Book fair taps into the signs of the times
Book fair taps into the signs of the times
By Ahmad Junaidi
JAKARTA (JP): With seemingly no end in sight to the economic
crisis, the Indonesian Publishers Association (Ikapi) has
daringly held its annual book fair offering discounts of up to 50
percent.
Organized with the support of the Ford Foundation, the
Indonesia Book Fair attracted hundreds of book lovers on its
opening day at the Senayan sports hall in Central Jakarta on
Saturday. It will be held until Sept. 20.
Newly published works are offered at a discount of between 10
percent and 20 percent, while other works are half price.
Visitors, mostly college and high school students, crowded
most of the 110 stands of the 87 participating publishers.
Works on the theme of reform are the hot ticket.
One attracting a lot of attention is Pahlawan Reformasi
(Reform Heroes), published by Pabelan Jayakarta, which details
the lives of the four Trisakti University students who were
fatally shot in the May 12 incident.
The publisher's other newly released book, Orang Hilang
(Missing People) -- recounting the stories of the people
allegedly abducted by officers of the Army's Special Force -- was
another highlight.
According to Tina, an employee of the publisher, the books
will serve as useful historical documents for both students and
book collectors.
Jumping wholeheartedly on the reform bandwagon, publisher
Mizan erected a sign promoting its "reform serial books" at the
corner of its stand.
The publisher promoted many newly released books written by
reform leaders such as Amien Rais, the former chairman of
Muhammadiyah Moslem organization.
Other publishers, including Gema Insani Press and Grassindo, a
subsidiary of the giant Gramedia Group, hawked a wide range of
works, both on reform themes and general topics.
But the financial turmoil has prevented some of the exhibitors
from publishing new books. Instead, they are banking on
tried-and-true themes which still have a place in the market.
Reprinted books, especially textbooks for high schools and
universities, are the most profitable venture for middle-class
publishers instead of the expense required for new publications,
many exhibitors said.
With the price of paper jumping almost three times since the
crisis began last year, publishers have resorted to reprinting
the textbooks -- on subjects including accounting, banking, and
management -- since they are assured good sales in the market, a
staff member of PT Rineka Cipta said.
PT Ghalia Indonesia also preferred to reprint its textbooks
for schoolchildren despite a backlog of new works.
"We have many book titles on our list but the books will be
printed if there is big order," a company employee said.
Children's books were difficult to find, and they were
available at only six of the stands.
Ikapi's chairman Rozali Usman was proud that the association
could hold the fair despite the crisis.
"The fair is aimed at helping publishers promote their books
and the public to obtain cheap books," Rozali said.
The fair organizer will also hold seminars and games, he said,
to attract visitors.
He also hoped the fair could maintain and enhance the public's
reading habits and love of the printed word, still lacking in
Indonesia.
It was a goal echoed in Kupu-kupu Dalam Buku by noted poet
Taufik Ismail, which he read at the fair's opening.
Taufik envisioned a day when people would read books in bus
terminals, hospital waiting rooms and railway stations, and crowd
bookstores to buy works.