The death of the ZIBF

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The Book Fair is dead.

The Book Fair is dead.

Book Worm

Most of book people I met after chance encounters at the just-ended Zimbabwe International Book Fair whispered to each other.

Traffic into the Harare Gardens, the main exhibition space, has significantly dwindled over the years. If it were not for a sprinkling of schoolchildren coming through, the event would have been more pathetic.

The other traditional events – the indaba, the writer’s workshop, the live literature have now become moribund.

While the South African Book Fair (formerly Cape Town Book Fair) offers book lovers access to over 120 events, more than 100 authors, illustrators, storytellers, book critics, puppet shows, book launches and book club brunches on offer under one roof, visitors are truly spoilt for choice. Just these statistics alone, make the local book fair a national joke.

If as the organisers claim that the book fair is an important institution that can revive a waning reading culture, then the institution itself needs overhauling.

The Book Fair used to attract book lovers and casual readers who were drawn into the magic of what the fair had to offer. Books provide an escape, inspiration, education and entertainment.

Whoever you are, whatever your reason for reading or picking up a book, the ZIBF was a space and time dedicated to making all sorts of books come to life. The ZIBF used to be an event for the whole African publishing world.

The Indaba

The Indaba format that opens the Book Fair each year is now a tired format, which, more often than not is academic oriented and closed to the public. Most of the discussions end up as just that – talk shops.

Modelled around the traditional “indaba” where men sit and converse, the ZIBF indaba suffers from its gender exclusionary composition (proceedings dominated by men) and the unfortunate absence of young people in the discourse. Perhaps, it is time to rethink the role of the indaba in the ZIBF programming. Should it maintain the prominence it held before? Are there better ways of discussing book matters?

Book markets and trade

The ZIBF used to be the place where publishers, booksellers, librarians and educational institutions obtained detailed information on African and international book markets. The fair provided exhibitors and trade visitors access to book markets in a variety of ways.

In fact the ZIBF was known to be a place that enabled networking with new business partners in the book industry. What is the value of the book fair now to the national economy?

Is there any meaningful business still taking place at the ZIBF anymore? The fair was a trading extravaganza which attracted global exhibitor attendance and the flood of new book deals struck just before and during the fair was overwhelming.

Books and technology

The ZIBF continues to ignore discussions around the successful bridging between the physical-digital divide. Young start-ups such as Mazwi who have developed an online platform to sell Zimbabwean fiction and non-fiction books ought to be given audience to share their innovations with the local book industry.

While the theme for this year focused on indigenous languages, it would have been good to discuss how and if books written in Shona and Ndebele can also be read and shared on tech platforms. ZIBF has so far dodged dedicate time to the question of digital publishing or digital reading considering that more Zimbabweans now access information via mobile gadgets.

Nationalising the book fair

Due to the widespread popularity of the ZIBF, the organisers opted to nationalise the fair.

As such satellite book fairs are held in other major cities – Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo and Mutare. Initially this was a good idea considering that the main book fair remains in character and participation Harare-centric.

This would have certainly increased interest with more Zimbabweans.

But spreading around a dying brand is not so much a clever idea when resources and funds could be used to consolidate the flagship event that takes place in Harare every year.

Management

Ignatius Mabasa is of the view that the ZIBF “should consider decentralising and parcelling out components of the fair to different capable managers who will plan, monitor, evaluate and even help with fundraising for the specific book fair activities.”

He goes on to mention names of some industry professionals but as is characteristic, the list is illustrious but lacks new names. Indeed, there are many capable people who could be involved in turning around the ZIBF and in the process make the institution more respectable.

For a country that has 60% youth, it is sad that most of these young people remain marginalised and their potential to think stifled.

Conclusion

The ZIBF is an important platform to develop a literate and reading society.

The importance of literacy and a vibrant culture of reading cannot be overemphasised. Literacy underpins development in all sectors of society in a modern world and contributes not only to a knowledge economy, but also stimulates economic growth and job creation.

Unfortunately, in its current state and its decline in influence, if we are not careful, two years from now ZIBF will just be a name.

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