Webinar Slides - Reading During the Pandemic - Freckle Project 2021

Reading During the
Pandemic
US Freckle survey, April 2021
©Tim Coates
tim@freckle.us
Hosted by the EveryLibrary Institute
May 6, 2021

‘Reading in the
pandemic’
US Freckle survey, April 2021
©Tim Coates
tim@freckle.us
4
Freckle project survey April 2021

With thanks to John Chrastka and
the EveryLibrary Institute for their assistance in
fielding the survey in the United States.
Freckle project survey April 2021 5

The two surveys reported here took place in the
United States in April 2019 and April 2021.
Therefore, they represent reading habits before and
during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Freckle survey in 2019 had 1,200 responses from all
areas and demographics of the US
The Freckle survey in 2021 had 1,000 responses from all
areas and demographics of the US
(for comparison, the Pew library survey of 2016 had 1,600
respondents)
The margin of error was 2.7% in 2019 and is 3% in 2021 (see
Freckle report 2020)
I
In each Freckle survey adults over 18 were asked if they felt able also to
answer the questions on behalf of a family member under 18. In this way the
surveys covered all age groups

In 2011, ten years ago, it was predicted that eBook and
digital use would rise to 35% of reading, and that would be
like a meteor strike on the book industry.
It was said that would have a dramatic effect on brick and
mortar outlets and on the printing and distribution of books
It never happened.

In the pandemic there was an increase in the number of people reading
81%
87%
Pre pandemic (April 2019) During the pandemic (April 2021)
"I read or made use of a book in the last year"

For reference, the Pew reading survey of 2019 found
that 75% of people had ‘read’ a book in the past year.
This figure was also cited in the Panorama project
report of 2021
(The Freckle project found 81% had ‘read or made use
of’ a book in 2019)

Pandemic reading levels were high in all age groups
89% 85% 84%
93%
87%
Age 18-29 Age30-44 Age 45-60 Age >60 TOTAL
Survey 2021 - "I read or made use of a book in the last year"

Pandemic reading levels were high in all demographics
87% 86% 90% 88% 93% 100%
87%
White or
Caucasian
Black or
African
American
Hispanic or
Latino
Asian or Asian
American
American
Indian, Alaska
Native.
Hawaian
Another race TOTAL
“Survey 2021: I read or made use of a book in the last year"

The format of how people read changed significantly during the pandemic
76%
54%
20%
32%
4% 14%
PRE PANDEMIC (APRIL 2019) DURING THE PANDEMIC (APRIL 2021)
Format of reading
Print book eBook Audio

During the pandemic, use of eBooks and Audio
climbed to over 45% of all reading

The readers of eBooks are adults, not children
16%
19%
37% 37%
34% 35%
32%
Age <9 Age 9-18 Age 18-29 Age30-44 Age 45-60 Age >60 TOTAL
April 2021 -% In this age group reading eBooks

The users of Audio are in middle age
7%
10%
17%
21%
18%
7%
14%
April 2021 - % In this age group listening to Audio

Younger people mostly still prefer printed books
78%
71%
47%
42%
48%
57% 54%
April 2021 - % In this age group reading printed books

During the pandemic, as one would expect, the place
from which people got their reading also changed
significantly

There was increased use of both internet stores and libraries
19%
7%
14%
4%
32%
9%
17%
5%
COMMERCIAL INTERNET STORES FREE INTERNET STORES PUBLIC LIBRARIES EDUCATIONAL LIBRARIES
Sources of reading - % of readers using this source

There were falls in use of other places from which reading comes
22%
9%
17%
13%
7%
9%
FRIEND OR FAMILY IT WAS IN MY HOUSE RETAIL BOOK STORE
Sources of reading - % readers using this source

How do people find what they want to read?
1%
1%
1%
3%
2%
2%
6%
13%
23%
22%
24%
1%
1%
2%
2%
4%
2%
8%
14%
29%
20%
18%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
OTHER
RECOMMENDED BY A BOOKSELLER
RECOMMENDED BY A LIBRARIAN
SOCIAL MEDIA
MARKETING OR REVIEWS
THROUGH A WEBSITE
RECOMMENDED BY A TEACHER
I JUST FOUND IT
ON A SUBJECT I WANTED TO READ
BY AN AUTHOR I WANTED TO READ
RECOMMENDED BY FAMILY OR FRIENDS
From the surveys of 2019 and 2021
During the pandemic Pre pandemic

Panorama Project
The Panorama project published a consumer report in March 2021
(Panorama project, ‘Immersive Media and Books, 2020’)
As with Freckle 2019 and 2021 they found that the largest influence over
choosing books are friends and family, and the author of the book
Panorama also found that booksellers and librarians play only small part in
influencing book selection on a national scale. Freckle survey results suggest
they influence about 10% of book choice in their own establishments.

