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HotList 2017 from the Latin American independent publishers!

WHY A HOTLIST?

In 2009, together with the members of EDINAR (Argentinean Alliance of independent publishers), we decided to launch a promotion strategy, following the “Young independent Germans”: a HotList.

Against the tendentious ranking of the most sold out books published in the newspapers, every member of the collective had to choose one book among her/his new books -the one that she or he saw as the most outstanding, for whatever reason. With all EDINAR publishers, we thus formed a list, promoted at the same time by a group of booksellers from Buenos Aires who arranged a special table dedicated to this list in their bookshops during one month.

In 2010, Argentina was Guest country of Frankfurt Book Fair and the Argentinean National Book Chamber had a spacious booth with a strong presence of local publishing, which did not include many independent publishers. However, the Hotlist had an outstanding exhibition space in this Fair: thanks to a German colleague, curious publisher, philoanarchist, employed by the Fair, we got a well-situated booth and the possibility to exhibit our HotList.

Because a lot of Latin-American publishers cannot travel every year to Frankfurt, we have reminded this adventure and decided to implement it again this year, extended to Spanish-speaking publishers from Latin America, in order to give a better visibility to the vibrant Latin-American independent publishing, in the biggest commercial Book Fair of the World.

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This HotList presents a selection of about 40 books published in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile… exhibited in the “Reading Island for Independent Publishers” (Pavilion 4.1) of the Frankfurt Book Fair, thanks to the cooperation of the Kurt Wolff Stiftung, group of German independent publishers.

We hope you will appreciate!

Guido Indij
Argentinean publisher, coordinator of the Spanish-speaking network of the International Alliance of independent publishers

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Meeting of the International Committee of independent publishers (ICIP), Paris (France), 7-9 October 2017

The 9 coordinators and vice-coordinators of the Alliance’s 6 language networks, the Board and the Alliance team gather for the ICIP, an essential annual meeting in the governance of the association. On the agenda: public book policies in West Africa, Latin America and in the Arab world; the Europe and the Alliance; strategy and governance; the Alliance of tomorrow...

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Frankfurt in French: Call for more coherence towards a strengthened bibliodiversity

As the Frankfurt Book Fair (11-15 October 2017) opens in a few weeks’ time, with a special focus on France and French languages, the International Alliance of independent publishers takes the opportunity to revisit some key issues for independent publishers and bibliodiversity, as expressed by 400 publishers from 50 countries, in the International Declaration of independent publishers of 2014.

France wished, in the context of Frankfurt’s invitation, to provide a space for publishers from the South and we are grateful for this opportunity. We hope this openness will contribute towards meaningful networking, discussion, and exchanges among Francophone publishers. These mutual trust and interest, at the heart of the Alliance, have indeed proven themselves over the past 15 years, leading to unprecedented co-publishing and translation projects between continents.

However, other aspects of “Frankfurt in French” are counterintuitive to this dynamic. Book donation initiatives from France to Africa are indeed planned in Frankfurt this year. More specifically, the 30 000 books to be displayed in the French Pavilion will be distributed to foreign countries after Frankfurt – and this while some twenty African publishers are invited to participate in the Fair, in an “African/Haiti” stand. As mentioned in several reports and in the Frankfurt programme (see here), book donations, while underpinned by good intentions, can disrupt the local book economy.

We therefore call on the accountability of each involved — public authorities, associations, and professionals, for these donations to be made in close collaboration with participating African publishers, but also in consultation with local African booksellers. These are the basic conditions for balanced and respectful exchanges in the actors’ respective environments.

It is critical to rethink book donation. Encouraging and supporting sustainable and fair editorial partnerships must be a priority.

We hope that the readiness to showcase Francophonie’s diversity and plurality in Frankfurt will be paralleled with constructive actions by public authorities, both in the North and South. It is indeed essential for political will to accompany a change of perspective and relations among Francophone countries.

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Solidarity with the Mexicans, 22 September 2017

On 21 September, all around the world, we have celebrated the International Day of Bibliodiversity. Meantime, in Mexico, the terrible earthquake occurred 2 days before, on 19 September, turning streets into dust, causing victims, hundreds and hundreds of roofless people…

The International Alliance of independent publishers expresses –in these days of celebration of cultural diversity, ideas and texts flows– its solidarity with the Mexicans.

