Shri R.C. Govil thanked all the participants of the Frankfurt Book Fair and specially thanked Shri Dinesh Goyal who contributed a large sum
for the contributory Reception-Dinner. This Reception-Dinne is being organized by the Federation for many years to highlight the achievements made by the printing and the publishing industry in India. Shri Govil informed that very fruitful discussions were held between the Indian and foreign publishers during the Frankfurt Book Fair and the outcome will be known shortly. He requested all the members present to take part in the Book Fair.
IPA General Assembly meetings held at Frankfurt during the Frankfurt Book Fair 2015
The President informed that he along with Shri Asoke K. Ghosh who is also E.C. Members of IPA participated in the IPA meeting. 54 countries participated in the meeting and the main agenda was the membership of China in the IPA. Most of the countries were in favour of China and voted accordingly and China was elected to the Board by a huge margin. Still some countries are opposing the participation of China into world body. The meeting was well attended and informative.
Participation of FIP in the WIPO Seminar on “Accessible Publishing in India (publishing for persons with print disability) with particular reference ratification of the Marrakesh VIP Treaty
The President, Dr. Ashok Gupta, participated in the WIPO Seminar on ‘Accessible Publishing in India (publishing for persons with print disability) held in Geneva on 28 April 2014. He made a presentation on the issue of print disability in India and spoke from the Indian publishers perspective on the implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty. Dr. Ashok Gupta informed although the Marrakesh VIP Treaty was signed by 51 countries on 28 June 2013 but India was the first country to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access the published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled (MVT).
Dr. Gupta said the Marrakesh Treaty would meet the long pending demand of the VIP community, particularly in India, where the maximum number of visually impaired people lived and only negligible bodies of works were available to them. He said it was a balanced Treaty which had taken care of the interests of all the stakeholders in a reasonable manner. The member countries would now be required to adopt certain provisions in their national laws under limitations and exceptions to the rights of copyright holders to permit the reproduction, distribution and making available of published works in special formats which would
make it easier for the VIP community to access them. For cross border exchange of works in accessible formats through agencies that serve the VIP community, this Treaty would go a long way in harmonizing limitations and exceptions so that they could operate freely.
Meeting with Chinese Delegation
The National Book Trust, India had invited Dr. Ashok Gupta, President, FIP, at their office for a meeting with Chinese delegation on 10 March 2016. During the course of discussion, they expressed their desire that a 10-member delegation should visit Beijing for detailed discussion and cooperation between the Chinese and Indian publishing Industry. After their departure, Dr. Ashok Gupta requested the Chairman, NBT that they should take a delegation to Beijing. Director, China Press and Publication, Beijing after reaching China, exchanged mails with President, FIP and invited him to visit Beijing with a 10- member delegation sometime in November 2016.
Guidelines for Central Selection of Books
Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation under the Chairmanship of Shri B.K. Sharma organized a meeting in the Sahitya Akademi office in New Delhi on 26 October 2015 to discuss guidelines for the Central Selection of Books and interact with the representation of the publishers. Dr. Ashok Gupta, President, alongwith senior members of the Federation participated in the meeting. Dr. Ashok Gupta apprised about the suggestions to be incorporated in the revised guidelines for the selection of books. The Federation had sent the following suggestions to Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation for the selection of books to be purchased by them.
(a) The books having ISBN Number be only procured.
(b) The publisher should have a PAN Number.
(c) The books already submitted to the four National Libraries be only considered.
(d) 3-4 times in a year books should be purchased as it is very difficult for the Selection Committee to select books out of about 15,000– 20,000 books in one seating.
(e) A Jury of the eminent authors, administrators, librarians be constituted to select the books subjectwise for recommendations.
(f) Books received at the RRRLF should also be acknowledged as publishers are always in doubt whether their books were shown to the Selection Committee.