore key insights and best practices to safeguard digital assets against cyber threats. Find the transcript and additional resources here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/3/26/podcast-navigating-cybersecurity-insights-for-the-publishing-industry

This month we're bringing you a small taste of a Tech Forum presentation with booksellers from Little Ghosts Books, Cross & Crows Books, Cedar Canoe Books, and Analog Books Inc. where they share insights into their bookselling journeys, collaborative strategies with various partners, and their approach to online vs. in-person bookselling.

In this podcast episode we share some high-level data for what was going on with the print book market in Canada last year and share some highlights from the BookNet research and education channels. Show notes: - BNC SalesData: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/salesdata - Canada's population estimates: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/231219/dq231219c-eng.htm - Trending now: Book subjects on the move in the Canadian market: https://bnctechforum.ca/sessions/trending-now-book-subjects-on-the-move-in-the-canadian-market/ - Book industry state of the nation 2024: https://bnctechforum.ca/sessions/book-industry-state-of-the-nation-2024/ - eNews newsletter: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/newsletter-sign-up#enews - Bestselling books of 2023: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2023/12/14/bestselling-books-of-2023 - Bestselling Canadian books of 2023: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2024/1/8/bestselling-canadian-books-of-2023 - BNC LibraryData: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/librarydata - Most circulated books of 2023: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2023/12/12/most-circulated-books-of-2023 - Most circulated Canadian books of 2023: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2024/1/4/most-circulated-canadian-books-of-2023 - Tapping into Ebooks: Ebook use in Canada 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/tapping-into-ebooks-ebook-use-in-canada-2022 - Winning Kidlit: The Impact of Children's Book Awards 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/research-reports-for-sda-subscribers - Tech Forum website: https://bnctechforum.ca/

In this month's episode, we hear from Daniella Levy-Pinto, Manager at the National Network for Equitable Library Service, and Sarah Smith-Eivemark, Associate Director of Retail Marketing and Partnerships at Penguin Random House Canada about the latest collaboration project between their organizations and its impact on accessibility. Further reading - 5 Ingredients Mediterranean by Jamie Oliver: https://bnccatalist.ca/viewtitle.aspx?ean=9780525612902 - Billy and the Giant Adventure by Jamie Oliver; illustrated by Mónica Armiño: https://bnccatalist.ca/viewtitle.aspx?ean=9781774884140 Lean more about: - National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS): https://nnels.ca/ - World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): https://www.wipo.int/portal/en/index.html - Accessible Books Consortium (ABC): https://www.accessiblebooksconsortium.org/ - Braille Institute: https://brailleinstitute.org/ - Marrakesh Treaty: https://www.wipo.int/marrakesh_treaty/en/

In this month's podcast episode, we take a look at the data on book formats, the people behind the data, and what it means to be a good reader. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/11/28/podcast-book-formats-and-what-it-means-to-be-a-good-reader Further reading and listening: -Is BookTok sucking the joy out of reading?: https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/60751/1/is-booktok-sucking-the-joy-out-of-reading-tiktok-competitive -Do experts think audiobooks count as reading?: https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/books/editor-s-picks/do-audiobooks-count-as-reading -Why Spotify is betting big on the booming audiobooks industry: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231103-why-spotify-is-betting-big-on-the-booming-audiobooks-industry -Tracking banned books in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2023/11/16/tracking-banned-books-in-canada -There's really no wrong way to read a book: https://www.tor.com/2023/02/16/theres-really-no-wrong-way-to-read-a-book/

In this episode we look at two upcoming reasons to get your metadata in order (whether you're a data sender or a data user): I Read Canadian Day and the holiday season. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/10/31/podcast-the-power-and-importance-of-metadata Further reading and listening: - I Read Canadian: https://ireadcanadian.com/day/ - Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-leisure-and-reading-study-2022 - Canadian authors: The whys and hows of identifying them in your data: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/5/26/canadian-authors-the-whys-and-hows-of-identifying-them-in-your-data - Give them what they need: A case study of what retailers can accomplish with good metadata: https://bnctechforum.ca/sessions/give-them-what-they-need-a-case-study-of-what-retailers-can-accomplish-with-good-metadata/

