In response to the European Commission's new proposal for amending the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), joined by a coalition representing the book, magazine and newspaper publishing sectors, call on the co-legislators, the Council and the European Parliament, to exclude printed products such as books from Annex I to the regulation. Read the statement below and attached. Attached you will also find the joint statement with the book, magazine and newspaper publishing sectors and a detailed explanation of the administrative burden placed on booksellers.

European & International Booksellers Federation - Statement on the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)

EIBF supports the goals of the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products EU/2023/1115 (EUDR), however, we regret to note that it represents a largely disproportionate administrative burden for an industry that does not contribute to global deforestation. Books were not included in the Commission's original 2021 proposal, and therefore no impact assessment was made for our industry. Currently, the EUDR – designed without taking into account the functioning of our sector, nor the position of bookshops as downstream operators – weigh heavily on booksellers and risk negative impact on cultural diversity and citizens’ access to knowledge and information.

1.Books represent a low-risk, high-quality product supply chain

Books are already sustainable: a majority are printed on FSC-certified paper in Europe or imported from low-risk countries, and the industry has developed robust supply chains of high-quality products. Therefore, the sector anticipates that the sole impact of the EUDR on the book supply chain will be the introduction of increased administrative burdens for all actors. 

2. EUDR does not account for the complexity of the book value chain

Books are not like other commodities: they are vehicles for information, with vast democratic and cultural value. Each copy of a book consists of multiple different types of paper (pages, binding, cover etc.) and each type of paper can be a mix of multiple different kinds of pulp, as well as recycled paper mass. Because of this, and the fact that multiple editions of a given title are in circulation under the same ISBN code simultaneously, Traces, and the reporting framework of Due Diligence Statements (DDS), would force businesses in the book sector to disproportionate “over-reporting,” as each entry has to reference the DDS of all editions of a given book. 

3. The administrative burden of non-EU import is disproportionate and will impact Europeans’ access to information and cultural diversity 

All EU markets that have a high presence of English literature, with supply chains from the UK and USA will be disproportionately impacted by the EUDR. In addition, foreign language and academic bookshops, (often SMEs or micro-companies) who import books for students, libraries or universities, will face insurmountable administrative burdens. Consequently, European libraries and universities, many of which rely on bookshops for the supply of books, will also be impacted. Thus, the EUDR brings a massively negative impact on literary diversity, as well as to European citizens’ access to books, culture, knowledge and information. 

Amid declining literacy rates, increasing disinformation and polarisation, European legislation must support the green transition of the book ecosystem and its mission to promote reading and access to books, not introduce regulations that do not justly consider the reality of the industry. 

To safeguard European bookshops and European citizens' access to literature, knowledge and cultural diversity, we ask to realign the EUDR with the Commission’s original 2021 proposal, which rightly excluded printed products, such as books, from Annex I of the regulation.

Today, on the UN International Media and Information Literacy Day, the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) is proud to release its Charter on Artificial Intelligence, outlining our vision and guiding principles for the responsible and ethical use of AI in the bookselling and wider book ecosystem. 

The book sector and society as a whole find themselves at a watershed moment: AI offers both significant opportunities and serious challenges. EIBF recognises that AI technologies can bring efficiency, innovation, and operational support for booksellers. At the same time, AI raises serious concerns around copyright, transparency, accountability, and environmental sustainability. EIBF stresses that a robust protection of copyright and creators’ rights is fundamental to sustaining cultural diversity, innovation, and fair competition. 

Among the guiding principles, the Charter highlights: 

• Copyright as the foundation of the book ecosystem. Intellectual property protection remains essential to the sustainability of authors, publishers, and booksellers alike. 
• Innovation built on respect for rights. Creative works protected under copyright enable technological development, including AI systems themselves. 
• Governance and accountability. EIBF supports the EU AI Act as a basis for trustworthy AI but underlines the importance of effective enforcement and ongoing monitoring. 
• Human-centric and ethical AI. Developers of generative AI tools should disclose the data sources used to train their models, ensuring transparency and fair use of creative works. 
• Transparency for consumers. Readers should be able to identify when content has been generated by AI, through clear, standardised labelling developed through the industry’s initiative. 
• Environmental responsibility. AI developers and providers should take responsibility for the environmental impact of their systems in line with broader green objectives. 
• Fair competition and support for SMEs. Policies and initiatives should consider the realities of small and medium-sized enterprises, which form the majority of the European book sector. 

