Copy
Message from the Executive Director
Last week, I was in Toronto attending several meetings. To say I left with many notes, great ideas, and an abundance of information would be an understatement!

The Accessible Publishing Summit involved 60 participants who are engaged in the accessible publishing landscape, continuing to create guidelines and processes that will inform the production of accessible ebooks and audiobooks. The demonstrations by the accessibility testers with NNELS (National Network for Equitable Library Service) left no doubt about the limitations of the current digital reading formats. There will be a report following the summit which we’ll share with our members.

The Canadian Audiobook Symposium participants came from a diversity of roles in the audiobook world, including publishers, audiobook publishers, production studios, narrators, the CNIB and regional associations. Discussions included production capacity, investment, and various ideas around promotion and marketing. This was especially interesting to me, given the repertoire of audiobooks that we’ve been building over the last few years. 

The ACP Mid-Winter meetings were also informative, and we were treated to an excellent keynote from Frances Peck (West Coast Editorial Associates) on “The Value of Publishing”. Our meetings covered the regular committee meetings, as well as industry updates from the Canada Book fund, BookNet Canada, eBOUND Canada, Canada FBM2020, Livres Canada Books, 49th Shelf, Access Copyright and Global Public Affairs. 

Speaking of accessible publishing, we are still waiting to hear the results of our application to the Accessible Digital Books Fund, which would allow us to do an inventory of our members’ content, with the view to costing out what we would need to convert that content into accessible formats. Indicators were that we would be hearing the results very soon, and we’ll be back in touch with members just as soon as we hear.

The BPAA will be sending a letter to our MP as part of the federal pre-budget submission process. Please see the message, below, from Kate Edwards (ACP) with more details on their letter writing campaign.

I’m looking forward to connecting with our colleagues in B.C. next week at the ABPBC conference in Vancouver.

We are delighted to give a warm Alberta welcome to the ACP for their AGM this year. The meetings will be held in Calgary on June 22 - 24 at the Hotel Arts. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend.

With best regards,


Kieran Leblanc
Association News
The 2020 Alberta Book Publishing Awards are currently accepting submissions, through February 28, 2020. The shortlist will be announced in June, and winners will be announced at a Gala Evening at the Hotel Arts in Calgary on September 11, 2020.
Industry News
From the Association of Canadian Publishers:

Those who attended the ACP Mid-Winter Meeting in Toronto last week heard that our sector has a unique opportunity to move our longstanding request for an increase to the Canada Book Fund forward in the coming year. We have an enthusiastic Heritage Minister, an engaged bureaucracy, a standing recommendation for an increase from the Finance Committee, and an international spotlight focused on our industry. ACP has worked hard to lay the groundwork, but the experience of other sectors shows that widespread support is critical to moving these requests forward. We are partnering with our colleagues at ANEL, with whom we have submitted a joint recommendation to the Finance Committee, on a letter writing campaign in support of this recommendation. 
 
Please support this effort by writing to your company’s MP before the end of February. If you have a different home MP, consider adapting the letter for them, too, and encourage staff to send their own letters. A template is available that can be customized as you wish. 
 
Key points to keep in mind:
  • MP names (searchable by postal code) and their email addresses are available here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/Members/en
  • The goal of the letter writing campaign is to motivate local MPs to share their support for an increase to the CBF with the Prime Minister, Minister of Canadian Heritage, and Minister of Finance. These officials should be copied on your letter/email, regardless of whether your MP is part of the government or opposition. Email addresses are provided in the template.
  • Copy me or send a copy of your letter. We will keep track of the MPs who have been contacted, and at the end of the month compile all of the letters that have been sent into a single package to present to the Heritage and Finance Ministers. The letters sent by ACP members and affiliates will be combined with those sent by ANEL members.
  • If you receive a response, please forward a copy for our records.
  • Even if you don’t receive direct support from CBF, consider sending a letter of support for this recommendation. The CBF supports a wide range of organizations (ACP, eBOUND, BookNet, Livres Canada Books, regional associations) that all provide critical collective services that benefit the sector as a whole. 
Thank you for your support of this initiative.
--Kate Edwards

eBOUND Canada has announced a partnership with Access Copyright and its innovation lab, Prescient, to offer to their members Fanship, an exciting new platform for selling, marketing and distributing eBooks. Fanship will be a fan activation platform where authors and publishers can engage directly with their fans to facilitate and stimulate meaningful book recommendations with friends, family and fellow readers that will result in sales and build audiences. More information on the project can be found here.