Listen to this month's episode where we hear from Max Arambulo, Bookseller & Manager at TYPE Books Junction, about how they run the bookstore with inclusivity and equity in mind, create safe spaces for their staff and customers, and build community. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/9/26/podcast-running-a-bookstore-with-inclusivity-and-equity-in-mind Further reading and listening: - The Juncture Substack: https://thejuncture.substack.com/ - Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-leisure-and-reading-study-2022

This month we talked to Christen Thomas and David Stinson from CNIB Beyond Print about accessible audiobooks, braille, and more. Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/6/27/podcast-making-books-accessible-for-everyone Further reading and listening: -CNIB Beyond Print: https://cnib-beyondprint.ca/ -Centre for Equitable Library Access: https://celalibrary.ca/ -CNIB braille transcription services portal: https://cnib-beyondprint.ca/braille-portal/ -Benetech's Global Certified Accessible (GCA) Program: https://bornaccessible.benetech.org/global-certified-accessible/

Authors of the short book Reading Bestsellers: Recommendation Culture and the Multimodal Reader, Danielle Fuller and DeNel Rehberg Sedo, join us for this month's episode to talk about their research into the relationship readers have with bestsellers and what they found from their qualitative work with a group of international Gen Z readers. Link to the transcript: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/5/30/podcast-reading-bestsellers - Reading Bestsellers: Recommendation Culture and the Multimodal Reader by Danielle Fuller and DeNel Rehberg Sedo: https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/reading-bestsellers/8C6D9254C5B8C6DD87714DE3A98CEA77 - Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-leisure-and-reading-study-2022 - What makes a book a bestseller: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/11/12/what-makes-a-book-a-bestseller

Book industry leaders EJ Hurst from New Society and Jen Knoch from ECW Press talk about their work and progress in making their operations greener. Brian O'Leary from the Book Industry Study Group shares insight into the mission of the Green Book Alliance, the resources they have made available, and what they're hoping to accomplish in the near future. Link to the transcript: www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/4/25/podcast-industry-leaders-on-making-publishing-greener Further reading and listening: - element6 Dynamics and Ingram Content Group Announce Strategic Supplier Relationship for Industrial Hemp-Based Paper: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/element6-dynamics-ingram-content-group-183000632.html - About B Corp certification: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/certification/ - Banking on Climate Chaos: https://www.ran.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/BOCC_2022_vSPREAD-1.pdf - Green Book Alliance website: https://www.greenbookalliance.org/ - Publisher-Printer Sustainability Checklist: https://www.greenbookalliance.org/checklist - Making Sense of Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG Emissions webinar: https://www.greenbookalliance.org/post/gba-sustainability-series-an-introduction-to-your-carbon-footprint - Canopy: https://canopyplanet.org/solutions/next-generation-solutions/ - This is what the world looks like if we pass the crucial 1.5-degree climate threshold: https://www.npr.org/2021/11/08/1052198840/1-5-degrees-warming-climate-change - Bloomsbury wins inaugural sustainability prize at LBF International Excellence Awards: https://www.thebookseller.com/news/bloomsbury-wins-inaugural-sustainability-prize-at-lbf-international-excellence-awards - 5 questions with ECW Press: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/01/10/5-questions-with-ecw-press - 5 questions with New Society Publishers: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/01/17/5-questions-with-new-society-publishers - Green Games Guide: https://www.greengamesguide.com/ - IPCC Reports: https://www.ipcc.ch/reports/

It's clear that romance titles are seeing an increase in sales in the Canadian market. In this month's podcast, we look beyond the numbers and discuss why we're seeing this trend. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/3/28/podcast-the-resurgence-of-romance-books) Further reading/listening: - Romance book sales in the Canadian market: A love story: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2023/2/16/romance-book-sales-in-the-canadian-market-a-love-story - Trendspotting: Book subjects on the move in the Canadian market - Tech Forum 2023: https://youtu.be/6huV7CUt-QI - The Canadian Book Market: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-book-market - The real impact of #BookTok on book sales: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/9/29/the-real-impact-of-booktok-on-book-sales - How TikTok is changing the music industry: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-is-changing-the-music-industry-marketing-discovery-2021-7 - How TikTok is changing book cover designs: https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/books/editor-s-picks/how-tiktok-is-changing-book-cover-designs - Most Americans who are ‘single and looking' say dating has been harder during the pandemic: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/04/06/most-americans-who-are-single-and-looking-say-dating-has-been-harder-during-the-pandemic/ - Key findings about online dating in the U.S.: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2023/02/02/key-findings-about-online-dating-in-the-u-s/ - The "Dating Wrapped" Movement On TikTok Will Entertain You For Hours: https://www.bustle.com/life/tiktok-dating-wrapped-2022 - I Found Mr. Right — Unfortunately, He Only Exists In My Romance Novels: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/03/10328800/romance-novels-bad-unrealistic-expectations

