Shows
BookNet CanadaA research sneak peekListen to a sneak peek of BookNet Canada’s upcoming research reports, The Canadian Book Market and The Canadian Book Consumer.
Find the transcript and relevant links here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2025/2/25/a-research-sneak-peek2025-02-2306 minBookNet CanadaGearing up for the holiday season: Tips for independent booksellersIn 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-booksellers2024-11-2510 min
BookNet CanadaLooking Back At 2023In 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.
Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2024/1/30/podcast-looking-back-at-2023
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...2024-01-3008 min
BookNet Canada PodcastClip: Diversity, books about anti-racism, and the Canadian book industry.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 2020.2023-03-2300 min
BookNet CanadaTalking Canadian contributors with Taste CanadaThis 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-20222023-02-2816 minBookNet CanadaAnother year in the books: 2022 highlightsThe 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
...2022-12-2009 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: 2022 highlightsThe 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.2022-12-1900 min
BookNet CanadaBehind the scenes again at BookNetIn 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...2022-11-2822 minBookNet CanadaBookNet research roundup: What you need to knowLooking 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/bl...2022-05-3012 minBookNet CanadaWhy identifying Canadian contributors still mattersJust 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/pa...2022-04-2613 min
BookNet Canada PodcastClip: #ShopLocal: What we know about the health of Canadian indie bookstoresWhat 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.
Listen to the episode here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2022/2/22/podcast-shoplocal-what-we-know-about-the-health-of-canadian-indie-bookstores2022-03-0400 minBookNet Canada#ShopLocal: What we know about the health of Canadian indie bookstoresWhat 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...2022-02-2218 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: 2021 in the rear view windowThe 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.
Listen to the episode here.2022-01-2000 minBookNet Canada2021 in the rear view windowThe 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.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/12/21/podcast-2021-in-the-rear-view-window)
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...2021-12-2014 minBookNet CanadaPromoting Canadian books: An interview with 49th ShelfWe 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.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/11/29/podcast-promoting-canadian-books-an-interview-with-49th-shelf)
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 th...2021-11-2926 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: BookNet behind the scenesIn 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.
Listen to the full episode here.2021-11-0500 min
BookNet CanadaBookNet behind the scenesIn 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.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/8/31/podcast-booknet-behind-the-scenes)
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://ww...2021-08-3123 min
BookNet CanadaBeyond #BookTok: When social media and publishing collideIn 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.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/7/27/podcast-beyond-booktok-when-social-media-and-publishing-collide)
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.inst...2021-07-2716 minBookNet CanadaDescribing diverse books with ThemaThis 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.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/6/29/podcast-describing-diverse-books-with-thema)
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://yout...2021-06-2916 minBookNet CanadaDiversity, books about anti-racism, and the Canadian book industryJoin 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.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/2/22/podcast-diversity-books-about-anti-racism-and-the-canadian-book-industry)
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.y...2021-02-2209 minBookNet CanadaA look at the Canadian book market In 2020A look at book sales and reader behaviour in the Canadian market in 2020.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2021/1/26/podcast-a-look-at-the-canadian-book-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...2021-01-2510 minBookNet CanadaBookselling during the 2020 holiday season and beyondThis 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.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/11/24/podcast-bookselling-during-the-2020-holiday-season-and-beyond)
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
-B...2020-11-2414 minBookNet CanadaCanadian Library MonthIt'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.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/10/27/podcast-canadian-library-month)
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/librarydata2020-10-2608 minBookNet CanadaThe Canadian book market so far in 2020In 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.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/9/29/podcast-the-canadian-book-market-so-far-in-2020)
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...2020-09-2808 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: The story of Canadian audiobooksIt 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 chapte...2020-09-0200 minBookNet CanadaThe story of Canadian audiobooksIt 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 pub...2020-08-3130 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: The whys and hows of audiobooks, a conversation with Deyan AudioFor 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.
Listen to the full episode here: booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/7/27/podcast-the-whys-and-hows-of-audiobooks-a-conversation-with-deyan-audio
2020-07-2700 minBookNet CanadaThe whys and hows of audiobooks, a conversation with Deyan AudioFor 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.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/7/27/podcast-the-whys-and-hows-of-audiobooks-a-conversation-with-deyan-audio)
Links:
-BookNet Canada's Press Play: Audiobook Use in Canada 2020: https://www.book...2020-07-231h 35BookNet Canada PodcastClip: Press Play: Audiobook Use in Canada 2020Our biennial study on audiobook use among Canadians is here! Learn how Canadian audiobook listeners discover, use, and feel about audiobooks, including what they like to listen to, when they like to listen, and how they obtain their audiobook content.
Listen to the full episode here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/6/29/podcast-press-play-audiobook-use-in-canada-20202020-06-3000 minBookNet CanadaPress Play: Audiobook Use in Canada 2020Our biennial study on audiobook use among Canadians is here! Join BookNet Canada Research Associate Shimona Hirchberg and President & CEO Noah Genner as they go over how Canadian audiobook listeners discover, use, and feel about audiobooks, including what they like to listen to, when they like to listen, and how they obtain their audiobook content.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/6/29/podcast-press-play-audiobook-use-in-canada-2020)
Links:
- BookNet Canada's research: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/bnc-research
- Press Play: Audiobook Use in Canada 2020: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/press-play-audiobook-use-in-canada-2020
- Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2020: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-leisure-and-reading-2020
- Noah Genner's...2020-06-2924 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: Making Brazilian literature accessibleIsadora Cal goes over how in Brazil, a country with so many adversities in all areas, accessible publishing is being tackled. She shares how Bookwire Brazil is taking part on it, being in the position of an aggregator, and what further options they’re currently exploring. Accessible publishing is a social issue, but one that will be profitable for companies and for the market as a whole.
