We are a unifying voice for Canadian-owned publishers on the international stage, and are the only national nonprofit organization focused on supporting and promoting English- and French-language independent Canadian publishers abroad.
Our dedicated team works hard to bring worldwide attention to Canadian books and their authors through a range of programs, including: providing cost-shared funding to Canadian-owned publishers for export sales trips and participation in international book fairs and trade events; organizing a collective presence at international book fairs; producing collective marketing tools; and hosting and attending international networking events and activities. As such, we offer a unique and valuable perspective on— and service to—the industry in both English and French.
In this, our golden anniversary year, I have the privilege of becoming the organization’s deputy executive director and with that, the opportunity to help shape the next 50 years of exporting Canadian books and perspectives around the world. I joined Livres Canada Books five years ago after receiving a postgraduate degree in Canadian Studies, and researching Canadian cultural policy and Latin American literature in Canada.
Leaving academia to work at a publishing-adjacent nonprofit was a perfect fit for my interests and experiences, and I haven’t looked back. I have learned so much since joining this organization and have witnessed the hard work and camaraderie among independent Canadian publishers firsthand. They are passionate about their authors and the variety of stories they bring, as well as about our national industry.
My arrival in the Canadian publishing world coincided with the early preparations and excitement around our Guest of Honor role in Frankfurt, which was a galvanizing force across our industry. Not only did the experience help bring major players together to work on common goals, but the additional international attention helped us make connections beyond our traditional export markets. Even though our 2020/2021 Guest of Honor participation was hampered by the pandemic, it allowed Canadian publishers to create or deepen their commercial presence in the European Union, Canada’s second-largest trading partner through the EUCanada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
Building on the goodwill and important business and literary connections made through being the Guest of Honor, Livres Canada Books continues to help Canadian publishers expand their presence in this important export market. We are especially proud of our growing ties with the publishing industry in Spain, which was one of the subsequent Guest of Honor countries that so graciously agreed to postpone their Guest of Honor years when we were hit by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Another important focus of our international business development strategy is building relations in Latin American book markets. Our participation in the 2019 trade mission organized by Canadian Heritage and presence at important Spanish-language book fairs (such as the Guadalajara International Book Fair, Mexico’s Feria del Libro Universitario, and the Feria del Libro de Bogota) have helped Canadian publishers gather new market intelligence on, and forge connections in, the region. These experiences have been instrumental in helping our organization and the Canadian industry more generally create ties with a range of publishers and industry actors in the region’s evolving and emerging book markets.
These are just some of the major sightlines we have established for the next three to five years. But we are also looking forward to many other projects and partnerships in our future, including launching a new branding campaign this fall, one that will reflect our renewed sense of self and possibilities. In all that we do, Livres Canada Books aims to build positive relationships with Canadian publishers and industry stakeholders, as well as with our international counterparts and partners.
Canadian book exports have risen substantially in recent years. At a time when industry, technology, and global markets are continually shifting and evolving, we believe that Canadian books are a unique, valuable, and important export for Canada and should be shared with the world. As our organization grows, and builds on the relationships and experiences it has developed over the last five decades, we will continue promoting the exports of Canadianowned publishers and acting as a catalyst for bringing worldwide attention to Canadian books and their authors.
Gabrielle Etcheverry is deputy executive director of Livres Canada Books.
