ABC gratefully acknowledges the support of: Hivos, the Humanist Institue for Cooperation with Developing Countries

Info for Publishers

Publisher Participation

ABC was founded by an initial group of seventeen publishers, of whom 11 remain publishing. Those founders are the owners and provide the governance of ABC. Participation is open to any independent, autonomous African publisher with titles suitable for distribution outside Africa.

ABC distribution is open to African publishers, whose titles/lists meet the criteria of ABC. Publishers grant ABC exclusive distribution rights of titles in Europe, North America and Commonwealth countries outside Africa.

Criteria for Publisher Participation

The following criteria for ABC distribution arise from the ethos of ABC as an African founded, owned and governed organisation, to promote, market and distribute indigenously published African books; to promote and disseminate information about scholarship and creative writing from within Africa, and to disseminate information and the viewpoint of African publishers about the book and publishing industries in Africa.

Thus publishers must be genuinely indigenous, autonomous publishing houses with control over their own publishing programmes and policies. For example, the local company of a transnational publishing house based outside Africa would not be eligible, even if at some level publishing decisions were taken locally. ABC will stock titles which are suitable for overseas promotion, but not necessarily the full list of a publisher.

The finance for the publishing house is from within Africa. Publishing decisions and financial management is within Africa.

The publishing list is suitable for joint promotions with the lists of existing publishers emanating from African culture and perspectives. The publisher list strikes a balance between the number of new titles published annually and the backlist, but should be weighted towards publication of new titles. The publishing list is active and dynamic; from within the cultures of Africa it is engaged in publishing about current economic and cultural.issues, publishing new or established creative writers who contribute to the literary wealth of Africa, and publishing children’s books of high content and production quality. For publishers of children’s books, the quality of illustrations and production is high enough to be marketable outside Africa.

The current publishing programme should cover all or some subject areas, which are marketable outside Africa and in particular, subject areas which are in positive demand, for example, gender studies, environment, African literature and linguistics, current political/development issues such as democratisation/civil society. Total participation is a balance of representation of different countries and regions of Africa.

Balance is promoted in gender issues i.e. women publishers are represented.

Communication will not be an insuperable problem between a publisher and ABC i.e. preferably good email connection is possible; or otherwise the publisher can utilise fax/telephone communication.

The publisher has email capacity to send ABC prompt bibliographic information on new titles; and to send correctly formatted digital files by email for uploading for Print-on-Demand, or otherwise to post promptly a good sample copy of a new title for scanning.

In the case of exceptional books which cannot be produced Print-on-Demand, which will be stocked by ABC via a UK wholesaler, a sample hard copy will be shipped to ABC promptly; and thereafter, stocks ordered will be shipped promptly from Africa to the

ABC designated address i.e. the publisher can find means to send stocks on consignment, and the infrastructure of the country enables some combination of air/surface and freight/post methods to work.

Total number of new participating publishers admitted in any one year can be handled within the scope of ABC financial and staff resources.

Finally, having taken into account the above criteria, the total of all publishers reflects the ethos of ABC; and the list/titles can be promoted within budget constraints.

Marketing & Customer Services Undertaken by ABC

Activities:

  • Marketing and distributing African published books globally outside Africa.
  • Working in partnership with publisher and cultural organisations and agencies in Africa and elsewhere to publish and disseminate resource material and information about the African book trade, and to promote African publishing and book interests.

Services to customers:

  • Printed or on-line catalogues.
  • Advance new title information
  • Secure on-line ordering; ordering by fax, post, phone or email.
  • Standing order plans.
  • Immediate supply of titles from the UK or US.
  • Billing and shipping from one service point.
  • Presence at book fairs in Africa, Europe and North America.

Distribution Enquiries

For further information, and a copy of the overall Memorandum of Agreement between ABC and African publishers, and the Memorandum of Agreement covering Print-on-Demand, please contact us at mary.jay@africanbookscollective.com

Resources for Print On Demand Production

Download ABC’s POD Production Handbook. (acrobat reader required)

If PDF files are able to be produced please email the cover images and internal files to Justin Cox at coxju@msu.edu. If the files are too big to be sent via email please upload them to an FTP site if you have access to one. If those two options are not possible then disks may be sent to:

Justin Cox
c/o Sam Cook
11 Lawrence Fields
Steeple Aston
Oxfordshire
OX25 4SX
U.K.

If PDF files cannot be provided ABC can make titles available POD by scanning hardcopy. Please send any books which need scanning to Sam Cook:

Sam Cook
11 Lawrence Fields
Steeple Aston
Oxfordshire
OX25 4SX
U.K.

Please contact Justin Cox – coxju@msu.edu for information about, or help with POD production.

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