I need to find out if Hispanics in America read in Spanish or English.

Also, do they buy spanish books at american bookstores or do they buy
them at spanish bookstores.

Finally, what are the the major hispanic bookstores in California,
Texas, Florida and Illinois (only the largest).

Hello marsdevivo-ga,

Your question and the subsequent clarifications show that you’re
interested in exploring the Spanish language book market directed at
the US Hispanic/Latino population, with special emphasis on the top
five states with Spanish-speaking populations. I’ve been able to find
quite a lot of information for you and I’ve organized it into
categories that will help you review the material quickly. I believe
this information will give you an overview of what’s available. You
can then formulate additional questions that can pinpoint exactly the
information you’re looking for.

Good luck with your explorations.

czh

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HISPANIC PUBLISHERS, DISTRIBUTORS, MARKET NEWS
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http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleId=CA273442&display=searchResults
1/27/03, State of the Nation: AAP Calls 2003 The Year of Publishing
for Latinos
The Association of American Publishers is using a special promotion to
bring attention to its declaration of 2003 as "The Year of Publishing
for Latinos." …
Approximately 48 million units of Spanish language books were sold in
the U.S. in 1999, an 11% increase over 1997, according to a survey by
the National Association of Hispanic Publications. When
English-language books sold to Latinos are included in the mix,
Latinos may account for as much as 10% of the market for books. In
addition, the same survey by the NAHP indicated that the average
Latino book-buying household buys 6.4 adult books and 5.6 children's
books each year, far above the national average of one or two books
per household.

http://www.kiserassociates.com/
Kiser & Associates is the leading consulting services firm
specializing in marketing for the Spanish book industry in the United
States.

http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=articleArchive&articleId=CA264703&display=searchResults&stt=001
12/9/02, Spanish-Language Book Distributors
A partial list of U.S. distributors that specialize in sales to
libraries and bookstores
***** About a half dozen contacts with addresses and Web links.

http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=articleArchive&articleId=CA271238&display=searchResults&stt=001
1/20/03, Ingram Inks Pact to Offer More Spanish Titles
In an agreement that reflects the growth in sales of Spanish-language
titles in the U.S., the Ingram Book Group announced a venture with the
Argentine bookselling chain of Grupo ILHSA that will increase the
number of Spanish-language titles available to the U.S. market.

http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=articleArchive&articleId=CA265604&display=searchResults&stt=001
12/16/02, Latin American Book Show Continues Strong Growth
The current international economic gloom did not seem to affect the
sunny skies over the 16th annual Guadalajara Book Fair (Feria
Internacional de Libros, or FIL), held November 30–December 8.
Yolanda Cuesta, a consultant to libraries on Spanish-language
collection development, said that librarians who are serious about
serving Spanish speakers need to come to the fair to purchase books
they cannot find in the U.S.
Diana Martinez Calice, Spanish-language book buyer for Borders/Walden,
a five-year veteran of the show, comes because she finds that getting
what she needs through distributors can be problematic.
***** This article might give you some leads on whom to contact.

http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=criticas
Críticas is the first of its kind--a comprehensive review of the
latest in Spanish-language publishing--written in English. Created by
the editors of Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and School Library
Journal, Críticas has everything you need to serve the Latino market
as effectively as you serve the rest of your patrons.

http://www.spanishnewyork.com/spanish-bookstores-in-new-york.html
Spanish bookstores in New York
Spanish bookstores far away

http://www.honco.net/100day/01/1999-1227-aravena.html
The Battle for the Online Spanish Book Market

------------------------------
HISPANIC POPULATION STATISTICS
------------------------------

HISPANIC POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES IN 2000 (pdf)
Prepared by the Hispanic Literacy Taskforce
In 2000 the Hispanic population in the United States was 32.8 million,
representing 12% of the total population. The Hispanic population in
the United States is expected to grow to 63 million by 2030, and 88
million by 2050. By then one out of every four Americans will be
Hispanic. By 2010 the Hispanic population in the U.S. will be greater
than the entire population of Argentina.

http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hispanic.html
Hispanic Population of the United States

http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/phc-t6.html
Population by Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin for the United
States, Regions, Divisions, States, Puerto Rico, and Places of 100,000
or More Population (PHC-T-6)
This set of six statistical tables shows summary numbers and percent
distributions from Census 2000 on the population by race and Hispanic
origin. Tables 1 to 3 show data for the United States, statistical
regions and divisions of the United States, states, and Puerto Rico.
Tables 4 to 6 show data for places of 100,000 or more population, with
places listed alphabetically by state.

http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t6/tab01.xls
Population by Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin, for the United
States, Regions, Divisions, and States, and for Puerto Rico: 2000
***** Hispanic population totals by State

http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t6/tab02.xls
Percent of Population by Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin, for the
United States, Regions, Divisions, and States, and for Puerto Rico:
2000

http://www.censusscope.org/us/chart_language.html
Ability to speak English among those speaking a language other than
English, 2000

http://www.joblatino.com/populate.html
Hispanic/Latino Population in the USA 
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Washington D.C.

