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The Alliance

Declaration of Santiago de Chile on independent publishing serving communities and diversity, 3 October 2019

  • Driven by the growth of independent publishing in Latin American countries.
  • Revived by the increase in the number of fairs and meetings where creative and local editorial production are showcased.
  • Encouraged by the ways in which some public reading and book policies are supporting local intellectual production and bibliodiversity.

Convened in Santiago de Chile on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of October 2019, during the Spring of the Book (Primavera del Libro) and the International Conference of Independent Publishers (2019-2021), the Spanish-language network of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers (IAIP) declares:

  • Its privileged link with reading, a liberating practice that raises consciousness, stimulates critical thinking, nourishes the mind; and with the book, a fundamental support of creation, knowledge and thought, pillar of culture and cultural diversity.
  • Its concern about the increasing merger of the book chain, which translates into the marginalisation of local production in bookstores, particularly that of independent publishers; dominates the media, obscuring blocking creation and critical editorial production; and excludes small and medium-sized publishers from public procurements of books.
  • Its willingness to promote practices, in the world of publishing, that enable a rich and diverse book ecosystem, that stimulates local intellectual production, translation, and balanced exchanges of books amongst Spanish-speaking countries; strengthens independent bookstores and their presence in cities and communities; grows public, academic and school libraries with diverse and inclusive book collections; reflects bibliodiversity, the cultural diversity in the world of books.
  • Its support for public reading and book policies as key drivers of the democratisation of the book in our societies; as systemic strategies strengthening the potential impact of any decision or action; and as mechanisms preventing market concentration, for the benefit of national book industries and local production.

And commits towards:

  • Strengthening the collective action of independent publishers in favour of bibliodiversity and the participatory development of sound public reading and book policies.
  • Amplifying the voice of independent publishing and increasing exchanges with readers, actors of the world of books and culture and public institutions, through studies, manifestos, documents, regional, national, and international meetings, and through a clear commitment towards the communities concerned.
  • Promoting the sharing and diversity of reading, education and training in our communities, from a critical perspective, mindful of being part of a world rich in bibliodiversity, which we must protect today more than ever.
  • Constantly interrogating our own production processes and dynamics inherent in the publishing world, in order to improve its impacts on our social and natural environment.
  • Identifying and analysing the strategies and good practices in our respective countries, to better implement them where they are lacking.

The aim is to strengthen book ecosystems locally by involving all relevant actors, and to promote a book culture in our societies, a necessary condition to escape manipulation and to build democratic societies for critical and committed citizens.

We call on all independent publishers who share these statements to sign this declaration:

  • Silvia Aguilera, Lom ediciones, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • German Baquiola, Editorial La Caída and collective of independent publishers of Equator, Equator.
  • Nicolas Biebel, Econautas Editorial, Argentina.
  • Constanza Brunet, Marea editorial, Argentina.
  • Mikel Buldain, Txalaparta, Basque Country.
  • Mariela Calcagno, Hacerse de Palabras, Mexico.
  • Fabiola Calvo Ocampo, Acracia Proyecto de Investigación Editorial, Colombia.
  • Patricia Cocq Muñoz, Cocorocoq Editoras, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Daniela Cortés del Castillo, Loba Ediciones, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Mónica Cumar, Ediciones Columba, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Héctor Dinsmann, Libros de la Araucaria, Argentina.
  • Rodrigo Fuentes-Díaz, Edición Digital s.a., Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • José Gabriel Feres, Virtual Ediciones, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Gustavo Mauricio García, Ícono editorial and president of the Colombian Network of Independent Publishers.
  • Catalina González, Luna libros and the collective La Diligencia, Colombia.
  • Teresa Gottlieb, Editorial Maitri, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Victor Hugo de la Fuente, Editorial Aún Creemos en los Sueños, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Guido Indij, la marca editora, Argentina.
  • Eduardo Lira, Escrito con Tiza, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • María Eugenia Lorenzini, Editorial Forja, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Marcelo Mendoza, Mandrágora, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Lucía Moscoso Rivera, Mecánica Giratoria, Ecuador.
  • Pablo Moya, Ediciones el Milagro and Mexican Alliance of Independent Publishers Alliance, Mexico.
  • Francisca Muñoz, general manager at Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Daniela Navarro, Ediciones Ekaré Sur, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Mabel Andrea Rivera Pavez, Ediciones Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Eduardo Ruiz-Tagle Eyzaguirre, Editorial Rapanui Press, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Luis Daniel Rocca, Taller de edición Rocca and Colombian Network of Independent Publishers.
  • Juan Carlos Sáez, JC Sáez editor, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Leonel Sagahón and Jerónimo Repoll, Editorial Tintable, Mexico.
  • Alfonso Serrano, La Oveja Roja, Spain.
  • Javier Sepúlveda, e-books Patagonia and president of Association Editores de Chile.
  • Paulo Slachevsky, Lom ediciones, Editores de Chile, Coordinator RedH AIEI, Chile.
  • Mónica Tejos, Simplemente editores, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • María José Thomas, Ocho Libros editores, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Max Valdés Avilés, Vicio Impune Editorial, Editores de Chile, Chile.
  • Carlos Vela, Editorial Pesopluma and collective of independent publishers of Peru, Peru.
  • Marisol Vera, Editorial Cuarto Proprio, Editores de Chile, Chile.

