Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada 2016 by BookNet Canada

B N C R E S E A RC H

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada 2016

11.2016 PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Terms Of Use THIS AGREEMENT is a legal document that governs your use of Audiobook Use in Canada 2016: Are You Still Listening? in PDF format. By downloading the PDF, you indicate that you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions specified herein. 1. COPYRIGHT. BookNet Canada (“BNC”) owns all rights in the multiuse PDF of Audiobook Use in Canada 2016: Are You Still Listening? (“Electronic Publication”) and the copyrights therein. Copyright © BookNet Canada. All rights reserved. 2. PDF FILES: REPRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION. A purchaser of the Electronic Publication who accepts and agrees to the conditions specified in these Terms of Use (“Authorized Purchaser”) may post a copy of the Electronic Publication on his or her company’s secured intranet server and/or distribute the Electronic Publication in physical or digital form to their immediate employees and any wholly owned subsidiaries if a multiuse license agreement has been purchased. Acceptance of the Electronic Publication constitutes the Authorized Purchaser’s agreement with these terms. 3. PROHIBITION OF SUBLICENSE OR ASSIGNMENT. Except as permitted in 2 above, neither the Terms of Use nor the Electronic Publication nor any part thereof may be sublicensed, assigned, transferred, or given away by the Authorized Purchaser without the prior written consent of BNC. Any attempt to sublicense, assign or transfer any of the rights, interests, duties, or obligations under this license constitutes a material breach of this Agreement justifying termination. 4. ALTERATION; NOTICES. The Authorized Purchaser may not modify, adapt, transform, translate, or create any derivative work based on any material included in the Electronic Publication, or otherwise use any such materials in a manner that would infringe the copyrights therein. Each Electronic Publication will include a Copyright Notice. The Copyright Notice and any other notices or disclaimers may not be removed, obscured, or modified in any way. 5. REQUIRED NOTICES. The Authorized Purchaser many not assert or represent to any third party that he or she has any ownership rights in, or the right to sell, transfer, or lend the Electronic Publication. 6. USER WARRANTIES. Each Authorized Purchaser warrants that it will use reasonable efforts to ensure the security and integrity of each Electronic Publication, and will notify BookNet Canada promptly of any unauthorized use of the Electronic Publication of which they become aware. Any abuse of these Terms of Use may be pursued to the fullest extent permitted under applicable laws, treaties, and conventions. 7. INDEMNIFICATION. THE AUTHORIZED PURCHASER AGREES TO INDEMNIFY BNC AND ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AFFILIATES, AND AGENTS, AND SHALL HOLD EACH OF THEM HARMLESS AGAINST ANY CLAIMS, LOSSES, OR DAMAGES ASSERTED BY ANY ENTITY, INCLUDING COURT COSTS AND REASONABLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE, OR ATTEMPTED USE, OF THE ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION. 8. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. BNC SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY TYPE ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION. The Authorized Purchaser acknowledges that BNC has agreed to make the Electronic Publication available in reliance on the exclusions and limitations of liability and disclaimers of warranty set forth above and that the same form an essential basis of the bargain between the parties. 9. GOVERNING LAW AND GENERAL PROVISIONS. The laws of the Government of Canada shall govern these Terms of Use. If any part of any provision of these Terms of Use shall be invalid or unenforceable, such part shall be deemed to be restated to reflect, as nearly as possible, the original intentions of both of the parties in accordance with applicable law, and the remainder of the Terms of Use shall remain in full force and effect. These Terms of Use are the complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between you as the Authorized Purchaser and BNC with respect to the Electronic Publication, and supersedes any proposal or prior agreement, oral or written, and any other communications between you and BNC relating to the subject matter of these Terms of Use. They may not be changed, modified or otherwise altered without the prior written consent of BNC. If you have questions about public disclosure of this report, please contact media@booknetcanada.ca.

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Introduction In March 2015, BookNet Canada released its first research paper on audiobooks, Listen Up! Audiobook Use in Canada, examining the results of a survey where we asked audiobook users about their behaviour and experiences around audiobook use. In August 2016, we ran the same survey again to better understand how behaviours and experiences may have shifted over the past two years. This survey has the same methodology as our prior study: it is limited to Canadians who had listened to a minimum of one audiobook in the past 12 months; 400 participants completed the survey, which was conducted online and is statistically representative of the Canadian population; and respondents were English-speaking residents of Canada, aged 18 years or older.

