Do Canadians want more diverse books?

May 12, 2019

Do Canadian readers want more diversity in the books and authors they read, and if so, are they able to find what they are looking for in the book supply chain?

In November 2018, BookNet Canada conducted an online survey of 500 English-speaking adults (18 and older) from across Canada who had read a book or listened to an audiobook in the prior 12 months. Demand for Diversity: A Survey of Canadian Readers looked at readers’ experiences with and interest in reading “diverse books” and how difficult or easy it was to find those books. The survey also asked respondents whether diverse books are important or not.

Diverse books: Books about or from the point of view of Black, Indigenous and/or people of colour (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ people, people who are disabled or differently abled, religious minorities, and/or books by authors who identify as members of one or more of the listed groups.

Highlights

• 62% of readers actively seek out books about diverse topics or experiences or by diverse authors.
• 31% of all respondents said they would read more if they were able to get access to more diverse books.
• 61% of underrepresented and 40% of well-represented readers are “very interested” or “interested” in reading BIPOC authors.
• When asked whether it’s difficult to find diverse books, 22% of all respondents said they find it difficult to find books (6% strongly agreed) while 40% said they do not find it difficult to find diverse books.
• When broken out by underrepresented and well-represented readers, we find that 13% of underrepresented readers “strongly agree” that it is difficult to find diverse content, compared with only 3% of well-represented readers.
• 44% of underrepresented and 35% of well-represented readers want more books that represent the experiences of others.
• 58% of all respondents either “agree” or “strongly agree” that they (and others) would benefit from more diverse books.

Demand for Diversity: A Survey of Canadian Readers is available for download from the BookNet Canada website.