Books Across Borders Platform 2003 - 2008

Books across Borders is a large multinational, multipartners’ platform initiated in the year 2000 by the National Library of Serbia, the Next Page Foundation and Fund for Central and East European Book Projects – Amsterdam (CEEBP), and implemented locally by a multitude of partner organizations and supporters

Books across Borders is introduced in the context of the collapse of Yugoslavia and subsequent wars that had a direct effect on publishing and book trade – destruction of the shared intellectual space, disintegration of the common book market, considerable damage to the cultural infrastructure (distribution, bookshops, libraries, educational system).

The main project objectives are to:

• Strenghten publishing infrastructure in Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro, and to create a healthy and pluriform book market climate;
• Foster cross-border exchange of information, book-trade and other joint activities which explore the potential of a common book market based on the mutual comprehensiveness of the languages.

Books across Borders is based on grass-root initiatives by publishers and distributors and professional associations and:

• Assists the development of a regional book information system, bookstores and distribution networks both within the countries and across borders;
• Improves the market and business skills of publishers and booksellers through series of regional training and internship programs;
• Establishes a mobility fund, encourage joint advocacy efforts of professional organizations, and other mechanisms of sustainable partnerships.

Books across Borders platform is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs MATRA Programme, Open Society Institute – Budapest, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, Fund for an Open Society-Serbia, Fund for Central and East European Book Projects, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Montenegro, as well as by local beneficiaries and participants in the project.