The Association of Mexican independent publishers (AEMI), member of the Alliance, proposes to collect Latin-American books to offer especially to children and young Mexicans –so that their imaginations do not focus on this disaster, and that stories and words coming from abroad can help them in these painful moments.

This is also bibliodiversity: be careful about the surrounding world, keep awake and conscious, in solidarity.

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International Bibliodiversity Day, 21 September 2017

Readings, book releases and piñatas in the public space, meetings, picnic, posters, and postcards: all ideas are welcome to participate to this day.
In Perou; en Colombia; en Argentina...

* 36 stories unveiling the names of independent publishing houses from all around the world
* 36 catchphrases by publishers on bibliodiversity
* Because behind the books… there are (also) publishing houses, publishers…
* Because on 21 September, they celebrate the International Day of Bibliodiversity!

See the activities of the B Day on the blog el dia B, on Facebook and Twitter.

Here the video of the B Day, made by the Latin American publishers!

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Independent publishers from all over the world in Frankfurt (Germany), 11-15 October 2017

Workshops on solidary publishings partnerships and on freedom of publishing (an initiative of the Alliance), “HotList” (space dedicated to independent publishing in Latin America, an initiative of the Spanish-language network of the Alliance), meetings on publishing in the Francophone space (organised by BIEF), Party Time for Indies (an initiative of ODEI and IPG, in collaboration with the Fair)… Bibliodiversity will be there, with independent publishers from all over the world!

Click on the book to discover the HotList 2017 of the Latin American publishers in Frankfurt!

See below the publishers in Frankfurt and the activities of the Alliance... as well 3 focus proposed at this occasion!

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Palestine

Author(s) : Hubert HADDAD
Publishing countries : Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Central African Republic, Senegal, Chad, Togo, Tunisia
Language(s) : French
Price : 3 500 F CFA ; 10 DT ; 52 DM ; 550 DA

Co-publishers: Apic (Algeria), elyzad (Tunisia), Graines de Pensées (Togo), Le Fennec (Marocco), Proximité (Cameroon)
Year of publication of the Pan-African version: 2017, 11,5 X 19 cm
First publication in France: Zulma (2007), Cinq Continents price 2008

A Fair Trade Book co-publishing.

Collection Terres solidaires

Created in 2007, the “Terres solidaires” collection is a collective experience. It proposes literary texts from African authors, published by a collective of publishers in Francophone Africa, Through the principle of solidarity co-publishing, texts circulate, are available and accessible for African readers: the local book ecosystem is protected and strengthened.
The “Terres solidaires” collection is supported by the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF).

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Ceux qui sortent dans la nuit

Author(s) : MUTT-LON
Publishing countries : Republic of Guinea, Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Chad, Togo
Language(s) : French
Price : 3 500 FCFA ; 700 DA

Co-publishers: Amalion (Senegal), Apic (Algeria), Eburnie (Ivory Coast), Ganndal (Guinee Conakry), Graines de Pensées (Togo), Proximité (Cameroon), Sankofa & Gurli (Burkina Faso)
Year of publication of the Pan-African version: 2017, 11,5 X 19 cm
First publication in France: Grasset (2013), Ahmadou Kourouma price 2014.

A Fair Trade Book co-publishing.

Collection Terres solidaires

Created in 2007, the “Terres solidaires” collection is a collective experience. It proposes literary texts from African authors, published by a collective of publishers in Francophone Africa, Through the principle of solidarity co-publishing, texts circulate, are available and accessible for African readers: the local book ecosystem is protected and strengthened.
The “Terres solidaires” collection is supported by the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF).

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From Frankfurt to Conakry, via Paris and Togo… overview of the Alliance’s activities for the second semester 2017!

Workshops, exchanges and knowledge sharing

  • In situ training on e-publishing of illustrated and interactive books, in Lomé (Togo), 10-14 July 2017: two Togolese publishing houses member of the Alliance benefited from personalised support in the context of a training facilitated by Gilles Colleu (Vents d’ailleurs publishing house, France). A programme of the Alliance’s Digital Lab, supported by the International Organisation of the Francophonie.
  • Meetings of the European collectives in Paris (France), 19 and 20 July 2017: 4 European collectives (Kurt Wolff Stiftung in Germany, Contrabandos in Spain, ODEI in Italy, IPG in the United Kingdom) and the Alliance met to strengthen their relationships, and find ways of collaborating, exchange tools and experiences…
  • Conakry, UNESCO’s world book capital (Guinea Conakry), 23-29 November 2017: Ganndal publishing facilitate, during Conakry’s Children’s Book Fair, a colloquium on African children’s books, and a focus on African languages publishing… The Alliance will participate to this event by organising a workshop on digital publishing in African languages.

