Círculo de Lectores

Círculo de Lectores was a Spanish book club and publishing brand created in 1962. It operated as a members' club: subscribers received a regular catalogue of new titles and bought books through a network of agents spread across Spain. At its peak in the late 1990s the company had more than one and a half million members, and as late as 2010 it still worked with a network of more than 5,000 agents throughout the country. Its catalogue covered literature and general-interest reading, and its Obras Completas de Círculo de Lectores collection became a reference point in Spanish-language publishing, often compared in Spanish to the French La Pléiade collection. The brand belonged for years to the German media group Bertelsmann, which owned Círculo de Lectores. In 2010 Grupo Planeta acquired 50% of the company from Bertelsmann, and in 2014 Planeta took full control. Under Planeta the club continued to operate, but the direct-sales book-club model became increasingly difficult. On 7 November 2019 Planeta announced the closure of the commercial network, the website and all sales channels. Copies not held by the Biblioteca Nacional were donated. Beyond the main club, the brand spawned several subdivisions: Cercle de Lectors was created in 1990 for the Catalan market, and Círculo del Arte in 1994 for the dissemination of contemporary graphic work. In the same year the publishing house Galaxia Gutenberg was founded to bring Círculo's exclusive editions to the general market. The official website now presents itself as a space for recommendations on reading, leisure, culture, home, wellbeing and exclusive benefits, reflecting the brand's later, more lifestyle-oriented positioning.

Círculo de Lectores was created in 1962 as a reading club in Spain. It grew into one of the country's best-known book-club operations, built on a direct relationship with members: subscribers received a regular catalogue of new titles and could buy books through a network of agents. By the late 1990s the company had more than one and a half million members, and in 2010 it still counted on a network of more than 5,000 agents spread across Spain. The club's publishing programme included the Obras Completas de Círculo de Lectores, a collected-editions series that became a reference in Spanish literature, comparable in Spanish to the French La Pléiade collection. The brand expanded into related ventures: in 1990 Cercle de Lectors was created for the Catalan market, and in 1994 Círculo del Arte was set up to disseminate contemporary graphic work. Also in 1994, the publishing house Galaxia Gutenberg was founded to bring Círculo's exclusive editions to the general market. Ownership changed over time. The German media group Bertelsmann owned Círculo de Lectores for years. In 2010 Grupo Planeta acquired 50% of the company from Bertelsmann, and in 2014 Planeta took full control. The direct-sales book-club model, however, became increasingly unsustainable. On 7 November 2019, Planeta announced the closure of the commercial network, the website and all sales channels. Copies not held by the Biblioteca Nacional were donated. The official website now presents a recommendations-oriented space covering reading, leisure, culture, home, wellbeing and exclusive benefits.

• 2014

  Grupo Planeta takes full control of Círculo de Lectores.

• 2010

  Grupo Planeta acquires 50% of Círculo de Lectores from Bertelsmann.

• 1994

  Círculo del Arte is created for contemporary graphic work; Galaxia Gutenberg is founded to bring Círculo's exclusive editions to the general market.

• 1990

  Cercle de Lectors is created for the Catalan market.

• 1962

  Círculo de Lectores is created as a reading club in Spain.

• Planeta announces the closure of the commercial network, website and all sales channels.

Members' book club and curated publishing brand offering collected editions and exclusive titles to Spanish readers.

• Obras Completas de Círculo de Lectores

  Collected-editions series regarded as a reference in Spanish literature, comparable to the French La Pléiade.

• Cercle de Lectors

  Subdivision created in 1990 for the Catalan market.

• Círculo del Arte

  Subdivision created in 1994 for the dissemination of contemporary graphic work.

• Galaxia Gutenberg

  Publishing house founded in 1994 to bring Círculo's exclusive editions to the general market.

1. 1Home | Círculo te recomiendacirculo.es
2. 2Círculo de Lectores, S.A. – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Círculo de Lectores – Wikipedia (Spanish)es.wikipedia.org