By 
CORA LABAF Proposals for Book Sector Improvement
Communique
Arising from a session of the Publishers Forum at the 23rd Lagos Book and Arts Festival, LABAF, on Thursday, November 18, 2021, participants resolved as follows:
1. To encourage greater collaboration and networking among players in the books ecosystem as part of a drive for a more seamless books sector and to better facilitate joint advocacy in the overall interest of all players.
2. To remind government of its role in the continued nurturing and development of the book sector, beginning with the coming into effect of a National Book Policy within the shortest possible time.
3. To encourage the attachment of functional and viable book clubs to all libraries in the country.
4. To encourage governments across board, and particularly at the local government area level, to establish, maintain, staff and furnish at least one community library per LGA, whose book stock must be renewed and updated annually.
5. That going forward, libraries should be seen and regarded as more than ‘houses of books,’ but even more appropriately as ‘living community houses and centres of ideas and culture’ where unfettered dissemination and transmission of information is maximally encouraged and takes place.
6. That government, as well as stakeholders in the book trade, should pay even greater regard to factors of ease of availability and affordability of books as a way of engendering improved readership patronage. That in a practical sense, stakeholders should do more to facilitate the coming into being of at least one ‘National Books Distribution Company’ as a practical vehicle for lowering distribution and marketing costs within the next three years.
7. That the respective associations in the book trade should continue with their ongoing engagements in respect of the restoration of the traditional book chain and invest more resources in order that we may be able to better guarantee the immediate and long-term sustainability of the books ecosystem in Nigeria.
The stakeholders were drawn from, among others, the Committee for Relevant Art, the Nigerian Book Fair Trust, the Nigerian Publishers Association, the Booksellers Association of Nigeria, the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions, and the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Promoters in Nigeria.
The theme of the session was ‘Getting books to readers across the country and the Role of Library and Resource Centres in Getting Books to Readers.’
Specific speakers and panelists that made presentations were Mr. Dare Oluwatuyi, Chief Uchenna Cyril Anioke, Dr Nkem Osuigwe, Mr Gbadega Adedapo, Mr Dotun Eyinade, Iquo DianaAbasi, Farida Ladipo-Ajayi, Princess Irede Abumere, Mrs Funmi Ilori, Amara Chimeka, Rufus Onaopemipo and Ademola Adefolami.
The session was moderated by Mr Richard Mammah, President, Network of Book Clubs and Reading Promoters in Nigeria, NBRP. It was coordinated by Segun Aribisala on behalf of CORA and sponsored by Quramo Publishing.
Signed
Jahman Anikulapo
Committee for Relevant Art
Nkem Osuigwe
African Libraries and Information Associations and Institutions
Richard Mammah
Network of Book Clubs and Reading Promoters in Nigeria
Comments