Now Hiring!
  • Ottawa based Livres Canada Books is looking for a full-time Programs Officer. Applications are currently being accepted through February 7, and more information is available here.
The Edmonton Arts Council has revamped their travel grant program, which is intended to support "Edmonton residents active in the arts and festival communities with travel project costs to the benefit of both themselves and the citizens of Edmonton." Applications will be considered three times a year, with deadlines of February 3, June 1, and October 1. Online applications will open a month before each deadline, and the full program overview is available here.

Calgary Arts Development released its new grant investment program overview earlier this month. Highlights of the update to their program include the removal of the OG+ program, Organizational Access Program, and Individual Artist Program. More information is available here.

Ampersand Inc. is seeking sponsors for National/Regional Book Fairs that will begin in February 2020. There are a wide range of potential sponsorships available and they go a long way in supporting Canadian bookstores. A spreadsheet with the opportunities and sponsorship details/contacts can be found here.

The Canada Council for the Arts has released new and simplified guidelines for their German translation program. More information is available here.

Editors Canada's newest award was created in memory of long-time association member Karen Virag, and in recognition of her many contributions to the profession. The Karen Virag Award recognizes the efforts of an editor or an organization to raise the profile of editing in their community. The recipient will be recognized on Saturday, June 20, at the banquet of the International Editors Conference 2020, and will receive a cash award of $400 and a commemorative plaque. Nominations are currently being accepted, through February 14, 2020. More information and nomination instructions are available on the Editors Canada website.

Registration for PubWest 2020 is currently open. The theme of the conference is “Publishing in the Clouds: Practical Solutions for Big Ideas,” and will be held from February 20-22, 2020, in Portland, Oregon.

The Ministry of Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women announced a new grant on December 10. The Multiculturalism, Indigenous and Inclusion Grant revitalizes the Anti-Racism Community Grant to support a broader range of projects. Projects will focus on promoting cross-cultural understanding, celebrating diverse backgrounds and helping Albertans understand the impacts of discrimination. There are two intakes remaining for 2020, with the first deadline on March 1. Full application guidelines and eligibility information is available here.

Tech Forum 2020 registration is currently open, and the event will take place from March 23-25, 2020, in Toronto, Ontario.

PubWest 501 is currently running an educational series, offering a choice of two courses covering Distribution and the Title Profit & Loss Statement. See here for more information and registration details.

Canadian arts and culture organizations will soon be required to commit in writing to providing a workplace free of harassment and sexual misconduct in order to receive federal funding. Respectful Workplaces in the Arts is the gateway to CHRC’s national anti-harassment initiatives and resources such as “Workplace Harassment and Violence” and the CHRC’s comprehensive HR Management Toolkit.

The Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC) and The Conference Board of Canada (CBoC) are pleased to announce the launch of a national survey of the Canadian cultural sector labour force - the first of its kind since 2010 and the only current national research on the sector’s employers and workers. Click here for more information and to fill out the survey.

Copyright
On Wednesday, December 4, 2019, Access Copyright released a statement regarding the K-12 litigation. The lawsuit was initiated by the Ministries of Education in February 2018, under the claim that they have overpaid Access Copyright $25 million from the years 2010-2012. In their statement, Access Copyright claims that they’re actually owed over $50 million in royalties for the years 2013-2019, which continues to grow each year. Additionally, they say that rights holders are being severely impacted by schoolteacher’s unauthorized use of copyrighted materials from Access Copyright’s repertoire.

On Friday, December 6, 2019, the Copyright Board of Canada issued a decision in relation to the Access Copyright Post-Secondary Educational Institution Tariffs which outlines the terms of access and annual rates for copying for each full-time student. A press release from the Association of Canadian Publishers can be found here.

In the most recent video from Access Copyright's I Value Canadian Stories campaign, Sylvia McNicoll outlines the ways that the Copyright Modernization Act has impacted the livelihoods of authors and other creators, calling for action from the ministers in charge of the Statutory Review. Other videos in the series feature Christine Fischer GuyDiana StevanSusan Stromberg-Stein, Sky GilbertDavid Chariandy, David Robertson, Jennifer Mook-Sang, Bill Horne, Scott White, Amy Stuart, and Andrew Pyper.
Professional Development
Upcoming sessions to be announced.
Upcoming Events
January 21 - February 8, 2020: Alcuin Awards for Book Design in Canada 2018 Showcase (Edmonton)
February 18-20, 2020: Alberta Regional Book Fair
February 20-22, 2020: PubWest 2020 (Oregon) 
March 23-25, 2020: Tech Forum (Toronto)
May 30 - June 5: Congress 2020 - Bridging Divides (London, ON)
June 22-24: ACP Annual General Meeting (Calgary)
June 24-25, 2020 (TBC): Alberta Regional Book Fair
September 10-12: BPAA Annual Conference (Calgary)
September 11: Alberta Book Publishing Awards Gala (Calgary)
October 14-18, 2020: Frankfurt Book Fair (Germany)
 
