KUALA LUMPUR: The Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF) next year will focus on promoting digital reading to generate more copyright sales from creative contents, said Education director-general Tan Sri Khair Mohamad Yusof.
Khair, who is also National Book Council chairman, said in the book trade, the biggest return has always been from copyright sales, not the retail of books – which was why the fair this year plans to increase copyright sales on the digital platforms.
“Copyright has the biggest value for each book title which could fetch as high as RM3 million.
“The copyright purchase will provide the licence required by other publishers to sell the books or other materials based on the creative content we have copyrighted,” he told reporters after the 2017 KLIBF pre-launch event here today.
KLIBF organising committee co-chairman Ishak Hamzah said in view of this, for the first time since the event was launched, it would organise a separate exhibition on digital lifestyle called Buzz Application Content Access (BACA) World.
“The exhibition will focus on digital content and digital reading through 150 booths during the last three days of the book fest,” he said.
KLIBF organising committee chairman said the event which was slated to take place from April 28 to May 7 next year is expected to draw 2.5 million visitors.
More than 250 companies will be involved in the book exhibition at 905 stalls throughout the the 36th edition of the yearly event.
The event would also see the gathering local and Asean writers at two separate events where they would exchange ideas and experience.