Book Fairs

  • Frankfurt Book Fair (Germany), 11-15 October 2017: workshop on fair publishing partnerships and workshop on freedom of publishing (an initiative of the Alliance), “hot list” (space dedicated to independent publishing, an initiative of the Spanish-language network of the Alliance), meetings on publishing in the Francophone space in the context of the invitation to “Frankfurt in French”, Party Time for Indies (an initiative of ODEI and IPG, in collaboration with the Fair)… Bibliodiversity will be there, with independent publishers from all over the world!
  • Salon de L’Autre Livre in Paris (France), 17-19 November 2017: several publishers member of the Alliance will participate to this edition, an opportunity to share and have a roundtable on independent publishing on the international level (Tunisia, Iran…).

Celebrations

  • International Bibliodiversity Day, 21 September 2017, throughout the world! Readings, book crossing and piñatas in the public space, meetings, picnic, posters, and postcards: all ideas are welcome to participate to this day. Of course, do not forget to support independent bookshops and other relevant networks to reach as many readers as possible! See activities of the previous year here: blog el dia B and the Alliance’s website.

Bibliodiversity Observatory

Governance

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Bibliodiversity Observatory

Minority languages / Coordinated by Nathalie Carré and Raphaël Thierry

Coordinated by Nathalie Carré (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales, Inalco) and Raphaël Thierry (independent researcher)
Publication: 2020

Contact the Alliance team to get a free digital version of this issue.

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Bibliodiversité review is co-published by Double ponctuation and the International Alliance of Independent Publishers.

See all the other issues of the review here (“Public book policies”, “Self-publishing”, “Publishing and commitment”, “Translation and Globalization”...)

Presentation
More than half of the languages spoken in the world are in danger of disappearing; if nothing is done, UNESCO estimates that 90% of languages will have disappeared in the course of this century. Languages are an essential part of a people’s culture, yet they are much more than just a tool for communication; they offer a unique view of the world and of the people who live in it. What can the publishing sector do – and is already doing – to help preserve and sustain these minority languages? This book attempts to answer this question through academic articles and testimonies of book professionals who, together, propose a novel approach to the subject.

In the light of their publications, the book analyses the situation of several minority languages - Haitian Creole, Corsican, Innu, Yiddish, Kikuyu, Basque, Malagasy, Náhuatl, etc. and shows that solutions are possible when the actors in the book system are mobilised.

Summary:

  • Publishing in minority languages – On diversity of publishing languages in a
    globalized context / by Nathalie Carré (Inalco, France) and Raphaël Thierry
    (independent researcher, France)
  • Creole publishing in Haiti – Obstacles, initiatives and development prospects /
    by Sandie Blaise, Duke University (United States)
  • The spread of Yiddish poetry in German speaking world – The case of bilingual editions / by Caroline Puaud, Paris Sorbonne University
  • Write and publish in Madagascar – How to reach the world? / by Dominique Ranaivoson, University of Lorraine (France)
  • Make minority languages dialogue (online) – The example of intergenerational collaboration in East Africa / by Pierre Boizette, Paris-Nanterre University (France)
  • Normativity, diversity and dynamics of creation in the contemporary Basque literary field – Study of its operating trends through the literary trajectory of Eñaut Etxamendi / by Itziar Madina Elguezabal, Bordeaux-Montaigne Doctoral school (France)
  • Locate, catalog, make visible – The place of minority languages in collections of the University Library for Languages and Civilizations Studies (BULAC) / Interview with Marine Defosse, Soline Lau-Suchet and Nicolas Pitsos, librarians at BULAC (France)
  • As long as the language circulates, we will have books to produce” / interview with Bernard Biancarelli (Albiana Publishing, Corsica/France)
  • Publishing must grow the world” – Mémoire d’encrier and the languages of the world / interview with Rodney Saint-Éloi, Mémoire d’Encrier Publishing (Quebec / Canada)
  • Saving a language is a task for all of us” / by María Yolanda Argüello Mendoza, Magenta editions (Mexico)
  • Public book and reading policies for indigenous languages in Chile. Intervention (updated in 2020) in the Parliament of Books and Speech / by Paulo Slachevsky, Lom Ediciones (Chile)
  • Save, transmit – An example of transcription-translation from oral literature
    of some Vietnam’s peoples / by Mireille Gansel, translator, writer
  • PEN’s commitment to Linguistic Rights – The importance of writing, publishing and reading in marginalized languages / interview with Peter McDonald (University of Oxford) and Carles Torner (PEN International), July 2018, Oxford and London