This month we chatted with Taste Canada's Karen Baxter about the work she and Taste Canada are doing to promote Canadian books and the business case for identifying Canadian authors in your metadata. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/2/28/podcast-talking-canadian-contributors-with-taste-canada) Further reading/listening: - Canadian contributor content on the BookNet Canada blog https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=canadian+contributors - Canadian authors: The whys and hows of identifying them in your data: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/5/26/canadian-authors-the-whys-and-hows-of-identifying-them-in-your-data - Celebrating Canadian contributors on I Read Canadian Day 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/11/21/celebrating-canadian-contributors-on-i-read-canadian-day-2022

Wondering how events have changed for independent booksellers now that we're three years into the pandemic? We sat down with John Toews, the Event Coordinator at McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg to chat about the positive side of hosting virtual and hybrid events, how they measure success, the challenges that came with pivoting to virtual, and so much more. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2023/1/31/a-conversation-with-john-toews-from-mcnally-robinson-booksellers-about-events)

The BookNet staff recaps 2022 in terms of book sales and library circulation in the Canadian book market, popular BookNet blog series, and some other 2022 book related highlights. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/12/20/podcast-another-year-in-the-books-2022-highlights) Further reading/listening: - Tech Forum to-go series:https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=tech%20forum%20to%20go - Must-Watch, Must-Read: Book-to-Screen Adaptations in the Canadian Book Market 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/must-watch-must-read-book-to-screen-adapatations-2022 - Book adaptations blog series: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=book%20adaptations - The real impact of #BookTok on book sales: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/9/29/the-real-impact-of-booktok-on-book-sales - The real impact of #BookTok on library circulation: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/10/7/the-real-impact-of-booktok-on-library-circulation - The State of Publishing in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/state-of-publishing - On Loan: Library Use in Canada 2021: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/on-loan-libary-use-in-canada-2021 - Easier with BookNet blog series: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=easier+with+booknet

In this month's episode, we again pull back the curtain for a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to be a BookNet staff member. CataList Project Coordinator Vivian Luu, Project Manager and Retailer Liaison Tim Middleton, and Senior Software Engineer Tom Gerrard join this episode to tell us what they do, their favourite part of the job, and what they do when they're not working. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/11/29/podcast-behind-the-scenes-again-at-booknet) Further reading/listening -Podcast: BookNet behind the scenes: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/8/31/podcast-booknet-behind-the-scenes - BNC CataList: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/catalist - The Legend of Drizzt series by R.A. Salvatore: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Drizzt - BNC BiblioShare: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/biblioshare - BNC SalesData: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/salesdata - Peak Mind by Amishi P. Jha: https://bnccatalist.ca/viewtitle.aspx?ean=9780062992154 - The Great Transformation by Karen Armstrong: https://bnccatalist.ca/viewtitle.aspx?ean=9780676974669

In September, eBOUND Canada launched the Accessible Publishing Learning Network, an online resource library and community hub designed to empower publishers in Canada to create high-quality content that is accessible to all readers. We invited accessibility expert, Laura Brady, to tell us all about it in this podcast episode. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/10/25/podcast-introducing-a-free-accessibility-learning-network) Further reading: - eBound's Accessible Publishing Learning Network: https://apln.ca/ - European Accessibility Act: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1202 - The European Accessibility Act: Everything you need to know: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/05/11/the-european-accessibility-act-everything-you-need-to-know/?sh=4f191de05b86

