FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SUPPORT BOOKSELLERS AND THE TALENTS WHO CREATE BOOKS IN QUEBEC
Montreal, May 19, 2020 – Copibec and the Association des libraires du Québec (ALQ) are asking Quebec businesses to join the #jelisbleuchezlesindépendants movement, if they can do so, by encouraging the members of their teams to buy a book published in Quebec.
“Because of the pandemic and the long-awaited reopening of bookstores in Greater Montreal, which has been postponed to May 25 or even later, there’s an urgent need to support the book industry by every means possible,” emphasized Frédérique Couette, Executive Director of Copibec. “By setting up programs in their organizations to buy books locally, business leaders have the power to make a real difference for everyone involved in the book industry.”
As a gesture of solidarity for the book industry, Copibec and the ALQ are offering every member of their respective teams $25 to be used to buy a Quebec book on the leslibraires.ca site. Employees should create an account on the site to make their purchases.
The ALQ is encouraging Quebec businesses to take the same approach. “If a large number of businesses show their support and get on board with the #jelisbleuchezlesindépendants movement, thousands of new books will be purchased,” confirmed Katherine Fafard, Executive Director of the ALQ. “This initiative will be a big boost for many booksellers.”
Share the joy of reading
With so much uncertainty around us, books and cultural content are a great way to feel less isolated and they’ve proven to be truly soothing for many Quebecers. “Reading lets me travel into new universes and discover new voices,” Katherine Fafard explained. “Diving deep into a book is a good remedy for the isolation created by the lockdown. We can escape, for the time it takes to read a chapter or two, and leave our concerns far behind.”
Keeping that in mind, Copibec and the ALQ are asking businesses and their teams to take selfies showing their purchases and share them on social media using the #jelisbleuchezlesindépendants hashtag. “Many authors have already been generous with their time on social media, especially by doing free readings,” Frédérique Couette noted. “It’s our turn to give something back.”
About Copibec
Copibec is a non-profit social enterprise that belongs to the author and publisher community. It offers convenient, customized solutions that meet the needs of users of copyright-protected content by providing access to a repertoire (catalogue) containing millions of works published in Quebec, all across Canada and around the world.
About the Association des libraires du Québec
Created in 1969, the ALQ is a major player in the book industry. Its mission is to help booksellers with their professional development and promote the economic success of bookstores as essential distributors of cultural content. The ALQ has 134 members, including 124 independent bookstores in all regions of Quebec and another 10 outside Quebec.
-30-
Source and information
Kevin Charron
Communications Coordinator
[email protected]
1-800-717-2022 #249
www.copibec.ca
Katherine Fafard
Executive Director
[email protected]
514-707-3349