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Proposals and activities to develop solidarity publishing partnerships

These recommendations and proposals are taken from the 80 recommendations & tools in support of bibliodiversity; they are built on the principles upheld in the 2014 International Declaration of independent publishers.

These recommendations are based on the experiences and practices of the International Alliance of independent publishers: they mainly focus on publishing partnerships between publishers from the South, given that support for publishing in these countries is often weak or inexistent, and between publishers of the South and North, given that these exchanges are few.

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“Terres solidaires” collection

The “Terres solidaires” collection was created in 2007, to strengthen the circulation of African literature in the Francophone space. Publishing houses that contribute to the collection are based in sub-Saharan Africa and in North Africa. Initially created to republish books written by African writers published in France and make them accessible to an African readership through the solidarity co-publishing process, it is now republishing books originally appearing on African publishers’ lists. Such is the case with Munyal, les larmes de la patience, by Djaïli Amadou Amal, the 13th title of the collection, originally published in 2017 by Proximité publishing, based in Yaoundé, Cameroun.

Publishers select texts and work in close collaboration throughout the editorial process. The principle of a selling price adapted to the buying power of the readership (on average 3 500 FCFA, or 5 Euros) remains one of its pillars.

Read more here...

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Digital Lab

The Digital Lab was created by the International Alliance of Independent Publishers to support independent publishers in their activities, reflections and digital practices. As a space of reflection, exchanges and discussions on digital bibliodiversity in both the Northern and Southern hemisphere, the Lab also offers digital tools adapted to the needs of independent publishers while respecting local ecosystems.

The Alliance Lab is built around four focus areas:

  • Tools and resources for professionals
  • Reflections and discussions on digital publishing, including innovative initiatives in the countries of the South (surveys and analyses);
  • In situ workshops (capacity building and peer exchanges on digital matters);
  • A personalised tutorial offered to member publishers of the Alliance.

The Lab is updated and facilitated by independent publishers, the team of the Alliance and also through partnerships with independent professional organisations and collectives from various continents.

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Publishing in Africa: Where Are We Now? An Update for 2019, by Hans M. Zell

Read here the pre-print version uploaded on Academia.edu 21 May 2019

Final version, to be published in two parts, in Logos: Journal of the World Publishing Community (https://brill.com/view/journals/logo/logo-overview.xml)

Part I: Volume 30 (2019): Issue 3, Part II: Volume 30 (2019): Issue 4

Reprinted with permission of the author.
Copyright © Hans Zell Publishing Consultants 2019

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Les éditeurs d’Afrique francophone sur l’échiquier du “glocal” (1980-2019), by Raphaël Thierry

Abstract:

In terms of languages, markets and labels, African publishing represents a field of constant discourse. It also continually questions not just the way we look at books, but also our relationship with them and with the international publishing industry. The time has long passed when the leading discourse on publishing in Africa was devoted primarily to a “book famine” related to the African economic crisis of the 1980s. Over the past three decades, the African book market has done nothing but grow on the continent, diversifying its increasingly dense and transnational production through the circulation of books and of publishing information. Nonetheless, quite often African publishing is presented in terms of the difficulties faced by its stakeholders, rather than those stakeholders’ agency, their capacity to develop their markets. Indeed, history has shown that the African publishing industry is a mirror of the globalisation of publishing and of its economic flux. That being the case, the economic challenges that one can observe in the African industry is thus a reflection of the imbalances, alternatives – also margins – of a world of books that is increasingly concentrated. In this sense, African publishing invites a two-fold interrogation: in Africa it must advocate a cultural and economic legitimacy within evolving socio-political situations and an outward-looking educational market. Internationally, it must position itself in terms of non-African publishing of literature and non-fiction that makes up the majority of African intellectual production in the world. By examining the discourse around African books, African publishers’ discourse, and the evolution of African books in French since the 1980’s, this article aims to question the relationship between the book industry in Africa and the globalisation of books phenomenon in order to bring to light a network of exchanges, tensions, and influences that turns the African book market into a veritable “glocal” space.