This month, we interviewed Serah-Marie McMahon, a graphic novel editor at Annick Press. We talked about editing, comics and graphic novels, accessibility, and everything in between. Is the rise of comics and graphic novels just a trend? Find out what we think in this episode. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/9/27/podcast-behind-the-scenes-of-childrens-graphic-novels) Further reading: - Tech Forum to-go: Emerging trends: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/5/20/tech-forum-to-go-emerging-trends - Subject spotlight: Comics & Graphic Novels: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/5/9/subject-spotlight-comics-amp-graphic-novels

This month, we're talking all about movies and TV shows. Specifically the ones based on books. Our newest research report, out today, Must-Watch, Must-Read: Book-to-Screen Adaptations in the Canadian Book Market 2022 gives you all the information we've been asked for and that you've been looking for about the impact that TV and movie adaptations have had on book sales and library circulation! Further reading: - Must-Watch, Must-Read: Book-to-Screen Adaptations in the Canadian Book Market 2022: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/must-watch-must-read-book-to-screen-adapatations-2022 - Book to screen adaptation blog series: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=book%20adaptations - The Rise of Must-Read TV: https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/07/tv-adaptations-fiction/619442/ - Media Tie-In blog post: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/6/28/must-watch-must-read-and-more-about-media-tie-ins

Looking for a quick roundup of our most recent research? Look no further. In this podcast episode we'll share a list of quick takeaways from our most recent studies including our Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2021, The Canadian Book Market 2021, and the Canadian Book Consumer Study 2021. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/5/30/podcast-booknet-research-roundup-what-you-need-to-know) Further reading/listening - Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2021: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-leisure-and-reading-study-2021 - Canadian Book Consumer Study 2021: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-book-consumer-2021 - The Canadian Book Market 2021: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-book-market - Book to screen adaptations blog series: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=book+adaptations - Subject spotlight blog series: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=subject+spotlight - Backlist titles blog series: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=backlist - Bestselling books blog series: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=bestsellers - Are people over puzzles? blog post: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/2/7/are-people-over-puzzles - Look who's turning 20: Insight into the sales performance of books published in 2002 blog post: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/4/4/look-whos-turning-20-insight-into-the-sales-performance-of-books-published-in-2002

Just how many books are written by Canadian authors, anyway? In this episode we take look at why identifying Canadian contributors in book metadata matters for the industry — the work it involves, the impact it has across the supply chain, and how we can measure that change. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/4/26/podcast-why-identifying-canadian-contributors-still-matters) Further reading/listening: - The Canadian Book Market 2021:https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-book-market - Canadian authors: The whys and hows of identifying them in your data: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/5/26/canadian-authors-the-whys-and-hows-of-identifying-them-in-your-data - Identifying Canadian Authorship: https://booknetcanada.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/UserDocs/pages/1378508/Identifying+Canadian+Authorship - Easier with BookNet: Calculating your store's Canadian contributor sales: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/4/5/easier-with-booknet-calculating-your-stores-canadian-contributor-sales - Promoting Canadian books: An interview with 49th Shelf: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/11/29/podcast-promoting-canadian-books-an-interview-with-49th-shelf

In this podcast episode we're bringing you a small taste of a Tech Forum presentation given by Jennifer Chen and Nikoo Sarraf from McGill University's .txtlab. They took a deep dive into the differences between queer fanfiction and mainstream published works and shared some insights about what publishing can learn from their work. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/3/29/podcast-the-importance-of-queer-fanfiction)

What does BookNet Canada know about independent bookstores? A lot. In this podcast episode, BookNet Canada's Marketing Associates Nataly Alarcón and Aline Zara share highlights from the study The State of Independent Bookselling in Canada 2020, talk about what the last five years of independent bookselling have looked like in Canada in terms of book sales and the pandemic, and share a clip from a recent Tech Forum session. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/2/22/podcast-shoplocal-what-we-know-about-the-health-of-canadian-indie-bookstores) Further reading/listening: -The State of Independent Bookselling in Canada 2020: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/the-state-of-independent-bookselling-in-canada-2020 -What's in Store: The State of Independent Bookselling in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/whats-in-store -Beyond #BookTok: When social media and publishing collide: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/7/27/podcast-beyond-booktok-when-social-media-and-publishing-collide -The State of Social Media in Canada 2020: https://socialmedialab.ca/2020/07/13/the-state-of-social-media-in-canada-2020-a-new-survey-report-from-the-ryerson-social-media-lab/ -I opened a bookstore in the pandemic!: https://youtu.be/6Y_IAUWtwDo -Tech Forum's upcoming sessions: https://techforum.booknetcanada.ca/registration/ -BookNet Canada YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/BookNetCanadaVideos/featured -Subscribe to start receiving our monthly research newsletter: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/newsletter-sign-up#research

