Miguel Escalera and Lola Gallardo are the owners of the Seville bookstore “Rayuela” (the title of the famous novel by Julio Cortázar). but Miguel is 65 years old and retirement is knocking on his door.
The company has a successor, his 36-year-old son Miguel, although things are not as simple as they seem. The administrative process and “emotional complexities” As Miguel Sr. puts it, they make the task difficult, however, necessary to ensure the survival of the institution, and with it to promote book sales and reading.
The case of Ismael Contreras is not quite the same: he is the owner of the comic bookstore Three Brothers of Moriarty, in the Malasaña neighborhood of Madrid, and has joined two other booksellers to… Controlling the company Cómics Vigo, in the Galician city, and not closing it. The new managers’ idea is to keep it as it is now.
Both examples are part of what the Technical Office for Book Transfer has been promoting since last February, an initiative of the Confederation of Trade Unions and Spanish Library Associations (CEGAL) that has the support of the Ministry of Culture and publishing groups for In favor of the transfer and survival of these companies.
“Reading in fashion”
On the occasion of Libraries Day, held on Tuesday the 11th of this month, representatives of the relevant sectors, led by the Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, gathered at “Los Tres Hermanos de Moriarty”, on La Palma Street, to present hopeful information about a difficult and dark future, which is beginning to see the light with this project. Because what everyone agrees on is that “reading is fashion.”
Currently, more than 60 Spanish libraries have contacted the Technical Office for Book Transport to express their interest in transport.. OTTL has an assistance program in place for relocating libraries whose directors are approaching retirement age. With the support of the Ministry of Culture, the program provides accompaniment and support to those wishing to transfer their works Loan package for entrepreneurs interested in taking over.
7 libraries transferred through the office
Sigal’s director, Miguel Iglesias, reported that 7 libraries have already been transferred Another 19 people will complete the process in the coming monthsAs he said in the project presentation, today, Tuesday.
For his part, Minister Urtasun defended that the program is particularly helpful “Young Entrepreneurial Booksellers” and Preserving the “Cultural Fabric of Neighborhoods” By connecting them to facilities that you plan to close in the next three years. “Many young booksellers in our country want to devote themselves to this, but they need advice, support and help. What we are doing with this Sigal project is giving them this basic possibility.”
In defense of the physical book
Moreover, he stressed that the Ministry ““He is concerned and interested not only in preservation, but also in promotion.” From libraries. Furthermore, he defended the physical book and urged people to go to neighborhood bookstores, which he described as “the main points of the country’s culture which are absolutely essential” and which have a “great future.”
“With this program we were able to prevent the closure of libraries, Urtasun stressed that there are possibilities for the bookseller to continue this business.
“Libraries still have a need Help from the MinistryIsmael Contreras, city councils and readers added.
The program in which the Ministry of Culture participates provides advice and support to selected candidates. As the CEO of SIGAL explained, in all cases, transportation projects must pass a feasibility assessment Analyzes business profitability and future business strategy. Requests can be sent via the office’s website.
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