EIBF President, Fabian Paagman, notes: “With this Charter, EIBF reaffirms its commitment to promoting innovation while safeguarding the rights of creators, ensuring transparency for consumers, and supporting a competitive and sustainable book industry. We look forward to working closely with our colleagues across the book sector to uphold these shared values.” 

Read the full Charter below. 

Another year, another Frankfurter Buchmesse! Now that the 77th edition of the Frankfurt Book Fair is behind us, let’s cast an eye back to EIBF’s activities across the fair – marked by EIBF’s participation in the organisation of the Bookselling in Times of War panel, part of the fair’s Frankfurt Calling programme.

EIBF’s programme this year was a bit different: instead of attending panels and events, it prioritised one-on-one meetings with members and significant stakeholders across the industry.

However, this year EIBF also had the opportunity to co-organise, along with the Fair’s Frankfurt Calling programme, the Bookselling in Times of War panel, aimed at spotlighting booksellers and they ways in which they sustain their work when polarization, censorship, or even full-scale war threatens them and the communities they serve.

The conversation, moderated by Erin Cox (publisher at Publishing Perspectives) brought together booksellers from Kyiv (Oleksii Erinchak, Сенс), Jerusalem (Mahmoud Muna, Educational Bookshop), and San Francisco (Vanessa Martini, Green Apple Books) and explored how they protect stories, nurture readers, and keep cultural spaces alive amid different kinds of pressure. Each participant shared their own experience, from everyday challenges to inventive forms of resilience, offering a look at bookshops as anchors of dialogue, memory, and hope.

Oleksii highlighted the transformation of his bookshop from a ‘simple’ business into a crucial community hub and cultural space. Opened in January 2022 (one month before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine), Сенс had to quickly adapt and evolve into a role that was not initially envisioned. Indeed, with the start of the military aggression, it evolved into a hub where civilians and military personnel could find refuge: a safe haven amid chaos and uncertainty. Beyond its protective role, the shop also became a beacon of Ukrainian cultural preservation through literature and acting as a site of resistance and identity safeguarding. It saw a decisive shift in consumer preferences as well, reflecting its newfound role as a vanguard for cultural protection and self-affirmation: before the invasion, 80% of books sold were in the Russian language, now obviously no longer the case, with Ukrainian-language books emerging as the preference (or better, as the necessity). Interestingly, this newfound purpose and mission still had to face the reality of the book market: how do you compete with phenomena like BookTok, which provide a much higher level of commercial profit and sustainability, with ethical imperatives such as raising political awareness on current contemporary issues?

Similarly, Mahmoud described how The Educational Bookshop in Jerusalem goes far beyond ‘just’ selling books: it promotes critical thought and dialogue in an environment often marred by political tension and oppression. Initially focused on Arabic-language works, the shop expanded to include English, Italian, and Spanish titles to reach broader audiences. Mahmoud argued that when political systems fail, bookshops shoulder a moral responsibility to keep discourse alive as booksellers ‘’are in the business of promoting ideas’’. For Mahmoud, the concept of ‘political’ varies across contexts: in oppressed societies, neutrality is impossible because everything is political – starting with your very own existence. This places an even greater importance on the role of booksellers as promoters of diverse thought, an alternative to the status-quo imposed from above. As eloquently put by Mahmoud, ‘’bookshops need booksellers, not a till’’.

Moving along across the pond, Vanessa reflected on the unique challenges faced by U.S. bookshops, especially amid increasing book bans and restrictions in schools. She pointed out that while institutions of formal education and knowledge inquiry face censorship and funding cuts, independent bookstores, like Green Apple Books, can sustain intellectual freedom because they are not reliant on federal funding and support and thus find themselves in a unique position to continue, steadfast in their mission, without legal hinderances or conditionalities. Vanessa also stressed the power of booksellers as curators, reminding peers of the significance of seemingly small acts in shaping cultural and intellectual spaces. 

