The AARP Magazine provided these Stats (from 2015):
Self-published books, 700,000
Commercially published books, 300,000
Chance of a book being stocked by a bookstore–1%
No information given:
Chance of a book being bought or donated to a library
Chance book is available as ebook
Chance of book issued online as a digital book
Chance book becomes a best-seller
Chance book makes the New York Times Best-seller List
Chance book is made into motion picture or tv series
Since I love bookstores and libraries, sometimes daily I am in one or the other. And I miss the “new” bookshelves that used to be at every library, in outside windows and “just in the door” sections of bookstores and malls. I grieve when a library is down-sized or closed. And I am so grateful for the many new library buildings that have appeared across America–including branch libraries in old city neighborhoods.
Like Erasmus, “When I get a little money, first I buy books. If I have any money left over I buy food and clothes.”
Your favorite genealogist, Arlene H. Eakle http://arleneeakle.com
PS I’m doing my best, because I still believe in books–How else can you learn from what is stored in my brain? From Jan 2015 to 1 May 2017, I will have 26 new books with several chapters written by me. This past two weeks, I have written three chapters a week for the Research Guide on New York being published in print and online by Family History Expos, PO Box 187, Morgan UT 84050 and http://familyhistoryexpos.com
PPS These books are also available through http://amazon.com.