<\/ul>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u00bb4.27.5″ _module_preset=\u00bbdefault\u00bb max_width=\u00bb80%\u00bb custom_margin=\u00bb||||false|false\u00bb global_colors_info=\u00bb{}\u00bb][et_pb_column type=\u00bb4_4″ _builder_version=\u00bb4.16″ _module_preset=\u00bbdefault\u00bb global_colors_info=\u00bb{}\u00bb][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u00bb4.27.5″ _module_preset=\u00bbdefault\u00bb text_font=\u00bbAlmarai|800|||||||\u00bb text_text_color=\u00bb#D1522A\u00bb text_font_size=\u00bb25px\u00bb header_text_color=\u00bb#D1522A\u00bb header_3_font=\u00bbPoppins||||||||\u00bb header_3_text_align=\u00bbcenter\u00bb header_3_text_color=\u00bb#000000″ header_3_font_size=\u00bb21px\u00bb header_3_line_height=\u00bb1.2em\u00bb custom_margin=\u00bb0em||||false|false\u00bb custom_padding=\u00bb0.5em||||false|false\u00bb global_colors_info=\u00bb{}\u00bb]<\/p>\n
Santander has a steady stream of literary production, but historically it has been overshadowed by other commercial hubs such as Bogot\u00e1 and Medell\u00edn. Today, the region is transforming the individual efforts of authors and independent publishers into a more collaborative ecosystem capable of meeting commercial and positioning challenges.<\/h3>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\u00bb3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=\u00bbon\u00bb gutter_width=\u00bb2″ _builder_version=\u00bb4.27.7″ _module_preset=\u00bbdefault\u00bb max_width=\u00bb80%\u00bb custom_margin=\u00bb-23px|auto||auto|false|false\u00bb global_colors_info=\u00bb{}\u00bb][et_pb_column type=\u00bb3_4″ _builder_version=\u00bb4.17.3″ _module_preset=\u00bbdefault\u00bb global_colors_info=\u00bb{}\u00bb][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u00bb4.27.7″ _module_preset=\u00bbdefault\u00bb text_font=\u00bbPoppins|300|||||||\u00bb text_text_color=\u00bb#000000″ text_font_size=\u00bb17px\u00bb header_text_color=\u00bb#CE4F18″ header_font_size=\u00bb28px\u00bb header_3_text_color=\u00bb#CE4F18″ header_3_font_size=\u00bb1.9vw\u00bb header_3_line_height=\u00bb1.4em\u00bb text_orientation=\u00bbjustified\u00bb custom_margin=\u00bb0.5em||||false|false\u00bb global_colors_info=\u00bb{}\u00bb]<\/p>\n
The publishing ecosystem in Bucaramanga is undergoing a transition toward greater professionalization and stronger collaboration among writers, independent publishers, reading promoters, and UNAB University through Ulibro and the Libros Nuestros project. According to Camila Botero Santos, director of UNAB Cultural, Libros Nuestros was created to move beyond isolated initiatives and establish a shared strategy for strengthening the city’s publishing sector.<\/p>\n
\u00abWe realized that, largely thanks to the grants and incentives awarded in recent years\u2014which have also encouraged book publishing\u2014independent publishers have become stronger, helping the sector move beyond its longstanding fragmentation,\u00bb says Botero Santos.<\/p>\n
The initiative is already yielding results. The Ulibro website now features a directory of 12 independent publishers in Bucaramanga and, with support from the Virtual Literature program, seeks to strengthen their work. In addition, a comprehensive assessment of the sector is underway and will be published at the end of 2026. The study aims to identify authors, editors, illustrators, distributors, and other stakeholders, better understand how they operate, and strengthen regional collaboration.<\/p>\n
From a \u00abOne-Man Band\u00bb to a Publishing Value Chain<\/h3>\n
One of the sector’s realities is that, in most cases, authors handle every stage of the publishing process themselves. Through Libros Nuestros, they are encouraged to adopt more professional publishing practices by incorporating services such as copyediting, editorial review, graphic design, and other quality-control processes.<\/p>\n
The project team argues that part of every publishing budget should be allocated to hiring professional editors, designers, proofreaders, and other specialists, thereby strengthening both production capacity and distribution.<\/p>\n
\u00abPublic funding has always been limited, and much of the cultural and publishing sector has depended almost entirely on those resources. Santander needs more sustainable management models, and that requires recognizing the sector itself and building trust among its stakeholders. Grants are only one source of funding\u2014we must identify new funding opportunities,\u00bb says Botero Santos.<\/p>\n