Link to the full episode: https://soundcloud.com/booknet-canada/making-brazilian-literature-accessible2020-05-2600 minBookNet CanadaMaking Brazilian literature accessibleIsadora Cal goes over how in Brazil, a country with so many adversities in all areas, accessible publishing is being tackled. She shares how Bookwire Brazil is taking part on it, being in the position of an aggregator, and what further options they’re currently exploring. Accessible publishing is a social issue, but one that will be profitable for companies and for the market as a whole.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/5/26/podcast-making-brazilian-literature-accessible)2020-05-2159 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: Finding empowerment in the book industry with Cynthia PongCynthia Pong, feminist career strategist, founder of Embrace Change, joins us to talk about the publishing industry’s vertical segregation problem, why stats on diversity haven’t been shifting much, and how we can balance addressing systemic issues with helping individuals to empower themselves.
Link to the full episode: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/2/24/podcast-finding-empowerment-in-the-book-industry-with-cynthia-pong2020-04-2900 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2020The results for our annual Canadian Leisure and Reading survey are in! And we tell you all about them in this month's podcast episode.
Listen to the full episode here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/4/27/podcast-canadian-leisure-amp-reading-study-20202020-04-2800 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: Podcasting for beginnersWhat better time than the present to start a podcast? Learn how to get started and create the best podcast possible with tips from BookNet Canada’s Marketing Manager and Tech Forum speaker, Zalina Alvi in this podcast sharing her Tech Forum presentation, Podcasting for beginners.
Listen to the full episode here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/3/31/podcast-podcasting-for-beginners2020-04-2800 minBookNet CanadaCanadian Leisure & Reading Study 2020The results for our annual Canadian Leisure and Reading survey are in! BookNet Canada President & CEO Noah Genner and Research Associate Shimona Hirchberg will tell you all about them in this month's podcast episode.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/4/27/podcast-canadian-leisure-amp-reading-study-2020)
Links:
- BookNet Canada's research: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/bnc-research
- Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2020: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/canadian-leisure-and-reading-2020
- Noah Genner’s Book industry state of the nation 2020 presentation: https://youtu.be/nr-Lrvxz5Nc
Reading Together: Book Clubs in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/reading-together2020-04-2314 minBookNet CanadaPodcasting for beginnersWhat better time than the present to start a podcast? Learn how to get started and create the best podcast possible with tips from BookNet Canada’s Marketing Manager and Tech Forum speaker, Zalina Alvi in this podcast sharing her Tech Forum presentation, Podcasting for beginners.
(Find the transcript here: Find a transcript to the episode at https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/3/31/podcast-podcasting-for-beginners)
Links
Podcasting for beginners on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uoEy_OoZtAM
Podcasting for beginners presentation slides: https://www.slideshare.net/booknetcanada/getting-started-with-audio-podcasting-for-beginners-zalina-alvi-booknet-canada-tech-forum-20202020-03-3128 min
BookNet CanadaFinding empowerment in the book industry with Cynthia PongCynthia Pong, feminist career strategist, founder of Embrace Change, and Tech Forum 2020 speaker, joins us this month to talk about the publishing industry’s vertical segregation problem, why stats on diversity haven’t been shifting much, and how we can balance addressing systemic issues with helping individuals to empower themselves.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/2/24/podcast-finding-empowerment-in-the-book-industry-with-cynthia-pong)
Links:
- Meg Bolger’s definitions of diversity, equity, and inclusion: https://generalassemb.ly/blog/diversity-inclusion-equity-differences-in-meaning/
- Problems with the equity vs. equality graphic you’ve been seeing: https://culturalorganizing.org/the-problem-with-that-equity-vs-equality-graphic/
- Jhaymee Tynan’s commitment to sponsor 100 women of colour...2020-02-1929 minBookNet CanadaNew BISAC codes for Indigenous booksWith the recent release of new BISAC subject codes for 2019, host Elizabeth Barker goes over the changes, what they mean for Indigenous books in Canada, and asks publishers Theytus Books, Second Story Press, and Kegedonce to share their thoughts.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2020/1/27/podcast-new-bisac-codes-for-indigenous-books)
Episode links:
- BISG press release https://bisg.org/news/481848/Updated-BISAC-Subject-Headings-Released.htm
- BISG Appendix of Inactivated Codes https://bisg.org/page/InactivatedCodes
- What's New In Bibliographic Standards https://booknetcanada.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/UserDocs/pages/1378799/What+s+New+In+Bibliographic+Standards
- Theytus Books http://www.theytus.com/
...2020-01-2751 minBookNet CanadaA look back at the decadeIn this episode, we talk to BookNet President and CEO, Noah Genner, about the decade in review. What were the biggest trends in publishing? What were the biggest changes to the supply chain? And what happened at BookNet Canada? We're also bringing you highlights from our top five most popular episodes.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/12/16/podcast-a-look-back-at-the-decade)
Further reading/listening
- What’s In Store: The State of Independent Bookselling in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/whats-in-store
- Innovative bookselling, part 1: Outside-the-box partnerships: https://soundcloud.com/booknet-canada/innovative-bookselling-part-1-outside-the-box-partnerships
-49th Shelf: https://49thshelf.com/
- Br...2019-12-1630 minBookNet CanadaRadio-frequency identification & the publishing industryRadio-frequency identification (RFID) has been used for decades in other industries, like in car manufacturing and for commercial use as anti-theft systems. And while the technology could have applications in the book supply chain, it has never been put into practice. This month's host, Elizabeth Barker, and BookNet Canada Bibliographic Manager Tom Richardson discuss RFID's potential for tracking books and why the book industry will never adopt them.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/11/26/podcast-radio-frequency-identification-amp-the-publishing-industry)2019-11-2529 minBookNet Canada#PayInternsFor this month's podcast, we're talking with Simon Collinson, a former ebook developer, a small press publisher, and Content Sales Analyst at Rakuten Kobo, about an issue important to the health of the publishing industry, and especially important for those new to the industry: unpaid internships. We find out how he got involved in the #PayInterns campaign, why companies don't pay interns, some success stories, and how you can get involved in this issue.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/10/29/podcast-payinterns)2019-10-2427 minBookNet CanadaInnovative bookselling, part 3: More than a bookstoreFor the third and final episode in our summer series on innovative bookselling (see the first episode and the second episode at the links), we talk with bookstores who are findings ways to go beyond their core mandate of selling books. BookNet Canada Research Associate Shimona Hirchberg will also give an overview of the average indie bookseller in Canada. From school competitions to singles nights, they're finding creative ways to engage with their communities. Take a look at the highlights from our study, What's in Store: The State of Independent Bookselling in Canada 2018 .
