Untapped Potential: Results from the Australian Literary Heritage Project

Most Australian books ever written are now out-of-print and inaccessible to readers. That includes local histories and memoirs, beloved children’s titles – and even winners of our most glittering literary prizes, such as the Miles Franklin Literary Award.

Untapped: The Australian Literary Heritage Project was a collaboration between IPRIA, researchers, authors, agents, key library organisations from all around Australia, the Australian Society of Authors and Ligature, led by Melbourne Law School’s Professor Rebecca Giblin.

The project sought to investigate some of the key challenges facing Australia’s book and library industries by setting up an independent publishing imprint, Untapped, to re-publish out of print but culturally important titles. As well as rescuing 161 lost books, the research team used the data generated throughout the process to help answer important research questions that couldn’t be answered otherwise. More information about the project can be found here .

This report presents novel findings from Untapped: The Australian Literary Heritage Project. It reports on the relationship between library e-lending and ebook sales, and the impact of promotional activities undertaken by libraries on the circulation of ebooks. It also reports on the economic value of culturally important but previously out of print books, and the personal and economic value to authors of the ongoing dissemination of these works.