Book industry in Latvia London, November 2017 Renāte Punka President, Latvian Publishers Association MD, Janis Roze Publishers
RIGA Railway bridge across the Daugava river.
Hockey nation
Staro Rīga – Riga Shines
FAQ: is there a post-soviet legacy? YES Perceived value = the book should be available for everyone > price should be low Two communities = two book markets Some information gaps difficult to fill NO Well-developed retail chains High-quality printing services Global themes, global bestsellers (although this is changing at the moment)
Book industry: 1940 -1990 Soviet Latvia Exile • Five state-owned publishing houses • Active publishing in Sweden, USA, Canada Latvijas Enciklopedija Zinātne (science) >>>> Avots (dictionaries, reference) >>>> Liesma (literature, children) <>/<> Zvaigzne (textbooks) >>>> Daugava (Sweden) Zelta Ābele (Sweden, est. 1936) Grāmatu Draugs (USA, est. 1920) Regulations, low prices, enormous printruns Printing financed by Latvian organizations and private buyers
Book industry: since 1991 -2000 Many new publishing houses, rising number of translations, professional organizations (PA, BA) established in 1993 2000 -2004 Rise of printing costs, gradual decrease of printruns, split VAT 18%/0% 2004 -2013 Impact of EU, re-structuring of market, single reduced VAT
Printruns & new titles, 2002 -2016
Impact of VAT on book industry VAT introduced in 1995 0% for textbooks, books for children, academic, creative works of Latvian authors 18% for the rest Since May 1, 2004 – 5% 01. 2009 -30. 07. 2009. – 21% 01. 08. 2009. -31. 12. 2011. – 10% Since 2012: 12%
Results of VAT policy
Book industry - players Professional organizations: LPA, LBA Latvian Writers’ Union Writers House in Ventspils Consultative council on Books for Ministry of Culture, since end 2016 – Memorandum Council • AKKA/LAA, LATREPRO • National Library and Association of Libarians • •
Book industry – publishers • LNB statistics report between 350 -400 yearly • In fact – just 30 -40 publish at least 3 -5 titles per year • Latvian Publishers Association established 1993, recent membership – 30 companies + 9 supporters, member of FEP since 2014, organizer of national prize for the best book design • Big difference and size and turnover
Warning! • Statistics about Latvian book market are part of mystery! Sources: Latvian National Library, PA, booksellers Central Statistical Bureau is not interested in such minor issues : =(
Average market share, 2009 -2016 Zvaigzne ABC ~ 9 mln Jāņa Sēta ~1, 4 mln Lielvārds, Ra. Ka ~ 1 -1. 4 mln Egmont Latvia ~1, 2 mln Jumava Group ~0. 7 mln Kontinents ~0. 5 mln Janis Roze Publishers ~ 0. 4 mln Dienas Grāmata ~0. 35 mln Pētergailis ~0. 3 mln
Sellers & Buyers PUBLISHERS OF ORIGINAL CONTENT Zvaigzne Dienas Grāmata Liels un mazs Mansards Lauku Avīze Pētergailis MANY TRANSLATED TITLES Zvaigzne – various Kontinents – commercial fiction Jānis Roze Publishers – various Lauku Avīze – practical, regional Neputns – art
Book industry – booksellers • Latvian (selling foreign publications) vs Russian (importing from Russia selection of books publsihed there) • LV: Duopoly: dominating chains Jānis Roze, Zvaigzne (35 -40 shops each) • Three other chains: Valters & Rapa, Jumava, Globuss • Weak wholesale segment • Decreasing number of independent brick&mortar shops
Support for publishing • State Cultural Capital Endowment – mainly for Latvian authors, less for local publishers, sometimes – for translators from LV • Grant scheme administered by Latvian Writer’s Union: for translators from LV and foreing publishers. See: www. latvianliterature. lv/grants • Grant scheme administered by Latvian Publishers Assocation – for publishing non-fiction with angle on Latvian culture and heritage
Original vs translated content Number of titles Printruns
Languages Latvians translated from in 2016
Fiction
What qualifies as a bestseller • The total printrun of books in Latvia has shrunk twice in the last decade • The average printrun per title was quite stable for more than a decade (~1800 copies per title) • In 2014 -2015 it has decreased to less than 1300 copies • The number of titles that sell more than 5000 copies have decreased remarkably – we can hardy speak about more than 5 -6 titles annually at the moment
From international to local • The trend of recent years is the growing popularity of works written locally in Latvian language, both ficion and esoteric titles • Success of series «Mēs. XX gadsimts» - «We. 20 th Century» based on history of Latvia and written by well-established Latvian writers • Annual writers’ competitions organized by two big publishers • Special phenomenon – books about Latvian sportists – international sport celebrities • The Karma of Latvian Women followed by book on sexuality and couple relations written by one of renowned Latvian pastors
TOP 20 in 2016 (based on data from 4 biggest book retailers • 20 – 365 Recipes for Every Day by Signe Meirāne, Četras Sezonas • 19 – Stikli (Glass), novel by Inga Gaile • 18 – On Russia, non-fiction by Vilis Vītols • 17 – I Counted and Came to One, poetry by Imants Ziedonis • 16 – World Atlas • 15 – Under the Beard of Mohammed, political travelogue by Lato Lapsa • 14 – 100 Mandalas, Colouring Book • 13 – Bogene, novel by Gundega Repse • 12 – Flower Dreams, Colouring for Adults • 11 – Mandalas, Colouring Book
TOP 20 in 2016, cont. • 10 – Good-Buy, Karma, non-fiction by Inta Blūma • 9 - Svina garša (Taste of Lead), novel by Māris Bērziņš (also in 2015) • 8 - The Karma of Latvian Woman – Feminine Energy in a Blow -up, non-fiction by Inta Blūma (also in 2015) • 7 - In Nature’s Garden, Colouring Book • 6 - The Girl in the Spider’s Web, fiction by David. Lagerkrantz • 5 - Whimpy Kid’s Diary No 11 • 4 - Brother, non-fiction by Jānis Porziņģis • 3 - Ninja Timy 1 by Henrik Tamm • 2 - Mother’s Milk, fiction by Nora Ikstena (also in 2015) • 1 - He and Her. Love. Relationship. Sex, non-fiction by Juris Rubenis
Book industry – e-books • Around 1500 titles available (mostly Zvaigzne ABC) • No common popular retail platform • Unsuccessful attempts of investors outside industry • Piracy issues • Discussions with libraries about e-lending and out-of-commerce works
Book industry calendar in Latvia • February/March • March/April • July • August • September • October • December Riga Book Fair The Best Book Design in Latvia The Annual Literature Award Jānis Baltvilks Prize Book street during Riga Festival Days of Poetry Riga Book Festival Prose readings
Useful links Latvian Publishers Association: www. gramatizdeveji. lv Latvian Writers’ Union: www. rakstnieciba. lv Ventspils International Residence for Writers and Translators www. ventspilshouse. lv Renāte Punka: renate. punka@jr. lv
Thank you!
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