The discussion among these formidable booksellers crystallised one irrefutable truth: bookselling is far more than a commercial act: it is an act of political courage, cultural resistance, and civil defiance. Bookshops stand as sanctuaries for peace, democracy, and tolerance, even under threat. Supporting them politically and economically is not optional; it is imperative for the health of our communities. It is also imperative that we continue to carve out spaces for booksellers to tell their stories and be an active participant in societal discourse – exactly what was possible thanks to the stage at the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025.

Today, leading voices from international organizations across the publishing and book sector come together to launch the statement “Belonging Matters — For Our Sector, Our Societies, and the Stories We Share.”

The statement emphasizes that belonging is central to advancing the exchange of ideas, promoting democratic values, and supporting the free flow of information worldwide. By embedding inclusion at the heart of publishing and books, the sector seeks to ensure that all participants can contribute meaningfully, while readers can access stories and knowledge from diverse perspectives.

The signatories hope that this statement can serve as a call for the entire publishing and book ecosystem to stand firm against divisiveness and to cultivate a culture of belonging that reflects the rich diversity of our global community.

The initiative is supported by International Publishers Association (IPA), International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Frankfurt Book Fair, PEN International, European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), reflecting a shared vision of a publishing ecosystem that champions inclusion, protects freedom of expression, and fosters collaboration across borders.

The launch coincides with the first Belonging Summit, a high-level panel discussion, hosted at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair programming on the centre stage on Wednesday 15th October.

This initiative is welcomed by the United Nations with Mary Glenn, Chief of UN publications saying, “We welcome this call to action recognizing that belonging is at the heart of sustainable development and the 2030 agenda. It reminds us that development is not only about human progress, but also about creating a sustainable future that benefits both people and the planet. When we create inclusive spaces, we can nurture understanding and empower action. We have already seen this in action with the SDG Publishers Compact, where a shared sense of purpose has driven action in support of a more sustainable world.”

Arne Svingen, International Secretary of PEN International said: “Belonging thrives where right of freedom of expression is upheld and where every voice can be heard without fear. Today, the ability to exchange ideas is under threat with the silencing of writers and banning of books. These are not just acts of censorship but serve to undermine democratic foundations. As a sector, we must foster the feeling of belonging and protect, together, the rights for individuals to express, to read and to be heard”.

Giovanni Hoepli, Vice President, International Publishers Association said: “In an era where the core pillars of publishing freedom are under threat, our role as publishers is more vital than ever. Through accessible books, inclusive book clubs, and stories that reach everyone we can advance the Sustainable Development Goals, foster belonging, and nurture a culture of inclusion within our own publishing houses. Protecting the freedom to publish is also about empowering diverse voices and building a world where everyone has the right to read, share, and belong.”

Basarat Kazim, President, International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) said: “We are delighted that IBBY joins as a signatory to this crucial statement. At the heart of our mission is the belief that younger generations must grow up with stories that foster understanding through their reflection of belonging, diversity, and respect. As the citizens of tomorrow, their role is fundamental to building more empathetic and inclusive societies, and it is our shared responsibility to ensure they are seen and heard through the books they read.”

Fabian Paagman, EIBF President and CEO, Paagman Boekhandels said:  At EIBF, we firmly believe that the freedom to read is fundamental to a thriving society. Every reader deserves access to diverse voices and ideas, and it is our responsibility to ensure that bookshops remain a space where everyone can explore, question, and belong.

Find the full statement in attachment below.

Every year, Banned Books Week shines a spotlight on the harms of censorship and celebrates the freedom to read. While its roots are in the United States, the movement’s message resonates globally: restricting access to books restricts access to ideas. This year, as stories of book challenges and bans continue to dominate headlines across borders, the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) invited Philomena Polefrone, PhD, to share her perspective on what these developments mean for booksellers beyond the US.

Philomena is the Associate Director of American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE), the free expression initiative of the American Booksellers Association (ABA), and a LGBTQI+ Global Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights. In the piece below, she examines how the wave of book bans in the United States has begun to ripple outward — and what European booksellers should know, and can do, to prepare.

