New Book Release: Trading Books
Publication on International Book Markets and Book Fairs
%20Fotoatelier%20Hermann%20Fuchsluger.jpg "Copyright: Fotoatelier Hermann Fuchsluger")
The new book “Trading Books – Internationale Buchmärkte und Buchmessen im Überblick“ (Trading Books – An Overview on International Book Markets and Book Fairs) by media researcher Astrid Ebner-Zarl of the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences provides an insight into the international book trade and the structures behind the global flow of book contents. Drawing on results from field studies at the Frankfurt Book Fair and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the publication pays special attention to book fairs. In addition, the book gives an outlook on the impacts the corona crisis is having on the book industry.
New Empirical Findings
The monograph aims to offer a systematic overview on book markets and book fairs by combining information on the book industry that has previously been scattered across multiple sources such as literature and industry data, and adding new empirical results. The volume covers economic, cultural and contemporary questions on book markets from an international perspective, such as trading of rights and licences, translation or digitalisation.
Two research projects at the St. Pölten UAS form the basis for the book: “Trading Cultures“, which examines trade cultures at book, TV and music fairs. For a second time, the follow-up project ”Inside Trading Cultures“ carries out research into the Frankfurt book fair in partnership with citizen scientists. “When working on both projects, it transpired that there are far less figures, details and facts available on the book industry than on the music and TV market”, says Ebner-Zarl. The book has the objective to bridge this gap.
Book Trade and Corona
A final chapter of the book provides an outlook on possible further developments in the book industry. In the light of current events, the impact that the corona virus has had on the economic situation in the book industry and the feasibility of holding book fairs are a major issue.
“The global economic downturn has also hit publishing companies, book stores and the book industry’s multiple professional groups such as authors, illustrators and translators who often work as freelancers. Moreover, the book industry had already been struggling prior to the corona crisis and things had only recently started to look up. As a result, the crisis is exacerbating an already difficult situation“, says Ebner-Zarl.
About the Book
Astrid Ebner-Zarl: Trading Books. Internationale Buchmärkte und Buchmessen im Überblick
2020, 148 pages, paperback / e-book
ISBN 978-3-7489-1013-8, € 29.00
About the Author
Astrid Ebner-Zarl studied Media Management at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences and Sociology at the Johannes Kepler University Linz. She earned a doctorate in Social Sciences and Economics and works as a researcher at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, carrying out research on media sociology and media economics topics.
Research Projects at the St. Pölten UAS on the Topic
The projects receive funding from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF)