It’s World Book And Copyright Day

On the occasion of World Book and Copyright Day, and Libraries Day 2024, the National Book Council (NBC) celebrates the dedication of those who toil to make sure our shelves are filled with books. From conception to creation, design and printing, all books go through various stages before they can reach their readers. The NBC takes pride in its mission to support its stakeholders, whose work deserves recognition all year round.

The NBC is keenly aware of the artistic, technical and financial dimensions that the process involves. In an effort to ensure that the general public also gains an insight into the process of book-creation, the NBC is also thrilled to commemorate World Book Day with an exciting new project. Made in collaboration with LovinMalta, ‘How a Book is Made’ is a three-episode video series which brings into focus the various stages of the book journey: writing, design and illustration, and printing.

In the inaugural episode launched today, Franco Portelli from Gutenberg Press, Glen Calleja from Kotba Calleja, and Chris Gruppetta from Merlin Publishers discuss the process of book production, and the book as a product from both an industrial and an artisanal perspective. 

Watch the video here, and watch out for the next two episodes, which will be released fortnightly. 

As World Book Day coincides with Libraries Day in Malta, the NBC marked the occasion by generously donating a significant number of books to Malta Libraries. While helping to ensure that local libraries remain stocked with high quality publications, such donations also aid in the success of the Public Lending Rights (PLR) scheme, which offers direct financial support to local authors and illustrators by compensating them for each book borrowed.

Reaching out to the Maltese diaspora, the NBC recently donated over 100 books to the Embassy of Malta in Athens, consisting of fiction, nonfiction and research books in Maltese and English. These books will fill the Embassy’s library, and will be utilised by visitors of the Embassy, including officials, consular clients, tourists and Maltese expats who live in Greece.

What has started today will culminate later on in the year with the 2024 edition of the Malta Book Festival — this year taking place between 6 and 10 November. 

Stay tuned for more updates on the Festival in the coming months, and in the meantime… Happy World Book and Copyright Day, and Libraries Day 2024!

For more information, log on to the National Book Council’s website and Facebook page.