Read the article here (in French).

Thierry, R. (2019). Les éditeurs d’Afrique francophone sur l’échiquier du « glocal »
(1980-2019). Mémoires du livre / Studies in Book Culture, 10 (2).
https://doi.org/10.7202/1060972ar

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Public book policies

Contact the Alliance team to get a free digital version of this issue dedicated to public book policies.

Publication: June 2019
The Bibliodiversité review is copublished by Double ponctuation and the International Alliance of independent publishers.
See other issues of Bibliodiversité review here: “Self-publishing”; “Committed publishing”…

Overview of the issue:
From censorship to safeguarding, public initiatives in the book sector are varied.
This issue proposes academic articles, professional’ views and two previously unpublished regional analyses (sub-Saharan Africa and Spanish-speaking Latin America), taking us from Russia to Switzerland, via Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco, Quebec, France and Argentina.
All contributions seek an answer to this question: does the intervention of public authorities support editorial diversity?

Contents of the ‘Public book policies issue’:

  • “Introduction: action taken by public authorities to support books”, by Étienne Galliand, Editor-in-Chief of Bibliodiversity Journal
  • “Federalism and cohesion – New book policies in Switzerland”, by Carine Corajoud, historian (Switzerland)
  • “A relative autonomy – A comparative analysis of the room for manoeuvre
    in public publishing in France”, by Hélène Seiler-Juilleret, École des hautes études en sciences sociales (Higher School of Social Sciences, France)
  • “Negotiating control, promoting reading – Independent publishers and the Russian State in the 2010s”, by Bella Ostromooukhova, Paris Sorbonne University (France and Russia)
  • “Morocco: escheated books – The shortcomings in state involvement in the books and written word sector”, by Anouk Cohen, CNRS (France and Morocco) and Kenza Sefrioui, Ph.D. in comparative literature, literary critic and publisher (Morocco)
  • “Government policy on books in Tunisia” – A publisher’s view, by Nouri Abid, Med Ali publishers (Tunisia)
  • “Government policy on books in Syria” – A publisher’s view, by Samar Haddad, Atlas Publishing (Syria)
  • “Government policy on books in Lebanon” – A bookseller’s view, by Michel Choueiri, bookseller (France and the United Arab Emirates)
  • “Government policy on books in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. A cross-sectional analysis of data collected in 12 countries”, by Luc Pinhas, University of Paris 13 Villetaneuse (France)
  • “Publishing and public authorities: the Quebec case – Or the influence of public action on editorial independence?”, by Pascal Genêt, Sherbrooke University (Quebec-Canada)
  • “Laws, public policies, institutions and measures to support books and reading
    in Latin America – An analysis of data gathered in 10 countries”, by Andrés E. Fernández Vergara (University of Chile)
  • “From culture towards business – An analysis of a state support programme
    for local publishing in Buenos Aires: Opción Libros”, by José de Souza Muniz Jr., Federal Centre for Technological Education, Minas Gerais (Brazil)

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Publishing & the Book in Africa: A Literature Review for 2018, by Hans M. Zell

Publishing & the Book in Africa: A Literature Review for 2018
The fourth in a series of annual reviews of select new literature in English that has appeared on the topic of publishing and the book sector in sub-Saharan Africa.

Read the pre-print version here.

To be published in The African Book Publishing Record, Volume 44, Issue 2, (May 2019)

Reprinted with permission of the author.
Copyright © Hans Zell Publishing Consultants 2019

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African Book Industry Data & the State of African National Bibliographies, by Hans M. Zell

African Book Industry Data & the State of African National Bibliographies:
Read the Pre-print version here.

Published in The African Book Publishing Record, Volume 44, Issue 4 (Dec 2018): 363-389.

Reprinted with permission of the author.
Copyright © Hans Zell Publishing Consultants 2018

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