Freckle survey 2019 and 2021:The reason for reading a book also changed
during the pandemic
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
What was your reason for reading that book?
For Enjoyment For Education For Work For Information

Publishing press
• Jim Milliott, Publishers Weekly :
• “Publishing industry sales up 16% through February- Higher sales of print
and digital books and a decline in returns contributed to a net sales
increase in the first two months of 2021, compared to 2020.” - April 2021
• “Print book sales rose 8.2% in 2020” (cited in the Panorama project report)
-January 2021
• Mark Chandler, Bookseller:
• “Consumer publishing enjoyed a stellar year .. Print income rose 4% while
digital income rose 24%. The overall increase was 9%” –April 2021
• BBC News:
• “Amazon hopes pandemic habits stick after profits triple” – April 2021

For publishers, behavioural changes must have led to the increase in
sales during the pandemic:
17% 9%
19% 32%
14%
17%
4%
5%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Pre pandemic During the pandemic
Publishers’ customers as a % of all READING
Brick and Mortar Bookstore Internet store (inc Audible)
Public Library (inc Libby) Educational Library

The Meteor: An increase in digital sales and a reduction in print :
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Total US book market – shift from print to digital - % of all reading
Print Sales Digital sales

For print books, the impact of the pandemic has been negative:
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
% people reading print books, showing source of reading
Friend or family In my house A 'brick and mortar' book store
A public library Internet book store Second hand book store
Educational Library Other

For ‘brick and mortar’, the impact of the pandemic has been harsh:
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Print books: % of reading from this source:
A 'brick and mortar' book store A public library Second hand book store
Educational Library Other

For ‘Ebook and audio book services’, the pandemic has been positive:
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Reading of eBooks and audio: % of reading, by source
Project Gutenberg Google eBooks Open Library
Friend or family member Internet Store Public Library
Libby App Educational library Other

For commercial internet book operators, the pandemic made for a
prosperous year
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Pre Pandemic April 19 During the pandemic April 21
% of all reading from commercial internet sources
Internet book store - Print Internet Store - Digital (inc Audible) Libby App

Issues affecting public libraries

For libraries, the increase in use came from eBooks and audio
17%
5%
4%
5%
19%
14%
20%
5% 5%
22%
PUBLIC LIBRARY PRINT
BOOKS
PUBLIC LIBRARY EBOOKS
AND AUDIO
EDUCATIONAL LIBRARY
PRINT BOOKS
EDUCATIONAL LIBRARY
DIGITAL MATERIAL
TOTAL LIBRARY SERVICE
Use of libraries before and during the pandemic- % of readers
using this service

What do people use libraries for?
68%
4% 11% 2% 1% 4% 4% 3% 2%
To borrow or
read books
To borrow a
film
To study or
use the wifi
To ask for
information
To read
newspapers
or magazines
To use
terminals,
printers, fax
etc
To go to an
event
To go to a
program or
meeting
Other
April 21:
The last time you were able to visit the public library:
what was your main purpose?

April 21 - Did people use the library website or App?
47%
4%
42%
Readers: Did you visit the
library website or App in
the past year?
Non readers: did you use
the library website or
App?
TOTAL
April 21 - Percentage answering 'Yes'

Use of library websites has increased significantly since 2016
(comparison with Pew Research analysis)
27%
42%
PEW 2016 FRECKLE APRIL 2021
Did you use the website/app ?- all respondents-
those answering ‘Yes’

The Pew Survey of 2016 highlighted the difference between what people
say libraries are for, and the purposes for which they use them.

April 21 : What did people use the library website or App for?
15%
12%
9% 8% 9%
25%
8%
12%
3%
To arrange a
curbside
collection
For opening
hours?
For
information?
To look up
events or
programs?
To use the
print books
catalog?
To use the
eBook
catalog?
To use the
audio
catalog?
Information
about the
library?
Other
The last time you used the library website or App, what was it
for?

April 21: How useful was the library website or App?
79% 83%
If you visited the website or App were
you able to achieve what you wanted?
Would you recommend the library
website or App to others?
Percentage answering 'Yes'

Use of library buildings is falling- (*data from the IMLS survey to 2018)

Headlines for the library sector
1. Whatever people might say they are for, all the evidence shows that
public library services are used for private or family reading and study.
2. Libraries have been very successful providing digital content during the
pandemic, mostly through the Libby App.
3. At the same time there was a significant move among all readers to use
both eBooks and audio - and it was in that, that libraries prospered.
4. There was a corresponding fall in the use of print materials and with it
the use of ‘brick and mortar’ bookstores and libraries.
5. This presentation doesn’t cover the cost of materials - but there are
issues about how to best use budgets going forward.
6. The fall in library building use was a critical problem before the pandemic
and an increase in the use of digital material will have made that worse.

The Freckle Report 2021 – isbn 978-84381-064-3
The Freckle Report 2020 – isbn 978-84381- 062-9

Webinar Slides - Reading During the Pandemic - Freckle Project 2021

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Webinar Slides - Reading During the Pandemic - Freckle Project 2021