Quebec libraries and public schools cannot purchase Ginette Reno’s autobiography, titled Ginette, because it is sold outside of bookstores, La Presse has learned.
Posted at 5:00 am
Ginette Reno’s decision, in collaboration with producer and businessman Nicolas Lemieux, to sell her autobiography exclusively online and in Jean Coutu’s pharmacies means the book may not end up on provincial library shelves.
In fact, the Law Respecting the Development of Quebec Businesses in the Book Sector requires institutional buyers—including libraries and public schools—to purchase all of their books “at a minimum of three licensed bookstores” in their administrative region.
Any purchase of books on behalf of a government agency, an agency thereof, or an agent of the state, to be valid, must be made from a bookseller holding a license issued under this Act. […]
Section 3 of the Quebec Book Industry Business Development Act
For example, the City of Longueuil must purchase the books it desires for its public libraries from at least three accredited bookstores in Montérégie.
“If we want to respect the law, our libraries cannot proceed with the acquisition of Ginette Reno’s book at this time,” confirmed Thursday Ève Lagacé, director general of the Association of Public Libraries of Quebec.
Sale outside the book trade
In an interview with La Presse published on March 17, Nicolas Lemieux indicated that booksellers could purchase Ms Reno’s book through their transactional site Oziko, but on their terms, notably with a 15% discount – instead of the 40% normally granted retailers.
PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, ARCHIVE SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Nicolas Lemieux
The president of the Association des libraires du Québec, Éric Simard, also a Librairie du Square bookseller, had indicated in that article that he would not buy the book under these conditions and would not encourage his fellow booksellers to purchase it. Renaud-Bray had had the same answer.
Even if some bookstores bought it, the spirit of the law would not be respected. The goal, of course, is to protect small bookstores in all regions of Quebec and have a variety of books throughout our library network.
Ève Lagacé, executive director of the Association of Public Libraries of Quebec
However, there is an “exception procedure” from the law, says Ève Lagacé, but “the interpretation of this article is not clear, this case is very specific”. “We are currently awaiting a legal opinion from the Ministry of Culture and Communication,” she said.
The 11 exceptions listed in Section 25 of the Québec Book Business Development Act relate primarily to old and rare books that have ceased distribution, reprints and publication of works by specialized publishers, books not in English or French, audiovisual documents, etc.
Once the Quebec Public Libraries Association has made a decision on the matter, it will issue a notice intended for all of its members.
Nicolas Lemieux justified his decision to bypass the book chain – publisher, distributor, bookseller – by saying that there were too many players in the chain and that the current model had become “archaic”.
“At the end of the day, there’s almost never anything left for the writer,” he told us. We’re talking about 10%, but sometimes it’s even less. I manage and produce artists, so my job is to help them make more money. »
Ginette Reno, who self-published the book written by songwriter Lambert and due out April 6, agreed with Mr Lemieux to pay him a percentage of sales for sales and marketing.