Sales of books in Russia decrease every year by 10-15 percent. According to forecasts of publishers, in 2011 Russians will spend on them about 2 billion dollars, though just 3 years back the amount was almost one and a half time more. The fast growing demand for electronic books doesn't rescue the situation. Experts predict mass closing of bookshops.
Thus, for example, the largest Russian bookstore chain system “Top Kniga” found itself on the verge of bankruptcy during the crisis. In August this year it announced closing some its shops, so that only 350 of the presently open 420 stores (while in the beginning of 2011 there were more than 530 working shops) would remain.
Source: vedomosti.ru
Author: Vera Ivanova