www.sabooksellers.com Issue 75, Dec 2013 – Feb 2014 NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE SA BOOKSELLERS ASSOCIATION NEW CAPS Study available at R130.00 each. (Recommended Guides Retail are Price) now Flying High with Study & Master Study Guides 12 CAPS also in e book Cambridge University Press, P O Box 50017, V&A Waterfront, 8002 Tel 021 4127800 | Fax 021 4198418 | Email [email protected] www.cup.co.za Study Guide flyer.indd 1 2013/11/06 3:27 PM Contents REGULARS GENERAL TRADE LIBRARIES 4 From the President’s Desk 6 • SA Booksellers National Executive 12 The Frankfurt Book Fair 22 The Nation celebrates reading • A few insights from South African Committee National Book Week 2013 attendees • Bookmark • A photo report 23 The librarian of the future • The SA Booksellers Office LIASA Annual Conference • About the SA Booksellers Association 16 Open Book 24 A journey of discovery 29 Member Listing Leading the way as a world-class Audiobooks on Overdrive book festival E-BOOKS 18 Publishers going direct ACADEMIC AND EDUCATION 8 New e-book selling platforms A real threat or an imagined ambition? 26 The future of Education in SA Bundling and subscription-based How will it effect educational services on the up and up 19 RPG Online The future of metadata in South Africa bookselling? 10 A bookshop built by Escher 27 Speculation laid to rest Reconsidering your online presence 20 Bookselling in turbulent times A topical industry flooded with Changes in ownership of 11 The kids are reading opportunities Bookstore chains Does it matter which medium they use? << BACK TO CONTENTS From the President’s Desk Dear Members, models, how books are used, how long meetings have been well attended. Your Executive met recently and heard they should be retained, how book use The different publishers are following with concern that the slow sales in can best be monitored, and also whether different models and may be able to the general bookshops show no sign book packs should be supplied to each accompany you to present to a school if of improving. The Nielsen statistics student. Almost anyone would support you are suitably located. The education continue to show declines compared to the department’s exploring these issues. department believes it will be able to the equivalent week in the previous year The department has undertaken to consult make good use of internet based learning. almost every week, and these are often with stakeholders, and we hope that they The Gauteng Education Department has over 10%. Since they include some internet will take into account the importance of purchased tablets in bulk, and a number of sales, we cannot even suggest that it is having a network of booksellers around the more affluent schools are using them solely because of a move to the internet. the country. We wonder also whether the too. Booksellers must inform themselves You will recall that we approached the department hopes to introduce a uniform and become a part of the process if they Receiver of Revenue a year or two ago purchasing system. In some areas the do not want the publishers to become the regarding the elimination of the VAT on department has taken the prerogative of direct suppliers of e-books. parcels of under R500 in value. In the same choosing which book to use away from the The South African Book Fair will be submission we pointed out the inequity teachers and has insisted on using the same held in Cape Town next year from of allowing digital sales into the country book for all schools. This book can then be 13–15 June. It will be preceded by a without the payment of VAT, while selected on its price from the several books two day Digital Book Conference. We requiring local retailers to pay VAT on approved. Placed in a position where they and PASA are presently discussing such sales. It is pleasing therefore to hear win all or nothing, some publishers have arrangements for the Annual General that the Receiver has decided to require offered their books at very low prices. Meetings which will be held in Durban Amazon and other overseas providers to We are concerned about the position next year. As soon as the dates and venue pay VAT on deliveries of digital books of the bookseller in this environment are decided we will advise you. into South Africa. We hope it will be as publishers may not offer the book to The changes in ownership of a sub- possible to implement this effectively. retailers at the same price, and they may stan tial part of the retail book industry Governments in a number of countries be placed in an uncompetitive position. have caught the interest of every book- are co-operating to close the loop holes University book sales have happily seller. Now that the transactions are which enable internet based book and held up well. Booksellers are concerned nearing completion, we trust that the digital retailers to operate in low tax about the price rises that will face students businesses will all be able to re-focus on jurisdictions while supplying into other next year because of the weakening of their day to day activities, and we wish countries. A