Commercial Barriers<\/h3>\n
Limited commercial partnerships are another major challenge. This year, during the Feria del Libro (Bucaramanga Book Fair), roundtable discussions will bring together schools, employee compensation funds, and businesses to showcase publications produced in the region and encourage institutional purchases.<\/p>\n
Administrative barriers must also be addressed. Many publications still lack an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), issued by the Colombian Book Chamber, which is essential for registering a publication and accessing the legal benefits available to publishers.<\/p>\n
According to the director of UNAB Cultural, the region already produces technically outstanding books capable of competing nationally, particularly in poetry, illustrated books, and children’s and young adult literature. However, these publications are not reaching educational institutions\u2014the very audience they are intended to serve.<\/p>\n
\u00abAt the end of 2025, we organized a meeting with schools and invited principals and librarians. We brought around 15 books for them to review, and they were genuinely impressed by the quality. They had no idea these titles were produced in Santander. While it’s unfortunate that these authors remain largely unknown locally, it was also revealing to discover that many publishers simply don’t have the production capacity to meet schools’ demand,\u00bb Botero adds.<\/p>\n
Institutional Support<\/h3>\n
For Isa\u00edas Romero, a writer, columnist from C\u00facuta, and member of the project, institutional support\u2014from municipal governments, the departmental government, and the private sector\u2014remains limited. Although financial support is available for authors, publishers receive no such support.<\/p>\n
Camila Botero explains that a draft Municipal Cultural Promotion Agreement is being developed for the metropolitan municipalities of Bucaramanga, Floridablanca, Gir\u00f3n, and Piedecuesta. The proposal, scheduled to be presented to the municipal councils during the second half of the year, seeks to establish a long-term public cultural promotion program.<\/p>\n
Among its objectives are ensuring that support for reading and writing does not depend on the priorities of a particular administration, institutionalizing public grant programs with transparent selection criteria, and adopting a metropolitan approach that removes geographic barriers for authors.<\/p>\n
\u00abFinancial awards are often exclusionary. For example, grants offered by Bucaramanga frequently exclude authors who live in neighboring municipalities such as Floridablanca or Gir\u00f3n. Funding is awarded, but not through open public calls\u2014in some cases, it is granted solely through administrative resolutions. I believe the real problem is the lack of political will to ensure continuity in public cultural programs and to appoint qualified professionals to the positions that require them,\u00bb concludes Botero Santos.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u00bb1_4″ _builder_version=\u00bb4.27.7″ _module_preset=\u00bbdefault\u00bb background_color=\u00bb#fff4e2″ custom_padding=\u00bb1em|1em|1em|1em|true|true\u00bb global_colors_info=\u00bb{}\u00bb][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u00bb4.27.7″ _module_preset=\u00bbdefault\u00bb locked=\u00bboff\u00bb global_colors_info=\u00bb{}\u00bb]<\/p>\n
Books Must Circulate<\/h3>\n
According to Isa\u00edas Romero, a reading promoter in the Santander region, the initial findings of the sector assessment identified nearly 150 reading promoters in Bucaramanga. In 2025, the two Santander departments collectively published an average of one book per week\u2014a remarkable figure for a region with relatively few public libraries and limited public funding.<\/p>\n
Self-publishing remains the dominant model. While it gives authors greater creative independence, it often comes at the expense of professional quality standards.<\/p>\n
\u00abThe author receives a grant and decides not to hire an illustrator or a copyeditor, even though those professionals are available. They prefer to save money so they can get the book published,\u00bb Romero explains.<\/p>\n
The assessment also identified publishing houses created through collaborations among authors with shared interests who publish under a common imprint. Grants often require books to be published, yet there are no resources available to establish publishing companies.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, universities and schools are interested in purchasing books by regional authors but frequently discover that many titles lack an ISBN or that publishers cannot issue invoices.<\/p>\n
