Responding to COIVD-19 Pandemic the publishers are taking a step and providing readers with plethora of Free and affordable resources

The COVID-19 crisis has stripped life down to basics and in the process the importance of content, that is vetted and validated by experts, and available and accessible to solve real life problems, has become an essential lifesaving need. Responding to this necessity for reading materials, The Association of Publishers in India Says: Publishers are providing readers and learners access to a plethora of free (and affordable) resources. In India international publishers are using the technology and resources at our disposal to make books (articles, chapters, libraries, animations) available for knowledge or pleasure, education or (re)skilling. All Covid-19 research from API members is freely available and can be accessed easily on www.publishing.org.in Publishers are also actively reaching out to our community of learners, researchers, educators and readers to provide additional support in the form of resources, easy tips, webinars, community support, etc. so that they can function effectively from home to teach students or aid research/ creative writing even when educational institutors at all levels remain indefinitely shut. We continue to do all this responsibly, while protecting the copyright of our authors, crediting them for their contributions and advocating for copyright protection.

Ms Nitasha Devasar, President, API emphasizes: “The role of books (print or digital) and of Publishers has never been so vital or explicit as during this crisis. Publishers have innovatively, creatively and empathetically responded to the needs of readers, educators, researchers and India at large. With the right support the publishing community can make a positive and tangible difference to our world.”

Publishers have an important role to fulfil in our communities and society’s ability to function under the new conditions of contact-less deliveries, distance learning and limitations/ unevenness of technology solutions across India. To this end, it is vital that the government declares all books as essential commodities and enables e-commerce delivery of books and bookshops be opened in a graded manner across the country. So far this has been done for educational books.

About API

The Association of Publishers in India is a trade organization that stands for the promotion and advancement of Publishers in India as well as protects the common interest of members and professionals engaged in global publishing. Engaged in market research and compiling statistics, it runs a number of industry-specific events and seminars. A premiere industry body, it leads the advocacy efforts on behalf of the entire publishing industry. Read more news at Frontlist