The Alliance of Independent Publishers, in partnership with the Ford Foundation (USA - www.fordfound.org) and the Charles Léopold Mayer Foundation (Swizerland - www.fph.ch), set up a copublishing project to gather the proposals that will come out of the World Social Forum context, in Porto Alegre (Brazil). To achieve this goal, the Alliance sent 11 writers to Porto Alegre, to cover the 11 themes of the 2005 WSF (see the 11 themes of the WSF on the website www.forumsocialmundial.org.br). Each writer will contribute a chapter to a book that will be copublished by the Alliance members first in French, English, and Portuguese - followed by versions in other languages.
The members of the Enjeux Planète Group will meet in Bruxelles (Belgium), 16th to 18th, Décember, 2004. The program of this meeting -organised by the Alliance of Independent Publishers and the Luc Pire Publishing House- is: checking of the past copublishing processes, planning for the 2005 and 2006 publications, signature of the collective agreement.
Participants: Bernard Stéphan (Atelier Publishing House - France), Michel Sauquet (Charles Léopold Mayer Publishing House - France), Dominique Caouette (Ecosociété Publishing House - Canada), Luc Pire (Luc Pire Publishing House - Belgium), Jean Richard (en bas Publishing House - Switzerland), Bichr Bennani (Tarik Publishing House - Moroco), Karim Ben Smail (Cérès Publishing House - Tunisia), Béatrice Lalinon Gbado (Ruisseaux d’Afrique Publishing House - Benin), Serge Dontchueng Kouam (Presses Universitaires d’Afrique - Cameroon), Marie-Agathe Amoikon-Fauquembergue (Eburnie Publishing House - Ivory Coast).
The Alliance of Independent Publishers accepted the invitation from the Office du Livre in Poitou-Charentes, which organized the Littératures métisses festival [multiethnic literatures festival]. A number of discussions with writers (including Alberto Ruy-Sanchez, Alberto Manguel, Theo Hahola) and publishers (Jean Richard from Editions d’en bas, Thierry Discépolo from Editions Agone, among others), along with readings by the actresses Marie-Christine Barrault and Sonia Emmanuel, were open to the public.
The Alliance of Independent Publishers took part in two discussions “Éditer autrement” [Alternative publishing] and “Éditer, produire, créer, diffuser avec l’Afrique” [Publish, produce, create and distribute with Africa]. These discussions and the booth gave good visibility to the association and its members’ co-publishing projects and provided information to the public about topics such as book distribution, the circulation of ideas, independent and united publishing and the equitable book.
The Alliance of Independent Publishers was well represented at the International Book and Press Show in Geneva, where the African Book, Press and Culture Show was held for the first time. At the event, Paris team members Etienne and Alexandre ran into publishers Jean-Claude Naba from Editions Sankofa & Gurli (Burkina Faso), Béatrice Lalinon Gbado from Editions Ruisseaux d’Afrique (Benin), Marie-Agathe Amoikon Fauquembergue from Editions Eburnie (Ivory Coast), Bichr Benanni from Editions Tarik (Morocco) and Jean Richard from Editions d’en bas (Switzerland), along with Behrouz Safdari (who runs the Persophone network) and Isabelle Bourgueil (who ran the Afrilivres program in 2002 and 2003). They were all doing well and working hard! The Alliance members had several opportunities to talk about the Alliance and the co-publishing process during round-table discussions. Numerous copies of Declarations, along with posters and other items to familiarize people with our association, were available in the African bookstore, which also offered a wide selection of titles from our member publishers. We offer special thanks to Jean and Isabelle, who worked long and hard to make the event a success. Mission accomplished: Long live the African Book Show in Geneva!
The workshop on independent publishing, run by Indu Chandrasekhar and held to support the formation of a network of independent Indian publishers, lived up to its billing...
During the Abidjan International Book Fair (15-19 May 2019), the Alliance will facilitate a workshop on youth literature (13 to 17 May), followed by a workshop on typography and open digital resources (18 to 20 May). These workshops will convene more than 30 publishers from more than 16 French-speaking African countries, but also from Haiti, Madagascar, France and Portugal. The programme and content of these workshops, designed with and for publishers, is available here.
On 17 May, in the context of the SILA, the Alliance will organise B2B discussions with all participating professionals: a time dedicated to buying and selling rights between publishers – to create, foster and strengthen professional relationships, rights sales and co-publications.
The Alliance will launch an unprecedented analysis of public book policies in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar written by academic Luc Pinhas. Findings from the data collection conducted in 12 countries between June 2017 and December 2018 by Serge Dontchueng Kouam (University Press of Africa), will be presented at a panel on public policy book on Thursday, 16 May.
Public book policies: a key chapter of the 2012-2014 International Assembly of independent publishers coming to an end in 2019!
The cross-sectional analysis of public book policies in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar will be printed specifically for the SILA in Abidjan. In June 2019, the Bibliodiversity Journal will publish a special issue on public book policies, including cross-sectional analysis of book policies in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, articles on public book policies in Europe and North America, testimonials from professionals from the Arab world... available online here from June 2019!
