Book Selection in Guadalajara

Recently I was one of nearly 140 American librarians who attended the Guadalajara Feria Internacional del Libro (FIL), organized by the University of Guadalajara. The fair is considered the most important business center for publishers in Latin America. It is one of the most dynamic markets for books in the Spanish language with a live catalog of more than 77,000 titles and the complete materials from publishing houses from all the Spanish-speaking countries.

In addition to the above, FIL also hosted SILAR 97 (The Latin American Rotating Book Industry Fair), an event that attracted the most important publishers from Latin America and Spain for five days of meetings and negotiations.

A walk through the exhibit hall revealed the recent releases of more than 900 publishing houses from over 25 countries. During exhibit hours, the professionals (as librarians are called) mingled with students and the general public who attended the fair looking at and purchasing the new releases.

The American Library Association (ALA) cosponsored a program to support the increased attendance of U.S. librarians at FIL. The fair is a bridge between North America and Latin America for books, videos, and new technologies, and is an ideal place to obtain discounts and promotions on wholesale orders.

This year the featured country was Argentina, and a reception was held honoring the Argentine publisher of Ediciones de la Flor, David Divinsky. The event was followed by programmed activities such as Argentinian cinematography and a photography exhibition devoted to the Argentinian writer Julio Cortazar. Many other programs followed about Argentinian culture.

For ALA librarians, FIL organized a special "Know our City" program, which consisted of guided tours through the historic center of Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city and the birthplace of the painter Orozco, mariachi music, and tequila. Experts in various fields lectured on Mexican culture.

Most of the U.S. librarians attending this year (80%) had never been to Guadalajara, one of the cultural capitals of Latin America, and many had never been to Mexico before, so the cultural exchange was immense.

Next year's FIL, as liaison David Ungar of the CCNY Humanities Division informed me, will feature Puerto Rico and will also begin on the last weekend in November, just after Thanksgiving.

Julio Rosario
jarcc@cunyvm.cuny.edu