Book Bans: What I Wish We’d Known

Five Lessons about Book Censorship by Philomena Polefrone

Picture: Philomena Polefrone, Phd, Associate Director of ABFE

In an age of tariffs, book bans have become the United States’ least-appealing export. 

Last year, in Brazil, politicians allied with former Prime Minister Jair Bolsonaro banned books in multiple districts for such offenses as discussing race, depicting female scientists, and violating “good manners.” Also last year, in Australia, a Cumberland City Council member attempted to ban books about queer parents. Though he was thwarted by public outcry, the incident has been taken as a warning. Just recently, a UK parent made headlines after leading the charge to ban The Hate U Give, an award-winning book by Angie Thomas about race in America. The parent claimed it would make white students feel like “the baddies.” 

None of these examples are from EU countries, but Europe, as well as its booksellers, should take notice. These headlines sound like they come from newspapers in the United States, but they are becoming more common globally. As the Associate Director of American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE) — and as an advocate for booksellers against book censorship in a country that has become notorious for it — I can offer some insight into what might come next outside the US if this trend continues. Here are five things I wish we’d known before extreme censorship groups like Moms for Liberty and their ilk started banning books in Florida and beyond.

1. Bookstores are not immune. 

In the past year, ABFE has responded to more than 60 requests for support from bookstores experiencing harassment, vandalism, and intimidation because of books they sell, events they hold, or other acts of free expression. The purpose of this targeting is to scare booksellers into compliance with the complainant’s ideology and silence speech that disagrees with it. 

Some think bookstores are immune to censorship because they generally do not have book challenge procedures like those of many school or library boards. That’s incorrect. Bookstores face censorship by other means when they have to second-guess their curation for fear of intimidation.

2. Book banning spreads.

The current wave of book bans began in the US state of Florida. More locally, we have seen lists of books circulate between groups in neighboring school districts or states. Websites that claim to offer content ratings, but that actually apply deeply ideological lenses and take passages out of context, help would-be censors gather lists of books they want to ban without even reading them. If such a list works in one community or state, other groups in other areas take note, and try to get the list banned in their own backyard.

If you see a book being banned in the next town over, or even in a neighboring country, it’s time to preempt it where you live. Watching for signs of censorship nearby lets you prepare for likely lines of argument (like “this book is pornography” or “this violates my religious beliefs”), tactics (reading passages of books out loud out of context and misrepresenting which part of the library it’s in), and book lists. 

You can consult PEN America’s list of books that were banned in the 2023-2024 school year to get an idea of the kinds of books that have been targeted recently — and keep an eye out for data on last year, which is generally released annually during Banned Books Week. 

3. Organize early.

US book censors were able to change school board policies or take over school districts before anyone was aware they were doing it. Organizing proactively so you can be ready to respond if and when censorship starts in your area is essential to prevent being caught off guard. This can mean gathering resources like Banned Book Résumés and “The ABA Right to Read Toolkit,” familiarizing yourself with the content, and learning about the policies in place at your local school and library regarding book challenges and collection development. It can also simply mean raising awareness about censorship among your customers and having conversations that will help them know what to look for.

4. Policy can preserve books.

The most sweeping acts of book censorship happen when decision-makers panic after receiving a complaint (often exaggerated or misleading) about a book’s contents. Curation and weeding policies can prevent fear-based reactions and ensure a book’s artistic, literary, or educational value is taken into consideration. The American Library Association has sample policies for selection and reconsideration of materials in libraries, and ABFE’s resources page has starting points for thinking about your own store’s curation policy. These policies do not need to permit book challenges. But they can give you something to point to if someone is trying to pressure you into removing a book or canceling an event.

A policy is only as good as its implementation, though. In many cases, we see that book bans occur when a school, library, or bookstore does not follow its own stated policies. Hold yourself and others in your community to a high standard of consistency.

