Average Maltese person buys three books a year, survey finds

The average Maltese person purchases three books a year, with 53% preferring to read books in English while 46% opt for Maltese-language titles. 

These findings emerge from a survey conducted by Prof Vincent Marmarà and presented at the National Book Conference, organised by the National Book Council (NBC) in an inaugural edition held last Friday 8 May at DoubleTree by Hilton in Qawra.

Survey participants who claimed to not buy books attribute it to three main reasons: a preference for reading online, and not having the time or inclination to read. Genre, language and price were the three determining factors – in that order – when it came to purchasing books, while 62.5% claimed that they felt there are enough bookshops in Malta. 

The all-day conference ran under the theme of ‘The Economy and the Book’, with a programme featuring interventions from both stakeholders in the local publishing sector along with speakers from other fields – most notably economics and small business advocacy. Organised into two distinct sessions – ‘Publishing in a Micro Economy’ and ‘Bookshop, Bookseller and Consumer Dynamics’, the conference also created space for facilitated focus groups, which split participants into groups ahead of inviting them to nominate a participant to present key discussion points related to the conference theme. 

Prior to the presentation of Marmarà’s survey findings, keynote speaker Stephen Reid (Lilliput Press, Ireland) spoke about the challenges faced by the Irish book industry, some of which mapped closely onto Malta’s own, particularly in the way both small markets co-exist alongside larger, more dominant ones. However, Reid’s intervention also pointed out the specific relevance and cultural value of literary micro-economies, allowing for plenty of food for thought on how smaller publishing ecologies can turn their apparent limitations into strengths. 

In fact, during his opening speech, NBC Executive Chairperson Mark Camilleri emphasised that events such as this one allow for the free and unfettered discussion on both the current state as well as the future of the Maltese book industry, stressing his conviction that all those present at the Conference have the best interests of the book industry at heart. 

Camilleri underlined that the Conference – set to take place annually – is itself a key deliverable of the National Book Council’s Strategic Vision 2025-2030, and that it joins a number of key developments and improvements recently implemented by the NBC as it continues to fulfil its remit in aid of the local publishing sector. 

These include the Subsidy Scheme for Printed Books – offering direct assistance to publishers impacted by rising paper costs – as well as an increased voucher scheme introduced at last year’s edition of the NBC’s flagship event, The Malta Book Festival, which resulted in sales amounting to €306,000 spread out across various publishers and booksellers. 

The Malta Book Fund saw an increase from €140,000 to €159,000 this year, further helping incentivise the publication of both traditionally-released books of high cultural value as well as ebooks and audiobooks. Internationalisation efforts continued through the NBC’s presence in various industry fairs – such as London, Turin, Valencia and Frankfurt – aided along by an annually updated Foreign Rights Catalogue. 

“The Council has never shied away from acknowledging the challenges faced by the sector, with many of the above-mentioned initiatives stemming directly from consultations with all interested parties, and it would be untrue to say that the future promises to be defined only by hardship. It is for this reason that we are gathered here today, so that through your direct participation, we may help light the way ahead,” Camilleri said.