Bookstores are a link in promoting reading during Book Week

Esmaeil Shafiei, in an interview with the reporter of Iran’s Book News Agency (IBNA), discussed the activities of this bookstore for the 33rd ‘Book Week’, stating: With the coordination made, an exhibition is held every day in 5-6 schools to bring books to schools and provide them to students with a 20% discount. We have considered students from fourth to ninth grade for book sales.

Explaining that buying books is difficult for students in the first to third grades, he continued: It is necessary for them to come to the bookstore with their parents because it is difficult to talk about the book’s subject for these ages, and one must patiently introduce the book to them so they can make the best choice. Furthermore, they see a greater variety of books in the bookstore and, together with their family, buy the book they like.

Esmaeili stated that this is the fourth year that an exhibition is being held in schools simultaneously with ‘Book Week’, adding: 100 to 200 titles of books with diverse content and subjects are displayed. Among children, if one person buys and likes a book, they introduce it to their classmates, and all available copies of that work at the exhibition are sold.

He emphasized that they cooperate with reputable publishers, saying: Publishers such as Cheshmeh, Ghadyani, and Shahr-e Ghalam, which have first-rate content, printing, and suitable prices. The content of selected books for various ages includes life skills, learning, education, ancient Iranian stories, and translated works with high-quality illustrations; students connect more with illustrated books.

The manager of Ketab-baz bookstore, stating that discounts encourage customers to buy, continued: Considering the scarcity of books for reading and the cost, we tried to deliver books to enthusiasts with suitable discounts or at least encourage people towards buying books.

Shafiei, regarding other programs of Ketab-baz bookstore simultaneously with the 33rd ‘Book Week’, stated: A message has been sent to the customer club, which has about 8,000 members, to inform them that for this occasion, the titles and number of books have increased, and they can buy with suitable discounts, for example, 15 to 20 percent for general books.

He emphasized that with various activities, they try to make people welcome book purchases, adding: For example, for regular members, in addition to their discount card, if they buy up to one million Tomans (which usually happens due to the high price of books), the bookstore gives a book as a gift to the buyer. Or we plan to have an activity with this theme: the customer explains a summary of the purchased book in about one minute; then they post it as a story and tag ‘Ketab-baz’ bookstore. Among the participants, five summaries will be chosen by lot, and we will give a one-million Toman purchase voucher to the winners. Throughout the year, we have tried to play a role in promoting reading for various reasons, but during ‘Book Week’, this effort becomes more prominent.

Esmaeili, stating that book fairs are harmful and damaging to bookstores, said: Simultaneously with book fairs, we have a sharp decline in buyers because people go to the fair to buy. But at the fair, books should be introduced, and the audience should become familiar with books and buy from city stores. Despite the difficulties, we have always considered discounts. We hold philosophy reading and book reading competitions. Sometimes, in unsuitable economic conditions, there have been times when we felt disheartened by our work, but ultimately, this is our job. We expect support from the responsible authorities and for them to visit bookstores, including ‘Ketab-baz’.