ABA Winter Institute Wrap-Up 2025

The 2025 Winter Institute, presented by the American Booksellers Association, was one of the most high-energy, collaborative, and emotionally charged events we’ve attended. While we acknowledge the reports of a contentious community forum, the personal experience of the NetGalley team members who attended was one of optimism and hope. From booksellers eager to get started or learn how to utilize NetGalley even more to publishers discussing evolving industry trends, we found the gathering to be dynamic and insightful overall.

Booksellers: Learning, Listening, and Looking for Audiobooks

*Tarah Theoret (VP, Community Engagement) and Darcy Piedmonte (Director of Customer Acquisition & Success)*

Winter Institute remains an incredible opportunity to connect with booksellers at all stages of their careers. This year, we met many new booksellers who were excited to learn how to utilize new tools available on NetGalley (like the NetGalley Reader) and confirm that their staff could sign up for their own NetGalley accounts and use the ABA store number. Education was a key theme for us, ensuring that booksellers understand widget invites, auto-approvals, feedback expectations, and how NetGalley can help streamline their workflows.

One persistent misconception we addressed was the belief that booksellers are required to maintain an 80% Feedback Ratio on NetGalley. While it is recommended that all member types submit Feedback, we recognize that writing a review may not be a priority for booksellers in the same way it is for a journalist or consumer reviewer. As NetGalley continues to evolve, we are exploring ways to further customize the Feedback process for booksellers and other member types.

A recurring theme in our conversations? Booksellers want more audiobooks! Several expressed that audiobooks help them keep up with their TBR lists and allow them to be more effective handsellers. Our response? “Tell your sales reps how important audiobooks are to you and your staff,” because booksellers really care about reading books before including them in their inventory and selling them. In other words, hand-selling is alive and well and distinguishes the indies from other retail spaces.

Publishers: Digital Expansion and Strategic Conversations

A notable question from many publishers was, “Can you tell us more about NetGalley’s reach?” While the focus at Winter Institute remains the bookseller community, publishers are keen to hear how NetGalley connects them to independent booksellers, and also other member groups like librarians and journalists. They were interested in stats, reporting, and facilitation of communication with those who’ve interacted with their books, particularly when comp books, or additional titles by a given author are published. To learn more about NetGalley’s reach, check out our 2025 Community Update and Community Spotlight on Children’s and Middle Grade activity!

An additional trend in the Galley Room was the increasing use of QR codes for digital access. We were happy to show how easy and sustainable QR codes can be right at our table. A partnership with Patagonia Books allowed us to exclusively offer their book, Tools to Save Our Home Planet, via QR code. A number of other publishers incorporated QR codes alongside physical galleys in the Galley Room and we were thrilled by this interest in a growing digital shift. We encourage publishers to further streamline their processes by linking straight to NetGalley and ensure a seamless experience for booksellers. To that end, we also shared a QR code of our own Sustainability in Publishing post.

We also planted seeds for NetGalley’s upcoming consumer marketing opportunity, Booktrovert, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Publishers have long wanted to target both book trade professionals and consumers, but not necessarily in the same space. When they heard that “it’s coming,” excitement was palpable.

Looking Ahead: Opportunities & Next Steps

Overall, Winter Institute 2025 was an energizing reminder of the passion, dedication, and resilience of the book industry. As booksellers, publishers, and industry professionals continue to adapt and innovate, NetGalley remains committed to supporting the connections that bring books into the hands of readers everywhere.

Audio Publishers Association Conference 2025 Wrap-Up: Key Takeaways and Trends

This year’s Audio Publishers Association Conference (APAC) reaffirmed what industry professionals have long suspected: the audiobook market is not just healthy—it’s thriving. With digital audio surpassing e-book unit sales in 2025 and maintaining double-digit annual growth, the format’s dominance is clearer than ever. Industry leaders, including Simon & Schuster CEO, Jonathan Karp, underscored the importance of audio in expanding readership and accessibility, particularly for audiences who might not otherwise buy a book.

