Three bookstores have been awarded in Kassel, best book of the acts of Germany. With the German bookstore price state Minister for Culture Monika Grütters is to promote independent booksellers.
Against Online retailers and big stores is to enforce for small, owner-run bookstores is not easy. Around 3,500 of them there are in Germany. To ensure that this remains so, in 2015 launched a price, the independent bookstores, a quality characterized seals. Criteria for the literary quotation, the event program, innovative business models and commitment in the Reading or literature promotion.
Books as a gateway to a colorful world
“Fortunately, there are wonderful, independent bookstores, and dedicated Booksellers and book dealers in the world of books in the home and us with your Knowledge and your reading experience will help you to find books, the importance for us,” price wrote to the state Minister for Culture Monika Grütters in her opening address to this year’s German Book store. “You show us the way to stories, thoughts, ideas and perspectives that would have remained otherwise hidden.” This not only benefits the individual reader, but also our democracy. “Because when you read the world is revealed in color instead of in Black-and-White.”
Book trader vs. algorithm
Small, independent bookstores are not enthusiastic, therefore, only a focal point for Literature, but a support of democracy. Around 90 percent of all the bookstores are those owner-run shops, which generate only a small part of the total turnover. Can’t even change the German bookstore price. But he can draw attention to the specialists, namely, reading enthusiasts, book dealer, know your reader personally, and you may pass more detailed recommendations, as it is the Algorithms of the Online-dealer assets.
Jury selects winner
The prize will be awarded, traditionally, Monika Grütters. Partner of the prize, the Kurt Wolff Foundation and the börsenverein of the German book trade. May apply the book of acts, which are independent and owner-managed and which have their seat in Germany. A seven-member Jury chaired by the literary critic Sandra cone (FAZ) had been nominated from the 434 submitted applications 118 the book of acts for this year’s award ceremony. Total prize money was distributed in a total amount of 850,000 Euro. The Jury awarded “Lessing and company” from Chemnitz, “Klaus Bittner” from Cologne and “Krumulus” from Berlin as the best bookstores in Germany. They received 25,000 euros.
rey/pj (German bookstore price, dpa)