\u00abThe reality is that limited book circulation affects the entire publishing ecosystem,\u00bb Romero concludes.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u00bb4.27.7″ _module_preset=\u00bbdefault\u00bb background_color=\u00bb#fcf5ea\u00bb custom_padding=\u00bb1em|1em|1em|1em|true|true\u00bb global_colors_info=\u00bb{}\u00bb][et_pb_column type=\u00bb4_4″ _builder_version=\u00bb4.27.7″ _module_preset=\u00bbdefault\u00bb global_colors_info=\u00bb{}\u00bb][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u00bb4.27.7″ _module_preset=\u00bbdefault\u00bb hover_enabled=\u00bb0″ global_colors_info=\u00bb{}\u00bb sticky_enabled=\u00bb0″]<\/p>\n
Weaving the Region’s Book Network<\/h3>\n
Why do many local authors struggle to recognize that they are not the only key players in producing and publishing a book?
\nFor author and illustrator Carlos D\u00edaz Consuegra, the answer lies in perception. He explains that authors often believe their creative work is \u201ceverything,\u201d without recognizing that publishing is a collaborative effort involving many professionals working together.
\nHe argues that a book \u201cshouldn\u2019t be viewed simply as something you produce to recover printing costs or to see how successful it becomes.\u201d A high-quality publication can reach international bookstores, institutional catalogs, and readers around the world.
\nFor that reason, strengthening the publishing value chain requires addressing the tensions that exist between creative work and commercial development in Santander.![\"\"](\"https:\/\/unab.edu.co\/cienciaabierta\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/libros-FOTO-SECUNDARIA.jpg\")
\n\u201cOur goal with Libros Nuestros is to better understand the scope of the publishing sector and stop treating books as though they exist outside the economy or have no role in a country\u2019s development simply because they aren\u2019t seen as products for everyone,\u201d says D\u00edaz Consuegra.
\nHe also believes stronger campaigns are needed to promote reading and demonstrate the value of books in everyday life, since there is no government support for this. \u201cIf there were genuine incentives to encourage reading, people would realize that books are useful, enjoyable, and powerful spaces for conversation,\u201d he says.
\nFinally, he encourages local creators to replace competition with collaboration. \u201cWhen I attend international book fairs, I take projects by other local illustrators with me. If they sell a book, our entire creative community becomes stronger\u2014and that\u2019s what really matters. If Bucaramanga\u2019s publishing scene becomes recognized, we all gain visibility.\u201d[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Editor. Social Communicator and Journalist, with a Master\u2019s Degree in Political Science and a Specialization in Education for New Technologies. publicaciones@unab.edu.coProyecto asociado ulibro.com\/libros-nuestros\/ Santander has a steady stream of literary production, but historically it has been overshadowed by other commercial hubs such as Bogot\u00e1 and Medell\u00edn. Today, the region is transforming the individual efforts of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"2880","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-issue-11"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unab.edu.co\/cienciaabierta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unab.edu.co\/cienciaabierta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unab.edu.co\/cienciaabierta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unab.edu.co\/cienciaabierta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unab.edu.co\/cienciaabierta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2365"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/unab.edu.co\/cienciaabierta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2365\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2373,"href":"https:\/\/unab.edu.co\/cienciaabierta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2365\/revisions\/2373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unab.edu.co\/cienciaabierta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unab.edu.co\/cienciaabierta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unab.edu.co\/cienciaabierta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}