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The paper is based on a survey that was conducted among publishers in Slovakia, Iceland, Lithuania and Slovenia in May and August 2020. The paper looks at how publishers reacted to the COVID-19 crisis in their respective countries, what was its impact on book sales and how did the publishers adapt the production of new books to changed circumstances. In addition, the paper analyses changed attitudes of publishers towards e-books and other digital book formats that become more popular in lockdown times. The research revealed that COVID-19 lockdowns resulted in decreased sales of printed books in all four small book markets. However, sales of e-books and audiobooks slightly increased during that period. This increase in digital sales did not contribute significantly to overall results of book industries due to its small market share in all four countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The aim of the research was to increase understanding of the state of e-book production in Lithuania and collect the data about the opinions of publishers regarding the future of e-books in the country. Method. A review of similar surveys in other countries was carried out and the research method was based on Winston's model of innovation diffusion. The questionnaire to publishers was prepared using the models of book publishing and distribution or book circuit developed by Murray and Squires. Data were collected by surveying respondents using paper and online questionnaires. Analysis. A quantitative descriptive statistical analysis was carried out, while open questions were analysed qualitatively looking for emerging topics. Results. More than half of active Lithuanian publishers completed the survey. Thirty per cent of those who answered the questionnaire publish e-books, but only six publishers had published a significant number of titles. The overall perception of other actors of the book market, such as libraries, book-sellers and self-publishing authors and others is positive. They are not regarded as a threat. The publishers do not expect rapid and significant growth of e-book market in Lithuania in the near future. Conclusions. The biggest hindrance to growth is a small size of the market and the lack of an export market for Lithuanian e-books. The demand of users for portable and convenient format and the use of new technologies in the educational system are the two biggest drivers in the development of ebook production. The user preference for traditional printed book is seen as one of the barriers for further development. Lithuanian publishers regard the market of e-books as rather uncertain and do not risk high investments in it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with publishing the Lithuanian digital serials in the terms of book science. A comparative analysis of publishing digital serials in a ten-year period in Lithuania has been made, and publishing tendencies of these publications are presented. The research data have been obtained by a longitudinal analysis of the Lithuanian digital serials since 1996 by the methods of information search, document analysis and publishers' survey. Electronic serials have been analyzed according to the dynamics of publishing, type of publications, publisher, periodicity, purpose, topic, economic models, formal perfection and design. The research data of 2012 are compared with the data of analogous research performed in 2001. In the economic, content and form dimensions, the development of publishing the Lithuanian digital serials, started ten years ago, at present is a successfully developing field of professional activity comprising publications of various types, periodicity, and topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]