.@BookNet_Canada shares insights into buying and borrowing of Science Fiction titles during the fourth quarter of 2022.
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According to recent data collected for our upcoming Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022, 36% of audiobook listeners, 31% of print readers, and 28% of ebook readers read Science Fiction books in 2022. How have Science Fiction books performed recently in terms of sales and library circulation? In this instalment of our Subject spotlight blog series, with the help of our SalesData and LibraryData services, we’ll share insights into the buying and borrowing of this subcategory during the fourth quarter of 2022 — from October to December.

Buying Fiction / Science Fiction

As seen in the graph below, overall, the sales of Science Fiction titles underperformed during the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to 2021, with year-over-year sales decreasing in October by 25%, 36% in November, and 25% in December.

That being said, Science Fiction books saw a whopping increase of 140% and 143% in sales from October to December 2021 and 2022 respectively, an increase most likely due to the holiday season.

In 2022, sales increased by 17% from October to November; by December the sales had increased an additional 107%.

In 2021, the increase in sales was not as dramatic. From October to November, sales increased by 36%, and from November to December sales increased by 76%.

Line graph comparing book sales between October, November, and December 2021 and 2022 in the Fiction / Science Fiction BISAC category.

These are the BISAC subcategories with the highest year-over-year increase in sales:

Fiction / Science Fiction / Space Exploration — up 42%;
Fiction / Science Fiction / Steampunk — up 12%; and
Fiction / Science Fiction / Crime & Mystery — up 9%.

From October to December, the most purchased Fiction / Science Fiction subcategories were:

Fiction / Science Fiction / Action & Adventure — 24% of all Fiction / Science Fiction sales;
Fiction / Science Fiction / Space Opera — 23% of all Fiction / Science Fiction sales; and
Fiction / Science Fiction / General — 21% of all Fiction / Science Fiction sales.

Borrowing Fiction / Science Fiction

Contrary to what we saw earlier when it comes to library circulation, the fourth quarter of 2022 outperforms 2021.

As seen in the graph below, year-over-year loans increased by 4% in October, 16% in November and 38% in December. Overall, the loans of Science Fiction titles saw an increase of 48% during the fourth quarter of 2022, a big increase from the growth this subcategory saw from October to December 2021 (11%).

Following the same upward trend, year-over-year renewals saw an increase of 19% in October, 47% in November, and 69% in December. In 2022 alone, the renewals of Science Fiction titles increased by 65% from October to December. In 2021, the increase in renewals for this same period of time was only 16%.

Line graph comparing book loans and renewals between October, November, and December 2021 and 2022 in the Fiction / Science Fiction BISAC category.

Which Fiction / Science Fiction BISAC subcategories were the most popular in Canadian libraries? From October to December 2022, these subcategories saw the greatest increases in library circulation compared to 2021:

Fiction / Science Fiction / Space Exploration — loans up 89% and renewals up 81%;
Fiction / Science Fiction / Crime & Mystery — loans up 57% and renewals up 125%; and
Fiction / Science Fiction / Collections & Anthologies — loans up 53% and renewals up 117%.

During the fourth quarter of 2022, the most circulated Fiction / Science Fiction subcategories were:

Fiction / Science Fiction / Action & Adventure — 28% of all Fiction / Science Fiction loans and 24% of all Fiction / Science Fiction renewals;
Fiction / Science Fiction / General — 23% of all Fiction / Science Fiction loans and 21% of all Fiction / Science Fiction renewals; and
Fiction / Science Fiction / Space Opera — 18% of all Fiction / Science Fiction loans and 20% of all Fiction / Science Fiction renewals.