About Deseret Book Company

Since 1866, Deseret Book Company has been the market leader in the providing content and lifestyle products to support members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through its retail and publishing imprints. Deseret Book is committed to creating and offering resources to build faith, strengthen families, and promote personal virtues.

Deseret Book’s purpose is to provide quality products that build faith, strengthen homes and families, ennoble personal virtues, and offer practical advice to religious and non-religious alike.

Our History

The company had its beginnings in 1866 when Elder George Q. Cannon, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, founded George Q. Cannon and Sons Company, which engaged in publishing and retail book sales. The business was located at No. 6 South Main Street in Salt Lake City. It remained at this location until 1901, when, on the death of Elder Cannon, it was purchased by the Deseret News and became the Deseret News Bookstore.

On October 1, 1919, the Deseret News Bookstore merged with the Deseret Sunday School Union bookstore and become Deseret Book Company, the name by which the organization is known today. In April of 1999, Deseret Management Corporation acquired Bookcraft, Inc., an independently owned publisher of LDS books and materials, and the publishing divisions of the two companies were combined. In late 2004, Excel Entertainment Group also joined the Deseret Book family, vastly expanding our ability to produce quality LDS music and media choices.

Deseret Book Company also is working to expanded our list of books that appeal to a values-based, general market through our Shadow Mountain imprint.

Deseret Book also has a full-service music and entertainment division and publishes some software, electronic products, and foreign translations of key titles. Deseret Book is both a publisher and retailer, and as such maintains a book club, retail stores, an online retail and informational Web site, and the Mormon Handicraft gift shops.


Our Mission


Deseret Book is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation, the holding company for business firms owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Deseret Book is a profit-making Utah corporation.

Deseret Book is committed to support the mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by providing scriptures, books, music, and other quality products that strengthen individuals, families, and our society.