About Books BC

introduction

Books BC is a provincial association of BC owned and controlled book publishing companies.

The Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia (Books BC) works to support the long-term health and success of the Canadian-owned book industry in British Columbia.

Through our programs and services, we aim to raise the profile of BC’s independent publishers and their publishing programs. We further support the aspirations and activities of our membership through cultural, economic, and political initiatives and engage book-related communities in British Columbia, Canada, and beyond.

Learn more about our initiatives

Books BC provides members with programs, advocacy and professional development opportunities.

Initiatives

history

The BC Publishers Group formed in 1974 with representatives from J.J. Douglas, Hancock House, November House, Self-Counsel Press, Sono Nis Press, Talonbooks, Trendex Products, UBC Press, Nunaga Publishers, and The Alcuin Society. These companies united to advocate for publishers and writers in British Columbia, to undertake cooperative projects, and to provide professional development. The society was incorporated under the BC Societies Act on April 28, 1978, as The Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia.

Throughout its history, the Association has been engaged in work that highlights BC−published books and that contributes to the cultural fabric of the province. It played a pivotal role in the development of the BC and Yukon Book Prizes, BC Bookworld, and the Word Vancouver festival—all now cornerstones of the BC literary community.

guiding values

We believe that books are powerful tools in education and literacy and we welcome the many ways to increase access to them.
We believe that the independent book publishing industry is a distinct and valuable part of our culture and deserves the support of our governments.
We believe that our vision is shared with other like-minded organizations, and we create partnerships and shared learning experiences to strengthen the sector as part of the creative industries in British Columbia.