The Thirteenth Specialized University Book Exhibition Will Be Held

Kazem Armanpour, in an interview with the correspondent of Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), announced the holding of the thirteenth specialized university book exhibition on the occasion of Research Week, saying: This event follows the National University Publishing Festival, organized by the Cultural Association of University Book Publishers in collaboration with the Cultural Affairs Department of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and will be held virtually from January 4 to January 14, through the University Publishing Portal (Pand).

Stating that the exhibition’s approach is to equip and strengthen university and specialized libraries, he continued: Access to the exhibition is available through the address www.vabf.ir, as the University Publishing Portal (Pand), as a comprehensive and specialized format for offering and introducing works in the university publishing field, plays a broad showcase role in displaying and selling scientific works by providing equal opportunities for all publishers in this field.

Armanpour added: The subject structure and classification of books on this portal have facilitated the search, selection, and purchase process for students, researchers, library managers, and other interested parties.

Stating that participation of all active publishers in the university publishing field, including members and non-members of the Cultural Association of University Book Publishers, is possible in this exhibition, he said: Even publishers who have published only one or a few university book titles can participate in the exhibition.

According to Armanpour, publishers can register and upload their published works, which are strictly in the field of university publishing, by visiting the Pand portal between December 27 and January 1, provided they have a valid publishing license at least until the end of 1404 (Iranian calendar, corresponds to late March 2026). The books offered must have a receipt notification from 1399 (2020) onwards.

By raising the issue that publishers can also edit the back-cover price and announce the stock status of their works during this time frame, he said: University and specialized library managers can also register on the Pand portal between December 27 and January 1, declare their budget amount, and register a request to receive book purchase subsidies from the Cultural Affairs Department of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

He continued: In the current edition of the exhibition, based on coordination with the Iran Book and Literature House, updating book information on the Pand portal will be done through the Book House API, and publishers will only edit prices and inventory counts of their works.

Armanpour stated that this exhibition provides a suitable opportunity for purposeful selection and precise purchase of scientific resources needed by university and specialized libraries, saying: In this event, libraries can acquire their necessary books with a 20% discount from publishers and a 20% subsidy from the Cultural Affairs Department of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance (total 40%). Students and other interested parties can also purchase their desired books with a 20% discount.

Armanpour stated that according to the procedure of previous editions, the holding of the exhibition will be announced to universities and research institutes across the country through the research departments of the Ministries of Science, Research and Technology and Health, Treatment and Medical Education, adding: In addition, the secretariat of the association will also send necessary correspondence to library managers. However, to achieve maximum participation, respected publishers are requested to cooperate in synergy and expand the scope of exhibition participation through appropriate information dissemination.

Payment of subsidy for the twelfth university book exhibition

He also referred to last year’s exhibition statistics, saying: In the twelfth specialized university book exhibition, 20,422 volumes of books from university publishers, valued at more than 68 billion rials, were purchased by university and specialized libraries, benefiting from a subsidy of more than 13 billion rials.

Regarding the delay in paying subsidies to publishers in the previous edition, Armanpour said: Part of this subsidy has been paid in recent days, and the remaining portion will be deposited upon receipt of funds from the Cultural Affairs Department of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

The managing director of the Cultural Association of University Publishers stated that this year it has been decided, according to an agreement made with the Cultural Affairs Department of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, that the subsidy for the thirteenth exhibition will be paid to publishers by the end of May (Iranian month of Ordibehesht), saying: Additionally, the amounts related to book purchases by libraries will be deposited into publishers’ accounts after a short process.