For Immediate Release
ReadingGroupGuides.com, the leading place on the web for book club resources, recently conducted a survey of book club members. More than 7,700 respondents completed the 62-question survey, weighing in on topics like where they get information, if they use online social and book networking websites, and whether their book-buying habits have changed in the last year.
“The last time we conducted a survey was in 2001, and a lot has changed since then,” said Carol Fitzgerald, co-founder and president of The Book Report Network. “Through this survey we’ve been able to identify trends and topics of interest to reading groups and find out what resources they’re seeking.” The information is being shared with publishers, booksellers, librarians and authors to aid in their efforts to reach out to book club members.
Survey highlights include:
– 83% of groups read both hardcovers and paperbacks, while 15% read only paperbacks.
– 65.6% are interested in having authors join their book club discussions.
– 72% would like a place online where they can find out what other groups are reading.
– The top book selection categories are bestsellers, general fiction, classics, award winners, historical fiction, mystery & thriller, biography, memoir, books into movies and Oprah selections.
– Leading sources for information about books are local newspapers, followed by The New York Times; the Oprah Winfrey Show ranked third, followed by morning talk shows and NPR.
– 71% rely on recommendations from friends as their primary source of information for selecting books.
– Nearly half of book clubs make reading selections annually, quarterly or every six months; of those groups most do their planning in January, followed by June and September.
– 54% are on Goodreads and 53% are on Facebook.
To read the full results of the survey, go to:
www.tbrnetwork.com/pdf/ReadingGroupGuides_2009_Reader_Survey_Results_Analysis_Final.pdf.
Media Contact:
Ann Binkley
agbink@aol.com
646-284-6577