Jane Streeter was delivering the introduction at the BA Conference at Kings Place in London this morning (16th May).

She said it was "crucial" publishers and booksellers work together as they sell more books when they cooperate. She said: "We have to decide what we want our trade to look like in the future. We have to sit down together and take a long hard look at where we are and then we have to identify the ways in which we can make things better. All this is only relevant, of course, if we all have the same goal."

As well as cost and margin challenges, Streeter said the supply chain needs to adapt as the digital market evolves and added: "Booksellers need to be seen as real partners in the selling of digital product." She said: "Of course individual booksellers and publishers have differing views when discussing commercial relationships. But from the conversations I have been having with many of you in the past year, it is clear that we all agree that new thinking is needed, as the current commercial model simply isn't giving the high street bookshop the support it needs."

The Bookseller