Library Purchases Boost the Italian Book Market to Start 2026
“In a difficult year that raises concerns for the future, the library purchase bonus has allowed the book market to grow in the first four months,” said AIE President Innocenzo Cipolletta, in a statement.
After a difficult 2025, the Italian book market is bouncing back in the first months of 2026, thanks to an ambitious €60 million government program earmarked for library purchases.
At the Salone Internazionale del Libro di Torino, which closed on May 18, Italian publishing officials said the country’s “library purchase bonus” was driving book sales through the first four months of 2026, with the market up 3.8% overall, led by 9% growth in Southern Italy. In a release, the Associazione Italiana Editori (AIE) reported that around €35 million of the €60 million library allocation was spent between January and April, primarily benefiting “the most fragile areas and players” across the Italian book business.
“In a difficult year that raises concerns for the future, the library purchase bonus has allowed the book market to grow in the first four months,” said AIE President Innocenzo Cipolletta, in a statement. “This is happening despite declining household purchasing power due to inflation, while rising costs of paper, energy, and transportation are squeezing company margins. The bonus has its greatest impact on the businesses and regions that need support the most: for this reason, we hope it will be confirmed and made permanent starting in 2027.”..
Pascal Lenoir