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF ÂŠ BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Demographics The “average” audiobook listener tends to be female, 25-34 years old, university educated and married.

The profile of the “average” audiobook user is essentially the same as it was two years ago: • female • 25-34 years old • income bracket of $25,000-$40,000 (this is down from 2014 but at 25% it is almost equal to the 24% of listeners in the $50,000-$75,000 income bracket) • university educated • married (although almost the same number are single: 39.5% and 39.2%, respectively) • without children Women are slightly more likely to be audiobook users at 57% and we continue to find that they tend to make more use of the library for digital downloads (63% of library audiobook users are female). When it comes to store recommendations, they are more likely than men to find out about audiobooks in-store at 79%. At the risk of highlighting gender stereotypes, women tend to listen when they are doing chores at home or running errands and men tend to listen at work. When it comes to the age of audiobook consumers, numbers are similar to 2014, but we are seeing a noticeable increase in the use of audiobooks by a younger audience (those who are 18-34 years of age). Conversely, we are seeing slightly reduced audiobook use with the older age brackets.

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

AGE OF AUDIOBOOK USERS 18-24 years

2014

15.2

2016

25-34 years

33.7

20.7

10%

35-44 years

45-54 years

25.2

33.2

20%

30%

55-64 years

40%

20.5

50%

60%

70%

65+ years

13.7

13.5

8.2

3.7

80%

90%

100%

(N= 400)

As listening to audiobooks and podcasts are similar auditory experiences, out of curiosity, we also asked audiobook users whether they listen to podcasts. It was interesting to see that 59% of audiobook users also listen to podcasts.

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF Â© BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Audiobook Discoverability Compared to 2014, it seems that consumers are having slightly more success finding the audiobooks they want. The numbers have not shifted substantially, but we see a slight increase in those who “always” or “often” find what they are looking for and a decrease in those who “sometimes,” “rarely,” or “never” find what they are looking for. AVAILABILITY – HOW OFTEN LISTENERS ARE ABLE TO FIND AUDIOBOOKS 2014

2016

23.5%

Always: it is easy to find what I want to read

24.0%

38.2%

Often: I am usually able to find the book I am looking for

41.5%

29.5%

Sometimes: I do find it difficult to find a book I want to read

28.0%

7.2%

Rarely: I find it very difficult to find what I want to read

5.7%

1.5%

Never: I can never find the book I am looking for

0.7%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Question: How often are you able to find the books that you want in audiobook format? (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

When we review the publication dates for audiobook titles listed in BNC BiblioShare, BookNet Canada’s metadata aggregation service, we find that the number available has increased over the past five years. It is important to point out that BiblioShare doesn’t represent all content that is available in Canada, but there is very good representation of the Canadian market and this is a good indicator of growing availability of content. AVAILABILITY IN BIBLIOSHARE – ALL AUDIOBOOKS 14,000

12,000

Number of ISBNs

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

2012

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

2013

2014

2015

2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

When we limit the BiblioShare titles to those flagged as Canadian, there is a very limited amount of content but the numbers have also increased over the past five years. AVAILABILITY IN BIBLIOSHARE – ALL CANADIAN AUDIOBOOKS 90

Number of ISBNs

2012

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

2013

2014

2015

2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

When it comes to finding out about audiobooks, listeners tend to turn to their friends. This is the same for print book purchases and, with a few possible exceptions such as celebrities reading their own autobiographies (we’re looking at you, Tina Fey), it makes sense that the first step in discovery would be similar to print. There have been a few shifts in discoverability trends since 2014: • Attention to bestseller lists increased from 15.2% in 2014 to 20% in 2016. • The impact of social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, declined slightly from 19.7% to 15%. DISCOVERABILITY – HOW LISTENERS FOUND OUT ABOUT THEIR LAST AUDIOBOOK Bestseller list

20.0%

Author's website

10.0%

Social network (Twitter, Facebook)

15.0%

Recommendation from a friend

28.2%

At the library

18.0%

In-store

7.0%

Received as a gift

28.5%

Book review

18.2%

Read an excerpt

8.0%

Other

7.5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Question: How did you find out about the last audiobook that you listened to? (select up to 3). (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Discoverability by gender shows fairly similar ways of finding out about titles, though women tend to rely more on bestseller lists and recommendation from friends. DISCOVERABILITY – HOW LISTENERS FOUND OUT ABOUT THEIR LAST AUDIOBOOK (BY GENDER) Female Bestseller list

