Latvian-language publishing hits 25-year low

According to statistics just released, the number of Latvian-language books printed has hit a 25-year low.

Data presented by Gunta Lodziņa, statistics expert at the Latvian National Library (LNB), shows that in 2015 the average book written in Latvian was printed in only 900 copies. This news comes in spite of the number of separate titles written in Latvian actually increasing in 2015, growing from 384 to 417 from 2014–2015. The total number of book titles published showed little change after 2014.

Dace Pugača, the head of the Latvian Publishers’ Association, believes that the statistics are the result of a decrease in demand and libraries purchasing fewer books.

Research conducted by Central Connecticut State University rated Latvia the world’s 9th most literate country earlier this year – could this be set to change?

Source: LSM.lv