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada...2019-09-2338 minBookNet CanadaInnovative bookselling, part 2: Writers are friends, not foodFor the second episode in our summer series on innovative bookselling, we talk with Canadian booksellers who are dedicating space and time to supporting the writers in their communities, whether they're in grade school or working on their latest book.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/8/26/podcast-innovative-bookselling-part-2-writers-are-friends-not-food)
Find out more about the bookstores featured in this episode:
- Woozles Writes!: https://www.woozles.com/?q=p.woozles_writes_
- Queen Books: http://queenbooks.ca/
- The Bookshelf: https://bookshelf.ca/home
- A Different Booklist: https://www.adifferentbooklist.com/2019-08-2618 minBookNet CanadaInnovative bookselling, part 1: Outside-the-box partnershipsFor our three-part summer series, we're talking with booksellers across Canada who are proving that there's more than one way to sell a book. In part 1, we dive into some examples of outside-the-box partnerships where three brick-and-mortar bookstores work with a publisher, a podcast, and even another bookstore to reach new readers and sell more books.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/7/29/podcast-innovative-bookselling-part-1-outside-the-box-partnerships)
Episode links:
- Podcast: Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! https://www.mythsbaby.com/
- Briny Books http://www.brinybooks.ca/
- Queen Books http://queenbooks.ca/
- Woozles' Gift of Reading Program https...2019-07-2924 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: Libraries and their dataWe're pleased to introduce BookNet Canada's latest project: LibraryData.
While LibraryData is currently in beta only for select libraries who are providing their circulation and hold data, we're happy to share all the possibilities, realities, and general joy this new industry tool will bring.
In this episode, we're also sharing some highlights from our study on library use and book buying in Canada, Borrow, Buy, Read.
Listen to the whole podcast episode: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/6/24/podcast-libraries-and-their-data-introducing-librarydata-a-new-product-from-booknet-canada2019-07-0500 minBookNet CanadaLibraries and their data: Introducing LibraryData a new product from BookNet CanadaWe're pleased to introduce BookNet Canada's latest project: LibraryData.
While LibraryData is currently in beta only for select libraries who are providing their circulation and hold data, we're happy to share all the possibilities, realities, and general joy this new industry tool will bring.
In this episode, we're also sharing some highlights from our study on library use and book buying in Canada, Borrow, Buy, Read.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/6/24/podcast-libraries-and-their-data-introducing-librarydata-a-new-product-from-booknet-canada)
Show links:
LibraryData: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/library-data
Borrow, Buy, Read: Library Use and Book Buying in Canada: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/borrow-buy-read
Jumping...2019-06-2418 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: Demand for DiversityAre Canadian readers able to find the diverse books they want to read? Using data from BookNet Canada's latest study, Demand for Diversity, Shimona Hirchberg shares some stats on discoverability and the demand for diverse books.
The full episode can be heard at https://soundcloud.com/booknet-canada/demand-for-diversity.2019-05-2400 minBookNet CanadaDemand for DiversityIn this episode, BookNet Canada Research Associate Shimona Hirchberg shares some highlights from our new Demand for Diversity: A Survey of Canadian Readers study, alongside related clips from our recent Tech Forum 2019 conference that add some more context to the conversation on diversity in the Canadian book industry.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/5/28/podcast-demand-for-diversity)
Further reading:
- Read the full, free study, Demand for Diversity: A Survey of Canadian Readers: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/demand-for-diversity
- Continue the discussion with our blog post that includes more resources on the topic: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/5/17/further-reading-demand-for-diversity
...2019-05-2422 minBookNet Canada PodcastClip: ISNI, the dream identifierTom Richardson, Bibliographic Manager at BookNet Canada talks about ISNI, the International Standard Name Identifier and its potential in book discoverability. The ISNI is an identifier with potential in the supply chain for your trading partners and as a marketing tool. We also talk to Kendra Martin, Marketing Administrator at Dundurn Press, about how ISNI is and isn't being used in the full episode. You can find it here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/4/30/podcast-isni-the-dream-identifier2019-05-0200 min
BookNet CanadaISNI, the dream identifierIn this month's episode, we talk about ISNI, the International Standard Name Identifier. It's an identifier with potential in the supply chain for your trading partners and as a marketing tool. Tom Richardson, Bibliographic Manager at BookNet Canada and Kendra Martin, Marketing Administrator at Dundurn Press (https://www.dundurn.com), join us to shed light on how ISNI is and isn't being used.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/4/30/podcast-isni-the-dream-identifier)2019-04-3025 minBookNet CanadaMinorities in Publishing: Live at Tech Forum 2019Jennifer Baker of the Minorities in Publishing podcast interviews Jael Richardson, author, columnist, and founder of the Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD), on craft, publishing, and formulating equity within the literary community. This conversation was hosted live at Tech Forum on March 20, 2019.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/3/25/podcast-minorities-in-publishing-live-at-tech-forum-2019)2019-03-2543 minBookNet CanadaA children's librarian on the state of children's publishing in CanadaHere at BookNet, we've had children's titles on the mind since we opened up voting for our new Loan Stars Jr. list in November. The first Loan Stars Jr. list, consisting of Juvenile and Young Adult titles, will be released this March and while we're waiting to see what will make the inaugural list, there's been a lot of reflecting and bonding over memories of the books and library programs that led us to dedicate our lives to making them. It also raised questions about the state of children's publishing in Canada and the role that libraries play. So we...2019-02-2517 minBookNet CanadaPubFight All-Star game wrap-upOur PubFight game came to an end at the beginning of January, so we wanted to interview our All-Star players to find out what strategies they employed, whether they were successful or not, what they learned, and apparently most importantly, how they felt about the trash talk.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2019/1/29/podcast-pubfight-all-stars-game-end-wrap-up)