Male 7.3%

5.1%

Author's website

2.3%

3.9%

Social network (Twitter, Facebook)

4.5% 4.8%

Recommendation from a friend

10.0%

7.6%

At the library

6.7%

4.5%

In-store - display / sales clerk

3.4%

0.9%

Online retailer website

8.9% 8.9%

Book review

6.4%

5.0%

Read an excerpt

2.2%

2.8%

2.3% 2.3%

Other 0%

10%

12%

Question: How did you find out about the last audiobook that you listened to? (select up to 3). (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Just over half of audiobook listeners take the time to listen to a sample before committing to the time of a full listen. Later in the study we address how important the narrator is to the experience of listening to an audiobook. USE OF AUDIOBOOK SAMPLES

Yes 50.5%

Don't know how to find these 11.0%

No 38.5%

Question: Do you listen to samples of audiobooks when making a decision? (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF Â© BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Audiobook Acquisition Audiobook subscription or rental services have seen the greatest increase since 2014, while free legal downloads, purchases from a physical store, and, perhaps surprisingly, loans from a public library have all decreased. ACQUISITION – WHERE LISTENERS FIND MOST OF THEIR AUDIOBOOKS 2014

2016

17.5% 19.0%

Purchase from an online retailer (not subscription) 13.7%

Audiobook subscription/ rental service

17.0%

7.7% 7.0%

From a physical store

25.0%

From the public library

21.2%

25.2% 26.0%

Internet / free download (legal access) 9.2% 8.5%

Download from file sharing site i.e. a torrent 1.5% 1.2%

Other 0%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Question: How do you acquire most of your audiobooks? (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

ACQUISITION – WHERE LISTENERS FIND MOST OF THEIR AUDIOBOOKS (BY AGE) 18-2 4 years

25-34 years

Physical store 1% 2%

Download from sharing site i.e. torrent

65+ years

2% 1%

2% 0%

Legal free download

55-64 years

2% 1% 2%

Public library

Subscription

45-54 years 5%

Online retailer

35-44 years

1% 3%

2% 1%1% 7%

14%

21%

28%

Question: How do you acquire most of your audiobooks? (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

When looking at what listeners paid for their last audiobook, we find the following: • A n increasing number of people obtained it for free, up to 31% from 28.2% in 2014. • The percentage of people who have never purchased an audiobook went from 3% in 2014 to 6.7% in 2016. Of those, there are more women (10%) than men (2%). It is important to keep in mind here that we may be talking about digital downloads or physical formats, as vendors can vary between carrying physical audiobooks only, both physical and digital formats, or digital only. COST – HOW MUCH LISTENERS PAID FOR THEIR LAST AUDIOBOOK 2014

2016

28.2%

Free

31.0%

34.5%

$1 - $10

32.2%

20.7%

$11 - $20

18.0%

8.2% 7.2%

$21 - $30

$31 - $40

2.0% 3.0%

$41 or more

3.2% 1.7%

3.0%

Never purchased an audiobook

6.7%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Question: How much did you pay for your last audiobook? (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Audiobook listeners seem to be becoming a little more settled on whether or not they are interested in purchasing combined print-and-digital bundles. We are finding a notable decrease in those who said “maybe” and a slight increase in both positive (“probably” and “yes”) and negative responses (“no”). BUNDLING – LIKELIHOOD OF LISTENERS SPENDING MORE ON PRINT + DIGITAL BUNDLES 2014

2016

16.5%

Yes

17.0%

27.7%

Probably

28.5%

39.2%

Maybe (depends on book)

34.7%

14.0%

16.5%

2.5%

Unsure

3.2%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Question: Would you spend slightly more on a print book if it came bundled with an audiobook or ebook? (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Some audiobook listeners periodically listen to a book they have previously read, although there is a notable decline in those who said they “always” do this. REPEAT LISTENING – HOW OFTEN AUDIOBOOK CONSUMERS LISTEN TO BOOKS THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY READ 2014

2016

11.7%

Always

5.7%

24.2%

Often

24.7%

21.5%

Rarely

23.7%

26.7%

Sometimes

26.5%

15.7%

Never

19.2%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Question: Do you tend to listen to books that you have previously read? (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

