Minister of Education, Science and Culture Kristján Þór Júlíusson has appointed a committee to analyze the current state of book publishing in Iceland, Morgunblaðið reports. The committee is to submit a report on such topics as the publishing of educational books, electronic reading materials and devices, audio books, children’s book publishing, publishing costs, and how best to support authors.
Kristrún Lind Birgisdóttir, pedagogue, has been appointed chairman of the committee. The other members are:
-Egill Örn Jóhannsson, chairman of the board of the Icelandic Publishers Association and managing director of Forlagið, the largest publisher in Iceland
-Páll Valsson, author
-Kristín Helga Gunnarsdóttir, director of The Writers’ Union of Iceland (RSÍ)
-Salka Guðmundsdóttir, board member at the Icelandic Literature Center
-Jón Yngvi Jóhannsson chairman of the Association of Non-fiction and Educational Writers in Iceland (Hagþenkir)
-Sigurður Guðmundsson, author and photographer
Book sales in Iceland have decreased by 43 percent since 2010. Turnover from publishers has also decreased by 38 percent since 2008. Data usage during the same period has increased 19-fold.