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HISPANIC LITERACY -- CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, FLORIDA NEW YORK, ILLINOIS
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http://literacynet.org/slrc/home.html
California Literacy Resources

http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/mainnewsletterindex.htm
Texas Center for Adult Literacy & Learning

http://floridaliteracy.org/esl.htm
Florida Literacy Coalition, Inc.

http://www.nyadulted.org/
CyberLiteracy New York

http://literacy.kent.edu/~illinois/index.htm
Illinois Literacy

--------------------------------
GENERAL HISPANIC LITERACY ISSUES
--------------------------------

http://www.mexico-info.com/literacy/
HISPANIC LITERACY TASKFORCE

http://www.mexico-info.com/literacy/retention.htm
Real problem for Latinos is retaining Spanish
In a country where the term "Spanish -speaker" passes as a synonym for
"Hispanic," as much as 20 percent of the nation's Latino population
does not speak the language of Cervantes, according to census data.

http://www.nifl.gov/
The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) is a federal organization
that shares information about literacy and supports the development of
high-quality literacy services so all Americans can develop essential
basic skills.

http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/faqs.html#literacy
What is literacy?
The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 defines literacy as "an
individual's ability to read, write, speak in English, compute and
solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the
job, in the family of the individual and in society." This is a
broader view of literacy than just an individual's ability to read,
the more traditional concept of literacy. As information and
technology have increasingly shaped our society, the skills we need to
function successfully have gone beyond reading, and literacy has come
to include the skills listed in the current definition.

http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/facts/facts_overview.html
Current Population Survey (CPS) - English as a Second Language

In 2000, the Current Population Survey compared the education levels
of the foreign-born population and the U.S. native population, aged 25
and over. Lots of statistics, including:
Among the foreign born with at least a high school education in 2000:
·	73.9% of Hispanic children spoke another language at home, and 
·	31.0% of Hispanic children had difficulty speaking English.

http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/facts/esl.html
The NIFL Literacy Fact Sheets include facts and statistics pulled from
more than 50 research studies.

http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/facts/esl.html#literacy
English as a Second Language Literacy
***** Many statistics, including:
Literacy Levels of the Foreign-born Population and Speakers of English
as a Second Language in the U.S.
The Census 2000 Supplementary Survey found the following: 
·	12.5% of the population aged 5-17 spoke Spanish at home, of which: 
·	86.4% reported being able to speak English "very well" or "well,"
and
·	13.6% "not well" or "not at all." 

http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/bld/Literacy/Index/ESL/esl.html
Resources of Interest to Library-based Family Literacy Programs For
Non-English Speakers

------------------------------------------
HISPANIC ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER RESOURCES
------------------------------------------

http://www.joblatino.com/hispanic.html
Hispanic Organizations
***** Listing of about 50 organizations. May be useful for exploring
possible target markets.

http://www.nahponline.org/about.html
The National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP) was founded
in 1982. The mission of NAHP is to promote Hispanic print, the most
effective medium to reach the Hispanic Population.

-----------------
GENERAL RESOURCES
-----------------

http://www.booksellers.org.uk/newlibrary/document_view.cfm?document_id=488
US Book Market 1999-2001
TOTAL BOOK SALES 2001
TOTAL CONSUMER BOOK SALES 2001
BOOKS PURCHASED BY OUTLET
TOP THREE CHAINS 2000

http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=77242
Size of Cookbook market in US
***** This question addressed the size of the US book market. Some of
the statistics might be of interest to you.

http://reports.mintel.com/sinatra/mintel/subscriptions/9&2721&22350/report/repcode=U195&anchor=a2
Book Retailing Market (The) - US Report April 2002
***** This is an expensive market report but the table of contents and
other information might be useful without buying the whole thing.

http://reports.mintel.com/sinatra/mintel/subscriptions/9&2721&21450/report/repcode=U118&anchor=a7
Online Book Market (The) - US Report May 2002
***** This is an expensive market report but the table of contents and
other information might be useful without buying the whole thing.

http://publishing.about.com/cs/booksellersassoc/
Booksellers Associations

http://www.bookmarket.com/top500.html
Top 500 Independent Booksellers

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SEARCH STRATEGY
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Hispanic population reading
Hispanic population literacy
us book market
top us "spanish language" booksellers

Some both, others one or the other.
Better make your question more
answerable, at least the first part.
Examples:
What percentage of books sold in
the U.S. are in Spanish?
What percentages of Hispanics (they
don't like that by the way, prefer
Latinos sometimes) can only read
Spanish?  What is their book buying habits?
For those that can read both, what percent
of their book purchases are for Spanish written?
Good luck.

Thanks for your clarifications martinjay.

Your questions are perfect.  So here are my clarified questions:

What percentage of books sold in 
the U.S. are in Spanish? 

What percentages of Hispanics can only read 
Spanish?  

What are their book buying habits?  Do they shop online, at american
bookstores, or in spanish bookstores?

Thanks!

Does anybody have any ideas about this? 

I would accept and leads or ideas of where I can find this type of
information.

I'm not looking for a very precise answer, but for something that'll
give me some indication of how to target the hispanic market when
selling books in Spanish.

I am working with a publishing company and they've translated some
books and are trying to determine how to address the hispanic market,
first in California, New York, Illinois and Florida.

I don't want to  post this as an answer since the information is
rather old and still does not answer a great deal about your question.

Some info on Hispanic reading statistics:

11% of romance readers are Hispanic
In 1998 12% of romance readers were African American, and 9% of
romance readers
were Hispanic.

http://www.rwanational.org/stats2002.pdf

Here is a book you could also read.
http://www.allbookstores.com/book/1888520078

Thanks.

Hello marsdevivo-ga,

I'm glad you liked the answer and thanks for the tip!!!

czh