The Book Report Network

Reader Surveys

ReadingGroupGuides.com 2009 Book Group Survey

ReadingGroupGuides.com, the leading place on the web for book club resources, recently conducted a survey of book club members. More than 7,700 respondents completed the 62-question survey, weighing in on topics like where they get information, if they use online social and book networking websites, and whether their book-buying habits have changed in the last year.

Survey Highlights from the ReadingGroupGuides.com Survey

• 22% belong to more than one reading group while another 15% would like to join a second group. 23% belong to a group that meets online.


• 83% of groups read both hardcovers and paperbacks, while 15% read only paperbacks.


• Leading sources for media information about books are local newspapers, followed by The New York Times; the Oprah Winfrey Show ranked third, followed by morning talk shows and NPR.


• The top book selection categories are bestsellers, general fiction, award winners, classics, historical fiction, mystery & thriller, biography, memoir, books into movies and Oprah selections.


• 71% rely on recommendations from friends as their primary source of information for selecting books.


• 66% are interested in having authors join their book club discussions.


• 37% of the respondents said that their biggest complaint about their book group is that discussions do not stay on track.


• 44% of book clubs make reading selections annually, quarterly or every six months; of those groups most do their planning in January (31%), followed by June (24%) and September (23%).


• 24% interface with other book groups, but 46% more would like to do this.


• 72% would like a place online where they can find out what other groups are reading.


• 54% are on Goodreads and 53% are on Facebook.

Teenreads.com 2009 Reader Survey

Teenreads.com --- the premiere destination on the Internet for teen readers, as well as those who enjoy Young Adult novels or work with teens --- conducted a survey about teen reading. The goal of the survey was to identify trends and topics that are of interest to readers of young adult literature --- both teens and adults.

Table of Contents of the Teenreads.com Reader Survey

• Background on the Teenreads.com 2009 Reader Survey


• Methodology


• Demographics of Those Surveyed


• What They Read


• Genres and Formats


• School Year and Summer Reading


• Required School Summer Reading


• Books Into Movies


• eBooks


• How They Buy/Borrow Books


• Book Buying Habits


• Who Buys Their Books


• Bookstores: Where They Shop and What They Want to See in Stores


• Visting Their Libraries


• How They Are Influenced


• People As Influencers


• Parents As Reading Monitors


• Other Influencers


• What Makes Them Pick Up a Book


• Where They Get Book Information Online


• Interacting With Authors


• Book Clubs


• Participation


• Using Discussion Guides


• Themed Meetings


• How to Advertise and Market to Them


• Online Advertising


• Online Book Trailers


• Interactive Additions for Books


• Contests


• Where to Reach Them


• Social Networking


• Blogs


• What Else They Do for Entertainment


• Television Viewing Habits


• Movie Habits


• Gaming


• Online Entertainment Choices


• Thoughts on Teenreads.com


• What Teenreads.com Readers Had to Say