Audiobooks and digital book culture

Audiobooks are an important new cultural phenomenon. They are the decades biggest publishing growth sector and bridge a divide between books and digital culture. However, at a time of globalisation and digital and cultural disruption, we know little about Australian audiobooks, and their role in our literary landscape. Working in collaboration with key industry stakeholders including publishers, librarians and advocacy group Vision Australia, this research will examine the impact of audiobooks on the publishing sector, and reading practices of the wider community. Through a widely accessible public database, a series of public lectures, and a book, both publishers and the broader community will gain new understandings of Australian literature and our nationwide reading habits, helping to inform and guide future investment in audiobooks, improve literacy and ensure the ongoing accessibil