The BPAAEdmonton Arts Council, and Calgary Arts Development all maintain calendars of upcoming arts and culture events. To submit events please email eacweekly@edmontonarts.ca, or use the submission forms for Calgary Arts Development and the BPAA.
Awards, Grants & Funding
February 15: Research Grant (Access Copyright)
March 1: Multiculturalism, Indigenous and Inclusion Grant Program Intake 1 (Alberta Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women)
April 1: Professional Development Grant (Access Copyright)
April 1: Support for Publishers: Publishing Support (Canada Book Fund)
April 30: Support for Organizations (Canada Book Fund)
May 18: Operating Grant (Calgary Arts Development)
June 1: CIP Travel Grant (Edmonton Arts Council)
September 1: Multiculturalism, Indigenous and Inclusion Grant Program Intake 2 (Alberta Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women)
October 1: CIP Travel Grant (Edmonton Arts Council)
November 1: Events Grant (Access Copyright)
November 25: Support for Organizations (Canada Book Fund)
Ongoing: Arts Abroad (Canada Council for the Arts)
FBM2020
The Canada Council for the Arts has updated the guidelines for its initiative Frankfurt 2020: Incentive for Purchasing Translation Rights and for Publishing in German. The changes now make it possible to apply for translation and promotion costs for all books, and to apply for books that have a scheduled Canadian publication date before the start of the 2020 Frankfurt Book Fair (in addition to books already published in Canada). More information and application instructions can be found here (and through the link above).

As the Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair, Canada will be organizing literary programming in partnership with the Literary Programming Committee (LPC). Canada FBM2020 is now accepting submissions from publishers and literary agents to participate. The official call for submissions and eligibility criteria can be found here (FR).

Major renovations are taking place at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Publishing Perspectives has outlined what to expect for the upcoming years.

With FBM2020 approaching, a professional development day was held in Toronto on March 21st: Roadmap 2020: Building Your Rights Business. This day-long event aimed to guide publishers through the process of selling foreign rights for their titles. Videos presentations from the event have been made available online.

The literary programming sub-committee members for CanadaFBM2020 have been announced. Heather Kanabe, Claudia Larochelle and Hal Wake will be tasked with coordinating Canada's literary programming in Germany and Frankfurt for the 2020 book fair.

In advance of Canada’s presence as the Guest of Honour at the 2020 Frankfurt Book Fair, Canada FBM2020 is looking for input to help FBM2020 and its German counterparts better understand the rich Canadian publishing landscape, its marketplace, influencers, creators, producers and readers.

CanadExport podcasts connect Canadian companies to business leaders and industry experts, as well as the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service. These podcasts explore hot topics as well as pan-sectoral exporting and investment opportunities, and science and technology partnerships.


Canada FBM2020’s Online Rights Catalogue enables Canadian publishers and literary agents to promote titles that have been selected especially for the German market. The catalogue is accessible online through the Canada FBM2020 website, and includes options to search for individual titles, authors, genres, and publishers.
 

Canada FBM2020, the entity responsible for managing the Canadian book publishing industry's involvement in the Canada as Guest of Honour initiative, is tracking German rights deals from October 2016 to 2020 for reporting purposes and to help on further activities surrounding the Guest of Honour project. If you have sold a German rights deal for one of your titles, please complete the following Google form, inform FBM2020 by email, or visit their website
Alberta's Bestselling Books
FICTION
  1. The Accident of Being Lost - Leanne Betasamosake Simpson (House of Anansi) 
  2. The Testaments - Margaret Atwood (McClelland & Stewart)
  3. The Boy, the Horse, the Fox and the Mole - Charlie Mackesy (HarperCollins)
  4. The Power - Naomi Alderman (Little, Brown and Company)
  5. Agency - William Gibson (Penguin)
  6. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous - Ocean Vuong (Penguin)
  7. American Dirt - Jeanine Cummins (Flatiron Books)
  8. Women Talking - Miriam Toews (Vintage Canada)
  9. Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng (Penguin)
  10. The Dutch House - Ann Patchett (HarperCollins)
NON-FICTION
  1. Successful Aging - Daniel J. Levitin (Penguin)
  2. Whose Water Is It, Anyway? - Maude Barlow (ECW Press)
  3. The Collected Schizophrenias - Esmé Weijun Wang (Graywolf Press)
  4. From the Ashes - Jesse Thistle (Simon & Schuster)
  5. Start With Why - Simon Sinek (Penguin)
  6. tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine - Shane M. Chartrand * and Jennifer Cockrall-King (House of Anansi) *
  7. All Our Relations - Tanya Talaga (House of Anansi)
  8. The Body - Bill Bryson (Doubleday Canada)
  9. The Vagina Bible - Dr. Jen Gunter (Random House)
  10. Becoming Supernatural - Joe Dispenza (Hay House, Inc.)

