Quality of Books and Policy Implications of the Book Chain

The blueTree Group is a social enterprise focused on enhancing access to books in developing countries. It provides technical assistance in the production and distribution of reading materials. It also supports governments in the development of National Textbook Policies, which form a common basis of understanding amongst stakeholders in the book chain including writers/illustrators, publishers, printers, distributors, governments, development partners and NGOs. This session focuses on how to optimize the physical characteristics of books to maximize durability and optimize cost efficiencies.

It specifically addresses the policy implications for the book chain/market dynamics with regard to local versus international publishing, production, and distribution. Countries' policies, such as the language policy; whether the book publishing market is liberalized or not; whether procurement is decentralized; whether book demand is properly forecasted or not; and import policies are important factors that determine the viability of the local book industry (including authors, local publishers, printers, distributors) and the quality of its products and services. Every country has a different context; there is no blueprint for the development of a sustainable book chain, but what are the underlying prerequisites? What are the crucial factors that determine whether one should source books locally or not? What are the circumstances that determine whether one is best served by a printed book or by an e-book? These questions will be addressed in this presentation.