The course focuses on book policy worldwide with the aim to explore the values, aims, collaborations/co-operations, strategic planning, development, stakeholders and activities of book policy. Special emphasis is given to reading policy whether on adults or on children of all ages. Case studies, such as BookTrust in the UK, are taken into consideration. The role of UNESCO as well as of other organizations, associations, federations, charities is investigated. National Book Policy. Net Book Agreements. Book fairs. Book clubs, communities of readers and the role of social media on reading policy. World book Capital.

Aim of the course: the students will understand and discuss the creation and development of Book Policy and Reading Policy. They will also focus on key issues and trends.

Week #1: Introduction. What is Book Policy? Aims, values, stakeholders, activities, strategic planning. 

Week #2: Reading policy for children, part I.

Week #3: Reading policy for children, part II. Case studies. Projects

Week #4: Reader Development. The role of UNESCO as well as of other organizations, associations, federations, charities

Week #5: The role of libraries on reading policy and book policy in general.

Week #6: The role of publishers and of bookstores. Collaborations, co-operations

Week #7: Reader participation, book clubs, communities of readers, collaborations

Week #8: International Book Fairs 

Week #9: World Book Capital

Week #10: Literacy programs

Week #11: Book policy: Case studies. The case of Greece.

Week #12: Lecture by invited speaker

Week #13: Revision, discussion

• Garzon, Alvaro (2005), National Book Policy. A guide for users on the field, UNESCO.
• Long, Elizabeth (2003), Book clubs: women and the uses of reading in everyday life, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press
• Radway, Janice A. (1997),The Book-of-the-Month club, literary taste, and middle-class desire, Chapel Hill and London: The University of North Carolina Press.
• Rooney, Kathleen (2008), Reading with Oprah : the book club that changed America, University of Arkansas Press: Fayetteville.
• Schiffrin, Andre (2010), Words and money, London & New York: Verso.

Lectures with ppt presentations and internet use, visit to the Public Library of Corfu.

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Written exam, optional essay