Further reading:
The road to the All-Stars finale: All the blog posts about this league: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/?tag=all-stars
More information and how to sign up for PubFight: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/pubfight/2019-01-2918 minBookNet CanadaBestselling & award-winning books of 2018For our last episode of 2018, we share the bestselling Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Juvenile/YA books of the year, discuss some of the major award winners, give a rundown of the top 10 Loan Stars picks for the year, and look ahead to our projects for 2019.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/12/17/bestselling-books-of-2018-and-year-end-wrap-up)
Further reading:
Bestselling books of 2018: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/12/11/2018-bestsellers
Literary awards season: Canadian awareness of and interest in literary awards: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/10/8/literary-awards-season-canadian-awareness-of-and-interest-in-literary-awards
Loan Stars Best of the Brightest 2018: https://bnccatalist.ca/viewcatalogue.aspx?id=32907
AmReading research series: https://www...2018-12-1411 min
BookNet CanadaHoliday booksellingTalk to anyone in the book industry and they'll tell you, the winter holidays are the best but busiest time of year for book sales. We bring you the stats you need to know for the season and we talk to Rebecca Andoff of Type Books in Toronto for the retailer perspective.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/11/27/podcast-holiday-bookselling)
Resources mentioned in the podcast:
When does holiday shopping begin: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/12/19/when-does-holiday-shopping-begin
Think with Google: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-ca/consumer-insights/want-win-holiday-season-get-know-these-four-types-canadian-shoppers/
How and when to reach the 2018 holiday shopper: https://www.booknetcanada...2018-11-2617 minBookNet CanadaThe growth of audiobook listening and production in 2018It's been two eventful years since we published our last study on audiobook listening in Canada, so we're back with updated stats on consumer habits and preferences for 2018. We're also discussing recent work being done to support the expansion of audiobook production in Canada, including a new initiative between Audible and Ryerson University.
You can read our study, Readers Are Listening: Audiobook Use in Canada 2018, for free in its entirety here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/readers-are-listening
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/10/30/podcast-the-growth-of-audiobook-listening-and-production-in-2018)
Other resources:
- Livres Canada Books' The Global Audiobook Market report: https://livrescanadabooks.com...2018-10-2914 min
BookNet CanadaThe first rule of book club is tell us all about your book clubThis month we're talking about book clubs. But not the kind where you pretend to read the books and just drink wine – real book clubs. We're bringing you some stats on Canadian book clubs: who's in them, how they find their books, and more. We also take a look at the popularity of celebrity book clubs. And lastly we talk to Randy Chan, senior marketing manager at Harlequin, who talks to us about the importance of book clubs to publishers and how they find and reach out to them.
To see the transcript of the episode and links to further re...2018-09-2818 min
BookNet CanadaMore than just books: Why libraries should not be overlookedFrom drag queens to Netflix to registered therapy dogs to power tools, Canada's libraries offer patrons more than just books.
In this month's episode, Athena McQueen tells us about her involvement with Drag Queen Story Time, and OLA's Michelle Arbuckle talks about the importance of libraries and community outreach programs. Plus Elizabeth Barker and Monique Mongeon share a little bit about BookNet's various library projects.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/8/27/podcast-more-than-just-books-why-libraries-should-not-be-overlooked).
To find out more about Athena McQueen's upcoming events, visit her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/theathenamcqueen/
The Drag Queen Storytime article that we...2018-08-2737 minBookNet CanadaShoot for the Moon: Awards for underrepresented writersAs part of his mission to make sure artists are financially supported, Toronto-based fundraising consultant Rahim Ladha has taken it upon himself to fund and award three new cash prizes for underrepresented writers in Canada, ranging from BIPOC writing poetry to non-binary illustrators working in SFF. In this month's episode, we talk to Rahim about his intentions for the monthly/quarterly awards, how it's going so far, and his plans for growing the program.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/7/30/podcast-shoot-for-the-moon-awards-for-underrepresented-writers).
Full details on the Spark, Nova, and Echo awards, including eligibility and how to get in...2018-07-3021 minBookNet CanadaAudiobooks, enhancements, and accessibility: Digital publishing in 2017In our latest research study, we asked publishers about their digital publishing programs, from audio production to use of EPUB 3. We're sharing some highlights from the report in this month's episode. We also expand on recent trends in digital audiobooks and stress the importance of providing accessible content for libraries.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/6/28/podcast-audiobooks-enhancements-and-accessibility-digital-publishing-in-2017).
