"The Book Chamber indicates that not less than 87,000 names of books and booklets, which exceeds the highest level ever registered in the history of Russian book-printing, are likely to be issued by the end of the year," says a press-release received by RIA Novosti.
The previous record was set under the Soviet government in 1974 when the total edition reached 87,800 book titles.
This year's expected circulation of all editions is to top 700 million copies, with half of novel titles accounting for educational and scientific literature.
Over 90% of this year's printed matter are the responsibility of the commercial sector. "This means that a transition of the Russian publishing system from fully state-owned to prevailingly commercial is being gradually accomplished," says the press-release.
