@BookNet_Canada shares insights into buying and borrowing of Games & Activities titles during the first quarter of 2023.
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According to data collected from our Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022, 47% of Canadian readers played video games weekly in 2022. How have Non-Fiction / Games & Activities titles been performing in the Canadian market so far this year? In this instalment of our Subject spotlight series, we share insights into the sales and library circulation of Non-Fiction / Games & Activities titles in the first quarter of 2023, with the help of our SalesData and LibraryData services.

Buying Non-Fiction / Games & Activities

Compared to 2022, the overall sales of Non-Fiction / Games & Activities titles were down 20% over the entire first quarter. Looking at the graph below, sales of Non-Fiction / Games & Activities titles trended down in February and then increased in March for both 2023 and 2022. From January to March 2023, sales of Non-Fiction / Games & Activities titles decreased by 34%. Sales of Non-Fiction / Games & Activities titles increased by 4% in the first quarter of 2022.

Line graph comparing book sales between January, February, and March 2022 and 2023 in the Non-Fiction / Games & Activities BISAC category.

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

Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Activity Books — up 108%;
Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Card Games — up 76%; and
Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Chess — up 44%.

From January to March 2023, the most purchased Non-Fiction / Games & Activities subcategories were:

Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Coloring Books — 35% of all Non-Fiction / Games & Activities sales;
Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Puzzles — 13% of all Non-Fiction / Games & Activities sales; and
Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Role Playing & Fantasy — 12% of all Non-Fiction / Games & Activities sales.

Borrowing Non-Fiction / Games & Activities

The library circulation of Non-Fiction / Games & Activities titles during the first quarter of 2023 tells a different story. From January to March 2023, library loans and renewals of Non-Fiction / Games & Activities titles were up 81% and 98% respectively from 2022.

In the entire first quarter of 2023, loans increased by 38%. Renewals for Non-Fiction / Games & Activities titles from January to March 2023 increased by 48%. In the first quarter of 2022, loans increased by 34% from January to March and renewals increased by 47%.

Line graph comparing book loans and renewals between January, February, and March 2022 and 2023 in the Non-Fiction / Games & Activities BISAC category.

Which Non-Fiction / Games & Activities BISAC subcategories were the most popular in Canadian libraries? From January to March 2023, these subcategories saw the greatest increases in library circulation compared to 2022:

Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Activity Books — loans up 373% and renewals up 352%;
Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Chess — loans up 213% and renewals up 174%; and
Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Guided Journals — loans up 80% and renewals up 700%.

During the first quarter of 2023, the most circulated Non-Fiction / Games & Activities subcategories were:

Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Video & Mobile — 41% of all Non-Fiction / Games & Activities loans and 31% of all Non-Fiction / Games & Activities renewals;
Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Chess — 23% of all Non-Fiction / Games & Activities loans and 27% of all Non-Fiction / Games & Activities renewals; and
Non-Fiction / Games & Activities / Role Playing & Fantasy — 17% of all Non-Fiction / Games & Activities loans and 20% of all Non-Fiction / Games & Activities renewals.