A universe of letters, pages and stories opens space in new places in Colombia. The experience of traveling corridors with book shelves, appreciating covers, and perceiving the smell and texture of the paper, is no longer limited to big cities. A study fresh by the Colombian book of the book, the first of this type, shows a boom of libraries since the beginning of the century and its expansion to small municipalities. The detailed radiography of 205 libraries, of the nearly 500 estimated operating in the country, reflects that 73% opened their doors since 2001. They are mostly small or medium -sized bookstores, which add up to the most traditional chain, to the religious and the virtual CITY OF THE COUNTRY – 54 of the 1,104 municipalities have at least one place dedicated to bringing books to readers. «Antioquia and Cundinamarca are the departments that add more libraries in municipalities other than main cities. Libraries have been opened in Envigado, Apartadó, Tabio or Soacha, to cite some examples,» says Emiro Aristizábal, president of the Colombian Chamber of the Book. According to the study of reading habits, attendance at libraries and purchase of books of 2023 of its guild, the average books that read each year those over 18 in Colombia reached 3.7 books, compared to 2.7 of 2017. Reading also increased among the most dedicated readers, which passed from 5.4 to 6.9 books on average per year. That's thirst for literature. Bananera del Urabá Antioqueño, which in 2022 opened the red and ink bookstore in a 63 square meters. At age 50 he decided to undertake a new life project. “One is fulfilling mom cycles, as a wife. When my daughter graduated from the university, I asked myself: 'And now what am I going to do?' It was a personal motivation. There were no sites like the one that has now set the culture of the book. «There were book stores, which sell books as merchandise, while a bookstore is a place where the book is worshiped, workshops are made, connect with other people, there are recommendations. It is not the same as a person tells you 'that book is so worth so much' to tell you 'that book is about this'. It is not the same to have a seller than a bookseller,» he emphasizes by phone at a break that takes advantage of a break. «In the lunch pause I come, I drink coffee and I read. «Many have become cultural centers with book signatures or reading clubs. That has contributed to growth,» adds the president of the Book Chamber. Wheel ratifies it. «It is to create community around the book, the word and culture. People come and want to make a guitar recital, poetry, even plays,» says an experience that digital platforms do not offer. «A bookstore is designed to experience the pleasure of burning the books, touching them, talking to the bookseller or bookcase. If they have coffee, take one and go happy with your book. The platforms are for the people who are not interested in living this experience or does not have time,» says journalist Claudia Morales, director of the Pereira Book Fair. However, not everything is bright. Having a bookstore involves financial efforts. The low profit margins and high operating costs are the main challenges, especially for independent libraries. They receive between 30% and 40% of sales, the rest goes to publishers or distributors (and, in that way, to the authors). «With that a bookstore does not live. You have to discount the expenses of everything, services, employees. It is time to mix with workshops, coffee, wine, and that is generating a movement,» says Rueda. «This implies paying VAT for each service that is provided,» says Morales, who three years ago closed the book tree bookstore he had opened in the city of Armenia. It suggests opening a debate on the unique price of titles to avoid competition that affects smaller libraries and increase authors' visits to different places. «Generally the publishers privilege the releases of books or talks with authors in Bogotá and Medellín, perhaps in Cali, but it is not usual in cities like Armenia. A bookstore does not always have the financial muscle to bring an author. That also harms the interest of the public. If there is no interest, there is no sale,» he emphasizes. The study of the Colombian chamber of the book shows that the form is more than 99% of what is sold. «It is still very important and, before such a fragile book chain, we would have to gather to think what we do to solve the problems that are reflected in the analysis,» says the journalist. Aristizábal acknowledges that, although the glass looks halfway, you also have to see it half empty. «If we compare ourselves with Spain, with a population slightly lower than ours and about 2,000 libraries, there is a long way to go,» he says. Mesa, Apartadó's reader, asks to continue collapsing barriers to favor a relationship with books anywhere in the country. «Opening a bookstore is fundamental in any municipality. I have crossed people who never bought a book in their lives. It is to open that universe of possibilities,» he concludes.
