Analysis
The International Alliance of Independent Publishers, backed by its international network, ponders the major issues of the ever-changing world of publishing. This analysis sometimes results in the publishing of books, aiming to leverage knowledge, encourage the sharing of experience, ensure better circulation of information and anticipate change.
The collection “État des lieux de l’édition” (“Reports on the publishing world”) will be of special interest to students and teachers of publishing courses and people working in publishing in general.
Proteggere il libro (Protect the Book, Italian version)
"Protect the Book" by Markus GERLACH, a dossier from the collection “Reports on the Publishing World”, is now available in Italian from the Italian Federation of Independent Publishers (FIDARE), which translated and published this new edition. This reference book has been translated into several languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian).
Year of publication: 2010, 68 pages, 15 X 21 cm, 8 euros.
Éditeurs indépendants : de l’âge de raison vers l’offensive ? (Independent Publishers: moving from the age of reason on to the attack?)
On publisher independence and what we need to think about it
Far from being a caricature, developing a reasoning based on his personal conception of publishing, Gilles Colleu explores some of the characteristics of a typical independent publisher.
What do we mean by independent publisher? Are they necessarily small concerns? Can a major group be independent? In a context of concentration and increasing dominance of financial considerations, how can publishers remain independent while playing their crucial role of putting fresh ideas forward?
Gilles Colleu is a former student of Jean-Marie Bouvaist and has taught alongside him on the Master course at Villetaneuse University. He is now an associate professor in the publishing professions department of the IUT in Aix-en-Provence. He founded the Vents d’ailleurs publishing house and manages it with Jutta Hepke, and for the past 20 years has acted as a consultant to publishers.
In this work, he stresses his conviction that publishing needs to be rooted in a long operating cycle, to build up a catalogue that makes sense and business that is long-lasting.
NB: pages 94 to 97 of this work feature a full, fresh definition of independent publishing, suggested by the International Alliance of Independent Publishers.
Year of publication: 2006, 160 pages, 15 x 21 cm, ISBN 10: 2-9519747-2-8; ISBN 13: 978-2-9519747-2-2
La edición independiente_in Spanish
Des paroles et des actes pour la bibliodiversité
Collective work
Year of publication: 2006, 288 pages, 15 x 21 cm, ISBN 978-2-9519747-3-9
Protecting the book
The cultural, economic and political stakes of price-fixing
Why did the large majority of European countries choose to protect the book, setting its price through trade agreements or legal measures? How were these protection mechanisms, which make the book into a cultural exception tolerated by the European Commission, gradually implemented? Markus Gerlach offers a broad analysis of price-fixing for books in Europe: he begins by relating the background of this measure and then analyzes the economic effects. In the end he shows the extent to which price-fixing for books, apart from its cultural and economic importance, also assumes an eminently political dimension.
"Protéger le livre" by Markus Gerlach (in French) - available in Spanish ("Cómo proteger el libro"), in Portuguese ("Proteger o livro") and in Italian ("Proteggere il libro").
Year of publication: 2006, 160 pages, 15 x 21 cm, ISBN 10: 2-9519747-2-8; ISBN 13: 978-2-9519747-2-2
Proteger o livro_in Portuguese
Cómo proteger el libro_in Spanish
Proteggere il libro_in Italian
Éditer dans l’espace francophone (Publishing in the French-speaking world)
Book legislation, diffusion, distribution and marketing
A through report by Luc Pinhas, in French
Why do books have such restricted circulation in the French-speaking world? Which way does the flow go and which are one-way streets? What current legislation encourages publishing and the marketing of works? Are public policies sufficient? What setbacks are encountered in the marketing of works? Luc Pinhas draws a comprehensive portrait of the state of publishing, including legislation, circulation, distribution and marketing of books in the French-speaking world. This dossier, featuring entries on many themes and geographic locations, provides a complete overview of local realities, illustrated with telling examples. After analysing measures that states, associations and syndicates of publishing and book-store professionals have implemented, the author puts forward some proposals to fuel a much-needed debate. To achieve this and to hear what the main players had to say, especially with regard to the South, a fruitful survey was conducted at the Ouagadougou book fair in November 2004, in partnership with the international Association of French-speaking bookstore managers (AILF) - www.librairesfrancophones.org
Year of publication: 2005, 288 pages, 15 X 21 cm, ISBN: 978-2-9519747-1-X
Digital publishing in developing countries
In partnership with the Prince Claus Foundation, the Alliance commissioned Octavio Kulesz, a digital publisher in Argentina, to carry out a study on digital publishing in developing countries. This first-ever study, the result of 8 months’ research, is now available in French, English and Spanish on the website: http://alliance-lab.org/etude/?lang=en
Who are the new digital players in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Arab world and in Russia, China and India? Can digital publishing develop autonomously in the emerging economies, independently from the rich countries? What support policies are required to stimulate the growth of this new industry and help the traditional publishing sector adapt to the changes? Based on interviews, questionnaires and meetings, Octavio Kulesz provides an overview of digital publishing in these 6 regions and puts forward concrete proposals aimed at independent publishers. Digital publishing experience in the South offers an insight into the major opportunity the new technologies represent for developing countries — especially when it comes to distribution — as long as local entrepreneurs seek innovative models suited to the concrete needs of their communities.
This online study is ongoing and interactive. We invite your contributions and feedback.
The study is also available in PDF, EPUB and MOBI.
Year of publication: 2011; ISBN French version: 978-2-9519747-5-3; ISBN Spanish version: 978-2-9519747-4-6; ISBN English version: 978-2-9519747-6-0
