Introduction to Los Libros del Perro Editorial
In the most uncertain year of the pandemic, an independent publishing house, Los Libros del Perro, was born with the conviction to strengthen Spanish bibliodiversity. In its first five years, it has published over 60 titles of chronicle, poetry, novels, short stories, drama, and essays.
Founders and Their Vision
Zel Cabrera, a poet, translator, and journalist, along with Joel Osorio, a designer, co-founded Los Libros del Perro. Both were book enthusiasts and part of the literary community who had been planning to establish an independent publishing house before the pandemic hit.
Birth Amidst Uncertainty
Despite the challenging circumstances, including news of bookstore closures and plummeting book sales due to the pandemic, Los Libros del Perro was launched in 2020. The founders aimed to create a sense of community, support, and togetherness around books during these uncertain times.
Promoting Bibliodiversity
The concept of bibliodiversity, though originating in the 20th century, gained prominence as an advocacy tool for independent publishers worldwide, particularly in the global south, with UNESCO’s support. This push aims to ensure widespread access to cultural richness through book production and distribution, fostering independent editorial content.
Los Libros del Perro’s Commitment
Los Libros del Perro actively contributes to this ongoing struggle for diverse book content. Their dedication lies in publishing a young, engaging literature and nurturing a community around their catalog.
Alternative Models
Los Libros del Perro’s journey has been one of perseverance, learning through trial and error. They’ve embraced social media as a platform for self-promotion and have adopted short print runs (100-200 copies) to avoid stockpiling unsold books, making their business model more sustainable.
Direct Sales and Distribution
Given the complexities of dealing with bookstores, Los Libros del Perro has opted for direct sales through their virtual store. They actively encourage readers to purchase books this way, focusing on book fairs and author events for promotion.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is Los Libros del Perro? An independent publishing house founded in 2020 by Zel Cabrera and Joel Osorio, dedicated to promoting Spanish bibliodiversity through diverse literature.
- What is their publishing approach? They focus on young, engaging literature and prioritize building a community around their catalog. Their short print runs (100-200 copies) help avoid unsold book inventory.
- How do they handle distribution? Los Libros del Perro emphasizes direct sales via their virtual store and participates in book fairs and author events for promotion, given the challenges of working with traditional bookstores.
