Eleven bibliophile blogs in joint letter to publishers asking them to reduce book prices. They recognize , of course, that lately most publishers have reduced the prices of older books by making very tempting offers.

But the problem of modern books remains, whose price ranges between 15-20 euro, which in the days of crisis they consider to be prohibitive.
In addition, these bibliophile bloggers point out that publishers are in danger of falling into the "publish what sells" logic, which in the long run will destroy literature.

The signatories of the letter point out that they understand "the various difficulties, from obligations to employees, the cost of paper, rights burdens, of translations and so on within the particularities of the Greek market with its linguistic limitations and the small population" , but they emphasize that "again the book, precisely in the present crisis, we must spread it as a good and not as a luxury of the few".

They therefore suggest to the publishers to take "a courageous step: reduction in the price of new securities, so as not to stop the creative expression of all of them, among whom, always, there are talents that should not be wasted, because he will have qualified out of sheer necessity, the ephemeral and the salable".

The letter of the eleven blogs

“Ladies and gentlemen editors,

requested, both for you and for us bibliophile bloggers, is to increase readability in a Greece, who reads less and less.

The main problem in recent years is the crisis. An acute and multi-layered crisis. Your business has been invaded, but in a stratified manner it is now reflected in the largest part of Greek society and affects it, respectively proportionately and nevertheless dramatically, the lives of all of us. When unemployment and plummeting incomes have soared to their highest rates in decades, the main priority of course can only be the defense of Dignity in everyday life with all that it must include in conditions of Democracy: Health, Roof, Food, Education, Freedom.

For the bibliophiles of this country, which in the majority of them is not a privileged part, that lives outside of common economic reality, the book is a very important asset included in the above, which cannot and should not be included in their list, which will be reduced or cut completely, because precision often makes it unapproachable.

If with the offers, the bazaars, turning to the old titles and going back to the libraries seems like a good solution, what will happen with the new titles?;

They will concern fewer and fewer; And if this is consolidated as a forced condition in the crisis, we will go from publishing flood to publishing ebb, whose required characteristics will be described with the phrase we issue the,what can be depreciated;

Objections to the price of the book had been heard in the past, both by readers and by experts in the field, journalists and critics. When an average book costs €15-20, most people will prefer to watch a movie at the cinema, which costs much less than €10 or the same money to spend on another kind (entertaining) outlet.

The same is unfortunately true for the e-book. Where the price should be much lower, since the issuance costs are lower, slight differences are observed compared to the printed book. The reader would be logical, which has the corresponding device, to be motivated to buy intangibles, while he who has not, to find motivation to follow the development.
 Before we get to the sad and fundamentally anti-civilization point, that is, to completely annihilate the number of readers, let you try, the publishing houses, as this obligation primarily falls to you, a brave step: reduction in the price of new securities, so as not to stop the creative expression of all of them, among whom, always, there are talents that should not be wasted, because he will have qualified out of sheer necessity, the ephemeral and the salable.

 The book, today, it is expensive and prevents its purchase. This is the reality, which however, you, you can change.

 As readers, bloggers and citizens, we ask you for the biggest possible reduction and, if you do, us first, we will support her.

We understand the various difficulties, from your obligations to employees, the cost of paper, rights burdens, of translations and so on within the particularities of the Greek market with its linguistic limitations and the small population, but then again the book, precisely in the present crisis, we must spread it as a good and not as a luxury of the few.

Our blogs, always welcoming and without any kind of exchange, we worked and we are working, of course, as… book advertisers! Especially those that transcend the ephemeral…

 We can continue serving Literature together with you (and any other kind of reason) και συμβάλλοντας στην επιβίωσή της, αν κι εσείς θελήσετε να προχωρήσετε σ’ αυτό, που επιτακτικά πλέον σας ζητάμε: χαμηλές τιμές σε όλα και ειδικότερα στα καινούργια βιβλία, without changing their aesthetics and quality.

Sincerely

bookworm,  Book cafe, Reading, Vaults, Anagnostria, Thalis' blog, Read-for-a-Life, Desperado, Kangaroo, Degas Reading Club, Spring Agreement".

Source : tovima.gr