In a direct drive to boost greater interest in reading, the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) is planning to launch a market research project and parent awareness campaign following recommendations made by its members during a special interaction session that was recently organised at Sharjah’s Flag Island.

The research will help to determine which topics and genres the public prefers, in order to produce more content that meets their literary passion and tastes, and the awareness initiative is aimed at parents, teachers and librarians to identify the criteria for selecting books for children.

The session, moderated by Ali Al Shaali, Vice President of the EPA, and Mohammed bin Dakheen, the Association’s Treasurer, explored ways to advance and support UAE publishing in keeping with EPA’s vision and reinforce the country’s standing in the industry worldwide. The members debated a range of issues, including the reality of publishing in the country and challenges it faced.

They also expressed their appreciation of the EPA’s efforts under the presidency of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, to protect and safeguard their rights, emphasising the EPA’s role as an umbrella under which they can exchange knowledge, experiences and expertise.

Ali Al Shaali said: “Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi has always stressed the need for open channels of communication with EPA’s members and the duty we have to listen to them, understand their concerns and celebrate their successes. It is through events such as these that the members can learn best practices and develop from being good local publishers to prime regional publishers and eventually, achieving the highest international standards on a global stage.”

He added: “It is essential during these sessions that the EPA embraces the mood of their members and gives support where it is most needed. Our publishers know that they have our full backing and as a facilitator, we often have a greater insight into the industry as a whole and can offer advice and guidance as well as introduce new and effective initiatives. We will make these meetings a regular fixture.

“Through our cooperation with the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) we have several advantages for Emirati publishers at Sharjah Publishing City (SPC) with regards to issues such as storage. And by promoting discounts, securing EPA members’ preferential places in regional book fairs and giving them priority in national initiatives relating to the publishing sector, we can be a vital component in their progress.”
Mohammed Bin Dakheen said: “The rapid growth being experienced by the UAE’s publishing industry means that we must develop more creative and innovative ways to attract EPA members and ensure that they can use the association to contribute to their success.”

The meeting also announced a set of recommendations, most notably the setting up of a number of committees, including the Legal Committee, which is tasked with protecting publishers’ rights and settling disputes. Others include the Professional Development Committee and the Information and Public Relations Committee.

The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) was founded in 2009 as an initiative by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi to develop the publishing sector in the UAE, provide support and training to Emirati publishers and represent them at local, regional and international forums related to the publishing industry.

EPA, which strives to promote the UAE’s intellectual output on a larger scale, has full membership in the International Publishers Association (IPA), and is a member of the Arab Publishers Association.