Archived BNC research

Find older studies from the BNC Research team here. New studies are always on our main page.

Consumer reports on book-buying behaviour:
- Canadian Book Consumer Study 2022: Results from our quarterly surveying of Canadian book buyers. In this report you’ll find the most popular formats and subjects, insights on why and how Canadians acquire books, the reasons why Canadians decide to read, buy, or borrow specific books, and data comparing and contrasting buyers and borrowers. (See previous editions: 2021, 2020.)
- The Canadian Book Buyer 2018: Updates previous consumer studies with the demographics, purchasing behaviour, format preferences, and subjects purchased by Canadian book buyers, including year-over-year changes between 2016 and 2018. (See previous editions: 2015, 2013.)
- How Canadians Buy Books 2015: An in-depth look at the purchasing journey, from awareness to decision to action.
- The Canadian Book Consumer 2013: Three reports based on consumer surveying: In-Depth Reader Profiles, Book Purchases by Channel, and Digital Sales and Trends.
- Coast to Coast: Book Buyers Across Canada 2013: Based on The Canadian Book Consumer 2013 reports, this study explores how Canadian book buyers’ habits differ by region.
Library users and borrowing habits:
- Borrow, Buy, Read: Library Use and Book Buying in Canada: Looks at the intersection of library use and book buying in Canada in 2018.
- Checking Out Canadians 2013: A compilation of two surveys, one of Canadian book buyers and one of Canadian libraries, to gauge awareness and perception of Canadian books and to discoverability of Canadian content online and in libraries.
Audiobook reports:
- Press Play: Audiobook Use in Canada 2020: This free report takes a look at how Canadian audiobook listeners discover, use, and feel about audiobooks, including what they like to listen to, when they like to listen, how they obtain their audiobook content, and more.
- Readers Are Listening: Audiobook Use in Canada 2018: An in-depth look at how Canadian audiobook listeners discover, purchase, and use audiobooks, with year-over-year comparisons from 2014 and 2016.
- Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada 2016: A follow-up to our 2015 survey of audiobook users.
- Listen Up: Audiobook Use in Canada 2015: A report based on a survey of audiobook users in Canada.
Industry trends:
- The State of Digital Publishing in Canada (2013 to 2021): Between 2013 and 2017, we surveyed Canadian publishers annually about their digital publishing programs. From 2019 onwards, we surveyed Canadian publishers every two years about their operations and staffing, revenue and sales, distribution, format-specific publishing programs, and more.
- The State of Independent Bookselling in Canada 2018: The first study of its kind in Canada, this report sets a benchmark for the scope, health, and challenges of indie bookselling.
The reading habits of Canadians:
- Demand for Diversity: A Survey of Canadian Readers: This study investigates readers' experiences with and interest in reading diverse books.
- Canadian Leisure & Reading Study: This free report looks at how Canadians are spending their leisure time and the behaviours of Canadian readers in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
- Canadians Reading Winners 2013: A report exploring Canadian book buyers’ awareness of literary book awards.
- Measuring Attitudes and Adoption of Digital Content for Kids and Teens 2013: A report examining children’s and teens’ reading habits and attitudes and behaviours around the use of ebooks and apps.
- Alice Munro, At Home and Abroad 2013: When Alice Munro won the Nobel Prize, we conducted a study to see how sales of her books were impacted in Canada and around the world.
- Canadians Reading Canadians 2012: A look at consumer attitudes towards books by Canadian authors and about Canadian subjects.