* Alberta Author  + Alberta Publisher
Alberta Bestseller List Week Ending 2020-01-26

The Bestseller List is compiled by the Book Publishers Association of Alberta from information provided by BookNet Canada’s national sales tracking service, BNC SalesData. Thank you to Alberta Politics and the Taproot Edmonton Arts Roundup who distribute the list each week.
Edmonton's Bestselling Books
FICTION
  1. American Dirt - Jeanine Cummins (Flatiron Books)
  2. Girl, Woman, Other - Bernardine Evaristo (Black Cat)
  3. The Little Shop of Found Things - Paula Brackston (St. Martin’s Press)
  4. Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club - Megan Gail Coles (House of Anansi)
  5. ʔbédayine - Kaitlyn Purcell (Metatron Press) *
  6. The Melting Queen - Bruce Cinnamon (NeWest Press) * +
  7. Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories - edited by Neil Christopher (Inhabit Media)
  8. Son of a Trickster - Eden Robinson (Knopf Canada)
  9. Strange Planet - Nathan W. Pyle (HarperCollins)
  10. The Overstory - Richard Powers (W.W. Norton)
NON-FICTION
  1. All Things Being Equal - John Mighton (Knopf Canada)
  2. Power Play: Professional Hockey and the Politics of Urban Development - Jay Scherer, * David Mills, * Linda Sloan McCulloch (University of Alberta Press) * +
  3. From the Ashes: My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way - Jesse Thistle (Simon & Schuster)
  4. The Skin We’re In - Desmond Cole (Doubleday Canada)
  5. Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good - adrienne maree brown (AK Press)
  6. Successful Aging - Daniel J. Levitin (Penguin)
  7. The Body - Bill Bryson (Doubleday Canada)
  8. Learning to Die - Robert Bringhurst and Jan Zwicky (University of Regina Press)
  9. How to Make Art at the End of the World - Natalie Loveless (Duke University Press)
  10. Duchess at Home: Sweet & Savoury Recipes from My Home to Yours - Giselle Courteau (Appetite by Penguin Random House) *
POETRY
  1. Vulgar Mechanics - K.B. Thors (Coach House Books) *
  2. This Wound is a World - Billy-Ray Belcourt (Frontenac House) * +
  3. A Place More Hospitable - Jason Purcell (Anstruther Press) *
  4. Bluets - Maggie Nelson (Wave Books)
  5. How Not to Spill - Jessica Johns (Rahila’s Ghost) *
  6. Unless You’re Willing to Evaporate - Jessica Coles (Prairie Vixen Press) *
  7. Hustling Verse: An Anthology of Sex Workers’ Poetry - ed. Amber Dawn and Justin Ducharme (Arsenal Pulp Press)
  8. Aunt Rachel Says 13 Poems - Lizzie Derksen (self-published) *
  9. Eyes Bottle Dark with a Mouthful of Flowers - Jake Skeets (Milkweed Editions)
  10. The Truth About Magic - Atticus (St. Martin’s Griffin)
* Alberta Author  + Alberta Publisher
Edmonton Bestseller List Week Ending 2020-02-02

Thank you to Audreys Books and Glass Bookshop for providing sales data, and to Alberta Politics and the Taproot Edmonton Arts Roundup who distribute the list each week.
Reading List
Dianne Coan, Division Director of Technical Operations at Fairfax County Public Library in Fairfax, VA., and Carmi Parker, a librarian and ILS administrator have created a financial impact analysis of the library boycott of Macmillan eBooks. They’ve found that the boycotting libraries are creating an 83% loss in revenue. Their full findings are summarized here.

In 2015, Lee & Low Books released the first Diversity Baseline Survey (DBS 1.0) with the goal of establishing statistics about the diversity of individuals working in the publishing industry. In 2019 they launched DBS 2.0. Their results suggest that the diversity of the field has changed little since 2015.

The Association of American Publishers released a comparison of net book sales in November 2018 vs. November 2019, showing a 23.9% decrease between the two periods. 
Quote of the BiWeek
"Life happened because I turned the pages."
―Alberto Manguel
Copyright © 2020 Book Publishers Association of Alberta, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp
The Book Publishers Association of Alberta is grateful for the support of our funders:
City of Edmonton | Edmonton Arts Council | City of Calgary | Calgary Arts Development | Canada Council for the Arts | Department of Canadian Heritage | Government of Alberta | Alberta Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women | Access Copyright Foundation