The new report builds on its bi-annual predecessor surveys since 2006, yet adds relevant new data and insights from various regional and international sources, and new angles of observation. The goal of the significantly extended 2018 edition is to provide a portrait and analysis of the book business in Latin America that integrates data on title production and market development within the wider context of recent economic developments, as well as deep dives into the four largest book markets of the region: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. Break-out analysis has been undertaken on the role of different types of publishers, such as commercial, public sector, or university publishers, and even private institutions and self-publishers as new models participating in the business of books.

This comprehensive report particularly aims at:

  • Leveraging the full record of information from ISBN registrations, including indicators on authors, subjects, type of publisher, thematic category and, in many cases, even the number of produced copies, the format (print or digital) and for some countries the retail price of a title;
  • Building data histories over at least the past five years, while occasionally reaching back until 2000, allows reflection on long term trends and assessments on the driving forces that have shaped these trends;
  • Combining ISBN based analysis with available national surveys of the economic development of the publishing sector in the various countries;
  • Building comparative analysis between overall economic development in Latin America, and the development of the book industry in the region;
  • Presenting detailed case studies on Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, portraying each book market in the context of the general economic climate over the past 5 years, and providing break-out studies by type of publisher, the average size of local actors, and the role of Spanish or global publishing corporations.

Download the complete report here: https://cerlalc.org/publicaciones/el-espacio-iberoamericano-del-libro/.

The work on El espacio iberoamericano del libro 2018 has been conducted in collaboration with Ruediger Wischenbart Content and Consulting (www.wischenbart.com ).