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On this occasion, the Alliance launched, in Chile, the results of the previously unpublished analysis carried out on public book policies in Latin America.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

Auteur(s) : Hamed ABDEL-SAMAD ; Mouhanad KHORCHIDE ; B. BINIAZ (translation)
Pays de parution : Allemagne, Canada, France
Langue(s) : farsi
Prix : 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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Laurence HUGUES

After studying at the IUT Book Trade in Aix-en-Provence, Laurence Hugues went to earn a bachelor’s degree in Literature at Trois-Rivières University in Québec, and later a Masters’ degree in Book Marketing at Paris 13-Villetaneuse University. After several professionals stays in West Africa, she joined the International Alliance of independent publishers’ team in 2007. In July 2009, Etienne GALLIAND passed on management responsabilities to Laurence HUGUES.

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Bibliodiversity Observatory

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)

Langue(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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Solidarity with Iranian publishers, August 2009

Pays de parution : Iran

In view of the worrying situation in Iran and the attacks on freedom of expression, the publishers of the Alliance wish to express their solidarity with their Iranian colleagues. They demand the right to publish freely and call for increased cultural and editorial exchanges with Iran.

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