Poor promotion, response at KA book fair leaves book sellers demotivated TNN | Jan 23, 2015, 02.00PM IST
PANAJI: The very lanes that were thronged by crowds for Lokutsav last week lay dreary for the ongoing Sant Sohirobanath Ambiye book exhibition. Organized by the state department of art and culture (DAC), the exhibition is hosting over 60 book sellers and publishers from all over the country from January 21 to 25 at Darya Sangam, Kala Academy. Even though leading names in the industry like Taylor and Francis, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Manohar Publishers and Distributors, Sage Publications etc are displaying a variety of books, the exhibition is failing to be a crowd puller due to poor publicity. The Sant Sohirobanath Ambiye book exhibition is the largest book fair Goa has ever had and stalls are being allotted to participants free of cost. Though the DAC has done a commendable job by initiating this book exhibition, the lackluster response appears to be affecting sales. Demotivated by the scene, manager sales, Manohar Publishers and Distributors, Ramchandra Surve, said, "I brought stocks worth 65 lakhs for the exhibition. Our books are academic based but hardly any academicians have visited our stalls so far. The DAC has not promoted the exhibition in any manner. There are no banners, posters or advertisements. If this continues, then good publishers like us will not participate in the exhibition in the future." Goa-based book sellers and publishers, however, still have some hopes. Publisher, Goa 1556, Frederick Noronha, said, "If there is food and music there are large crowds. But books are a niche area where only certain people would go out and purchase. We have been pushing for a book exhibition of this standard in Goa for a very long time. The publishing eco-system has grown so big in recent years that we need to carry on with the other steps in the chain. This exhibition is probably the next step towards that. I am optimistic that this event can become an annual one." Deepali Correia from Bookworm said, "Parents should understand that video games are not that helpful for the development of a child. There is so much literature for children today right from the pre-school level in the form of picture books, one-line texts, interactive books etc, it is amazing. I don't see why parents would mind spending a few hundred rupees to buy their child a good book." http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Poor-promotion-response-at-KA-book-fair-leaves-book-sellers-demotivated/articleshow/45997165.cms
