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E-libraries pose no threat to us – Book publishers

Geoff Iyatse

The Nigerian Book Fair Trust has dismissed the fear that the existence of electronic libraries is a threat to the nation’s publishing industry. Rather than going out of circulation, the organisation argued, hard copies would continue to exist side-by-side with online books.

Members of the governing board of the trust noted this while unveiling this year’s Nigeria International Book Fair which will hold between May 9 and 14 at the University of Lagos.

Immediate past chairman of the NBFT/Managing Director of University Press Plc, Samuel Kolawole, said the worry over the rise of e-libraries was unnecessary.

According to him, new researches have confirmed that students prefer hard copies to soft materials, an indication that relevant and qualify physical books will continue to sell.

Kolawole said new technology rarely displaced old one as they exist concurrently.

He noted, “E-book will not take over the place of hard copies or displace printing. The two will exist side-by-side. Even new researches have shown that students prefer using traditional books to learn. There was a time when virtual offices became the major subject of discussion. But today, people even spend more on physical offices.”

Managing Director of Jasper Books, Michael Adewoye, admitted that electronic resources posed a challenge. He, however, said the popularity of such materials should not cause panic among publishers.

Vice-chairman of the Trust/Director of Hambleside Nigeria, Babs Fashanu, also noted that new technology would support the growth of publishing rather than displacing it.

In his presentation, Chairman of the NBFT, Rilwanu Abdulsalami, said the organisation chose to go on with the annual fair, despite the economic challenge, in fulfillment of its commitment to the promotion of reading culture in the country.

“It is the mission of the trust to get Nigerians engaged in reading even in the face of economic challenges. And this can only be achieved when books are made available and affordable to Nigerians,” Abdulsalami said in a speech that was delivered by Fashanu.

According to him, exhibitors from the United Kingdom, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Ghana and Kenya will join their Nigerian counterparts at the one-week event.

He said his team had put necessary measures in place to make this year’s event more successful than previous ones.

Among others, he said, exhibition stands would be equipped with more facilities to make exhibition more attractive to participants. The Internet, transport facilities and affordable accommodation are other offers the organisers are also working on to lure participants to the event.

“We will not relent in our crusade to get Nigeria back on the track of reading despite economic and social challenges,” Abdulsalami noted, while calling on the government to refocus its policies to encourage the growth of “knowledge industry”.

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