You have questions about Canadian book consumers, and we’re here to answer them with the next instalment of the Get to know Canadian book consumers series.

Over the last couple of months, we’ve been exploring the book buying, borrowing, and reading habits of Canadian book consumers by age group, to give you the most up-to-date data from our consumer surveys — the Canadian Book Consumer Study 2022 and Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022.

So far, we’ve gotten to know Canadian book consumers ages 18–29, Canadian book consumers ages 30-44, and Canadian book consumers ages 45-54.

This time, we’re taking a closer look at Canadian book consumers ages 55-64. Let’s find out more!

Canadian book consumers in 2022: Ages 55-64 infographic

They’re print readers

Out of all Canadian book consumers, you’re most likely to find book consumers ages 55-64 curled up with a print book.

According to the Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022, three quarters of Canadian book consumers ages 55-64 preferred print books over any other format — the most of any age group.

It’s unsurprising that these book consumers ages 55-64 were also the group that was most likely to purchase hardcover titles, at 29%, and to borrow print books from the library, at 79%, as per the Canadian Book Consumer Study 2022. Book consumers ages 55-64 were more likely than other book consumers to borrow a book instead of buying it because:

it was too expensive to buy — 27%; or
they didn’t want it to clutter their home — 23%.

Canadian book consumers ages 55-64 were reading ebooks and listening to audiobooks, too. Out of all Canadian book consumers, they were the most likely to read ebooks on the computer and to listen to physical audiobooks (on CD, tape, or another format) — at 23% and 61% respectively.

They’re book gifters

If a Canadian book consumer ages 55-64 is giving you a gift, chances are you’re getting a book!

In the Canadian Book Consumer Study 2022, we learned that this group of book consumers was the most likely to decide to buy a book because it will be given as a gift to someone else, at 13%. Out of all the purchases tracked by the Canadian Book Consumer Study in 2022, 21% of purchases by Canadian book consumers ages 55-64 were gifts for someone else — and most likely another adult, at 61%.

They’re browsers

How do Canadian book consumers ages 55-64 find the books they borrow, buy, and read? Browsing.

From the Canadian Book Consumer Study 2022, we found that these Canadian book consumers were the most likely to:

browse displays and shelves for books to borrow at the library — 35%; and
become aware of books they purchase by browsing or searching online or in person — 25%.

And they are visiting bookstores in person — Canadian book consumers ages 55-64 are tied with Canadian book consumers ages 18-29 as the most likely to purchase from a bookstore in person in 2022, at 44%.

Book consumers ages 55-64 are also the most likely to:

Read books with a sequel (duology, trilogy, series, etc.) — 42%
Buy, rather than borrow, a book to reread it whenever they want — 18%
Purchase a book because they like the main character(s) — 16%
Buy, rather than borrow, a book to support the author or illustrator — 9%

More than any other age group, Canadian book consumers ages 55-64 were most likely to purchase Adult titles, at 86%. And according to the Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022, they were also most likely to read print Adult Fiction and audiobook Adult Fiction titles, at 86% and 81% respectively.

Which subjects interest Canadian book consumers ages 55-64 the most?

These book consumers were most likely to be buying, borrowing, reading, or listening to Mystery or Fantasy Fiction titles and History, Biography and Autobiography, Self-Help, or True Crime Non-Fiction titles.

What are other Canadian book consumers like?

Stay tuned for more instalments of this blog series here and sign up for the research newsletter so you’re always in the know.