At a time of relative and continuous upheaval in the book world (going through consecutive crises: first the covid, then the war in Ukraine and in between the skyrocketing increase in the costs of raw materials – in some cases up to 40% , while only 4 or 5% has been reflected in the price of the book–, and now, after another distribution crisis with Entredos half recovered, the problems in the Enciclopedia group and in Vicens Vives), from time to time There is good news of growth, but figures like the one that the publishing of books in Catalan may reach this year, with an increase of 12%, are not common. The information was given this Monday by the president of the Gremi d'Editors de Catalunya, Patrici Tixis, during the assessment prior to the Night of the Editions. The growth of books in general throughout Spain is expected to be around 3.5%, with an estimated turnover of around 2,815 million euros, of which around 1,442 million – 53% – correspond to Catalan publishers, which lead the market.
Among the causes of such a high growth in Catalan, Tixis conjectured on the one hand the good last Sant Jordi – the previous one had been quite good despite the storms – but also a good Setmana del Libre in Català and the strong increase on the one hand of children's and youth literature and on the other hand of comics in Catalan, which has gained strength – traditional publishers like Norma are pushing, and new initiatives have come out, especially Finestres but also Comanegra, Mai Més, Godall and Pagès Editors are publishing titles– . According to the president of the union, the new consumer habits after the pandemic had increased book sales in general, but in Catalan it had done so to a lesser extent, figures that this year seem to have been corrected. “If energy is put into the new National Book and Reading Plan, I think the figures for the future could be even more interesting,” he added. Among purchasing habits, he highlighted that in Catalonia approximately 60% of books are purchased in local bookstores – 40% in the rest of Spain – which contrasts with 30% in Europe or, even more, only 10% in the Anglo-Saxon world, where the price of the book is free.
During the 38th Night of the Edition, at the Goya theater, the guild will present its Atlántida award (to a prestigious personality or entity that has stood out for the defense of books and reading), which has gone exaequo to the towns of Calonge-Sant Antoni (Baix Empordà) and Urueña (Valladolid) for their initiatives with the opening of bookstores as a great attraction, and which will be taken up by their mayors, Jordi Soler and Francisco Rodríguez. Calonge, in fact, is celebrating the second anniversary this weekend with a commemorative day, today with six bookstores – there had been seven – and the idea of opening another three soon.
The Fernando Lara Memorial Award for a young business initiative in the world of books will be collected by Eugènia Broggi for L'Altra Editorial, which has just turned ten years old, and the Associació Col·legial d'Escriptors de Catalunya awards the Ángel Crespo translation award to Núria Molines Galarza for the translation of El hombre de jazmín y otros textos (Wunderkammer), by Unica Zürn.
The guild will also recognize the centenaries of Editorial Juventud and the Bernat Metge collection (Editorial Alpha), as well as the 25th anniversary of Corimbo, MTM Editores and Símbol Editors.
Catalan version, here
