Home 5 News 5 ‘Our industry is struggling for oxygen’ – book business organisations call for government help

‘Our industry is struggling for oxygen’ – book business organisations call for government help

by | Apr 23, 2020 | News

Organisations representing authors, publishers and booksellers have issued a joint letter today, 23 April, World Book Day, calling for governments all over the world ‘to recognize, support and celebrate the importance of books, learning solutions, and professional and scholarly content by adopting economic stimulus packages to sustain their respective publishing sectors and the value chains that surround them’.

The letter has been distributed by the International Publishers Association in Geneva, Switzerland, whose president Hugo Setzer is one of five signatories.  The other bodies that have signed the letter are the European and International Booksellers Federation in Brussels, the International Authors Forum in London, the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisation in Brussels, and STM [Scientific, Technical and Medical] the Global Voice of Scholarly Publishing which is based in the Hague, Netherlands and Oxford UK

It is the first time that these bodies have come together to issue such a call and it underlines the gravity of the threat posed by the coronavirus to the global book business.  The letter acknowledges ‘the vital role that books play in society’, their importance in understanding other cultures and teaching empathy and how they are necessary ‘for scientific research, to educate our children and in lifelong learning.  Books help us become better human beings’.

The letter notes how, with the closure of schools, many parents have had to become educators, while teachers themselves are having to find new ways of bringing their lessons to pupils.  ‘Authors and publishers around the world have responded by licensing their content and digital services’, the letter observes.  ‘Online book readings like ‘Read The World’ have exploded online, with publishers and authors quick to give parents support. The world is relying on research published in specialist journals to guide its health policies and develop a vaccine. Journal publishers’ investments in the verification of research and its wide communication are crucial here. And they have stepped up, voluntarily making research related to COVID-19 freely available and amenable to reuse.’

The letter also notes how authors and publishers need the work of collective management organizations to protect their copyright. ‘This chain, so vital to society, is under imminent threat’, it asserts

The letter warns that the COVID-19 virus is having ‘a disastrous effect on people everywhere. Economies are shutting down and nobody knows for sure when we’ll return to normal, or even if that’s possible. The impact on the world’s creative industries, including the book sector, has been devastating’

The signatories warn that in many countries the book industry is ‘struggling for oxygen’ and it concludes:  ‘We must find ways to ensure the future for authors, publishers, editors, designers, distributors, booksellers and those who work in collective management, so that the book industry can bounce back once this pandemic is conquered. A world without new books would be a sad and impoverished place. We are working hard to come through this crisis, but we need help to survive. We need governments to help us get through it together.’

 

 

Recent News

10Jul
Winnie-the-Pooh Turns 100

Winnie-the-Pooh Turns 100

New 100th Anniversary editions of the original Winnie-the-Pooh stories and poetry by A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard are in the works, along with an authorised prequel and sequels, to be published by Farshore from October 2025. The Glasgow-based children’s publisher, an imprint of HarperCollins, the exclusive publisher for the classic Winnie-the-Pooh titles in the UK […]

10Jul
UK Launches National Year of Reading

UK Launches National Year of Reading

The UK Government has announced a National Year of Reading in 2026 to counter the decline in reading among children and young people.  The initiative has already received the support of all the major publishers.  The hope is to “kick start a reading revolution” as just one in three aged eight to 18 said they […]

09Jul
Is The Salt Path Story as True as It Claims

Is The Salt Path Story as True as It Claims

The author of the best-selling memoir The Salt Path has been accused of stealing £64,000 before losing her home after she failed to pay off her debts, as well as fabricating or giving misleading information about some elements of her book. The 2018 book, and recent film adaptation, told the story of a couple who […]

Related Posts

UK Launches National Year of Reading

UK Launches National Year of Reading

The UK Government has announced a National Year of Reading in 2026 to counter the decline in reading among children and young people.  The initiative has already received the support of all the major publishers.  The hope is to “kick start a reading revolution” as...

Is The Salt Path Story as True as It Claims

Is The Salt Path Story as True as It Claims

The author of the best-selling memoir The Salt Path has been accused of stealing £64,000 before losing her home after she failed to pay off her debts, as well as fabricating or giving misleading information about some elements of her book. The 2018 book, and recent...

Bibliotheca Alexandrina Celebrates Knowledge

Bibliotheca Alexandrina Celebrates Knowledge

Amid a vibrant cultural atmosphere, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina inaugurated the 20th edition of its International Book Fair, which will run until 21 July 2025. This milestone edition sees broad participation from Egyptian and Arab publishing houses, organized in...

Previous Next
Close
Test Caption
Test Description goes like this