Extension of the 13th Specialized Academic Book Fair until February 8, in cooperation with Iran University Press

Kazem Armanpour, the director of the Academic Publishers Association, in an interview with a reporter from the Iranian Book News Agency (IBNA), referring to the holding of the 13th Specialized Academic Book Exhibition, stated: “This exhibition was extended until February 8, after the end of the initial period, at the suggestion of academic publishers and managers of specialized and academic libraries, and due to the instability of the internet, disruption in sending SMS messages, and the closure of offices and universities in some provinces, in order to provide sufficient time for all universities and research Presss to benefit from this specialized event.” He added: “The exhibition began from January 18 to February 8, and during this period, more than 33,300 academic book titles with licenses and receipts have been presented by academic publishers since 2020, with the aim of equipping and updating the resources of academic and specialized libraries.”Armanpour, pointing out that publishers can update book information and supply status through the Iranian Book and Literature House database, said: This exhibition will be held completely virtually and through the University Advice Portal at VABF.IR.
According to him, this portal is not just a platform for occasional book sales, but rather acts as a sustainable infrastructure and specialized showcase for university publishing, and by facilitating access to libraries and academic Presss across the country, it enables the systematic introduction of scientific products, targeted search, comparison, and order placement. In this framework, the University Press has also played an effective role in strengthening the function of the exhibition and supporting the academic book supply chain by cooperating in the provision and supply of reputable scientific works, informing the academic community, and supporting the development of this platform. The Director General of the University Publishers Association continued: During this period, 20 billion rials have been allocated to libraries by the Deputy of Cultural Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to purchase university books, while the total number of requests registered by libraries was about 27 billion rials.
Referring to the reports registered in the system, he stated: So far, more than 65 billion rials worth of university books have been selected or purchased by libraries, and given the time-consuming process of securing funding in some libraries and executive agencies, the process of settling orders is being carried out gradually. Armanpour also appreciated the cooperation of the Research Deputy of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology in allocating budgets and providing information to universities and research Presss, and said: This cooperation, along with the participation of institutions such as the University Publishing Center, has played an effective role in strengthening the function of the exhibition and facilitating access of scientific Presss to specialized resources.
In conclusion, he emphasized the necessity of forming an University Publishing Council and expressed hope that the establishment of this council will provide the basis for coordination between relevant agencies, more coherent policymaking, continued support, and the creation of sustainable mechanisms to strengthen and organize university publishing