By the Book 9: Crafting Value in Today's Book World, June 26-28, 2024 | Filozofska fakulteta Univerze v Ljubljani

Crafting Value in Today’s Book World Navigating the 21st century’s challenges and opportunities in trade, academic, and educational publishing

By the Book9 26 to 28 June 2024 University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Slovenia

Conference of the European Publishing Studies Association

The European Publishing Studies Association (EuroPub) is committed to promoting dialogue about the modern book trade. The By the Book conference serves as a nexus for industry experts, educators, and researchers to explore pivotal aspects of book publishing and to advance the discipline of publishing studies. Now celebrating its ninth edition, By the Book integrates academic insights with industry perspectives. Presentations will take different forms to accommodate the range of academic and industry voices that make By the Book such a unique conference. In past years, our discussions have covered themes from the art of curation to the intricate dynamics within the publishing sector.

By the Book9 delves into the formation of value in the consumer and scholarly book industry, whilst predicting future transformations. A focal point of our discussions this year will be the pressing challenges faced by everyone in crafting sustainable value, whether technological, economic, or social. The profound significance such value has on the landscape of the industry prompts us to assess the habits and strategies among industry stakeholders — from authors, publishers and editors to booksellers and readers.

Topics

Possible topics for papers include but are not limited to:

·      Cultural Value: Celebrating and promoting diversity, inclusion, and representation in both content and among creators. ·       Educational Value: Producing content that enlightens, informs, and educates, fostering lifelong learning. ·       Entertainment Value: Crafting compelling narratives and engaging content that captivates readers. ·       Historical Value: Preserving and presenting histories, narratives, and voices that might otherwise be overlooked or forgotten. ·       Aesthetic Value: Prioritizing high-quality book design, typography, and production, enhancing the tactile and visual pleasure of books. ·       Innovative Value: Embracing new technologies and formats, from ebooks to audiobooks, to enhance accessibility and reach. ·       Economic Value: Adopting sustainable business models and practices that ensure profitability and fair compensation for all stakeholders. ·       Ethical Value: Championing fair trade practices, environmentally friendly production, and ethical treatment of all contributors. ·       Collaborative Value: Fostering partnerships and collaborations between writers, publishers, illustrators, distributors, and other stakeholders. ·       Social Value: Engaging with societal issues, facilitating dialogue and understanding, and supporting community-building through literature. ·       Authenticity: Prioritizing genuine voices, original perspectives, and true-to-life narratives.

The conference will also feature a thread dedicated to publishing education. We invite proposals showcasing teaching best practice, innovative student projects, and other related subjects. Delegates will have the opportunity to discuss publishing education insights, industry collaborations, and upcoming trends.

Contribution formats

The conference welcomes contributions in English from international researchers, including industry practitioners and PhD students. The committee invites proposals of the following types:

1. Research paper (including pedagogical research) 20-minute presentation of research outcomes

2. Poster presentation A3 poster (and in digital form) which visualizes research outcomes or projects, accompanied by a 5-minute introduction of the poster

3. Group proposal for round table discussion of key issues 1-hour discussion including questions

4. Best practice in teaching publishing studies 15-minute presentation of case studies (e.g. live projects, group work, special assignments)

Submission of proposals

Proposals should be of around 250 words together with a short (100-word) biography of the participant/s. Subject to peer review, a selection of the best papers will be published in a special issue of the premier publishing journal Logos.

Contributions are to be submitted via the online form no later than Thursday 11 January 2024.

For further information please contact us at bythebook9@ff.uni-lj.si.

Conference fee

The conference fee is 275 euros, including for those who would like to attend without presenting a paper. There is a reduced rate of 125 euros for PhD students