Established publishers who took part in this year's book fair at the trade fair grounds in Naxxar have complained that this year's edition was "turned into a bazaar by the importers and sellers of bargain books".
Maltese publishers and established importers said they should be allowed to set their wares in the first part of the fair grounds with the importers of bargain books setting up stalls at the back of the fair.
Joseph Mizzi, director of Klabb Kotba Maltin, said the exhibitors should be classified and given prominent positions depending on whether they were "publishers by profession or importers by speculation".
The main aim of the fair is to promote local publications, he said, so it was not right for Maltese publishers to exhibit their goods next to importers who bring into Malta books they buy by weight that sell at cheap prices.
"Publishers who invest a lot of money promoting Maltese authors and melitensia have to compete for custom with such imports which are downloaded at the fair in the most haphazard way, giving a shoddy look to the fair.
"Publishers and established importers should be grouped in a set number of halls giving them the prominence they deserve while importers of discounted books should be grouped in another section," Mr Mizzi said.
Emanuel Debattista, managing director of the Publishing Enterprises Group (PEG), agreed, saying that a number of halls, especially the ones the public meets on entering the fair, should be dedicated to local publishers.
"We do not expect any special treatment but publishers should be given priority over the cheap publications that importers and sellers of bargain books bring to the fair.
"I know there are not enough local publishers to sustain a fair but importers of bargain books should be made to exhibit in another section of the fair," Mr Debattista said.
He also called on the organisers to treat exhibitors in a more civilised manner than having to queue up overnight to be able to book floor space.
Mr Mizzi complained that on Saturday business was poor because there was an open day at Rinella for people to have a look at the film set showing landmarks of a city in ancient Rome while the Harry Potter party was held at the Eden Century.
"It's all a question of timing and public relations. It would have made a great difference, for example, if the Harry Potter Party could be linked to the sale of the Harry Potter books at the fair.
He argued that the National Book Council, which organises the fair, does not meet the exhibitors at all during the year to get their views on how things can be improved.
It would make a lot of sense, he said, for the National Book Council to include representatives of the publishers and established importers.
"It goes without saying that librarians look on books in a different way from the way publishers see them - which is as an economic item.
"Holding the fair closer to the end of the month when people would have got their salaries would also help. Promotion of the fair was weak as could be seen from the adverts published in the print media.
"I am fully aware of the limited funds that the National Book Council has but the council could involve publishers to help them on, let's say, the preparation of artwork to make the adverts more eye-catching," Mr Mizzi said.
When contacted, Philip Borg, chairman of the Malta Book Fair organising committee, said that on Sunday, the last day of the fair, the 35 exhibitors were handed a questionnaire that they were asked to fill in and return.
So far seven of the exhibitors, including five of the main publishers on the island, had not returned their questionnaire. The questionnaire focused on improvements that exhibitors would like to see at the fair.
Mr Borg said he would rather wait to collect the data from the survey and inform his committee of the findings before answering the complaints raised by publishers.
In about 10 days' time, a report on the findings will be completed and a copy passed on to each of the exhibitors, Mr Borg said.