WHERE ONLINE AUDIOBOOKS ARE PURCHASED OR RENTED 2014

2016

21.5%

Amazon

21.0%

14.2%

Audible

20.7%

8.2%

Audiobooks.com

7.7%

11.2%

Google Play

10.2%

17.7%

iTunes

14.7%

7.2%

Indigo

9.2%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Question: Where did you purchase/rent your last audiobook online? (N=335)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF Â© BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Audiobook Use The act of listening to an audiobook can differ greatly from reading text. New options become available when we listen: we can exercise, run errands, or listen when we are trying to sleep, for example. So to what degree does the audio format impact when and what we consume? When we asked audiobook listeners when they most frequently listen, the answers are fairly spread out with the top responses being “before going to sleep” (26%), “commuting” (20%), and while doing “chores at home” (16%). WHEN AUDIOBOOK LISTENERS LISTEN Other 4.8%

Commuting 19.5%

Before going to sleep 26.4%

Working 6.1% Running errands / shopping 7.8%

Walking pet 6.1%

Exercising 13.6% Chores at home (cleaning / cooking) 15.9%

Question: When do you most frequently listen to audiobooks? (N=400, 693 responses)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

When it comes to how frequently people listen, there have been slight to moderate shifts since 2014. While daily listening has seen a slight decrease, the share of those who listen “several times a week” (29%) has increased. FREQUENCY OF LISTENING – HOW OFTEN CONSUMERS LISTEN TO AUDIOBOOKS 2014

2016

9.5%

Daily

6.5%

27.2%

Several times a week

28.5%

28.2%

1-3 times a month

23.7%

21.5%

Less often than once a month

25.7%

13.5%

Rarely

15.5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Question: How often do you listen to audiobooks? (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

The data in the following graph comes from two different sources: one is our audiobook survey and the other is a general study that BookNet Canada conducts on a regular basis that surveys people who purchased a book in the prior month, regardless of format. All the data below was surveyed in 2016. OVERALL BOOK CONSUMPTION – HOW OFTEN RESPONDENTS CONSUME BOOK CONTENT, BY FORMAT Read printed books

Read ebooks

Listen to audiobooks

28.5%

Daily

10.4% 6.5%

29.3%

Several times a week

14.7%

1 – 3 times per month

14.7%

28.5%

24.9% 23.7%

12.1%

Less than once a month

14.7% 25.7%

5.1%

Rarely / Never

45.6% 15.5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Question: How often do you listen to audiobooks? (audiobook survey) & How often do you engage in the following activities? (consumer survey) (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Looking at how many audiobooks respondents are listening to in a year, we see a notable increase in those who are listening to five or fewer, which may indicate that more people are starting to sample or try audiobooks for the first time. LEVEL OF CONSUMPTION – HOW MANY AUDIOBOOKS USERS LISTENED TO IN THE LAST YEAR 2014

2016

38.2%

5 or fewer

45.7%

26.0%

6-10

24.7%

11.7%

11-15

10.5%

9.0%

16-20

9.0%

8.7%

21-25

3.5%

6.2%

More than 25

6.5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Question: Approximately how many audiobooks did you listen to in the last year? (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

We asked users why they prefer audiobooks and we found that the numbers are fairly similar to what we saw in 2014, with a few exceptions: • P erhaps unsurprisingly, “listening on a computer” declined from 19.5% to 15.2%. • Consumers are more frequently using audiobooks as a secondary source, as “use if I cannot find print” increased from 2.5% to 7.5%. • Possibly as a result of multi-tasking or an aging population, “I like being read to” increased from 16.7% to 21.7%. ADVANTAGES – WHY LISTENERS PREFER AUDIOBOOKS 2014

2016 28.2% 28.2%

It is portable I can listen in my car

27.5% 25.7%

I can listen on my computer

19.5%

15.2%

It helps me multi-task

32.0%

I like being read to

16.7%

More interesting than reading print

38.5%

21.7%

10.2% 10.7%

It is hard for me to read print

3.2%

More environmental than print

5.5%

Use if I cannot find print

2.5%

8.0%

7.5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Question: Why do you choose audiobook format over other formats? (select top 2) (N=400, 640 responses)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Consumers tend to listen to the same subjects they did in 2014, with a few exceptions: • Fiction – Mystery / Detective declined from 48% in 2014 to 38% in 2016. • Self-Help has increased from 15% in 2013 to 23% in 2016. • There has been a slight decline in the consumption of Juvenile titles.