Audio’s Expanding Role in Publishing

One of the biggest themes of APAC 2025 was how audiobook sales augment rather than cannibalize book sales. In every business track session, publishers emphasized access to new audiences. In fact, audio is driving book acquisitions, according to Chris Lynch (President & Publisher for S&S Audio) in conversation with Karp. Many bestsellers today originated as self-published audiobooks, proving that the format is an entry point for new voices. Publishers are paying close attention to indie creators and original projects designed specifically for audio. Karp noted that “audio is integral to our growth strategy,” with major publishers actively seeking to acquire audio publishers and strengthen their foothold in this growing sector.

Short-form audio also emerged as a key opportunity, with speakers emphasizing that some projects are better suited to spoken-word formats than print. While economic challenges exist—listeners often associate longer audiobooks with greater value—there is enthusiasm for exploring more flexible pricing models to accommodate shorter content.

The AI Debate: Balancing Technology and Human Artistry

A collective groan rippled through the audience when AI narration came up. The tension is clear: while AI offers potential for cost-effective solutions, especially for backlist titles that might not otherwise be produced, it also raises concerns about diminishing the human artistry at the heart of audiobooks. Chris Lynch noted that AI could help bring audiobooks to underserved markets where traditional production wouldn’t be financially viable, but Karp reminded attendees: “You are artisans… essential to the success of audiobooks.”

For international markets, AI-assisted translation and narration could help expand access, but industry leaders emphasized the importance of local voices. Listeners often prefer narrators who match their regional accents and cultural contexts. The balance between AI’s efficiency and human performance remains a crucial industry challenge.

Marketing Like You Mean It

A standout session from the conference was Seizing the Rise of Audiobooks, Marketing Like You Mean It, moderated by NetGalley’s own Darcy Piedmonte, Director of Customer Acquisition & Success. Piedmonte led a dynamic conversation on how publishers can move beyond the fear that audiobooks cannibalize print sales and instead embrace the rapid expansion of audio into new and diverse markets.

Panelists included:

David Walter, Executive Director of Client Development – Books for Circana
Agustina Casal, Director of Digital Sales & Marketing for Ingram Content Group
Samantha Edelson, Vice President of Marketing for Macmillan Audio
Mark Pearson, Co-Founder & CEO of Libro.fm
Jess Kessler, Head of Brand & Content Marketing of Audible, North America

The discussion covered key strategies for innovative and creative audio marketing, including how audiobook marketing continues to evolve alongside digital media consumption. Some of the biggest trends discussed included:

All Boats Rise: When audiobooks do well, all books do well. While print stays remarkably stable over time, new formats add to publishers’ overall sales.
Podcasts & Audiobooks: The impact of podcasts on audiobook sales remains a topic of debate. While some see competition, others view it as an opportunity to inspire nonfiction authors to craft compelling, high-quality content.
Younger Audiences & Genre Growth: The 18-25 demographic is rapidly growing, particularly in nonfiction (well-being) and genre fiction (romance, thriller). The increase in kids’ audiobook consumption also presents a major opportunity, especially through screen-free speaker devices like Yoto and Toniebox.
Fandom Mentality: Readers increasingly engage with books like fans of TV series or movies, wanting content across multiple formats. The success of multicast productions, such as 1984 featuring Cynthia Erivo and Andrew Garfield, exemplifies how casting choices can draw in new audiences.
Gaming Crossovers: Creative marketing strategies are reaching new audiences, for instance the Red Dead Redemption gaming community, with projects like Red Dead’s History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America’s Violent Past (narrated by Roger Clark, the iconic and award-winning full performance-capture actor) that connect books to their interests.
Discoverability & Metadata: Ensuring accurate and refreshed metadata remains critical. Publishers are investing in tools to optimize audiobook discoverability across platforms.
Opportunities for Marketing: Audiobooks offer a multitude of ways for booksellers, narrators, educators, and influencers to bring stories to life through listening.

Global Audiobook Market: What’s Next?

The international audiobook market is evolving rapidly. Emerging markets like France and Brazil are set to accelerate their growth, learning from the U.S. experience.