Here are the links that we mention in the episode:
The State of Digital Publishing in Canada 2017: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/state-of-digital-publishing
BISG's Quick Start Guide to Accessible Publishing: https://bisg.org/store/ViewProduct.aspx?id=6972996
Loan Stars: https://www...2018-06-2715 min
BookNet CanadaBatten down the hatches: How we're combatting book piracyHow big is the book piracy issue, who's pirating them, and why? We answer these questions, offer other (legal!) ways of getting free books, and talk with Canadian publisher ECW about how the industry is (or isn't) fighting back against book theft. Visit our blog for all the show notes, including sources and further reading: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/5/28/podcast-batten-down-the-hatches-how-were-combatting-book-piracy
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/5/28/podcast-batten-down-the-hatches-how-were-combatting-book-piracy).2018-05-2840 minBookNet CanadaHighlights from Tech Forum & ebookcraft 2018This month we're looking back at our biggest book-publishing-meets-technology conference ever. From March 21-23, 2018, hundreds of professionals from across the industry, from ebook developers to librarians, converged in Toronto for Tech Forum and ebookcraft to share, learn, and debate the future of the industry.
We've put together a highlight reel from some of our favourite talks (though they were all amazing), with insights on topics like metadata for ebooks, how retailers are bridging the digital divide, some great moments from our women in publishing panel, and lots more.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/4/20/podcast-highlights-from-tech-forum-ebookcraft-2018).
Talks highlighted:
1:00...2018-04-1920 minBookNet Canada[Repeat] We Read Too: Diversifying Publishing with Kaya ThomasFrom the archives: While still in her undergrad at Dartmouth College, Kaya Thomas developed her first app: We Read Too, a book resource application that showcases a directory of hundreds of children's and young adult fiction books written by and for people of colour, which contains over 600 books and has over 4,000 downloads. Kaya has held software engineering internships at Time Inc. and Intuit working on mobile applications. She was a CODE2040 2015 Fellow and is a technical volunteer mentor for Black Girls Code. For her work in education and technology, Kaya was honoured by Michelle Obama at the 2015 Black Girls Rock...2018-03-1627 minBookNet CanadaCreating a roadmap for accessibility in ebooksIn this presentation from last year's ebookcraft conference in Toronto, Amanda Karby from Michigan Publishing Services and Kristin Waites from The MIT Press shared the 7 milestones on their roadmap for accessibility, complete with details and examples from their own journeys putting those steps into action at their respective presses. From task forces to audits, they've got practical steps you can start taking today to make sure you're on the road towards producing accessible ebooks.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/2/26/podcast-creating-a-roadmap-for-accessibility-in-ebooks).
Interested in this year's ebookcraft conference on March 21-22 in Toronto? Learn more and get tickets...2018-02-2317 min
BookNet CanadaAudiobooks and audio-first publishingNastaran Bisheban, VP of Global Technology Delivery at Kobo, talks about their recently-launched audiobook program, their first audiobook original, and their future plans for audio content. And we speak to Book*hug's Hazel Millar about their record label that pairs authors with recording artists, Chaos & Star.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/1/29/podcast-audiobooks-and-audio-first-publishing).
Curious about some of the articles we reference? Find them here:
LiveMint: http://www.livemint.com/Companies/lObJNigyM1uKpaUB9V0dPJ/Audiobooks-could-be-the-next-big-thing-says-Penguin-Random.html
APA stats: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/audio-books/article/73917-audiobooks-posted-double-digit-gains-in-sales-output.html
Quartz: https://qz.com/1190281/google-and-apple-are-trying-to-lure-ebook-and-audiobook-readers-away-from-amazon/
TechRadar: http://www...2018-01-2926 minBookNet CanadaA Look Back at 2017We're nearing the end of the year and, like pretty much everyone else, feeling reflective about the past 12 months. And since we're BookNet, that includes how the past year has shaped up in terms of the Canadian book market. So this month we have BookNet president and CEO, Noah Genner, as our guest to chat about the state of the market, the biggest books of the year, the biggest shakeups in the industry, what we can expect for next year, and, of course, lots about Margaret Atwood.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/12/19/podcast-a-look-back-at-2017).
Our free webinar...2017-12-1328 min
BookNet CanadaBuilding In-House Momentum for Diverse BooksThis month we're talking with Léonicka Valcius about how to interrogate and rethink in-house processes and assumptions when publishing diverse books, including acquisitions, audience identification, setting priorities, and building in-house excitement.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/11/27/podcast-building-in-house-momentum-for-diverse-books).
Learn more about this topic at Tech Forum 2018: the largest tech-focused professional development event in the Canadian publishing industry. http://techforum.booknetcanada.ca/2017-11-2732 minBookNet CanadaTrue CrimeMurder, organized crime, and....well, more murder. This month's episode is all about true crime, from recent bestsellers to the evolution of the genre. Featuring authors Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon and Peter Edwards, plus BookNet's Monique Mongeon.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/10/31/podcast-true-crime).
Curious about some of the articles we reference? Find them here:
NYT: Investigation Discovery Network Makes Crime Pay(https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/05/business/media/investigation-discovery-network-makes-crime-pay.html)
Slate: The True Crime Memoir (http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2017/08/the_true_crime_memoir_when_mfa_grads_and_literary_aspirants_write_true_crime.html)
Time: Murder shows — Th...2017-10-3140 min
BookNet CanadaKeywords and Second Story PressSecond Story Press is serious about keywords. Allie Chenoweth, Marketing & Promotions Coordinator, joins us to talk about their approach on this month's podcast.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/9/25/podcast-keywords-and-second-story-press).
