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Poll results

Sponsored by: GoNetspeed, a fiber internet provider

Sales of books — you know, genuine paper-and-print books — soared during the first two years of the pandemic. But lately books seem to have gone the way of hand sanitizer and all those unused home gyms.

After growing 13.2% from 2020 to 2021, the number of books sold in the U.S. during 2022 fell 6.5%, according to industry tracker Circana BookScan. The trend has continued. During the week of Aug. 7, sales were down 7.6% compared to the same week last year.

It's not clear how this volatility may affect large booksellers, such as e-tailer Amazon or brick-and-mortar chains like Barnes & Noble, which recently opened its first Maine store in decades. The impact on local, independent bookstores could be more significant.

To help forecast what the next chapter holds, read on.

Where do you buy your books?
At a local, independent bookstore (27%, 58 VOTES)
At a chain bookstore or other large retailer (4%, 8 VOTES)
Through Amazon or other online retailer (14%, 31 VOTES)
All of the above; anywhere I can find a good book (43%, 94 VOTES)
Not applicable; I only buy e-books (6%, 12 VOTES)
Not applicable; too busy to read for pleasure (7%, 15 VOTES)
Poll Description

Sponsored by: GoNetspeed, a fiber internet provider

Sales of books — you know, genuine paper-and-print books — soared during the first two years of the pandemic. But lately books seem to have gone the way of hand sanitizer and all those unused home gyms.

After growing 13.2% from 2020 to 2021, the number of books sold in the U.S. during 2022 fell 6.5%, according to industry tracker Circana BookScan. The trend has continued. During the week of Aug. 7, sales were down 7.6% compared to the same week last year.

It's not clear how this volatility may affect large booksellers, such as e-tailer Amazon or brick-and-mortar chains like Barnes & Noble, which recently opened its first Maine store in decades. The impact on local, independent bookstores could be more significant.

To help forecast what the next chapter holds, read on.

  • 218 Votes
  • 4 Comments
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4 Comments

  • Chalmers Hardenbergh
    August 23, 2023

    Like Katharine, I use ILL, and I buy used books. via Better World Books and other places where I can buy them cheep. I'm a devotee of NO MORE. STUFF, not even books unless I need them as reference.

  • August 23, 2023

    I buy most of my books at Re-Books, the sed book store in Waterville. There are a number of brick and mortar bookstores around the state that are well worth visiting. If in need of a new book I use the independent bookstore Children's Book Cellar also in Waterville.

  • Erica Harriman
    August 21, 2023

    I mostly buy e-books because I found some authors I enjoy on Kindle-Unlimited. I buy regular books from Amazon and from Sherman's bookstore, as well as equine books from seller's at horse events.

  • Katherine Garrard
    August 21, 2023

    I buy very few books due to the ability to borrow anything via the interlibrary loan program. Libraries are a terrific community resource.