The book sector in the Valencian Community shows great strength, according to the report from the Guild of Booksellers. This document reveals that five new bookstores have been registered, most of them neighborhood stores, at a time when small businesses face competition from large surfaces. This situation contrasts with the general perception of difficulties for local businesses.
In addition to book sales, reading habits are also maintained, although the sector faces a significant challenge: the abandonment of reading during adolescence. Reports indicate that children and adolescents read, but this stage is critical, as many give up the habit.
“"There is a sector, that of adolescents, that stops reading. It is the barrier we have to break and, instead, there is a world of writers who write for them and for whom these people are their idols. In fact, at the Book Fair, the longest queues are always for writers who write for young people."
The sector also acknowledges a saturation of new publications, where a large part of the available copies fail to sell annually. It is considered that the volume of publications should be reduced to prioritize quality. This problem is compounded by the growing intrusion of artificial intelligence in the publishing world.
The Guild of Booksellers believes that the current model of over-publication is unviable and that fewer books should be published, focusing more on quality. Meanwhile, the importance of the bookseller as a prescriber, capable of guiding readers in such a broad market, is highlighted. Each bookstore makes its own selection, offering content curation to its customers.
“"In a world that is an ocean of over-information, it is important to have a prescriber who knows what they are talking about. Booksellers have an important function: educational. To a modest extent, we have acted as educators for many clients."
With an eye on the upcoming València Book Fair, which opens soon, a new record for participation is expected, with 104 exhibitors and 142 stands. This growth, however, generates some concern among organizers, who fear "dying of success" and are considering the need not to grow so much, focusing more on quality literature and publishers.