January 4 was World Braille Day and to celebrate we sat down to talk with Kerry Kijewski and Marcia Yale, two of the five authors of the study Improving Braille Availability in Canadian Public Libraries to learn more about the study and what the book industry can do to improve braille accessibility in Canada. (Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/1/24/podcast-improving-access-to-braille-in-canada) Further reading/listening: -Improving Braille Availability in Canadian Public Libraries: https://nnels.ca/braillestudy -How to improve braille accessibility in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/1/4/how-to-improve-braille-accessibility-in-canada

The BookNet staff recaps 2021 in terms of book sales in the Canadian market, BookNet staff reading habits, and all the other book news fit to share. Further reading/listening: - See this as a webinar on YouTube: https://youtu.be/j5Ef4vImS2o - Subject spotlight blog series: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=subject+spotlight - Backlist blog posts: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=backlist - Canadian Book Consumer survey blog posts: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=canadian+book+consumer+survey - BookNet reading: Stats and staff picks 2021: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/12/13/booknet-reading-stats-and-staff-picks

We sat down with Kiley Turner, 49th Shelf's Managing Editor, to have a conversation about the work she and her colleagues do to promote Canadian books, the role metadata plays in discoverability and marketing, the ways publishing and non-publishing people can use 49th Shelf, and much more. Further reading: -49th Shelf website: https://49thshelf.com/ -49th Kids website: https://kids.49thshelf.com/ -Identifying Canadian Authorship user document: https://booknetcanada.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/UserDocs/pages/1378508/Identifying+Canadian+Authorship -Canadian authors: The whys and hows of identifying them in your data: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/5/26/canadian-authors-the-whys-and-hows-of-identifying-them-in-your-data -Easier with BookNet: Sending interior images to supply chain partners via BiblioShare: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/11/16/easier-with-booknet-sending-interior-images-to-supply-chain-partners-via-biblioshare -Kiley's article, “The one thing that can double your book sales”: https://www.readerbound.com/Blog/The-One-Thing-that-Can-Double-Your-Book-Sales

A conversation with Fazeela Jiwa from Fernwood Publishing about sensitivity readers — what that term means, the shortcomings of using them, Fernwood's approach, and what the future might have in store for sensitivity reading. Further reading: - Fernwood Publishing: https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/ - Authenticy reading. Part 1: What editors need to know: https://blog.ciep.uk/authenticity-1/ - Authenticity reading. Part 2: Becoming an authenticity reader: https://blog.ciep.uk/authenticity-2/ - A dog named Lavender by Vivek Shraya: https://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/poetry/dog-named-lavender

In this month's episode, we give you a behind the scenes look at life as a BookNet staff member, aka a BookNetter. Join us for a chat with Project Manager Monique Mongeon, Product Coordinator Hannah Johnston, and Software Developers Ben Farrall and Madeleine Griggs to learn a bit about themselves and all about their work with us at BookNet Canada. Further reading/listening: Monique's backlist blog posts: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/5/4/everything-old-is-new-again-backlist-sales-growth-in-2020 & https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/8/13/aged-like-a-fine-wine-whats-the-ideal-age-for-a-backlist-title Hannah's LibraryData: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/librarydata Ben's BiblioShare: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/biblioshare Madeleine's Bibli-O-Matic: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/2/4/bibli-o-matic-the-metadata-extension-you-didnt-know-you-needed

