U.S. Book Production Tops 150,000 in 2002
Posted on June 6, 2003
R.R. Bowker, a provider of bibliographic information in North America, has released statistics on the U.S. book industry compiled from its Books In Print database. The most notable finding is that U.S. title output increased 5.86% to 150,000 new titles and editions in 2002, while new titles from the largest trade publishers declined 5.02%. University presses increased their title output by 10.21% in 2002, reversing a decline of 4.04% in 2001.
Overall, general adult fiction continued to be the strongest category, again topping 17,000 new titles and editions in 2002. Output of juvenile titles exceeded 10,000, the highest total ever recorded for that category. The large trade publishers published significantly fewer books in the adult fiction and travel categories, many more business books, and about the same number of juvenile and young adult titles. University presses, not surprisingly, published more books in the history, sociology and economics categories, but also published more business and poetry books.
The average suggested retail price for adult trade hardcovers increased $0.20 to $27.52 in 2002. This follows a more modest increase of $0.07 in 2001. Adult trade fiction increased $0.25 to $25.06, and non-fiction trade hardcovers increased $0.11 cents to $28.60. Adult trade paperbacks increased $0.02 to $15.77, and adult trade mass market titles increased a substantial $0.32, to $7.30. The average suggested retail price of a juvenile hardcover in 2002 was $15.93, an increase of $0.12. The average list price for university press hardcovers was $51.09 in 2002, a decrease of $0.11, while titles published in the trade paperback format increased $0.11 to $18.30, $2.53 higher, on average, than books published in that format by trade publishers.
"The biggest story of 2002 was September 11, 2001, and its aftermath," said Andrew Grabois, senior director of publisher relations and content development for New Providence, N.J.-based R.R. Bowker. "Anticipating a slowdown in the general business climate and a change in consumer book purchasing behavior, the large trade publishers adopted a defensive posture characterized by conservative publishing choices and a scaling down of lists. The university presses, on the other hand, saw a golden opportunity to reach a general trade market desperate for perspective and understanding after the terror attacks. Consequently, they increased both their lists and print runs. Looking at the American Association of Publishers' final accounting of 2002 book sales, which showed an 8.8 percent increase for the trade segment and a decrease of 3.8 percent for university presses, it would appear that the big trade houses made the better business decision."
Other interesting statistics in Bowker's report include the following:
- 10,305 new publishers came on the scene in 2002. Like the large trade houses, adult fiction was the most popular category, accounting for 15.24% of all new titles from these mostly small and self-publishers. Other strong categories were religious and inspirational, poetry and juvenile.
- Publishers declared 131,611 books out-of-print or out-of-stock-indefinitely in 2002, an increase of 5.7% over 2001.
- The number of books priced between $30 and $40 by the largest trade publishers increased almost 15% to 822. Business books saw the biggest increase in this price range.
- Contrary to popular belief, the gap between the average list prices of adult trade hardcovers and paperbacks did not narrow in 2002, increasing, instead, $0.18 to $11.75. The gap between trade and mass market paperbacks, on the other hand, decreased $0.30 to $8.47.