Publishing

The statistics show the main indicators characterizing national publishing: data on the number and print run of books (including brochures), as well as number of magazines and other periodicals, number and circulation of newspapers, including data on the number and circulation of publications in Latvian, as well as the circulation of single issue of a newspaper.

Evaluating the content, target audience and language style of the books, in statistics, books are divided into the following thematic groups:

• Science literature;
• Popular science literature;
• Official literature;
• Applied literature;
• Educational literature;
• Methodological educational literature;
• Reference literature;
• Religious literature;
• Memoirs / Documentaries;
• Fiction;
• Fiction for children.

In statistics, in addition to the breakdown by language of publication, books are also classified by type (original editions, translations and dictionaries), providing data on number of books, print run and number of printed sheets:

• Books published in Latvian as the official language of the state, including original editions in Latvian and translations into Latvian, indicating most widespread source languages;
• Books published in other languages, including original editions, giving details of the languages ​​most used and translations, giving details of the most widespread target languages;
• Dictionaries that are not categorized by language.

Publishing statistics are used by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, the Latvian Publishers' Association (LPA), the Latvian Association of Press Publishers, academic staff and students, as well as journalists. The data can be used both in research and to inform the public about current events and development trends in publishing. The National Library of Latvia (NLL) is the only institution that provides a full survey of publishing in the Republic of Latvia, as well as the only institution that receives data from publishers on the circulation and print runs of publications in accordance with the procedures specified in regulatory enactments.

• A publication published in the Republic of Latvia, regardless of the place where it has been printed;
• Newspapers and magazines registered in the Mass Media Register.

Statistical data are compiled on the publishing activities of any legal entity registered in the Republic of Latvia or a natural person residing in Latvia, which resulted in a publication during the reporting period, the fact of which has been registered by the National Library of Latvia by processing the legal deposit copy, regardless of the fact whether the publishing is of a commercial nature or not.

Latvian publishing statistics are compiled in accordance with:

• Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No 281 of 30 May 2017 "Regulations regarding the official statistics sample form of the report on publishing and the procedure for completion and submission of the form";
• the Legal Deposit Law.

Statistics database

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Comparable data are available for the period starting from 1990.

The most important indicators (number of books, number of books in Latvian, total print run of books and print run of books in Latvian) for the interwar and Soviet period have been compiled and included in publications of historical statistics

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Publishing statistics are compiled on the basis of the legal deposits of publications received by the National Library of Latvia and the Reports on Publishing submitted by publishers, in which publishers provide information on the print runs and additional print runs of each publication produced during the reporting period.

Statistical data are obtained on the basis of the received legal deposits. Data on publications are submitted through the National Library of Latvia Portal for publishers by both publishers and National Library of Latvia employees. Data on print run and circulation of publications are obtained from Reports on Publishing submitted by publishers. There are 3 ways to submit a report:

1. By entering data in the National Library of Latvia Portal for publishers;

2. By sending the report electronically to the National Library of Latvia e-mail: izdevejiem@lnb.lv;

3. By sending a report by regular (postal) mail.

In order to reduce the burden on respondents, publishers that have published no more than 3 books during the reporting period can announce the print run or circulation of a publication by telephone.

If by 15 January at least 90% of publishers who have delivered the legal deposit copies during the reporting period have not submitted a Report on Publishing and data on print run of at least 95% of publications whose legal deposit copies have been received and processed by the NLL during the reporting period have not been obtained, the data collection period is temporarily extended, but no later than until 31 March.

In 2019, there were: 450 book publishers (5 % of them did not submit data on print run of the publications), 127 newspaper publishers (2 % of them did not submit data on circulation), 97 magazine publishers (7 % of them did not submit data on circulation).

Data are compiled on publications published during the reporting period, the legal deposit of which has been received and processed by the National Library of Latvia.

The total number of books also includes books with unknown print run. Data on print run are compiled, including data on additional print runs produced during the reporting period.

Publishing statistics of the reporting period also include data on books published in the previous reporting period, if the legal deposit copies have been received and processed by the National Library of Latvia after the data collection of the previous reporting period has been completed.

The dataset on publications is compiled through the National Library of Latvia Portal for publishers; compilation is done by the National Library of Latvia employees.

Starting from 2017, only the newspapers and magazines registered in the Mass Media Register are included in the statistics.

Data on the total number and circulation of newspapers and magazines are compiled according to the language in which the newspaper or magazine was published, distinguishing between newspapers and magazines:

• In Latvian as the official language of the state;
• In English as the language of international communication;
• In Russian as the second most frequently used language in the territory of Latvia;
• In other languages.