Spotlight on reading

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These are interesting times for book lovers; there’s never been more fanfare around bestselling authors, more books being published, or more platforms by which to access stories. Earlier this year, book retailer Waterstones made a profit for the first time since the recession. Good times indeed. But against that, local authority budgets have been slashed by central government and one of the biggest casualties has been libraries, with hundreds closing across the country.

The landscape in which people are reading is shifting, and it is within this context that Penguin Random House (PRH) is trying to reach new audiences and encourage as many people as possible to access its books. 

The five-strong insight team at PRH, led by consumer insight director Louise Vinter, is certainly busy, and last year ran 88 projects across all of the company’s brands – Penguin, Puffin and Ladybird being the main consumer-facing ones. 

As well as its expertise and effort being recognised ...