In this month's podcast episode we're talking about social media and its influence on bookselling, what the popularity of these online communities built around books mean for the industry, how backlist titles are having second chances thanks to TikTok, and more. Further reading/listening: - BookNet's Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2020: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-leisure-and-reading-study-2020 -BookNet's Canadian Book Consumer Study 2020: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-book-consumer-2020 -Ryerson University's Social Media Lab report The State of Social Media in Canada 2020: https://socialmedialab.ca/2020/07/13/the-state-of-social-media-in-canada-2020-a-new-survey-report-from-the-ryerson-social-media-lab/ -Bookstagrammer @spinesandvines: https://www.instagram.com/spinesvines/?hl=en -Buzzfeed's 24 Black Bookstagrammers list: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ariannarebolini/black-bookstagram-authors-book-lovers-to-follow -Shereads' BookTubers' to watch in 2021 list: https://shereads.com/best-booktubers-2021/ -Popsugar's TikTok accounts for book lovers list: https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/best-book-tiktok-accounts-47761943

This month we're talking about Thema and exploring how you can use this international book classification for describing diverse books. Join BookNet Canada's Marketing Associate Aline Zara, with appearances by EDItEUR's Chris Saynor and BookNet Canada's Bibliographic Manager Tom Richardson, alongside a worked example of Tanya Boteju's book Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens, just in time to wrap up Pride month. Further reading/listening: - Thema version 1.4: https://www.editeur.org/151/Thema-v1.4/ - Chris Saynor's Tech Forum presentation Using Thema and ONIX to boost discoverability: https://youtu.be/hCDdN_CSlNg - Tom Richardson's webinar Thema Refresher: https://youtu.be/KXDlX4fsokA - Thema worked examples: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=Thema%20worked%20examples

Last month we shared highlights from Tech Forum 2021. This month we're sharing one thought-provoking panel in particular. The idea for this panel was inspired by an essay from Annahid Dashtgard a renowned author, changemaker, and co-founder of Anima Leadership, a boutique consulting company specializing in issues of diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism. This essay, called Foreign Object in the House of Canadian Literature, was about her experience as an author of colour and her reception in Canadian publishing. Annahid was joined by Chelene Knight and Léonicka Valcius to discuss author care and creating safe spaces for BIPOC authors. Links - Foreign Object in the House of Canadian Literature essay by Annahid Dastgard: https://rungh.org/foreign-object-in-the-house-of-canadian-literature/ -Foreign object in the house of Canadian literature Tech Forum presentation:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe-1yxT1O3k&list=PLRthkZj3fAc3XJln6vHSoQZ5BzFgTS38d&index=13&t=1012s - Léonicka Valcius on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leonicka_/ - Tech Forum: https://techforum.booknetcanada.ca/ - Podcast: Tech Forum 2021 highlights: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/4/26/podcast-tech-forum-2021-highlights

In this month’s podcast episode, we’re bringing you some highlights from some of our fantastic sessions. This year’s programming had a mix of topics that ranged from crisis management, the impact of the pandemic on booksellers and publishers, bibliographic standards, diversity, equity and inclusion, and much more. The recordings from the sessions we’ll be talking about today are available on our YouTube channel — you can find the link in the episode notes. - Session 1: Come taste the difference good management can make in your crisis!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJBXso5h_lw - Moving pieces: Industry initiatives you don't want to miss: https://youtu.be/ZeyvmAid4Pg - Serving communities in crisis: The bookseller’s role: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hP2G2nZkLA - If we knew then what we know now: COVID-driven initiatives with staying power: https://youtu.be/t03YfhqE95Q - How to combat racial gaslighting in the workplace: https://youtu.be/4LZCN78SysQ - Tech Forum 2021 YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmi7jFTuors&list=PLRthkZj3fAc3XJln6vHSoQZ5BzFgTS38d - Sign up for the Tech Forum newsletter: https://us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4576b1cb7fdce43af498937a5&id=a705168569

The newly formed Canadian Independent Booksellers Association (CIBA) is hitting the ground running. In this podcast episode, we sat down to talk to Doug Minett, the Executive Director, to learn how it came about, what initiatives they’re tackling in their first year, what they see for the future post-COVID, and what they’ll need to do to be successful. Further reading: - Canadian Independent Booksellers Association (CIBA): https://cibabooks.ca/ - What’s in Store: The State of Independent Bookselling in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/whats-in-store