The activities organised at SILA are supported by AFD, the OIF and DDC, and are organized in partnership with Assedi (Association of Ivorian Publishers) and the Ivorian publishers members of the Alliance.
Video of workshops - International Conference of Independent Publishers (2019-2021)
In parallel with MICA (Argentina’s cultural industry trade show), 20 Argentinian publishers from Bolivia, Chilli, Colombia, Spain, the Canary Islands, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay will get together in Buenos Aires thanks to support from MICA, the Argentinian Book Chamber and Argentinian members of the Alliance. On the agenda : the implementation of the 80 recommendations promoting bibliodiversity in Latin America and Spain, the creation of a map of Latin America’s public policies...
The publishers will also participate in MICA events : copyright exchanges, co-publishing days, round-table discussions about the concentration of publishing and bibliodiversity...
Over 15 Iranian publishers and many cultures groups are participating in these events around the world (Nuremberg, Vienna, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, Paris, London, Brussels, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo, Gothenburg, Bremen, Malmo, Copenhagen, Lubec, Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles). This year, a collective catalogue containing new titles of 12 publishers present in the Book Fair is accessible both digitally and in print.
The International Alliance of independent publishers is a professional collective that brings together more than 800 independent publishing housesin 60 countries around the world. Created as an association in 2002, it is composed of 6 language networks (English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Persian) and thematic groups. Members of the Alliance are publishing houses and publisher collectives.
The Alliance’s activities promote and strengthen bibliodiversity (cultural diversity applied to the world of the book).
In alignment with its mission, the Alliance created a Bibliodiversity Observatory that gathers studies, analysis and tools produced by the Alliance, aimed at professionals and public authorities. The Observatory’s objectives include assessing and strengthening bibliodiversity in the world.
The Alliance also hosts and facilitates international meetings and thematic workshops (for example on children’s book publishing, digital publishing, etc.), enabling independent publishers from various continents to exchange ideas and initiate collaborations. These meetings support increasing capacity through peer sharing, an aspect developed in particular around the issue of digital publishing in the context of the Digital Lab.
The Alliance supports international publishing projects (co-publishing, translation, copyright transfers, etc.), for greater circulation of texts and fair access to books for readers.
In 2022, the Alliance launched a first-of-its-kind initiative: the first edition of Babelica, an international online Book Fair of Independent Publishing, which takes place once a year, on 21 September (International Bibliodiversity Day).
Throughout 46 well-documented pages and based on an extensive in-the-field investigation, Stéphane Marill has produced this remarkable analysis of “Publishing in Côte d’Ivoire: a study of the educational sector subjected to offers to tender”. This comprehensive overview comprises an all-new step-by-step guide for publishers wishing to apply for school publishing tenders (read also this article).
This study, available in Spanish, was carried out as an International Alliance of independent publishers exclusive by Elena Enríquez Fuentes (Mexico) in 2008.
Her work demonstrates that there is a considerable bias in the trading of books between Spain and Latin America. This assertion is based on the analysis of exports and imports between Spain and Latin America in 2006 and 2007.
As the official campaign for the next European elections is being launched, the Alliance has decided to get involved in a positive fashion by formulating three proposals that would be very simple to implement.
These proposals have furthermore been published on the website http://challengeforeurope.blogactiv.eu, with dozens of others, on the initiative of the Charles Léopold Mayer Foundation in the framework of its “What kind of Europe do we want?” program. Let us hope this impressive corpus of proposals will be a profitable inspiration to the EU’s future elected representatives!
An incredible censorship attempt is endangering the very existence of the publisher Écosociété (Quebec – Canada); more than 60 publishers from 30 countries have declared their undivided support for the Quebec publisher and are calling on the pinstigators of the “Noir Canada” affair to respect the rights of freedom of expression and publication.
Through a step-by-step approach, with examples and a pedagogical method, Stéphane Marill gives a precious “vade mecum” for any publisher wishing to respond to a call for tenders in the school textbook industry.
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 permitted by the European Commission, gradually implemented? Markus Gerlach offers a broad analysis the price-fixing of 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 the price-fixing of 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
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 cycle of cultivation, to build a coherent catalogue and long-lasting business.
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
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) - [http://www.librairesfrancophones.org/]
Year of publication: 2005, 288 pages, 15 X 21 cm, ISBN: 978-2-9519747-1-X
African literature in French is today better represented and better known in Europe than in Africa, where its distribution remains hampered by many obstacles. However, there are solutions, which require the mobilisation of various stakeholders in the book industry. One solution is co-publishing, based on a joint trade agreement. The publication of “L’Ombre d’Imana” by Véronique TADJO, a groundbreaking example of pan-African co-publishing, proves that it is possible, through joint action, to create the conditions necessary for a (re)appropriation by Africa of its literature. To make this possible, the Alliance is appealing to everyone, authors, publishers and institutions alike, to join forces and promote the bibliodiversity at the heart of the francophone spirit. This appeal is endorsed by many authors and book industry professionals.