France is on the verge of becoming a mature market, aided by a booming graphic novel-to-audio pipeline.
The Nordic region remains a leader, with 60% of books consumed in audio format, driving authors to write with audio-first storytelling in mind.
Spain and Latin America are key areas of investment, with publishers focused on translating backlist titles and creating original Spanish-language content.
Local accents matter—listeners in Portugal prefer European Portuguese over Brazilian, and Spanish-speaking listeners are divided among regional dialect preferences.
The German children’s audiobook market is flourishing, bolstered by speaker boxes that have become the third-largest seller of children’s books.

Looking Forward: Challenges & Opportunities

Despite its rapid growth, the audiobook industry faces several challenges:

Marketing & Publicity Struggles: Simply releasing an audiobook isn’t enough—publishers need strong hooks tied to cultural moments to break through the noise. Digital marketing tools, including NetGalley, are making early audiobook promotions easier than ever, allowing for pre-pub reviews and cross-format marketing efforts. As mentioned above, the success of one format is a win for all!
Balancing Format & Content: Publishers must assess whether a story is best suited for an audiobook, a documentary, or another medium. In the case of audiobooks based on graphic novels or manga, producers are closely considering whether the concepts depicted in the art will translate to the audio format and, if so, diving in to create the audiobook.
The First Listen Matters: If a listener’s first audiobook experience is poor—whether due to AI narration or low production quality—they may abandon the format entirely.
Piracy on YouTube: Publishers voiced concerns about unauthorized audiobook uploads that fail to compensate rights holders.

Final Thoughts

Audiobooks are not just surviving—they’re thriving, expanding, and reshaping the publishing landscape. Whether it’s embracing indie voices, exploring new markets, or refining marketing strategies, the industry is adapting to ensure that audio continues to be a powerful storytelling force.

As Karp put it, “A great book is a great book.” The challenge ahead is ensuring that audiences can find, access, and engage with these books—no matter how they choose to read or listen.

NetGalley Announces Staff Reorganization Ahead of Standalone Consumer Marketing Platform Launch

Newburyport, MA (March 10, 2025)—NetGalley, LLC—the recognized industry-standard for digital galley distribution and book marketing, and part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies owned by Media Do International (MD-i)—announced today a set of strategic initiatives intended to position the company for continued growth in the digital book market. The initiatives include a staff reorganization and the forthcoming launch of Booktrovert, a much anticipated standalone consumer marketing platform where readers can celebrate their love of books by participating in digital giveaways, special promotions, and fun bookish activities.

The staff reorganization, led by NetGalley Chief Executive Officer Angela Bole and newly appointed NetGalley President Lindsey Lochner, focused on the strategic alignment of job titles and responsibilities to produce a clearer understanding of the NetGalley team structure—internally and externally—ahead of the Booktrovert launch. The reorganization did not include layoffs or reductions in staff. All changes are effective as of March 1, 2025.

A highlight of the reorganization beyond Lochner’s promotion to the position of president includes the establishment of four distinct departments led by a set of vice presidents reporting directly to Lochner:

Business Growth & Engagement, US & International, led by Senior Vice President Kristina Radke, previously vice president of business growth & engagement; Radke also assumes new responsibility for NetGalley’s promotional team under the reorganization
Community Growth & Engagement, led by Vice President Tarah Theoret, previously senior director of community experience
Product Management, led by Vice President Mary Pratt, previously director of product management
Engineering, led by Vice President Darren Shifflett, previously engineering manager

In addition, Darcy Piedmonte, NetGalley’s senior sales manager since 2022, has been named director, customer acquisition & success, reporting to Radke. Bole remains NetGalley’s chief executive officer; Tom Shawver remains NetGalley’s chief technology officer.

“We expect the staff reorganization to enhance clarity and focus ahead of our eagerly anticipated Booktrovert launch,” said Bole. “The team has been working tirelessly to build something special with Booktrovert and we’re excited to strengthen our internal structure as we take final steps to launch the new product.”