5. Build coalitions. 

Bookstores, schools, and libraries are not competitors, they’re allies in the fight for a robust literary culture. Building relationships with schools and libraries — whether by co-hosting events, selling books at author visits to schools, or cross-posting events and programs — is not just good business. It also makes you more prepared to respond to censorship if and when it arises. Similarly, many customers want to know about book censorship and understand that reading banned books is a way to keep the ideas they contain alive. Gathering banned books together, especially during specific times like Banned Books Week or when censorship is in your national conversation, sells books and starts conversations with potential local advocates at the same time.

No one thing can stop censorship from happening in your area. But bookseller involvement can be the key to spreading the word about censorship attempts and maximizing the chances that they can be rebuffed.

Book bans may be crossing oceans, but EIBF believes booksellers can stay one step ahead — a first step is exploring Philomena Polefrone’s ABA Right to Read Handbook. We thank Philomena for sharing her valuable insights in this blog post.

After more than ten years of dedicated service to the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), Julie Belgrado has informed the organisation of her decision to step down from her role as Director to become the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of European Screen Directors (FERA).

Her departure marks the conclusion of a remarkable chapter in the federation’s history and the beginning of a new phase of development. Throughout her decade at EIBF, including seven years as Director, Julie has played a central role in guiding the federation through a period of growth, transformation and achievement. Under her leadership, EIBF strengthened its presence in European cultural policy and ensured that the voice of booksellers was heard at the highest political levels. She oversaw the expansion of the Secretariat in Brussels, led the launch of the Creative Europe–funded RISE Bookselling network, and fostered collaboration among bookseller associations across Europe and beyond. Julie also championed initiatives promoting literacy, sustainability and resilience within the bookselling sector.

Her tenure has been characterised by openness, collaboration and innovation, and by a deep conviction that booksellers thrive when they connect, share knowledge and stand together.

Reflecting on her decision, Julie Belgrado said:
“Over the past years, EIBF has been much more than a job to me. It’s been a place of learning, passion, and growth—where I was trusted to try new ideas, supported to bring them to life, and encouraged to share knowledge with others. I’m proud of the legacy I leave behind, and grateful for the extraordinary commitment and support of EIBF members, especially the Executive Committee. Despite challenges along the way, I take with me wonderful memories: inspiring encounters across the globe, the passion and kindness of booksellers, their resilience, creativity, and strong sense of community. It has been an honour and privilege to represent their voice over the past ten years and ensure they are heard where it matters most.”

Fabian Paagman, President of EIBF, commented: “On behalf of the Executive Committee and our entire network, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Julie for her exceptional leadership, vision and dedication over the past decade. She has strengthened the role and visibility of EIBF at European and international level, while always putting booksellers at the heart of our mission. We are sad to see her go, but also proud of what has been achieved under her guidance, and we wish her every success for the future.”

In the coming weeks, the Executive Committee will launch the process of appointing a new Director. During the transition, Julie will support the handover to ensure continuity and stability.

EIBF remains deeply committed to fostering connections among booksellers, promoting best practices, and advocating for a thriving, diverse and sustainable bookselling ecosystem in Europe and internationally. With new leadership, the organisation will continue to build on Julie’s legacy and take the opportunity to further develop its mission and ambitions.

The European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) plays an active role in shaping the future of international book standards through its Ex-officio seat on the Board of the International ISBN Agency (IIA). This seat is currently filled by EIBF member, Nina Stavisky (Director of the French Booksellers Association, ALIRE), who recently travelled to São Paulo, Brazil, to attend the Agency’s Annual General Meeting. In this blog post, she shares her experience and highlights why the work of the IIA matters to booksellers worldwide.

Last week, I represented the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), of which I am a board member, at the General Assembly of the International ISBN Agency (IIA). I had the honor to be appointed to the Agency's Board of Directors in 2023 to represent booksellers. 

But what is the IIA? And why cross the Atlantic for this event? 

The IIA is the umbrella organisation for all national ISBN agencies. That doesn't tell us much. Let's take a step back. National ISBN agencies are the organisations that, in many countries, allocate ISBNs or ISBN ranges to publishers. The ISBN is an international standard for identifying books. Last week in São Paulo, people from all over the world who enable books to enter the supply chain by assigning them a unique number gathered together.