To sign the “Declaration of Santiago de Chile on independent publishing serving communities and diversity”, please contact the Alliance’ team.

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Meeting of the Spanish-language network of the Alliance, Santiago de Chile (Chile), 1-3 October 2019/ Primavera del libro, 3-6 October 2019

Through a partnership with the Editores de Chile collective and publishers member of the Alliance in Latin America and Spain, more than 15 publishers from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Equator, Spain, Mexico and Peru met in Chile, for a 2-day meeting, in the margins of the 8th Primavera del Libro.

These workshops and meetings are part of the activities of the International Conference of Independent Publishers 2019-2021: “Rethinking independent publishing, celebrating bibliodiversity!”

On this occasion, the Alliance launched, in Chile, the results of the previously unpublished analysis carried out on public book policies in Latin America.

The cross-cutting analysis of public book policies in Latin America is available in Spanish on the Alliance website, and in French in the special issue of Bibliodiversity Journal focusing on public book policies.

Read the Declaration of publishers from the Alliance’s Spanish-language network, an outcome from their meeting in Santiago, on October 3, 2019.

The activities carried out in Santiago de Chile were supported by the collective Editores de Chili, the 8th Primavera del Libro, the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage of Chile, the Providencia municipality and the Providencia Cultural Funds.

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Meeting of the International Committee of Independent Publishers (ICIP), 12-14 October 2019, Paris (France)

The ICIP will meet to discuss a major event in the life of the Alliance: the International Conference of Independent Publishers 2019-2021!

This meeting will focus on developing the content, subjects and objectives of the Conference: several actors, structures and partners are therefore invited to the ICIP meeting, to listen to a diversity of voices, to share concerns, learn from what is done elsewhere, be challenged, discover… to broaden our horizons and build this Conference together, pushing us to rethink!

Topics under discussion include: ecology and publishing, agriculture and publishing, (ongoing) unbalanced relationships between the South and the North…

Read the programme and the list of participants here!

The Alliance thanks the Centre national du livre, la Maison des Métallos and the Fondation Charles Léopold Mayer for providing venues for our meetings.

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HotList 2019 (Frankfurt Book Fair, 16-20 October, 2019)!

Discover here the HotList 2019!

Thanks to a partnership with Kurt Wolff Stiftung (the German collective of independent publishers, member of the Alliance) and the Frankfurt Book Fair, independent Latin American publishers in Frankfurt will be exhibiting at the “Reading Island for Independent Publishers” stand (Hall 4.1), twenty books of various genres: novels, short stories, art books, essays, children’s literature... from Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Mexico!

Context:
- 2009: The members of EDINAR (a group of Argentinian independent publishers) present a selection of the best books from their list at the Buenos Aires Book Fair. This selection is then promoted in independent bookstores across Buenos Aires.
- 2010: Argentina is the guest of honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair. To make sure Argentinian independent publishing is well represented, the Argentinian independent publishers, in partnership with the Frankfurt Book Fair, present a HotList at the stand of independent German publishers, showcasing the diversity and quality of their books.
- 2017: The HotList 2017 opens to independent publishers from Latin America! Thanks to the collaboration with the collective Kurt Wolff Stiftung, a selection of about 40 titles from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay is exhibited in Frankfurt on the “Reading Island” (Hall 4.1 / D36).
- 2018: Following the success of the 2017 edition, the HotList 2018 is back and opens to Brazilian publishers. In addition, a thematic and international selection is launched: this year, the theme of “women’s struggle” is selected in the “WomenList”, showcasing more than 30 titles edited by independent publishing houses from all continents.
- 2019: The International Alliance of independent publishers and the Kurt Wolff Stiftung collective offer a new edition of the HotList. Some twenty books (novels, essays, children’s books, comics, art books) will be exposed at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2019. A colourful and powerful HotList this year!

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Here is the B Day, September 21, 2019!

Here is the 9th edition of the B Day, let yourself be hooked by the books!
Share the video of the B Day 2019!

B Day, September 21, 2019

B Day_instruction manual!

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Upcoming celebrations in the second half of 2019...