Booktrovert will launch in the U.S. as a standalone consumer website in Q2 2025, but publishers, authors, and PR firms can start setting up book giveaways and other marketing campaigns in early April using a simple self-service interface built within the NetGalley.com platform. Campaigns can be created for one or more books, and each book can be designated a giveaway or available to pre-order or buy now. Furthering its flexibility, Booktrovert campaigns can be public or, if a publisher wants to limit access to exclusive audiences, private—expanding the Booktrovert use case to support event giveaways, book clubs, “street/launch team” copies, pre-order incentives, and more.

“Publishers have long asked how they can best utilize NetGalley’s tools for their consumer marketing efforts, and it’s no secret publishers, authors, and readers alike are seeking more options for secure ebook giveaways,” said Lochner. “We’re excited to answer the call with Booktrovert, opening up a significantly wider audience and connecting even more readers to more books.”

Any NetGalley client—whether a subscription or pay-per-title client—can purchase Booktrovert campaigns, as well as optional add-ons for advertising and detailed analytics for giveaways. More information about Booktrovert will be announced in the coming months. Those with specific questions and those interested in more information sooner, can contact concierge@netgalley.com.

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About NetGalley, LLC
NetGalley helps publishers and authors promote digital review copies and audiobooks to book advocates and industry professionals. Hundreds of thousands of members rely on NetGalley’s secure, sustainable, and easy-to-use platform to discover books, share reviews, and champion literacy. The NetGalley team coordinates closely with publishers on targeted promotions, and provides training, strategy, and consultation for incorporating NetGalley into overall marketing and publicity efforts. NetGalley is a strategic part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies owned by Media Do International (MD-i) which together provide leading software and services to help publishers succeed. To learn more, visit netgalley.com/tour.

About Media Do International (MD-i)
Media Do International (MD-i) owns the Firebrand Group, a collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, LLC, and Supadu Ltd. that provide leading software and services to help publishers succeed. MD-i is itself the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co. Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s ebook market. Media Do Co. Ltd.’s mission is to make more content available for more people. To learn more, visit mediado.jp/english.

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NetGalley Community Spotlight: Children’s & Middle Grade

Each year we survey the NetGalley community and share updated details about our members’ demographics, reading habits, and preferences. (Check out the 2025 NetGalley Community Update if you haven’t already!) This year, we also did a deep-dive into a specific segment of the community: members who request and read Children’s and Middle Grade books. Nearly 100 members participated in our mini-survey about these categories, and their responses highlight the many ways members use NetGalley to discover books for young readers… and what they do next with those discoveries!

More than half of survey participants (53%) use NetGalley to select books for young readers in their professional capacity, whether in a classroom, library, or bookstore. They also use NetGalley to preview books for awards, committees, and reading programs, such as Battle of the Books. We are proud that NetGalley is facilitating the important work these trusted book advocates do to connect young readers with books they’ll love.

Additionally, we found that Indie Next List nominations for books in the Children’s Fiction, Children’s Nonfiction, and Middle Grade categories received 31.5% of the overall nominations from the NetGalley community.*

Unsurprisingly, more than half of survey respondents (56%) also preview Children’s and Middle Grade books to decide which books they will share with kids in their personal lives. They are often reading books alongside their little ones and incorporating the child’s own feedback into the reviews they submit via NetGalley. This input from young readers adds a unique and valuable perspective, helping others—parents, educators, and fellow reviewers—understand how books resonate with their intended audience.

To better understand how these members are interacting with books in these categories on NetGalley, we analyzed the data for over 2,500 books and audiobooks that were added to the NetGalley Find Titles page in the period between Feb. 1, 2024 – Jan. 31, 2025.

Chart — Of the 2,500+ books and audiobooks added to NetGalley Find Titles in these categories between 2/1/2024 – 1/31/2025, about 60% were Children’s Fiction, 22% Children’s Nonfiction, and 18% Middle Grade.

