The promotion of reading in bookstores in Catalonia (2020-2023)

Abstract

The study analyses the transformation of Catalan bookshops between 2020 and 2023, a period marked by the impact of the pandemic. One of the main changes was digitization, with the opening of online bookshops – initially in small numbers, but now forming an essential part of the book trade. The pandemic also boosted the sector’s self-esteem and highlighted the importance of reading, with an increase in sales and the launch of new projects like Llibreries Obertes (Open bookshops), which allowed readers to buy books locally during the lockdown. Additionally, a model of small, sustainable bookshops rooted in the community has been consolidated, although there are also medium-sized bookshops that received strong initial support. Bookshops have become dynamic cultural spaces offering a variety of activities, thus helping to strengthen community cohesion. Looking ahead, the study emphasizes the importance of integrating digital and analogical alliances in order to maintain the uniqueness, proximity, and sustainability of the book trade’s cultural and
economic model.