ALIA is part of the Advisory Committee for the Australian Research Council project Audiobooks and Digital Book Culture, which will run from the mid-2024 until the end of 2027 and be led by Dr Millicent Weber (ANU).

Audiobooks are an important new cultural phenomenon. They are this decade’s 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.

This project will conduct bibliographic and sociological research to improve our understanding of audiobooks’ significance as an increasingly popular cultural form and their role in the Australian literary landscape. Dr Weber will work in collaboration with key industry stakeholders including publishers, librarians and advocacy group Vision Australia, to 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 their ongoing accessibility.

You can read one of Dr Milicent Weber’s research outputs in The Conversation, Spotify’s audiobook bundle has reduced music royalties. The music industry is fighting back – and authors have questions too.