“We put a bunch of books into circulation,” assured Paco Ignacio Taibo II , new head of the Mexican publishing house Fondo de Cultura Económica (FCE) , during his livestream #DesdeElFondo , adding that a total of 357,000 copies of books had been put into circulation , for a price of MXN$8 a piece (USD$0.42), and 80 thousand copies for MXN$49.5 a piece. Furthermore, five FCE libraries will put up a special section of books about the Spanish Republic, the Spanish Civil War, and republicans in Mexico .
The managing editor of the FCE broadcast the talk from the company headquarters at the Ajusco in Mexico City . During the livestream, he commented that the publishing house had put 50 books into circulation for MXN$49.50 each and not 100, as was previously thought.
He indicated that more books were circulating because of book sales for MXN$8 a piece, as well as the 50 books sold for MXN$49.50. The publishing house will also offer 90% discounts for books sold at Educal library buses .
In company of Marilina Barona, head of the General Directorate of Publications (DGP) , and Víctor Santana, head of the Tierra Adentro publishing house , Paco Ignacio Taibo II said that tables were put up to offer discounts at all 40 FCE libraries in the country , “and if they run out, rest assured we will restock soon,” he stated.
Taibo reaffirmed that the FCE is collaborating with Mexico’s publishing industry to produce print co-productions, integrating the FCE, Educal, and the DGP to offer books at extremely low prices throughout the territory.
He added that the National Reading Program would soon be in place, though first the government would have to set up the National Commission for the Promotion of Reading and let each body do their job. The Ministry of Public Education in Mexico will have to promote reading comprehension in Mexico’s public schools and more libraries will have to be built.
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