Publishers' responses to the e-book phenomenon: survey results from three 'small language' markets

Introduction. This paper reports on a study of publishers' attitudes towards e-books in the context of the global situation of e-book publishing. Comparative data are drawn from a replication of a survey carried out in Sweden, in Lithuania and in Croatia. Method. A self-completed questionnaire survey was undertaken, offering respondents the choice of a printed questionnaire or a response through an online SurveyMonkey alternative. Analysis. Quantitative analysis was performed using the descriptive statistics capability of SurveyMonkey. Results. The three country survey reveals a number of similar responses from publishers on several key issues, i.e., self-publishing, the future role of bookshops, and relationships with public libraries. The results also reveal that publishers have a certain ambivalence on these issues. Conclusion. In ‘small language' markets, the take-up of ebooks represents a much smaller proportion of total sales than in the English language market. Responses to questions on publishers' relationships with authors, booksellers and libraries show a high degree of unanimity of opinion.