1. INTRODUCTION

This report, a collective effort by three book publishing industry consultants, examines the impact of COVID-19 on sectors aligned with or adjacent to book publishing, in order to understand the broader impact that COVID may be having on the industry. We also seek to provide context via macro views of the economy overall and consumer spending more specifically. Our intention: to bring perspective to industry decision-makers regarding where we have been and where we are going in the COVID and post-COVID era.

Our methodology is based squarely on secondary research. We have combed through publiclyavailable literature produced during the pandemic, including articles, studies, blogs and other resources, all of which are cited for further investigation by you, the reader. To this review of recent coverage, we have added our own perspectives and takeaways regarding the implications for the book publishing industry, including trade, educational, and, to a lesser extent, academic.

The report is thus a chronicle of the impact of, and responses to, the pandemic over the past year, and a look ahead. As we begin a new year, with the promise of a vaccine-enabled return to a new “normal,” many uncertainties remain. We hope that this review and analysis will help illuminate the way forward in 2021 and beyond.