The issue of standards is crucial, affecting not only our profession, but also anyone who wants to support cultural diversity and the vitality of books. International standards such as the ISBN and data interoperability are essential for:

• ensuring the visibility of books in a globalised digital ecosystem.
• ensuring that books and printed material circulate effectively within and beyond the borders of the country of publication,
• They also strengthen the role of booksellers in the book chain, thus ensuring their economic sustainability.

This issue transcends national borders: supporting and promoting these standards actively contributes to the future role of books and booksellers. This is why the EIBF has an ex officio seat on the Agency's Board of Directors. 

Furthermore, it is essential that we make our voice heard within these organisations, whose decisions may seem distant to us, but which are likely to have a significant impact. 

Image: Nina Stavisky presenting EIBF at the International ISBN Agency AGM

In São Paulo, I met with representatives from agencies around the world and reiterated the indispensable role of booksellers in the book industry. I also made contact with several booksellers' associations via national agencies that would like the EIBF's advice to support their development. Thanks to our involvement with this organisation, dozens of booksellers around the world will now be able to access support, and several associations will benefit from the tools offered by the EIBF.

Crossing the Atlantic was definitely worthwhile.

Last week, EIBF Policy Officer, Tora Åsling, attended and contributed to the programme of the Bookselling as Resistance conference, hosted by the Booksellers Research Network (BRN) at the University of Münster, Germany 10–12 September.

The conference brought together people from near and far as the Bookselling Research Network (BRN) is an international network of academic researchers, booksellers and other industry professionals sharing an interest in the history, practice, and culture of bookselling. Its members conduct research on a diverse range of topics within bookselling, from past to present.

Image: Words of welcome from conference organisers and BRN chairs

EIBF Policy Officer, Tora Åsling, joined the programme to present the RISE Industry Insights research paper on Bookshops, Censorship and Freedom of Expression, sharing insights on how booksellers navigate challenges of censorship and intimidation while ensuring readers have access to books and ideas worldwide. You can find the full report on the RISE website here.

Image: EIBF Policy Officer, Tora Åsling presenting the Industry Insights: Bookshops, Censorship and Freedom of Expression

Other speakers explored topics like new iterations of audiobook piracy and its gray zones, the shape of informal bookselling in India, the history of queer, left and other radical bookshops in the UK, US and Germany.

The conference’s packed programme was sprinkled with delightfully bookish activities, including a bookshop tour through the historical city of Münster and a visit to the Ehrenpreis Centre for Swift Studies, a research institute dedicated to Irish author Jonathan Swift, containing the world’s largest reconstruction of Swift’s library in identical imprints.

Image: A collection of miniature editions of Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift in the Ehrenpreis Centre for Swift Studies

A big thank you to the organisers for bringing together researchers, booksellers, and industry professionals for such important conversations about the past, present, and future of bookselling.

Summer is the perfect time to slow down, get inspired, and maybe even start dreaming about your next professional adventure.

As part of EIBF’s EU co-funded project, RISE Bookselling, which brings together booksellers from across Europe to strengthen the sector through collaboration, training, and knowledge exchange, EIBF runs a dedicated bookseller exchange programme. This initiative gives booksellers around the world the opportunity to visit a foreign colleague and experience bookselling in different countries and contexts, fostering mutual learning and inspiration. Applications for the new round of exchanges are open until 20 August 2025!

George Sorin Pop, from Romania’s largest bookshop chain Cărturești, travelled to Slovakia to visit Knihy Brezno, a small independent bookshop in the town of Brezno. He was welcomed by the shop’s owner, Zuzana Giertlová, and spent a few days immersed in her day-to-day work.

Get inspired by George’s story – a great summer read for anyone curious about the benefits of the RISE exchange programme – and apply before 20 August to the new round of bookseller exchanges via the RISE Bookselling website.

Why did you apply for the RISE Booksellers Exchange programme?

I applied to learn about the local flavors of the host town and country, to observe similarities between the cultures, their respective bookmarkets and societal trends. Another reason why I applied was to get to know people that share the same struggles and joys of working as a bookseller. To see what we can improve in our bookshop and to get new ideas that we can also use in our own work. I think it is important to build small communities and connections with people from the same domain.