Within the Children’s & Middle Grade categories, when it comes to the types of books that draw the most interest, survey respondents told us that Fun/Funny stories lead the way (85%), followed closely by books that are Emotional (67%) or Teach a Social Lesson (69%). The most frequently mentioned write-in category was Fantasy, reflecting the enduring appeal of imaginative storytelling in children’s literature. Practicing an empathetic and audience-centric marketing approach will serve you well with this market. In a recent webinar, Navigating Successes and Failures: Community Building, engagement and D2c sales in Children’s Publishing, Sweet Cherry Publisher Sanjee de Silva emphasized the importance of audience-centric thinking, with examples like The Songs You’ve Never Heard to engage teenagers who are interested in other kinds of media beyond books, as well as their book bundles for readers with special needs.

*The most frequently mentioned write-in category was Fantasy.*

On NetGalley, Feedback Rates average 37% for DRCs across all categories. The Feedback Rates** for Children’s Fiction and and Middle Grade skew lower than this average (31% and 21%, respectively), which makes sense considering all the valuable non-review work that many of our members are completing – previewing books for awards, committees, and reading programs, as well as making purchasing decisions for their library, classroom, or bookstore. However, Children’s Nonfiction is above average with a 38% Feedback Rate!

31.5% of all Indie Next List nominations from the NetGalley community were for books in the Children’s Fiction, Children’s Nonfiction, and Middle Grade categories.

Members’ engagement with books in these categories remains high! Our recent Children’s & Middle Grade newsletter (Jan 2025) was sent to 52k members and saw a 33% Open Rate and 3% CTR. Plus, 84% of members are influenced by NetGalley Promotions (according to our full member survey with over 11,000 responses).

We at NetGalley are honored to facilitate book discovery for young audiences, through the crucial efforts of the adults who advocate for literacy and guide children toward a love of reading. We are working hard to further engage with NetGalley members who are previewing these important books, and encourage you to share this resource with any readers you’re working with: How to Review Children’s and Middle Grade Books.

*Based on Indie Next List nominations submitted between 2/1/2024 – 1/31/2025.

**These Feedback rates are calculated based on the total number of Feedback divided by the total number of Approvals, for the books & audiobooks added to NetGalley Find Titles between 2/1/2024 – 1/31/2025.

2025 NetGalley.com Community Update

Update: 680,000 active members, as of October 2025.

Unless otherwise noted, all information is based on the Annual NetGalley.com Member Survey, conducted January 2025.

Each year we ask NetGalley members to tell us more about their reading habits and preferences, and this year more than 11,000 highly-engaged reviewers, booksellers, librarians, educators, media/journalists, and book trade professionals answered the call. We are thrilled to share the latest update with you, and invite you to view the full report, which includes tips for engaging with specific segments of the community.

VIEW THE FULL REPORT | UK Report here

When we say NetGalley’s 605,000 active members are highly engaged, we mean it! NetGalley.com saw a record-breaking 11 Million pageviews in January 2025 alone, representing a 4% increase YOY, and all stats from Requests to Feedback submitted have grown by the thousands.

Activity on NetGalley is a funnel, which means that the more Impressions a book has, the more overall activity it will receive. Once members submit Requests, it’s up to the publisher to Approve requests so they can start to read. Depending on how many requests the publisher approves, a portion of them will result in Feedback.

Audiobooks continue to have an extremely strong Feedback Rate! 59% of members approved to listen also submit Feedback via NetGalley.

Click through on the images above to see more detail about the most popular Fiction and Nonfiction Categories that NetGalley members browse!

NetGalley’s Community Growth & Engagement team is always hard at work encouraging NetGalley members of all types to become even stronger advocates for publishers’ books. Free resources like NetGalley’ Reading Journal and the Book Advocate Toolkit give members the tools they need to track their reading, submit valuable Feedback, and spread the word about the books they’re reading. Browse all of the resources, including Book Club Kits, on NetGalley.

THERE’S MORE —
VIEW THE FULL REPORT | UK Report here

Unless otherwise noted, all information is based on the Annual NetGalley.com Member Survey, conducted January 2025.

