Principles and best practices in public book purchases, a document produced by LIBRE (Brazilian League of Independent Publishers) in 2025.
Principles and best practices in public book purchases, a document produced by LIBRE (Brazilian League of Independent Publishers) in 2025.
Following on from those carried out for Latin America and French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa, the Alliance’s Arabic-language network finalised the mapping of public policies in the Arab world, which was launched in Tunis in June 2025.
Speakers :
* Hani Altelfah (author of the study on public book policies in the Arab world and publisher, Al Marfaa, Turkey)
* Samar Haddad (Atlas Publishing, Syria)
Moderated by Dina Kabil (El Maraya, Egypt)
In 2019, the Alliance drew up a map of public policies for books in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the mechanisms and policies for supporting books in 12 countries, as well as pointing out the absence or shortcomings of certain government initiatives to promote publishing and bibliodiversity. With a view to extending this mapping to English-speaking African countries, and to encourage dialogue and the exchange of experience and practices between players in the ’African’ book industry, this round table will give the floor to publishers from 3 English-speaking African countries (Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria) and publishers from 2 French-speaking African countries (Cameroon and Togo). Book professionals from other countries who will be attending these discussions will be invited to share their points of view, so we look forward to seeing many of you there !
Speakers :
* Ama Dadson (Akoo Books, Ghana)
* Serge D. Kouam (Presses Universitaires d’Afrique, Cameroon)
* Muthoni Garland (Storymoja Publishers, Kenya)
* Ibiso Graham-Douglas (Paperworth Books, Nigeria)
Moderated by Yasmîn Issaka-Coubageat (Graines de Pensées, Togo)
There are hundreds if not thousands of independent publishing houses in the German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). While operating in such a strong book market can certainly have benefits, a lot of those publishers are struggeling – not only with the competition in the market and the omnipresent difficulties in the world, but also with the changing role of books in our society and the change in the behavior of readers. How do these publishing houses survive, what are their challenges and strategies and what role do publishing collectives like SWIPS (Switzerland) and KURT WOLFF STIFUNG (Germany) play in helping these publishers ?
Speakers :
* Annette Beger (SWIPS - Swiss Independent Publishers / Kommode verlag, Switzerland)
* Daniel Beskos (Kurt Wolff Stiftung / mairisch Verlag, Germany)
* Tanja Raich (Leykam Verlag, Austria)
“It is important to understand the key role that the public procurement of books plays–similar to that of roads in a country’s development–and the related impacts of these actions on the ecosystem of books, culture, and education.
In purchasing books and socializing the processes of reading, the state’s actions may have numerous impacts. The selection of books is not only a question of quality and price, nor is it a simple technical process or an isolated action.”
This document is based on the Brevísimo manual de buenas prácticas para las compras públicas de libros (print and digital) that was included in the work of the Comisión de Compras Públicas de la Política Nacional de la Lectura y el Libro 2015-2020 (Chile), prepared by Paulo Slachevsky, coordinator of the commission. We are grateful to Germán Gacio Baquiola for his critical feedback and contributions.
Read the Manual
The question of translation is a real issue in the publishing ecosystem of the Arab world : indeed, the absence of translators of some languages obliges translators to translate into an intermediary language ; given the high costs this represents, it is sometimes difficult to be sure a translation conforms to the original text. Sometimes the publishing projects of an author or series of books do not correspond with the visions and interests of translators, which leads to lack of understanding, or even obstacles for the translation of some texts. There are numerous challenges, but possible actions will also be put forward at this round table discussion, in particular the creation of training institutions.
Babelica is the International online Book Fair of Independent Publishing, conceived and organised by the network of publishers of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers. All the information about the 2023 edition can be found at babelica.alliance-publishers.org
Piracy, neoliberal pressure and the absence of public reading policies are among the factors that have a negative impact on books and intellectual work. This workshop aims not only to set out the issues leading to the « casualisation » of intellectual work, but also to present possible solutions.
Babelica is the International online Book Fair of Independent Publishing, conceived and organised by the network of publishers of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers. All the information about the 2023 edition can be found at babelica.alliance-publishers.org.
Read here the IPA (International Publishers Association) support, and here the manifesto published by the Brazilian actors, to defend the book in Brazil.
Analysis of data collected in 10 countries from independent publishers and public actors, by Andrés E. Fernández Vergara (University of Chile)
This article, written in Spanish, offers a regional analysis of public policies for the development of books and reading in Spanish-speaking Latin America, from the point of view of 53 actors in the book world from 10 different countries. It takes into account the similarities and differences that exist from one country to another in the region : on the one hand, there are complex networks of institutions and book promotion mechanisms ; on the other hand, there is no national policy or strategic objective. The actors interviewed highlight the difficulties they encounter in their sector today : market concentration, piracy, lack of support for indigenous languages, etc. These are all dangers that threaten bibliodiversity in the region.
Contents :
This analysis is to be found in a special issue of the Bibliodiversity Journal on “Public book policies” available in paper and digital versions (in French).
See also the analysis on “Public book policies in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar” by Luc Pinhas, published in September 2019.
To complement these analyses, see the mapping of public policies and in-country support mechanisms here : publicbookpolicies.alliance-editeurs.org
Data collection in the 11 countries of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar as well as in Latin America, cross-sectional data analyses and online mapping were supported by the Fondation de France and the SDC Switzerland.
Cross-sectional analysis of data collected in 12 countries, by Luc Pinhas, University of Paris 13 Villetaneuse (France)
In a comprehensive cross-sectional study that enriches our knowledge of public book policies in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa, Luc Pinhas discusses the similarities and differences that exist between 12 countries in the region. While some very interesting developments for local book production and the local book chain should be acknowledged – cf. the preference given to local actors by the Ivorian law of 2015 – the legislative and regulatory frameworks would certainly benefit from being strengthened to support and strengthen the local book economy.
Contents :
This analysis is to be found in a special issue of the Bibliodiversity Journal on “Public book policies” available in paper and digital versions (in French).
See also the analysis on “Public book policies in Latin America”, published in September 2019.
To complement these analyses, see the mapping of public policies and in-country support mechanisms here : publicbookpolicies.alliance-editeurs.org
Data collection in the 11 countries of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar as well as in Latin America, cross-sectional data analyses and online mapping were supported by the Fondation de France and the SDC Switzerland.
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