National Buy a Book Day
September 7
About National Buy a Book Day
National Buy a Book Day is observed annually on 7 September. Created by author and former editor Philip Athans in 2010, the day encourages everyone to purchase at least one book, whether from an independent bookshop, a large retailer, or a digital platform. The act of buying a book directly supports authors, publishers, booksellers, and the broader literary ecosystem that depends on consumer spending to survive.
What Is National Buy a Book Day?
National Buy a Book Day is an annual observance that asks people to do one simple thing: buy a book. The format matters less than the act itself. Participants might pick up a novel from a local independent bookshop, download an eBook, order a title online, or purchase a gift book for someone they care about. Every purchase counts, and the collective effect of thousands of individuals making that single purchase is felt throughout the publishing supply chain, from the author who earns a royalty to the bookseller whose shelves need to remain stocked.
The day carries a broader message alongside its practical purpose: books are a cornerstone of culture, literacy, and civilisation, and they deserve active, conscious support rather than being taken for granted. Sometimes described as International Buy a Book Day in recognition of how widely it is now observed, the occasion has grown well beyond its American origins to draw participation from readers in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and beyond.
When Is National Buy a Book Day?
National Buy a Book Day falls on 7 September each year. It shares the calendar with National Read a Book Day on 6 September, making the two days a natural pair: read a book one day, then buy a book the next. World Book Day, the major international observance administered by UNESCO, falls on 23 April.
Why It Matters
The publishing and bookselling industry has faced sustained pressure over the past two decades. Print book sales in the United States declined steadily through the 2010s and into the 2020s, with approximately 843 million units sold in 2021 dropping to around 789 million in 2022, a fall of roughly 6.5%. Revenue across the broader print publishing sector fell by more than 68 billion US dollars between 2005 and 2021. Competition from streaming platforms, social media, and on-demand entertainment has drawn time and money away from books.
Independent bookshops have been among the most vulnerable casualties of these trends. They account for roughly 15% of total US bookstore sales and struggle to compete with the pricing power and distribution reach of major online retailers. When an independent shop closes, the surrounding community loses not just a retail outlet but a space for author events, literary conversation, and the kind of serendipitous discovery that browsing physical shelves uniquely offers.
Against this backdrop, the premise behind National Buy a Book Day is straightforward: if enough individuals each make a single purchase, the aggregate impact is meaningful. The day also frames book-buying as a civic and cultural act, not merely a transaction.
How to Get Involved
The most direct way to participate is simply to buy a book. Beyond that, there are many ways to mark the occasion:
- Visit an independent bookshop and browse in person; the economic impact is greatest when money stays within the local community
- Gift a book to a friend, family member, colleague, or child
- Donate books to a school, public library, community centre, or literacy charity
- Host or attend a book swap, bringing a favourite title to exchange for something new
- Start or join a book club, using the day as a launchpad for regular reading habits
- Share on social media using #BuyABookDay and #NationalBuyABookDay, tagging a local bookshop or an author whose work deserves wider attention
- Donate to a literacy charity such as Bookstart, Reading Is Fundamental, or a local adult literacy programme
No format preference is implied. Physical books, eBooks, and audiobooks all count equally. Secondhand purchases from a charity shop or a used bookshop are just as valid as buying new.
History
National Buy a Book Day was started in August 2010 by Philip Athans, a fantasy author and former senior editor at Wizards of the Coast, the publisher behind the Dungeons and Dragons fiction line and the Forgotten Realms series. Athans left his role in June 2010, around the time the effects of the 2008 financial crisis were still biting hard into discretionary spending across the United States.
His initial argument, made in a post on the speculative fiction blog Grasping for the Wind, was practical: during a recession, book buying declines because books feel like a luxury. But the cumulative effect of that decline falls heaviest on an industry that was already under strain. A single purchase is a modest commitment. A million people each making that same commitment amounts to something real.
The day gained wider recognition around 2012, when it began to be described with a more explicitly educational mission: raising public awareness of the cultural importance of books and the economic fragility of the people and businesses that produce them. No single organisation administers the day today; it remains community-driven, amplified by social media, author networks, and bookshop promotions.
Noteworthy Facts
- The US book market generated approximately 29.8 billion US dollars in revenue in 2022, making it one of the world’s largest national book markets
- EBooks grew by 12.6% and audiobooks by 12% in the same year that print book unit sales declined, suggesting the broader book market is evolving rather than disappearing
- Over 4 million new books were published in 2022, with self-published titles accounting for roughly 43% of the total; direct purchases therefore have a more immediate impact on author incomes than ever before
- The percentage of American adults who read for personal pleasure fell by around 7% over the decade to 2022; on an average day, only about 16.7% of Americans aged 15 and over read for enjoyment
- Reading for pleasure has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, improve memory and cognitive function, and build empathy, particularly when reading literary fiction
- The Gutenberg Bible, produced in the 1450s, was the first book to be mechanically printed using moveable type, marking the beginning of books as a mass medium and a vehicle for the widespread sharing of knowledge
- National Buy a Book Day falls the day after National Read a Book Day (6 September), creating a natural two-day celebration of the written word
Hashtags
- #BuyABookDay
- #NationalBuyABookDay
- #NBaBD
When is National Buy a Book Day?
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 September |
| 2027 | TBC |
| 2028 | TBC |
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