Postcards About the State of the Book

There’s a little news this week on the print book and the changing ecology so here’s a few links:

Adult Hardcover Sales Rose 23% in December But Slipped 5% for Calendar Year

“Here’s more from the AAP release (embedded below): “The categories fell slightly for 2010 vs calendar year 2009 with Hardbacks sales at $1.57B vs $1.65B in 2009 (-5.1 percent); Paperbacks reaching $1.38B vs $1.41B in 2009 (-2.0 percent) and Mass Market at $673.5M for 2010 vs $718.9M (-6.3 percent).”

As you can see by the AAP chart embedded above (click to enlarge), eBook sales recorded another strong month. Sales increased 164.8 percent in December compared to the same period last year. Overall, eBook sales increased 164.4 percent compared to 2009.”

AAP Book Sales Stats for December 2010

Borders Files for Bankruptcy

Here is the bankruptcy website.

Borders Will Close 200 Stores

Here’s the list of locations being closed. Is there one in your neighbourhood?

Kobo has assured readers that despite the bankruptcy, “your ebook library is perfectly safe.” I got an e-mail letter from the CEO based on my points card and my wife got a note too since she has the Kobo reader.

There is a lot of discussion of when (if we’ve already) hit peak oil in the world. I am wondering if we’ve already seen peak print? (and I mean hard copies not books or reading in general which seems to be often confused in the discussions about e-books.)

Stephen