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  • The 2nd meeting of the International Conference of Independent Publishers 2019-2021 in Chile, bringing together Spanish-language (Spain and Latin America) in Santiago de Chile, on 1 and 2 October 2019. This meeting will be followed by the Primavera del libro (Spring of the book) from October 3 to 6, offering an opportunity to showcase the mapping and analysis of public book policies in Latin America.

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  • Meeting of the International Committee of Independent Publishers, 12-14 October 2019, in Paris: one of the objectives of the ICIP will be to map out the next International Conference of Independent Publishers and to deliberate on the choice of city where the closing meeting will take place in 2021. The steps to come in 2020 and 2021 are under way... and will be announced in the second half of 2019.
  • Frankfurt Book Fair, 16-20 October 2019: among other activities, the 3rd edition of the Latin American Hotlist; the “Nonfiction Editor’s Networking Event” (19 October), on the theme: “Publishing Serious Nonfiction: It’s a Woman’s World” with the participation of Muge Sokmen (Metis Publishers in Turkey) and Kenza Sefrioui (En toutes lettres in Morocco).
  • Publication of the next title of the “Terres solidaires” collection: Munyal, les larmes de la patience, by Djaïli Amadou Amal, originally published by Proximité in Cameroon; reissued by 8 publishers in French-speaking Africa. Djaïli Amadou Amal received for this title the Orange du livre en Afrique award!

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Can Islam still be saved? (آیا اسلام‌ را می‌توان نجات داد؟)

Author(s) : Hamed ABDEL-SAMAD ; Mouhanad KHORCHIDE ; B. BINIAZ (translation)
Publishing countries : Germany, Canada, France
Language(s) : Farsi
Price : 15 €

Hamed Abdel-Samad and Mouhanad Khorchide discuss controversially central issues of the religion of Islam. They address burning issues such as sharia, violence, jihad, freedom of expression, human rights, the role of women and religion in democracy. Can Islam still be saved? is a polemic that allows two different perspectives on the future of Islam in the western states.

Publishers from the Persian network of the Alliance have translated and co-published this book in Farsi: Forough Book (Germany), Naakojaa (France), Khavaran (France), Pooya Verlag (Germany), Pegah Publishing (Canada).

2018 - 332 pages - ISBN : 978-3-96531-007-0

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Video of workshops - International Conference of Independent Publishers (2019-2021)

The first Conference workshops were held in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) in May 2019 during the International Book Fair of Abidjan, and brought together 40 French-speaking publishers, as well as representatives of the Portuguese and Arabic-speaking networks.

Here the video!

Youth literature and typography were the main focus of these workshops. A mapping of publishing public policies in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar (the Alliance’s flagship project since the last Conference of 2012-2014) was also presented on this occasion. The next workshops will most probably be held in Chile in September 2019, gathering mainly Latin American and Spanish publishers - a mapping of publishing public policies in Latin America will also be presented on this occasion.

The complete program of the International Conference 2019-2021 will be available in a few months!
For any questions, contact the Alliance’ team (equipe@alliance-editeurs.org).

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Tehran Book Fair Uncensored, Europe and North America, April-May 2019

For its 4th edition, the Tehran Book Fair Uncensored will move in the following countries: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, United States, Canada...

For the fourth year, Farsi publishers outside of Iran, organize the Uncensored Tehran Book Fair, all around the world. The goal is to provide an opportunity for the authors, whose works are censored in Iran, to speak out freely and present their works. Each year many authors and publishers in Europe, Canada, and the United States meet their readers and discuss the status of persian literature all around the world. This is an unique opportunity to know, support, and promote the uncensored persian literature.

More information here: https://uncensoredbook.com/

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Bibliodiversity Observatory

Publishing in India

Publishing countries : India

Unlike other Asian publishing markets, like Korea or Japan, the Indian book market is nearly unknown by French children’s book publishers, though this industry is actually blooming.
The Indian book market is a very specific one: the country’s size makes book distribution difficult, many languages are spoken and written, and there is a wide gap between urban reading habits and rural ones. Independent publishers in this country adapt business strategies to these difficulties and the solutions they find are original and innovative. In view of the lack of studies and data about Indian publishing, this study is based on a certain number of interviews with booksellers, book fair directors, market specialists, illustrators, distributors, and publishers.

  • In the first part ’’Quel paysage pour l’édition indienne?’’, this study deciphers the socio-economic and statistical data in order to better understand the Indian youth readership (gender, language, economical issues, among others).
  • In the second part ’’Le monde de l’édition jeunesse’’, a typology of the different players in Indian publishing is sketched out: multinational companies, state publishing, commercial publishers, independent publishers, NGOs... what are their respective roles?
  • In the third part ’’Quelles perspectives de diffusion et de valorisation?’’, the study examines the level and the nature of exchanges between Indian publishing and worldwide youth publishing.

An exciting treatise on a little-explored subject... a must read!

