The next minister of culture cares about publishing: ADEI's open letter

An invitation to the next culture minister to ask him to take care ofpublishing and thebook industry: writing an open letter is Marco Zapparoli, president of ADEI - Association of Independent Publishers. Zapparoli addresses the future minister or minister of culture, the Prime Minister and the ministers of the country’s future government, stressing the importance of not wasting the great work done for the Book Bill, a necessary measure for the vitality and survival of a sector, the publishing industry, of primary cultural, social and economic importance. Here is the text of the letter below.

"Dear future Minister, future Minister of Culture,

Dear Prime Minister and Ministers of the country’s future government,

I am addressing you on behalf of that part of Italian book publishing that in recent years has contributed decisively to the growth of the sector, in terms of innovation, research, creativity.

Project and innovation publishing, to use a more widespread expression independent publishing, which is not part of large groups is now worth half of the book market: and it is represented by ADEI, Association of Independent Publishers.

The book industry is the industry that generates the most revenue, and consequently the most jobs-direct and induced-across the entire cultural sector.

Five times the value of the music industry, seven times that of the film industry, just to give two examples.

Books are the pillars of knowledge, cultural growth, entertainment, and the formation of a country. But let us not forget that they are the basis on which many film, television, theater, and creative productions in general rest. They are also a crucial cognitive support for the world of design, research, museums of all kinds.

Books are read, studied, but the value--cultural and economic--of their content goes far beyond that.

A healthy publishing sector that safeguards the ability to bet on new content is decisive of the fate of the future of an evolved, competitive, indigenously resourced country.

Aware of the relevance of all this, we independent publishers of ADEI participated with extreme conviction in an important working table, which led to an organic Bill of the utmost importance.

For the first time, a framework of measures has been outlined that, without excessively affecting public spending, supports in a concrete, effective, equal way, all the professionalism of the book world.

Provision is made not only for aid to production, but also for outreach, for widespread and widespread distribution of books through thousands of bookstores of all sizes and locations, thousands of public reading, research and especially school libraries. Valuable resources are provided for continuing education, digital endowment and a democratic dissemination of master data and statistics.

We are living in a period of dramatic crisis of primary resources, the costs of energy and paper weigh heavily on the accounts of companies, starting with the smallest, which are in dire straits: but all publishers, not only the “independents,” are aware that without an organic and urgent intervention on the part of the state, the solidity of the sector cannot be guaranteed.

Madam Minister, Minister, take care of the work done here; it is very valuable, because - far from being an expression of a political “side” - it was born from the agreement of all the Associations of the book world, representing plurality of visions: publishers, booksellers, librarians, distributors, agents and authors, translators, illustrators.

It may be improved, it will be the result of new, further work shared by all, it will be enhanced by your views, by your valuable input.

But its basis is sound, well shared: not to dissipate the valuable work done and to arrive soon at a Law is decisive and, we repeat, very urgent for those who care about the future of culture in this country.

ADEI is at your complete disposal to complete this splendid project together.

Certain that you will grasp its value and urgency, we wish you the best possible work."

The next minister of culture cares about publishing: ADEI's open letter

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