Links:
Demystifying the Inner Workings of Amazon Keywords: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlaZ6xIuRnc
Google Ngram: https://books.google.com/ngrams2017-09-2526 min
BookNet CanadaTelevision Adaptations and the Books They Are Based OnTo help distract us from all our Game of Thrones feelings, we sat down with Evan Munday, children's author and Community Manager at TYPE Books, to discuss the influence of television adaptations on book buying habits of their viewers. Are viewers inclined to head towards bookstores after watching their favourite series? Do television tie-in covers matter? We talk stats, shows, and lots more.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/8/29/page-to-television-a-study-of-adaptations).
Find more details (and fun graphs!) at www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/8/29/page-to-television-a-study-of-adaptations.2017-08-2925 min
BookNet CanadaThe Canadian book industry 150 years laterTo help celebrate Canada's 150th birthday, we sat down with Sue Carter, Editor-in-Chief at Quill & Quire, Canada's magazine for the book publishing industry, to talk about the current state of the publishing landscape and what challenges we're facing. We also discuss some statistics from our most recent research reports, including what book buyers think of Canadian books and who the most well known Canadian author is. And, of course, we speculate on what the book industry might look like in another 50 years.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/7/21/podcast-canadian-book-publishing-150-years-later).2017-07-2032 min
BookNet CanadaEbook Apps from the Inside OutMicah Bowers, Founder and CEO of Bluefire, was a speaker at ebookcraft 2017. His talk, titled Ebook Apps from the Inside Out, is an exploration of the past, present, and future evolution of ebook reading applications and how that impacts and informs the art and craft of creating ebooks. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/6/20/podcast-ebook-apps-from-the-inside-out).2017-06-1942 min
BookNet CanadaReaders Will Listen: Audiobooks and the sound of salesThere has lately been a huge surge in demand for audiobooks. This spike has largely been driven by the digital disruption that not only changes how listeners discover audiobooks, but also how they listen to, create, and purchase them.
As part of BookNet Canada's Tech Forum 2017 conference, we invited a panel of industry professionals to talk about the audiobook landscape including current trends and future opportunities.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/5/8/podcast-audiobooks-and-the-sound-of-sales).
Watch the video of this panel here: https://booknetcanada.wistia.com/medias/5amsjka062
Find the slides from Noah Genner's consumer data presentation here: https...2017-05-0835 minBookNet CanadaAdvanced sales strategies for selling diverse booksIn this panel from Tech Forum 2017, panelists Léonicka Valcius, John Toews, and Tan light discuss how to effectively market and sell diverse book lists. This discussion goes beyond championing diverse books because it's the latest trend to acknowledging it as a business priority. They tackle how to identify the right tools and strategies to get diverse books into the hands of readers, while addressing the obstacles and assumptions that stand in the way of that goal.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/4/13/podcast-advanced-sales-strategies-for-selling-diverse-books).2017-04-1344 minBookNet CanadaThe Irresistible Opportunity: McSweeney's Approach to Repurposing ContentWhen other resources are in short supply, the one thing all publishers always have more than enough of is content. So how do you maximize that resource to help you reach new audiences? As a preview of the panel he'll be joining at our Tech Forum conference on March 24 in Toronto, McSweeney's Jordan Bass joins us on the podcast this month to talk about their approach to repurposing content.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/3/15/podcast-the-irresistible-opportunity-mcsweeneys-approach-to-repurposing-content).2017-03-1519 min
BookNet CanadaMonetizing content and what traditional publishers can learn from WattpadThis month in the BookNet Canada podcast we talk with Ashleigh Gardner, Head of Partnerships at Wattpad about the evolution of Wattpad as a company, their models for monetizing content, and some of the things Wattpad has learned from their largest audience - the under 30 set. Ashleigh also talked to us a little bit about Wattpad's newest app, Tap, and it's freemium, candy-crush-like model.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/2/28/podcast-monetizing-content-and-what-traditional-publishers-can-learn-from-wattpad).2017-02-2816 minBookNet CanadaA Look Back at 2016In this mini episode, we run through the bookish highlights of 2016, including the current size of the Canadian book market, industry updates, and new research on consumer buying habits.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/1/31/podcast-a-look-back-at-2016).2017-01-3108 minBookNet CanadaWhy the Print Book Won't Die: Part 2In the second part of our series on the print book and why it won't be going away any time soon, we talk with David Sax, the author of the new book, The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter. With the recent resurgence of brick-and-mortar bookstores and the plateauing of ebook sales, David sees a bright future ahead for physical books and the people who love them.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2016/12/20/podcast-why-the-print-book-wont-die-part-two).2016-12-1214 minBookNet CanadaWhy the Print Book Won't Die: Part 1Is the print book as a technology underrated? In this month's episode, Joanne McNeish, a professor who studies the resilience of incumbent technologies, discusses why readers prefer print books, the challenges ebooks will have to overcome to be more competitive, and why we shouldn't expect physical books to ever be replaced entirely. Stay tuned for Part 2 in December 2016.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2016/11/25/podcast-why-the-print-book-wont-die-part-one).2016-11-2540 minBookNet CanadaWhen nothing ever goes out of print: The trials & considerations of maintaining backlist ebooksAt last year's ebookcraft conference, Teresa Elsey, the Digital Managing Editor of the Trade & Reference Division at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, shared her experiences maintaining backlist ebooks with her team.
Besides the technology advances that affect the quality of those earlier conversions, she explained that those backlist ebooks aren't getting any more semantic, aren't getting any more legal, aren't getting any more accurate, and have increasingly irrelevant metadata.
