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The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) is announced updates on its collaboration with Nielsen BookData, a leader in bibliographic data and retail sales monitoring for print books. This partnership aims to digitize title listings and boost the growth of the UAE’s publishing industry, providing opportunities for business expansion, strategic partnerships, and copyright translation. So far, 134 Emirati publishers have been contacted, 56 have submitted data, 65 key publisher meetings held, and the number of THEMA classified titles has grown to 9,277.

 

Rashid Alkous, the executive director of the EPA, expressed excitement about the partnership, praising Bodour Al Qasimi’s leadership in nurturing Emirati publishing’s growth. This collaboration enhances their database with normalized bibliographic data, strengthening their global presence.

 

This initiative, initiated in November 2022, prioritizes EPA members, aiming to improve bibliographic data accuracy and adherence to international standards, boosting global discoverability and sales opportunities. Access to normalized bibliographic data supports promoting local publishers at international book fairs.

 

Developing UAE-specific metadata offers significant advantages, enhancing book discoverability, reach, and sales. It provides valuable insights for publishers to optimize content and marketing strategies, benefiting both local and international markets. Additionally, metadata aids in selling movie rights for book adaptations, benefiting authors and the film industry.

 

Accurate metadata is crucial for the book industry, benefiting authors, publishers, booksellers, libraries, and readers. UAE-tailored metadata can enhance Emirati books’ success, opening doors for potential movie adaptations.

 

The EPA and Nielsen BookData will also organize workshops to introduce Emirati publishers to international best practices in the publishing sector. This initiative aims to enrich Arab culture and support Emirati writers and publishers while preserving copyrights.