FAVOURITE SUBJECTS – WHICH SUBJECTS LISTENERS PREFER 2014

2016

Fiction - General / Literary

46.7% 47.2%

Fiction - Mystery / Detective

39.7%

48.0%

22.7% 24.2%

Fiction - Romance

22.7% 23.0%

Other Fiction Biography / Autobiography

24.0% 21.0%

Business / Economics

10.2% 13.2% 15.0%

Self-Help

23.0%

15.5%

Other Non-fiction

19.0%

7.7% 6.5%

Juvenile Fiction Juvenile Non-Fiction

2.0% 1.0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Question: What subjects do you primarily listen to in audiobook format? (select all that apply) (N=400, 872 responses)

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

With most audiobooks having just one narrator and the average audiobook being numerous hours long, we wondered how much listeners care about the narrator. An overwhelming 95% of listeners consider the narrator “very important” or “somewhat important” when selecting an audiobook. IMPORTANCE OF THE NARRATOR

Very important 57.8% Not very important 4.7%

Somewhat important 37.5%

Question: How important is the narrator when deciding to listen to an audiobook? (N=400)

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Audiobook Technology Perhaps not surprisingly, we have seen a massive jump in the number of people who are listening to audiobooks on their phones. In 2014, only 17% were using their phone but this has increased to 45%. Conversely, we are seeing a drop in other modes of consumption, even digital ones, such as listening on a tablet, computer, or iPod. DEVICES – WHICH DEVICES ARE PRIMARILY USED BY LISTENERS 2014

2016

16.7%

Mobile phone

44.5%

22.0%

Computer

13.7%

8.5% 7.0%

CD player

1.2% 0.7%

Cassette player

28.2%

Tablet

17.0%

21.7%

iPod or other MP3 device

16.2%

1.5% 0.7%

Other 0%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Question: What device do you primarily use to listen to audiobooks? (N=400)

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

DIGITAL VS. ANALOG – WHICH MODES LISTENERS PREFER 2014

2016

12.7%

CD / cassette

9.7%

76.0%

Digital download

79.7%

11.2%

No preference

10.5%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Question: What is your preferred format for audiobooks? (N=400)

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

As more people switch to using their phones, we are finding the occurrence of staying true to one format (i.e., not switching between print and audiobook) to be increasing. This may be due to the increasing ease of listening on a mobile phone. SWITCHING FORMATS – LIKELIHOOD OF LISTENERS CONSUMING MULTIPLE FORMATS OF THE SAME BOOK 2014

2016

9.0%

Always

8.7%

17.7%

Often

16.7%

29.5%

Sometimes

27.5%

22.5%

Rarely

19.5%

21.2%

Never

27.5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Question: Do you switch between audiobooks and other formats of the same book (e.g., listen in car and also read the print book)? (N=400)

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Finally, out of curiosity, we asked listeners whether they would be interested in listening to an audiobook that was read by a text-to-speech converter. Though 32% of respondents said they would, understandably—since no one wants to listen to Rosie the robot read for 14 hours—57% of respondents said were interested but a bit more hesitant, saying that it “depends on the quality of the voice.” INTEREST IN TEXT-TO-SPEECH Yes 31.5%

Unsure 3.7%

No 8.0%

Depends on the quality of the voice 56.8%

Question: If your device could read you an ebook (text-to-speech) would you still choose to use audiobooks? (N=400)

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Audiobooks and Libraries We surveyed audiobook users on their understanding of audiobook availability at their local libraries. Between 2014 and 2016, fewer users (from 43% down to 37%) said they are borrowing audiobooks from the library. Interestingly, this is contradicted by circulation data obtained by The Canadian Urban Library Council (CULC) and OverDrive, which show overall circulation numbers increasing (see below). Additionally, there is an increase in those who find audiobooks too difficult to access from the library (20% compared to 16% in 2014). AWARENESS OF DIGITAL AUDIOBOOKS FROM THE PUBLIC LIBRARY 2014

2016

43.2%

Yes, I use them

37.0%

16.2%

Yes, but I find them too difficult to access

19.5%

8.7%

Yes, but I can't find content

11.5%

No, I don't know if my library has audiobooks

30.5% 30.2%

1.2%

Other

1.7%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Question: Are you aware if audiobooks are available for download from your public library? (N=400)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF ÂŠ BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

There has been a

33% increase in audiobook circulation between 2014 and 2015.