In this thought-provoking talk, Teresa discusses the challenges and questions that arise when books turn into software and ebooks don't go away after you've made them.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada...2016-10-1936 minBookNet CanadaPublishers enter the bookstore gamePublishers opening their own physical bookstores seems to be all the rage these days. We sit down with two Canadian publishers—House of Anansi and Penguin Random House Canada—to talk about their new shops and why they've decided to take the plunge into brick-and-mortar.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2016/9/26/podcast-publishers-enter-the-bookstore-game).2016-09-2629 minBookNet CanadaThe audiobook gets its groove backLong live the audiobook! Thanks to smartphones, podcasts, and our oh-so-busy lives, the digital audiobook is making a comeback. We talk with some industry players to discuss the format's reinvention, how the industry is adapting to increased demand, and where Canadian-produced audiobooks fit into all this.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2016/7/27/podcast-the-audiobook-gets-its-groove-back).
Hungry for more data? Keep an eye on the BookNet Canada Blog in the coming weeks for more results from our research: booknetcanada.ca/blog.2016-07-2637 minBookNet CanadaAccessible ebooks: is the print/ebook debate a privileged one?Laura Brady, ebook developer and principal of Brady Type, joins the BookNet podcast to educate us about the benefits and challenges associated with bringing accessible features to ebooks in Canadian publishing. We talk about ableist privilege, InDesign quirks, and if the future of print and digital in harmony includes coding that old book smell.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2016/6/27/podcast-accessible-ebooks-is-the-printebook-debate-a-privileged-one).2016-06-2429 minBookNet CanadaHighlights from Tech Forum 2016After another round of inspiring talks, illuminating research, and innovative ideas at our annual Tech Forum conference on digital developments in the book publishing industry, we're here to share some highlights from the conference.
We've got consumer research on how millennials buy and read books, how and why the industry should work to include more diverse voices, five recommendations for improving your book metadata in today's complex marketplace, and lessons for encouraging grassroots innovation at a legacy publisher.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2016/5/30/podcast-highlights-from-tech-forum-2016).
To see videos of all the Tech Forum presentations in their entirety...2016-05-2734 minBookNet CanadaThe rise (and fall?) of adult colouring booksIt's been a big year for adult colouring books in Canada: they've dominated the non-fiction bestseller lists, adults are frequenting drinking 'n' colouring nights, and everyone seems to have an opinion about the trend. So are they on the decline, or here to stay?
We investigate by examining sales trends from the past year, talking with consumers and experts on the subject, and surveying adult colouring book buyers to learn more about their buying habits and preferences.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2016/5/2/podcast-the-rise-and-fall-of-adult-colouring-books).
Hungry for more data? Keep an eye on the BookNet Canada Blog in...2016-04-2918 min
BookNet CanadaWe Read Too – Diversifying publishing with Kaya ThomasKaya Thomas, creator of the app We Read Too, joins BookNet on the podcast this month. While still in her undergrad at Dartmouth College, Kaya developed We Read Too—a book resource application that showcases a directory of hundreds of children's and young adult fiction books written by and for people of colour—which contains over 600 books and has over 4,000 downloads. Kaya has held software engineering internships at Time Inc and Intuit working on mobile applications. She was a CODE2040 2015 Fellow and is a technical volunteer mentor for Black Girls Code. For her work in education and technology, Kaya was rece...2016-03-2227 minBookNet CanadaUsing data to predict bestselling and prize-winning booksCan quantitative analysis be used to predict bestselling or prize-winning books? We discuss this question and more with Andrew Piper, an associate professor at McGill University where he's also the director of .txtLAB, a digital humanities laboratory focused on applying computational approaches to literature and culture. This month, it's all about how data can be used to better understand books.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2016/2/26/podcast-using-data-to-predict-bestselling-and-prize-winning-books).
To learn more about .txtLAB, check out their blog: http://txtlab.org/2016-02-2630 minBookNet CanadaBest practices for book classification - Tom RichardsonIn this month's episode, we ask our Bibliographic Manager, Tom Richardson, to ruminate on how subject metadata can be optimized to better serve the book industry. Strap in for 20 minutes of subject codes, meandering, and lots of telling it like it is.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2016/1/29/podcast-best-practices-for-book-classification).
Looking for the keywords white paper mentioned in the episode? Find it right here: https://www.bisg.org/best-practices-keywords-metadata.2016-01-2924 min
BookNet CanadaMore adults are buying YA books for their own reading enjoyment, but do they realize it's YA?BookNet Canada invites Canadian publishing superstars Allister Thompson, Leonicka Valcius, and Rachel Letofski to discuss the growing trend of adults purchasing Young Adult books for themselves, but misidentifying the target audience for those books as adult.
According to a report put out by BookNet Canada entitled The Canadian Book Buyer 2015, consumers think they're buying 14% juvenile and 50% fiction, though 2014 purchasing trends indicate consumers are buying 38% juvenile and 31% fiction. Does this variance indicate that adults are trending towards juvenile without realizing it?
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2015/12/14/podcast-more-adults-are-buying-ya-books-for-their-own-reading-enjoyment-but-do-they-realize-its-ya).2015-12-1438 minBookNet CanadaInformation Doesn't Want to be Free - Cory Doctorow - Tech Forum 2015There are three iron laws of information age creativity, freedom, and business, woven deep into the fabric of the Internet's design, the functioning of markets, and the global system of regulation and trade agreements. You can't attain any kind of sustained commercial, creative success without understanding these laws—but more importantly, the future of freedom itself depends on getting them right.
Presented by Cory Doctorow at Tech Forum 2015 / BookNet Canada / March 12, 2015
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2015/8/18/podcast-information-doesnt-want-to-be-free).
booknetcanada.ca/technology-forum2015-08-1737 minBookNet CanadaHow an 11-minute podcast can change a book's life - Tech Forum 2015 - Anshuman IddamsettyThis week’s episode is very meta, in that it’s a podcast about podcasting. If your mind is still intact after being so spectularly blown, and if you’re interested in how podcasting can help you build a relationship with your audience, then you should definitely give it a listen.
