The industry magazine’s Digital Book Census survey, which had more than 2,200 responses, found that just over half of publishers now have a dedicated digital department or unit.

However, many of the survey’s respondents felt that publishers were not equipped to handle the opportunities and challenges presented by new and emerging digital platforms. Only 13.4% of respondents said that the industry is reskilling fast enough to cope with digital challenges.

One respondent said: "Many traditional publishers are behind the times, both in their concept of their role in the new marketplace, and their unwillingness to upskill their staff quickly enough."

The research also found fears that the salaries on offer in publishing were not enough to attract "digitally talented" people. More than two in five (43.2%) of publishers responding to the survey felt their salaries were not high enough to attract the right talent.

The full findings of The Bookseller’s survey will be available in the Digital Book Census 2011, published in December.