Ghana International Book Fair launched

The 13th Ghana International Book Fair has been launched in Accra, with a call on publishers to embrace digitisation and electronic books.

The theme for this year’s fair is: “Professional Book Publishing and E-services: A Resource for National Development.”

It seeks to draw attention to the potential of electronic publishing in enhancing the availability of books.

Mrs Matilda Amissah-Arthur, the Second Lady, who launched the fair, said electronic publishing had opened up new paths that could address non-availability of textbooks and storybooks.

She said though publishing is central to knowledge, literacy and national development, it would be a mirage until publishers take advantage of new technology and digitisation of books.

“A vibrant local publishing sector is key to ultimately developing a culture of literacy and a literate society is necessary for development to go on,” she said.

She encouraged authors and publishers not to be deterred by the fear of losing revenue from digitisation of books but to devise flexible means of payment for the distribution of electronic books.

Dr Samuel Osafo Acquaah, President of Ghana Book Publishers Association, said electronic services had gained widespread acceptance in the areas of health, education and agricultural development and publishing in Ghana is set to join the wagon.

Mrs Perpetual Dadzie, President of the Ghana Library Association, said the association found the theme of electronic publishing relevant and is impressed with another opportunity to buy and stock libraries.

The Director of the Curriculum Research and Development Division, Mrs Cynthia Bosumtwi-Sam, called for the decentralisation of the book fair to attract people outside Accra.

“The children, readers are not only in Accra; we have 216 districts. Is it possible for us to collaborate, look for funding – both local and international – and organize decentralized book fairs? I think we can”, she said.

Source: GNA