The talk is from Anshuman Iddamsetty, who up until recently hosted Hazlitt Magazine’s book podcast, The Arcade. (It was retired after more than 50 stirring episodes.) In his Tech Forum talk, he explains the unique power of sound and how it’s the ideal medium for fostering intimacy, trust, and loyalt...2015-08-1135 minBookNet CanadaUsing content marketing to increase discoverability - Brian O'Leary - Tech Forum 2015With the growth of subscription services such as Scribd and Oyster, and sites such as Pottermore, many publishers are starting to think differently about their businesses. The time has come for experimenting with conversion architectures: business models that involve attracting an audience, retaining it in various ways (website visits, email lists, newsletters, etc.) and monetizing it. Brian O'Leary explores how conversion architectures work and how they apply to current—and, more importantly, future—book content models. You'll leave this session ready to strategize new ways of marketing and selling content to your readers.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/b...2015-08-0432 minBookNet CanadaTransmedia success - Tech Forum 2015 - Keith FretzStriking a balance between books, games, and community.
Keith Fretz of Scholastic US explores three main components of a successful transmedia property: attracting and retaining interest with gamification, using usage data to inform the evolution of your product, and building and maintaining a vibrant community.
Presentation slides: http://www.slideshare.net/booknetcanada/transmedia-success-striking-a-balance-between-books-games-and-community-tech-forum-2015-keith-fretz
Presented by Keith Fretz (Scholastic US) at Tech Forum 2015 / BookNet Canada / March 12, 2015
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2015/7/27/podcast-scholastics-transmedia-success).
booknetcanada.ca/technology-forum2015-07-2739 minBookNet CanadaA tale of two cultures - Derrick Schultz - Tech Forum 2015As more and more publishing houses bring in talented digital employees there’s a likely clash of cultures on the horizon. How can publishers with their rich history work alongside technologists and their history of “disrupting” everything? A sometimes humorous, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately optimistic look at the future of the people behind the books.
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2015/7/21/podcast-a-tale-of-two-cultures).
Presentation slides are available at: https://dvs.atavist.com/tech-forum-2015
Presented by Derrick Schultz (Atavist) at Tech Forum 2015 / BookNet Canada / March 12, 2015
booknetcanada.ca/technology-forum2015-07-2140 min
BookNet CanadaEngaging everyone: A case study from Orca Book Publishers - Melanie Jeffs - Tech Forum 2015Drawing on their extensive history with the middle school market, Melanie Jeffs from Orca Book Publishers will examine how engagement, not only with customers but with staff and authors, can inform content generation as well as lead to successful marketing strategies that result in increased print and digital sales.
Slides are available at http://www.slideshare.net/booknetcanada/engaging-everyone-a-case-study-from-orca-book-publishers-tech-forum-2015-melanie-jeffs
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2015/7/6/podcast-engaging-everyone-a-case-study-from-orca-book-publis.html).
Presented by Melanie Jeffs (Orca Book Publishers) at Tech Forum 2015 / BookNet Canada / March 12, 2015
booknetcanada.ca/technology-forum2015-07-0635 min
BookNet CanadaBookNet Canada Research - Noah Genner - Tech Forum 2015BookNet Canada conducts regular market research and consumer research, giving you a detailed picture of the Canadian book market and Canadian book buyers. In this session, Noah Genner will present some of BookNet's recent research, including not-yet-released stats.
Presented by Noah Genner at Tech Forum 2015 / BookNet Canada / March 12, 2015
(Find the transcript here: https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2015/6/30/podcast-booknet-canada-research.html).
Presentation slides available at: http://www.slideshare.net/booknetcanada/new-at-booknet-canada-research-tech-forum-2015-noah-genner
booknetcanada.ca/technology-forum2015-06-2933 min
BookNet CanadaHow price weaves into reader engagement - Nathan Maharaj - Tech Forum 2015Is there a difference between readers who mainly purchase heavily discounted ebooks versus those who pay full price? How about readers who purchase an ebook as soon as it's available, compared to readers who wait until the ebook price drops in correspondence with the trade paper release? What about readers who make spontaneous purchases, like Daily Deals? In this presentation, Kobo Director of Merchandising Nathan Maharaj weighs in on what Kobo has learned about the relationship between price points and reading habits. He'll also touch on other factors affecting reader engagement, such as season, country, and genre. Get ready for...2015-06-2330 min
BookNet CanadaEverything you need to know about ebook bundling - Mary Alice Elcock - BNC Tech Forum 2015Many publishers are interested in bundling ebooks and print books, but don't know where to start. Will ebook bundling erode traditional ebook sales? Which price points are most likely to attract readers to bundle their books? Can ebook bundling be used as a discoverability strategy? And, what are the different options available to publishers who want to start offering print and ebook bundles? Mary Alice Elcock of BitLit will present answers to these questions and more, along with further insights into the book bundling market.
Presented by Mary Alice Elcock (BitLit) at Tech Forum 2015 / BookNet Canada / March 12, 2015
(Find the transcript...2015-06-1528 min
BookNet CanadaHow to Survive the Ebookalypse - Kevin Ashton - BookNet Canada's Tech Forum 2015Concerns about ebooks “killing” publishing are just the latest in a centuries-long tradition of worrying unnecessarily about the end of reading. The rise of ebooks and, not by coincidence, big data, will be good for reading, writing, publishing, and bookselling, or at least for the people who learn to embrace them. Everyone else is right to be worried. Kevin Ashton draws on his experience as a bookseller, author, marketer, and leader of the “Internet of Things,” to provide guidance and reassurance to help you survive the coming Ebookalypse.
Presented by Kevin Ashton (How to Fly a Horse) at Tech Forum 2015 / BookNet...2015-06-0934 min