featured publisher:
Harbour Publishing

Harbour Publishing is one of BC’s founding publishers. The press is known for Raincoast Chronicles, a series about BC coast history and culture, as well as a multitude of bestselling and award-winning titles about natural history, art, maritime history and regional stories from the Pacific Northwest. Under its Lost Moose imprint the press also publishes […]

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Welcome

The Association of Book Publishers of BC (Books BC) is a trade association, founded in 1974, whose aims are to foster an environment in which our members will flourish and to expand an awareness of the value of books in all our lives. We are a regional affiliate of the Association of Canadian Publishers.

For more information on our member-driven association go to Who We Are.

See all our members in our Member Directory

For more on what we do, see our 2023 Activities Report.

News & Events

BC Book Publisher New Star Books Announces its Winding Down of Operations

January 17th, 2025

 

 

 

Books BC is saddened by the recent announcement of publisher Rolf Maurer, posted on January 13th, regarding Maurer’s decision to wind down New Star Books. New Star will continue to promote and distribute titles in print through their distributor, the New Star website, and Amazon. However, it will no longer be acquiring new books for publication.

While this is not an official statement from Books BC, we wanted to respond to the moment with a few words from our organization while we process the impact of New Star’s announcement:

“New Star’s contributions to fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and the Transmontanus series have left an enduring mark. Each book—beautiful, thoughtful, and important—reflects the vision and dedication of the press and its publisher. Their work has been nothing short of essential, and this loss is profoundly felt by all who value independent and thought-provoking publishing in Canada. It stands as a sobering reminder of the critical need for sustained support—by the industry, consumers, and government—for arts and culture.”
Don Gorman, Books BC Chair

“Attending poetry readings at The People’s Co-Op Bookstore on Commercial Drive, voluntarily run by Rolf Maurer was how I, and many of us in Vancouver got intimately connected to the local literary scene. Though the bookstore will remain open, the winding down of the press is a painful reminder of how these spaces can never be taken for granted. For Books BC, this is a moment for reflection and deepening resolve to support our members in the face of myriad challenges.”

Matea Kulić, Books BC Executive Director

For his part, Maurer ends his announcement by stating:

“I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to engage in meaningful work, and to work with writers in bringing their books to readers. I’m grateful to have lived and worked in an era when the value of the work we do, as publishers, writers, and others involved in publishing, was valued, and supported by citizens through the taxes they pay. I am proud of the role, however small, that New Star, over the last 55 years, has played in creating a dialogue in this country about how we live. There will be time to celebrate the press’s history and contributions; this is not the moment for that.”

 

Internship Opportunity: Books BC Community Engagement intern

December 3rd, 2024

Books BC invites applications to an upcoming internship opportunity.

Supported by the Canada Book Fund, the internship will run from January 13th to May 23rd of 2025. Over the course of 20 weeks, the Books BC Community Engagement intern will work on community engagement projects that develop awareness and appreciation of BC books for various audiences, and support our strategic goal of being a community “hub” for publishers, and book-related stakeholders. 

Please send your resume and a brief email outlining your interest in the position to careers@books.bc.ca by January 3rd, 2025. 

We particularly encourage applicants who identify as being from diverse communities, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of colour; people with disabilities; people identifying as LGBTQ2S+, and people facing economic barriers. 

*Please note this position is only open to Canadian citizens and those who have not previously benefited from a Canada Book Fund supported internship.

A full job description can be found here and on our careers page.

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