Sustainability 2025

Sustainability has long been a hot topic in the book industry. With an environmentally savvy consumer market and labor force composed of people who want to make the world a better place, it only makes sense that publishers would lead the charge on sustainable practices. Sadly, this has not always been the case. Now, with rising costs of production, looming tariffs, and much uncertainty in the market there is no better time to face challenges head on and look for solutions wherever they can be found.

Those solutions are often found globally. The Green Book Alliance (GBA), a collaboration across Book Industry Communication (BIC) in the U.K., BookNet Canada, and the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) in the U.S., has been sharing sustainability resources and findings for five years. Brian O’Leary, executive director of BISG, told us “Environmental issues don’t know borders. As the largest publishing market in the world, what happens in the U.S. has an outsized impact on the industry and the world.”

No doubt geographic and geopolitical disruptions will continue to impact the book world this year. Publishers and partners will be discussing ways in which they can reduce costs, speed up production, and align with environmental solutions. NetGalley will be tracking these discussions at conferences and, importantly, demonstrating at least one proven and reliable way to help publishers and book professionals reduce their carbon footprint: Digital Review Copies.

For a book community that has been hungry for strong voices and authentic commitments to save the planet, perhaps this is the year we are ready for real leadership. We’ve all seen the industry slip backward into pre-pandemic practices of sharing physical ARCs instead of digital or audiobooks, all while regarding conference galley rooms with a bit of dismay.

“We as publishers need to push them to realize that this is a problem not only for the environment, but for the supply chain as well… It is a not good for bookstores, publishers or authors (who don’t earn a royalty from third party sales) that these pre-market [print] copies are out there.”
Karla Olson, Patagonia Books

Karla Olson, Director of Patagonia Books, has long been a voice of reason and clarity in our industry. She aims to protect the planet, but also quickly meet the demands of a fickle and competitive market. In 2019, Karla and the team at Patagonia Books declared they would no longer print galleys for environmental reasons. “What’s the point of killing trees, using water, expending fossil fuel, and creating greenhouse gases for something that can easily be replaced by a digital version?” In 2025, she regrets to see publishers actually producing increased quantities of disposable print copies since the pandemic. She writes,

“One of the most impactful ways to improve sustainability is to NOT print ARCs or galleys. Digital galleys are just fine, and in fact, better for the system overall. During the pandemic, many reviewers were accepting DRCs, and we were really hopeful that that would stick. Unfortunately, many reviewers are reverting to their old systems of stacks of ARCs on their desks or in the galley room, instead of cataloging DRCs. We as publishers need to push them to realize that this is a problem not only for the environment, but for the supply chain as well. Those printed ARCs get picked up by the third party sellers on Amazon, who sell them for less and win the buy button. It is not good for bookstores, publishers or authors (who don’t earn a royalty from third party sales) that these pre-market copies are out there.”

Environmental impact at various moments throughout the supply chain is urgent for publishers to continuously acknowledge and make effort to minimize. O’Leary points out, “BISG’s work helps show how actions in one part of the supply chain play out across the industry. Content creation has become fundamentally digital, but we’re not always taking advantage of the opportunities digital provides.”

With a proactive commitment to LCP, a brand new NetGalley Reader, and audiobook early-listening solutions, NetGalley is a proven alternative to print review copies. It’s not just about amplifying our own product. It’s about providing answers to practices that are not only out of fashion, but out of step with our industry’s values. Not only are book files safe and secure thanks to the most up-to-date technology, publishers also benefit from fast, easy tools to distribute digital review copies far beyond the typical reach of print.

Let’s take a chunk out of the galley room and replace tables lined with paper, ink, and cardboard boxes with QR codes and directions for how and where to access digital review copies and audiobooks. We’re here to help!

With a proactive commitment to LCP, a brand new NetGalley Reader, and audiobook early-listening solutions, NetGalley is a proven alternative to print review copies. It’s not just about amplifying our own product. It’s about providing answers to practices that are not only out of fashion, but out of step with our industry’s values.

This article will be updated during the 2025 conference season with feedback from reviewers, publishers, and partners.