Is the bookshop you visited comparable to the one you work in? What are the similarities and differences?

The bookshop I have visited is a small independent bookshop, owned by Zuzana, my host during the exchange. It is a bookshop that sells anything you need, from plain paper to art books. The main similarity is the size of the shop and the cozy feel of the place. The main difference between the two bookstores is that Cărturești is the biggest bookshop chain in Romania so things are more center oriented, while Zuzana in her bookshop does almost everything herself, from book orders to shelf putting up shelves.

What are some specific things you learned during your exchange?

In both countries the same book trends can be observed; the troubles with the clients are the same; young people are reading less and less, while a minority of clients are buying most of the books. Združenie vydavateľstiev a kníhkupectiev Slovenska (Slovak Publishers and Booksellers Association, ZVKS) supports independent bookshops with book offers and discounts, and that is a great opportunity if you are an independent bookshop owner. They also publish catalogues with new books that are free for their membership and really helpful for their membership to get informed about the latest publications. Meanwhile in Romania we don’t have a national booksellers association. One thing I learned is that Slovak authors rarely get translated, that there is a strong preference for hardcover editions over paperback and most of their books are published as hardcover editions. 

What are the 3 key takeaways from your stay at the host bookshop that you are bringing back home?

1. A national booksellers association like ZVKS can help and support businesses in times of need. The association in Slovakia help small bookshops by offering them discounts and cheaper books. They also organize meetups between book industry professionals. 
2. It is important to build a community around the bookshop, people come in regularly and hang around the bookstore, casually chatting. Zuzana’s friends help with whatever they can when the bookshop is open, and neighbors and friends come in for a chat during the day.
3. DIY (do it yourself) is sometimes better than prefabricated products; it offers originality, which is a thing that a lot of people don’t emphasize enough (for example the originally designed bookmarks or commercial signs).

Do you think these takeaways can be relevant to other bookshops in your country?

Of course, it’s something every bookshop should consider. Building a local community is, in my opinion, one of the best things a small bookshop can do, for example by organizing events and workshops and bringing people together, while DIY depends on how handy the owner and the staff are. The national association is the first step towards creating a community for booksellers in any given country.

Will you be using some of the things you learned abroad in your own bookshop? If so, how? Do you have at least one concrete example? 

I’m already trying to implement a DIY attitude in the bookstore I work in. Being an amateur craftsman, I try to improve the place where I spend most of my time. I am trying to make the place more friendly and functional and use all of the space to ease our lives and to promote the bookstore and the books with graphic content made by me or my colleagues. 

My colleague participated in another RISE Bookselling exchange, they went to the Rencontres nationales de la librairie, French booksellers conference in Strasbourg, and there are some talks about organizing a national bookselling conference in Romania. This might result in steps towards creating a national booksellers association in Romania. I will definitely participate in this. 

How did it feel to connect with fellow booksellers and share their daily activities in a book market that is not the one you’re used to?  

It felt good, it always feels great meeting people working in the same “guild” and talk about the perks or the challenges of working in the cultural field. It was nice to come up with ideas or just casually complain about the same issues. We shared ideas of how we can improve our businesses, we “stole” ideas from each other and came up with new ones. Interestingly enough, everyday routine is almost always the same in both places (opening hours differ though), ordering books, placing them on the shelves - the alphabetical order and domain arrangements are universal for all bookshops, cleaning the dust etc.

Would you recommend this experience to other booksellers? Why/why not?

Definitely! I have colleagues who have already applied for the exchange, some other colleagues who went to the RISE Bookselling conference in Portugal and colleagues who’ll probably participate in another RISE related event. It is a great opportunity to travel to a different country, personally interact with other colleague booksellers, and learn about the book culture in their home countries.

Later on, the exchange came full circle and Zuzana visited George in Romania during her holiday, making it a truly reciprocal experience.

The bookseller exchange programme offers opportunities for cross-border learning and connection. If you are inspired by the programme, take the chance to be next to plan your own exchange journey – send us your application via the RISE Bookselling platform before 20 August!
 