Join BookNet Product Coordinator Hannah Johnston and Marketing Associate Nataly Alarcón as they share sales data for print books about anti-racism and social justice in 2020, a brief overview of the efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion made in the Canadian book industry, as well as a number of resources available to you — from research reports to Tech Forum presentations — that touch on these topics. Further reading/listening - Blog post covering the updates made to BISAC subject codes: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/12/21/2020-bisac-subject-codes-out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new -BookNet YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv62canXJChXqjegPv9H9-A -BookNet Canada podcast: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/podcast -Research by BookNet: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/bnc-research -Blog posts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?tag=diversity -Demand for Diversity study: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/demand-for-diversity -Tech Forum 2021 website: https://techforum.booknetcanada.ca/ -Subscribe to receive Tech Forum updates: https://us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4576b1cb7fdce43af498937a5&id=a705168569 -Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/newsletter-sign-up#enews

A look at book sales and reader behaviour in the Canadian market in 2020. Show notes: eNews sign up: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/newsletter-sign-up#enews BookNet blog: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/ Niche subject explorations on the BookNet blog: Signs & Spells: Astrology, crystals, tarot, and witchcraft in the Canadian book market: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/5/11/signs-amp-spells-astrology-crystals-tarot-and-witchcraft-in-the-canadian-book-market Get that bread: The cooking subcategories that are selling like hotcakes: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/5/19/get-that-bread-the-cooking-subcategories-that-are-selling-like-hotcakes Stars and stanzas: Social media, stardom, and poetry in 2020: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/1/7/stars-and-stanzas-social-media-stardom-and-poetry-in-2020 Checkmate: How the popularity of a TV show is impacting book sales in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/12/8/checkmate-how-the-popularity-of-a-tv-show-is-impacting-book-sales-in-canada Consumer survey results: Canadian readers in 2020, half-year review: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/10/2/canadian-readers-in-2020-half-year-review 2020 Canadian book market half-year review: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/8/27/2020-canadian-book-market-half-year-review

This month’s episode is tailored to booksellers. In it, we go over some key things you should think about before facing the peak of the holiday bookselling season, as well as a series of tools, products, and resources from BookNet and other organizations that can help you take your business to the next level now or beyond the gifting season. Links: -Weathering the COVID-19 storm blog series: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?category=Publishing+%26+COVID-19 -Prepare for the 2020 holiday season now: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/10/22/prepare-for-the-2020-holiday-season-now -Blog posts relevant to booksellers: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog?category=Bookselling -BookNet Canada research: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/bnc-research -Subscribe to the Let’s Sell Some Books newsletter: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/newsletter-sign-up#lets-sell-some-books -BookNet Canada contact information: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/contact-us -Digital Main Street: https://digitalmainstreet.ca/ -Retail Council of Canada resources for retailers: https://www.retailcouncil.org/coronavirus-info-for-retailers/ BookNet Canada products and services mentioned in this episode: -SalesData: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/salesdata -LibraryData: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/librarydata -CataList: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/catalist - Pubnet EDI: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/edi -BiblioShare: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/biblioshare -Shopify plugin: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/bibliographic-data-distribution#shopify -WordPress plugin: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/bibliographic-data-distribution#wordpress Websites that already use our web services: -Playwrights Canada Press website: https://www.playwrightscanada.com/ -Arsenal Pulp: https://arsenalpulp.com/ -Coach House Books: https://chbooks.com/ -Les Libraries: https://www.leslibraires.ca/ -49th Shelf: https://49thshelf.com/

It's Canadian library month, so LibraryData team members, Hannah Johnston and Monique Mongeon share some data about Canadian library circulation stats, genre trends, and more. Further reading/listening LibraryData: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/librarydata Loan Stars: https://www.loanstars.ca/ Borrow, Buy, Read: Library Use and Book Buying in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/borrow-buy-read LibraryData sign up form: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/librarydata

In this episode, BookNet Marketing & Communications Manager, Ainsley Sparkes, shares insights about the status of the publishing industry in Canada. What impact has COVID-19 had on readers' habits? Have book buying behaviours changed? What subjects are selling the most? All these answers and more in this edition of the BookNet Canada podcast. Links: Canadian book market half year review blog post: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/8/27/2020-canadian-book-market-half-year-review The State of Publishing in 2019 infographic and blog post: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/9/8/infographic-the-state-of-publishing-in-canada-2019 The impact of COVID-19 on reading blog post: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/4/15/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-reading The State of Publishing in Canada in 2019 full report: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/state-of-publishing