Mariette ROBBES, holder of a Master 2 in the World of the Book (Aix-en-Provence University) lived for six months in India in 2009, and returns often ever since. Since 2017, she is a member of the Alliance Board. Mariette concurrently works on several textile and graphic creation projects.

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The “Fair Trade Book”

The label “Fair Trade Book” is attributed by the International Alliance of independent publishers to works published in the context of international publishing agreements that respect each other’s particularities: fair co- publishing. These fair copublishings enable the sharing of costs linked to intellectual and physical production of books and therefore ensure an economy of scale; an exchange of professional know-how and a common experience, while respecting the publishers’ cultural contexts and identities; and a distribution of works on a broader scale by adjusting prices for each geographic zone.

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Guidelines for Fair Publishing Partnerships

Over the past few years, the predation of large companies from the North on the book trade in Africa has undergone some partnership-related changes. An evolution of practices is observable amongst the large publishing companies from the North, who do not solely rely on local publishing houses’ acquisitions, but also on establishing partnerships with local publishers. How can we guarantee that these partnerships are balanced and fair? How can we ensure that publishers from the South do not “sell their souls” through collaborations with large companies from the North? To accompany these changes, the Alliance has drafted a handbook of practical guidelines for its members, which serves as a reminder on essential checkpoints to look out for.

Should you have comments, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The Alliance thanks Double ponctuation for writing the vademecum.

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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 eight months of research, is 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 six regions and puts forward concrete proposals aimed at independent publishers. Digital publishing experience in the South offers an insight into the major opportunity that new technologies present 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

Visit the Alliance Lab to read the update to the study written by Octavio Kulesz in 2016 (available in French and in Spanish).

Collection État des lieux de l’édition

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Proteggere il libro (Protect the Book, Italian version)

Language(s) : italien

““Protect” the Book” by Markus GERLACH, a report 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.

Collection État des lieux de l’édition

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Communiqué in support of Txalaparta Publishing following attacks on “El manual del torturador español” and on freedom of expression, December 2010

Paris, December 2010

It is with great concern that the International Alliance of Independent Publishers has noted the recent censorship of a book in Spain, and the threats made against the independent publishing house Txalaparta, member of the Alliance’s Spanish-speaking network.

The book in question, “El manual del torturador español” (The Spanish Torturer’s Manual) – by Xabier MAKAZAGA denounces the torture carried out by the Spanish police. The book was withdrawn from a public library (in the Basauri town council), following a request by a political party and certain Madrid newspapers to remove it from all libraries where it was made available to readers. However the practices described in this book support the accusations already made in reports by Amnesy International and by the UN Recorder on Human Rights. The campaign against this book has already been publicly denounced by public librarians. Furthermore the Basque Country Human Rights Observer (Behatokia) sent a letter of protest to Frank de la Rue, Special Recorder on Human Rights and Freedom of Expression with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, whose headquarters are in Geneva.

The International Alliance of independent publishers, whose objectives include defending freedom of expression and denouncing all forms of censorship, also has a duty to respond publicly when attacks or infringements are directed – for ideological reasons – against independent publishers, whose very job it is to encourage the dissemination of ideas and to contribute to forging the identity of people and their culture.

One has only to examine Txalaparta’s publishing catalogue to appreciate the vast range of literary works and essays which constitute an undeniable contribution to bibliodiversity, while reflecting a clear editorial policy.

This is why we independent publishers are appealing to the Spanish authorities to respect the work of independent publishers and to encourage respect for fundamental rights and democracy.

We also appeal to independent publishers, booksellers, librarians and readers to follow the development of this matter closely and to express their support to Txalaparta Publishing in order to defend and respect the right to information that is true and diverse.


The Spanish-language network of the International Alliance of independent publishers

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Preferential postage rates for books: urgent for Latin America, August 2010

Massively used by small publishing firms to distribute their products to bookstores, libraries, and readers, the postal service is the most popular means of circulating books throughout the world. However, the absence, suppression or questioning of special postage for books is an impediment to bibliodiversity in many countries.
In Latin America, with a huge territory to cover and limited circulation, a large share of publishers ensures the delivery of their products themselves. For these publishers, preferential postage rates for shipping books are all the more vital.

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Children’s book trade between France and francophone Africa

In this remarkable document, Marion Van Staeyen highlights the persistent imbalance in the book trade between France and francophone Africa, between North and South, specifically concerning children’s books. Some alternatives are appearing, however, to promote access to northern markets for African publishers. Many stakeholders in the sector – among them the International Alliance of independent publishers – are calling for an active and direct redress of the trade imbalance between North and South. A graduate in sociology and editing, Marion Van Staeyen is a second-year master’s student at University of Paris XIII, majoring in the book trade. She is currently attending classes at Sherbrooke University in Quebec, thanks to a partnership between the two universities.

Documents in French.

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