Founded in 2000, EURead is a consortium of European reading promotion organisations who believe that reading is a prerequisite for full participation in today’s media-led and culturally diverse society. Last month, EIBF, who is a proud member of EURead since 2024, joined the EURead General Assembly and Open Forum, held in Brussels. The event also marked 25 years of EURead’s work in promoting reading across Europe. To commemorate this anniversary, we asked Daan Beeke, from the Dutch reading promotion organisation Stichting Lezen and one of the key figures behind EURead, to tell us EURead’s story in this guest blog.  
 

EURead just turned 25, and for an organisation like EURead, celebrating the 25 year milestone is in many ways the same as when a person celebrates their 25th birthday: it’s a very big step. At 25, one is expected to be an adult. The teenage years are far behind now and the thirties suddenly seem closer than ever. Looking back at one's youth, means telling tales of long ago when fashion was different and tech was nothing like what is the latest now. And of course, there should be a party to celebrate this milestone. But for the rest: business as usual: at 25 one has to work hard to earn a living! 

For those who are unfamiliar with what EURead is: it is a network that binds together organisations from all over Europe who understand that reading is an essential skill and who are key players in promoting it. EURead members have been sharing (since the very beginning, 25 years ago) best practices on reading promotion, scientific insights on reading and how to become a reader, and they have been discussing policies that support reading promotion. We make an impact on society by making it more literacy-rich for all citizens across Europe.  

©EURead

The members page at the EURead website showcases 38 members from 27 countries. All of them in Europe, but not all of them from EU member states. EURead connects geographical Europe and welcomes not only NGO's who see reading promotion as their core business, but also governmental organisations, as well as networks like EIBF and the Federation of European Publishers (FEP). The mission of EURead is (at least) threefold:

1. Connect members so they help each other to do better in reading promotion in their own country/region, by sharing best practices and policy recommendations
2. Send out a loud and clear call to Europe to tackle the reading crisis at a European level
3. Strengthen individual member organisations when they talk to policymakers or look for funding

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EURead is also one of the founders of the Global Network for Early Years Bookgifting, which was initiated by BookTrust UK and is a global network of early childhood programmes providing free books and reading guidance to promote shared reading. And our Researchers Network, which is dedicated to EURead and Global Network members who have a research department and research staff, allowing them to discuss and share scientific results about reading and reading promotion. 

Back to our 25 years anniversary: it was a blast! And although we did party, it is fair to say it was more about 'business as usual': most of the time was spent on our Annual General Meeting. That is the moment when our members meet in real life and discuss multiple themes and current issues, like the necessity of school libraries, reading and sports, and bookgifting programs. 

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By invitation of our member Iedereen Leest, the reading promotion organisation in Flanders, Belgium, the location of our meeting was the Auditorium Hall at the KBR Royal Library in Brussels. We welcomed four new EURead members, listened to researchers from our own Researchers Network and were honoured by a visit and welcoming speech from Prof. Dr. Andrea Wechsler, Member of the European Parliament (European People’s Party, EPP, Germany). In addition, a large group of us visited the Hemicycle at European Parliament. Finally, we organised an Open Forum at KBR where a multitude of presentations and panel discussions put reading promotion in the spotlight. Business as usual, but at the same time it felt like a party. 

Because it was our anniversary, we had an extra full room as members of the Global Network for Early Years Bookgifting were invited as well and therefore we welcomed professional reading promoters from 5 continents (and they had their own seminar, too). 

©Simon Bequoye

When we compare our anniversary with the 25th birthday of a person, we feel EURead is now grown up and adult. Looking back to the year 2000 when it all started with only four members, it does feel like ages ago. Just imagine a time without smartphones, where, at the same time, organisations unite to strive for better literacy and reading skills. We are proud of the fact that we now have so many members and together can truly make an impact in Europe. Yes, we need to work hard because a lot needs to be done to turn Europe into a place where everyone is a reader. 

Thank you for reading this blog till the final words. I hope you enjoyed it! 

You can connect with EURead at communication@euread.com , on LinkedIn and read more about the organisation on the EURead website, here.