high level meeting of members the rand. It is not many years ago that we the new owners and their bookselling of the European Union took place recently faced resistance and protest. The rapid teams well in their enterprises. to reach agreement on a common policy extension of the NSFAS bursary scheme We are aware that we need to improve and states within the USA have been has improved the position of poorer communication among our members. asserting their rights to tax on deliveries students since then. This year the financial If you have interesting or important to those living within their areas. We are elements of the scheme will be managed information to share with your colleagues therefore in line with international trends. by SBux, and the academic booksellers are please send it to Samantha (saba@ School book retailers around the presently gearing up to use the new system. sabooksellers.com) and she will distribute country are presently delivering as the Students will receive an e-mail telling them it appropriately. The website has improved Departments of Education require the of the amount they can spend on books, greatly thanks to the good work and schools to have their books well in time with a code, and registered booksellers will creative thinking of Jessica Faircliff, and for the new school year. As the schools be able to supply against the code, which we have ideas on how to make it even open just after the long Christmas break, will be cancelled immediately it is used. more appealing. Do remember that the the deliveries must be made by the A new SMS will then be sent, giving Alternative Publishers list is on the site if end of the current school term. In the the balance available and a new code. you are battling to find the details of a small Eastern Cape we successfully negotiated SBux will also manage funds put into publisher not in your PASA list. The On the acceptable terms for booksellers to make food and accommodation “pockets”. It is Dot school book list is being downloaded their deliveries. We’ve received reports their intention to extend their internet regularly and has the up to date prices for of books being tendered and supplied at based system in the course of next year those doing tenders. There are also some very low margins in KZN, the Western and they speak of it as a “free banking” university books on the Swop Site. If you Cape and some other areas. facility for the user. It is of course paid for have overstocks you can offer them or if At the latest meeting with publishers by the store enjoying the sales. It will be you are ordering, you may be able to buy and the Department of Education’s interesting to see where else it is used. cheaply and quickly from the site. LTSM Committee we learned that the Hentie Gericke has been active in the Department is preparing a new National Western Cape in educating booksellers Book Procurement Policy. The committee about the possibility of selling digital Sydwell Molosi, is looking at different procurement books and tablets. Local booksellers’ President, SA Booksellers Association 4 REGULARS << BACK TO CONTENTS REPLACE WITH PREMIER FREIGHT AD Do not have the updated link << BACK TO CONTENTS SA Booksellers National Executive Committee NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE SA BOOKSELLERS ASSOCIATION Issue 75 • Dec 2013 – Feb 2014 PRESIDENT AND EASTERN REGION CHAIRPERSON Sydwell Molosi (President Bookshop) EDITOR Jessica Faircliff +27 (0)47 534 0757 • [email protected] ASSISTANT EDITOR Nicolene Finlayson EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING +27 (0)28 312 3224 VICE PRESIDENT AND ACADEMIC CHAIRPERSON +27 (0)83 469 2966 • [email protected] Mohammad Kharwa (Pro Visions Books) Samantha Faure +27 (0)31 337 2112 • [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS +27 (0) 21 945 1572 • [email protected] FEATURED CONTRIBUTERS Alan Vesty, Nicolaas Fassen, VICE PRESIDENT AND Colleen Higgs, Ermine Louw, Patricia Schonstein, NORTHERN REGION CHAIRPERSON Tarryn Anne Anderson, Louise Grantham, Catrina Wessels, Riaz Hassim (Book Express) Siphiwo Mahala, Kirston Hoets +27 (0)11 482 8433 • [email protected] PHOTOGRAPHS iStockphoto, Shutterstock, Frankfurt Book Fair, Louise Grantham, Caroline Ward, Nicolaas Faasen, and thanks to all for photographic contributions HONORARY SECRETARY Peter Adams (Adams &Co) Design and Layout: Through the Looking Glass CTP Book Printers +27 (0)31 304 8571 • [email protected] Printed by: HONORARY TREASURER Stephan Erasmus (Van Schaik) SA Booksellers, PO Box 870, Bellville, 7535 +27 (0)21 918 8400 • [email protected] Tel: (021) 945 1572, Fax: 086 245 1361 [email protected] www.sabooksellers.com CENTRAL REGION CHAIRPERSON Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 09h00 to 13h00 Guru Redhi (MG Redhi Booksellers) Website Design: Through the Looking Glass +27 (0)32 945 1240 • [email protected] Website Development: Country Digital Website Hosting: Databias LIBRARY CHAIRPERSON ABOUT THE SA BOOKSELLERS’ ASSOCIATION The SA Booksellers Association represents a united front Jay Rangiah (Hargraves Library Services) for booksellers.