Slovenian Book Agency

The Slovenian Book Agency is a public agency that was established in 2008 to engage the area of literature in a coordinated and uniform way. Its primary concerns are to facilitate better availability of books, to promote Slovene authors internationally, to financially support literary events, projects concerned with reading culture, publications of quality books and translations, and to regulate the process from the production to publication to distribution of literature.

JAK (Slovenian abbreviation for Slovenian Book Agency) is located in the house called Vratarnica (Gatekeeper's house) in the Metelkova Quarter of Ljubljana, in the vicinity of the Ministry of Culture.

Activities

The agency provides funds for projects in the field of literature. It promotes Slovene works and authors, encourages the publication of quality writing, and provides grants as well as other means of support for authors. The agency facilitates international cooperation, especially translations of Slovenian books and their international promotion. It also oversees the correct implementation of the Public Lending Right, which comprises financial contributions to authors whose work is available in public libraries and scholarships for creative achievement. In addition, developing the bookstore network and increasing the availability of books are among the agency’s main aims. It supports the organisation of events and projects related to literature and reading culture.

JAK is a strong presence in promoting the importance of reading. In cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and the Slovenian Public Libraries Association, the agency coordinates the project Growing up with a Book, which strives to raise interest in literature among children and young people by presenting them with selected books during their yearly visit to a public library. The campaign Read books, move it! aims to develop a positive attitude toward reading in secondary schools with the help of Slovene celebrities, whose example leads young people to take up books more often. The national campaign There is no game without drama brought together Eurobasket 2013, the Basketball Federation of Slovenia, the Slovene Publishers Society, and the Slovenian Booksellers Association in an effort to fuse culture and sports.

Between 2010 and 2011 when Ljubljana was World Book Capital City, the Slovenian Book Agency co-financed a publishers congress and a literary festival, as well as issued special price editions of a number of quality book titles.

Funding

The Slovenian Book Agency co-finances a variety of programmes and projects in the field of literature, such as literary and translation production, reading promotion, literary events, authors’ mobility, professional training, and international promotion through public tenders and calls, which are open for publishing houses, libraries, bookshops, cultural institutions, and associations, as well as authors and translators.

Applicants are co-financed for individual projects or programmes; in the latter case a 3-year contract is signed. Subsidies are allocated according to applicants’ references and their long-term excellence. Projects and programmes are evaluated by expert committees.

With a view to international promotion and distribution of Slovenian literature, JAK annually publishes a call for co-financing translations of books by Slovene authors into foreign languages. Applicants can be Slovene or foreign publishing houses, theatres, and individual translators. In each case the contract is concluded with the translator and the subsidy covers up to 100 % of the translation costs.

International cooperation

The principal instruments of international promotion are professional advice, various grants, stands at international book fairs, and subsidies for international cooperation abroad. The agency also awards subsidies to translators for translations of literary works by Slovenian authors. The agency encourages authors to attend international events by allocating funds to this initiative.

The Slovenian Book Agency maintains a presence at major book fairs, such as in Bologna, Leipzig, and Frankfurt, by organising national stands and various promotional activities. There it presents the Slovene literary production, translations, and co-organises literary events featuring Slovene authors. Occasionally the agency also participates in other book fair and related events aimed at promoting the national literary production and encouraging translation.

JAK supports Slovenian lectureships abroad by providing them with Slovenian books and co-financing visits by Slovenian authors. It also actively collaborates with Slovene embassies around the globe and foreign embassies in Slovenia.

Every year in August, it organises an annual international Slovenian literature translation seminar, which provides outstanding translators of Slovenian literature from all over the world with an opportunity to keep apprised of the contemporary Slovenian literary scene and to collaborate with Slovenian authors, critics, publishers, lecturers, and foreign colleagues. The seminar aims to increase the number of quality translations of Slovenian literature abroad and to engender close-knit connections between Slovenian authors, publishing houses, and translators. The call for applications is published on the agency's website, which also features a list of works chosen for the seminal and the participating translators.

Since 2009 the Slovenian Book Agency has been involved in the regional network for literature and books Traduki. The countries involved in the network are Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Germany, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, and Switzerland. Their programme for supporting translations of fiction, contemporary scientific writing, children’s literature and literature for young people from the 20th and 21th centuries is also meant to facilitate exchanges between participants.

Databases, brochures, and sample translations

The JAK's website features a databases of translations of Slovenian literature and a database of co-financed books since 2004. Users can browse the databases by author or translator (in the case of translated works), publisher, or book title. The database of co-financed books also contains book covers.

Catalogues and brochures published by the agency as well as sample translations are also accessible on the website. These are intended to promote Slovene writers and illustrators abroad and are available at major book fairs and other promotional events.

External links

Slovenian Book Agency

Contents

Activities

Funding

International cooperation

Databases, brochures, and sample translations

See also

External links

Operated by

Financed by