November 2016

According to OverDrive, the primary supplier of digital content to libraries, the United States saw a record-level borrowing of ebooks in 2015, with a 24% increase over 20141. In Canada, OverDrive has shared their overall circulation numbers, which represent thousands of public libraries in Canada powered by OverDrive. Between 2014 and 2015, Canada has seen a 33% increase in audiobook circulation, and the last three years have seen growth of more than 30% year-over-year. AUDIOBOOK CIRCULATION FROM OVERDRIVE 3,500,000 3,171,643

3,000,000

Circulation

2,500,000

2,387,583

2,000,000 1,825,985

1,500,000 1,319,071 1,059,458

1,000,000

500,000

70,018

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

1 “Libraries Lend Record Numbers of Ebooks and Audiobooks In 2015”. Digital Book World. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

When looking at data from 16 libraries representing CULC, which are all larger Canadian public library systems, we see a notable decline in average circulation numbers for physical audiobooks and a corresponding increase in digital audiobook numbers.

For Canadian urban libraries, digital audiobook loans are increasing at a rate of

38%

Year-over-year changes for the CULC libraries show that digital loans of audiobooks are increasing at a much higher rate than their physical counterparts. Digital loans are increasing at a rate of about 38% per year for the past two years. Conversely, loans of physical products are declining at a rate of 4-5% per year for the past two years. DIGITAL VS. PHYSICAL AUDIOBOOK LOANS

per year.

Physical

Digital

250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000

50,000

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

(N=16 library systems)

PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF ÂŠ BOOKNET CANADA 2016

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Report Highlights • C ompared to 2014, it seems consumers are having slightly more success finding the audiobooks they want. We see a slight increase in those who “always” or “often” find what they are looking for and a decrease in those who “sometimes,” “rarely,” or “never” find what they are looking for. • There appears to be a growing availability of audiobook content in Canada. • Just over half of audiobook listeners take the time to listen to a sample before committing to the time of a full listen. • 95% of listeners consider the narrator “very important” or “somewhat important” when selecting an audiobook. • An increasing number of respondents (31%) obtained their last audiobook for free. • Between 2014 and 2015, Canada has seen an increase in audiobook circulation of 33%, and the last three years have seen greater than 30% growth year over year.

Are You Still Listening? Audiobook Use in Canada

November 2016

Acknowledgements ABOUT BOOKNET CANADA

BookNet Canada is a non-profit organization that develops technology, standards, and education to serve the Canadian book industry. Founded in 2002 to address systemic challenges in the industry, BookNet Canada supports publishing companies, booksellers, wholesalers, distributors, sales agents, and libraries across the country. BookNet Canada’s services and research help companies promote and sell books, streamline workflows, and analyze and adapt to a rapidly changing market. BookNet Canada sets technology standards and educates organizations about how to apply them, performs market research, and tracks 85% of all Canadian English-language print book sales through BNC SalesData. Industry-led and partially funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage, BookNet Canada has become, as The Globe and Mail puts it, “the book industry’s supply-chain nerve centre.” We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF) for this project / Nous reconnaissons l’appui financier du gouvernement du Canada par l’entremise du Fonds du livre du Canada (FLC) pour ce projet

978-1-927655-22-1 Copyright © 2016 BookNet Canada. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except with the express written consent of BookNet Canada. To learn more about BookNet Canada Research visit BNC Research and Education. BookNet Canada 215 Spadina Ave. Toronto, Ontario M5T 2C7 www.booknetcanada.ca research@booknetcanada.ca Cover Design and Layout: MRd Michael Ralph design inc. | mrdesign.ca

AVA I LAB L E NOW NEW CONSUMER RESEARCH

HOW CANADIANS BUY BOOKS In 2015, Canadians purchased 52.6 million books.

READ IT NOW!

∆

• How did they become aware of them? • What factors compelled them to buy those particular books? • How did they choose where to purchase? • And more!

KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST BOOK INDUSTRY RESEARCH

Join our mailing list: booknetcanada.ca/newsletter-sign-up or follow BookNet Canada online