The post-pandemic book industry in America is booming.

Thanks to social media driving a renewed interest in reading, coupled with more than 300 independent bookstores opening over the past few years and a demand for more tangible book experiences, as of March 2023 25% of Gen Y and Gen Z said that they shopped for books at a physical bookstore in the past 12 months.

Not only that, but research by Test Prep Insight found that out of a survey of 1,621 American adults, print books were the most read books at 35.4%.

Is bookstore culture a blueprint for nurturing IRL community?

We caught up with Ray T. Daniels, Chief Communications Officer at the American Booksellers Association, to get his thoughts on the changing book landscape and what this means for the future of bookstores in America.

📚 What's leading people in the US to read more diverse books?

I think Americans have always listened to diverse voices. What has changed is the diversity of booksellers and publishers. More marginalized voices now have a platform for their works. Because of social media and an equal opportunity for everyone to voice their opinions and thoughts, everyday people are speaking their individual truths. It makes sense that some of those writers would create works that speak to those audiences.

📖 What has led to the current reading resurgence?

It was during Covid-19 that the world slowed down and some folks found they had additional time to read. Reading allows us to enter the minds and worlds of talented writers on a global scale. It educates us, entertains us and allows our imaginations to wander in ways other mediums do not. Books for many people are the gateway to worlds unknown.

📒 How is social media changing the way people read?

Social media, for better or worse, is now a fact of life. Its influence and power have been demonstrated and used in various forms in almost every field. It makes perfect sense for booksellers and authors to utilize its power to get great books into the hands of the masses. Booksellers use social media to hand-sell books on a much larger scale and to a virtual audience.

📙 Why are bookstores so important at this moment in time?

Bookstores are unlike other retail businesses. They don’t just sell goods and services, they are community partners. They often reflect the values and ideals of the communities in which they are located, and they have activities and events that centre not just around books, but also around the interests of their community. They offer camaraderie, community and connections that online shopping does not. It’s why there are so many new stores opening and planning to open, and it’s why current stores are expanding and evolving in new and exciting ways.

As bookstores of the future welcome in a new era of readers, the uptick of reading as a way to relax and unwind looks set to stick around.

Americans are diversifying the way they experience books, however, with three-in-ten Americans now reading e-books with 9% saying that they've only read books in digital formats in the 12 months leading up to 2022.

But as 65% of adults in the US say that they have read a print book in the past year, bookstores have become cultural hubs and community-centric locations that fuel people's appetite for connection and bonding over a good read.