It would be fair say that we’re fascinated by audiobooks and learning about their production, distribution, and everything else involved in the process. Last month we interviewed Jamie Dupras and Jeff Guillot from Deyan Audio in Los Angeles, but for this month’s podcast episode, we brought the conversation to Canada. Ann Jansen, Director of Audiobook Production at Penguin Random House Canada, and David Caron, Co-Publisher at ECW Press, joined BookNet Canada Research Associate Shimona Hirchberg for a conversation about the state of the audiobook industry in Canada and what’s on the horizon for this rapidly evolving chapter of publishing. Links: -BookNet Canada's Press Play: Audiobook Use in Canada 2020: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/press-play-audiobook-use-in-canada-2020 -ECW Press' office land acknowledgment: https://ecwpress.com/pages/about-us -Longest audiobook Ann has ever worked on, First Snow, Last Light by Wayne Johnston: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/549668/first-snow-last-light-by-wayne-johnston/9780735272576 -Longest audiobook David has ever worked on, Membering by Austin Clarke: https://ecwpress.com/products/membering -Audiobook on about diversity and inclusion that PRHC licensed, The Authenticity Principle by Ritu Bhasin: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/605932/the-authenticity-principle-by-written-and-read-by-ritu-bhasin/9780771009747 -Audiobook PRHC is about to co-publish with Dundurn Press, Seven by Farzana Doctor: https://www.dundurn.com/books/Seven -Audiobook Ann was recently directing remotely, Dearly by Margaret Atwood: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/647306/dearly-by-margaret-atwood/9780771012969 -Backlist books PRHC has worked on or is currently working on: Funny Boy by Shyam Selvadurai: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/163908/funny-boy-by-shyam-selvadurai/9780771001758 Halfbreed by Maria Campbell: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/610927/halfbreed-by-maria-campbell/9780771024092 Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/113915/fugitive-pieces-by-anne-michaels/9780771058820 Lives of the Saints by Nino Ricci: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/153652/lives-of-the-saints-by-nino-ricci/9780385696050 Richard Wagamese’s books: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/authors/32220/richard-wagamese -Titles part of ECW’s Bespeak list: Policing Black Lives by Robin Maynard, narrated by Marcia Johnson: https://ecwpress.com/products/policing-black-lives Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom, narrated by Adri Almeida: https://ecwpress.com/products/fierce-femmes-and-notorious-liars In Search of April Raintree by Beatrice Mosionier, narrated by Michaela Washburn: https://ecwpress.com/products/in-search-of-april-raintree Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead: https://ecwpress.com/products/jonny-appleseed Islands of Decolonial Love by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, narrated by Tantoo Cardinal: https://ecwpress.com/products/islands-of-decolonial-love

For last month’s podcast episode we had planned to include bits of an interview BookNet Canada Research Associate Shimona Hirchberg had with Jamie Dupras and Jeff Guillot from Deyan Audio but the conversation was so rich we decided to share the full interview in this month’s episode. Among other things, they talked about -the nitty-gritty of audiobook production and distribution; -audiobooks in languages other than English; -casting and working with diverse narrators; and -the Canadian audiobook market. Links: -BookNet Canada's Press Play: Audiobook Use in Canada 2020: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/press-play-audiobook-use-in-canada-2020 -ACP symposium report Audiobooks: Building Capacity for Canadian Creation and Publishing: https://publishers.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ACP_audiobook_report_FA_05-11-2020_SM.pdf -ACP and eBOUND's Accessible Publishing Research Project: https://www.eboundcanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ACP_eBound_AccessibilityReport_final.pdf -Audiobook quality control service Pozotron: https://www.pozotron.com/ -Deyan Audio website: https://deyanaudio.squarespace.com/ -Deyan Audio actor index for casting: https://www.deyanaudio.com/castingindex.html -Fortune article: Chef Marcus Samuelsson Wants to Redefine Cookbooks Through Audiobooks: https://fortune.com/2019/06/29/marcus-samuelsson-audiobook/ -"How Do YOU Read?" study conducted by the National Network of Equitable Library Service: https://nnels.ca/HDYR-KeyFindings