FIL: The Guadalajara International Festival of the Book

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Since its inception in 1987, the Fería Internacional del Libro has brought together authors, academics, professionals, and representatives of the book industry for nine days each year.  In 2013, close to 660,000 individuals attended the Festival, and over 1,900 publishing houses from 43 countries were represented.  The event is the second largest book festival in the world after the Frankfurt Buchmesse in Germany.  This year, the event will be held November 29th-December 7th and programming will highlight the cultural contributions of Argentina.

Besides the obvious shared interest of books, why should U.S. librarians be interested in FIL?  Well, first of all, the Festival is known to be a fertile ground for professional networking, purchasing information, and introduction to authentic materials for all librarians serving Spanish-speaking populations.  For the past 13 years, the ALA has recognized and promoted those opportunities through their "Free Pass" program, which covers some of the costs associated with the Festival, including registration, three nights of lodging, and $100 towards airfare.  This year the deadline for application in September 1st, and 150 librarians will be awarded the benefits!  ALA also has a presence at the event each year: they host a gala dinner and also organize the Salon de Novedades, an exhibit where  3,000 new books selected by ALA members are displayed and organized by DDC classification.  

The benefits of attending FIL are clear: In an American Libraries article from 2012, Oregon librarian John Hunter, who serves a user population that is 60% Hispanic, was quoted as saying "Attending FIL has made all the difference to our collection.” Attendees are able to purchase authentic materials unavailable from U.S. vendors. And if you don't speak Spanish, there is no need to worry, guides/translators are available for a 10-20% fee.

Ever since I first heard about FIL through a presentation René Bue, the Outreach Coordinator at the Hedberg Public Library, gave to the UW SLIS REFORMA club, I've been looking forward to attending someday! I've visited Guadalajara before and it truly is a lovely city, and with ALA making it that much easier make the trip again, along with the opportunity to explore timeless and popular trends in Spanish-language materials, how I could I miss it?

Me enjoying the sights in Guadalajara, 2010