The National Book Council (NBC) is consulting authors and publishers as part of a process that will lead to the drafting of National Book Council legislation.

The NBC was set up in 2001 to coordinate institutional services relating to books such as the National Book Prize, the National Book Festival and the distribution of ISBN in Malta. The NBC’s aim is to promote books and a widespread reading culture in society.

The council explained that in the past three years its remit and activity grew considerably, thus making the need for a law. 

Amongst issues raised by authors during a discussion was that they often found themselves lacking the authority to ask their publisher for an audit of their book sales.

Authors’ payments was another crucial point raised since several authors felt that they were e not being treated entirely fairly in this regard.  

During this meeting, the NBC proposed that certain mechanisms be introduced in the NBC law that would recognise a writers’ syndicate and a publishers’ collective. Meaning that the NBC would have a legal mechanism that would officially recognise a non-governmental writers’ and publishers’ institution: institutions that would, in turn, have the role of formally establishing their own agendas. This may very well be the best move forward towards ensuring stronger and all-encompassing recognition of authors and publishers by the State.

The NBC will be organising a second consultation meeting in Brussels on March 15 in Dar Malta for Maltese writers living in Brussels and nearby cities.