Emblematic figure of the book interprofessionJean-Guy Boin died on Friday, September 13, at the age of 73, from cancer. A specialist in the economics of books, he had dedicated his entire career to the publishing world and to defending independent bookstores, becoming in turn financial director of La Découverte, head of the book and reading office within the Ministry of Culture, architect, with others, of Adelc and director general of the International Bureau of French Publishing (Bief).
His recent death has left a deep impression on those who worked alongside him or who became friends. All of them benefited from his teachings and today salute the qualities of a man who greatly supported French publishing.
“He was an activist for the cause of the bookstore, a servant of the State”
“It’s a difficult loss to experience, a real shock”confides his former colleague in the book economy department of the Ministry of Culture, Jean-Sebastien Dupuit. Under the aegis of Jacques Toubonthen minister of the rue de Valois, the two men notably enforced the Lang law, “developed professional meetings at the Paris Book Fair”, “doubled the aid granted to bookstores” And “solved the photocopy issues”which resulted in the law of January 3, 1995 on the collective management of reprographic rights.
“We had a complete understandingcontinues Mr. Dupuit, Our views on the economics of books and on what the role of the State should be for the sector completely converged. Jean-Guy had significant teaching skills, which he put at the service of publishing professionals and our troops. He was an activist for the cause of bookselling, a passionate man who was very rigorous in analyzing files, a servant of the State..
“Publishing houses owe him a lot”
It was also in this capacity that Jean-Guy Boin went to international fairs, through which he largely worked to promote the international influence of French publishing. “It is to him that we owe the massive presence of French publishers in Frankfurt, for example”quoted Vincent Monadeformer president of the National Book Center (CNL) who met him for the first time in the mid-1990s, at the Paris bookstore.
“He was a very, very great professional, without doubt one of the best experts on the economics of books and bookstores. He developed fairs abroad, the export of French books, the purchase and sale of rights. Publishing houses owe him a lot. He was exceptional.”he adds, also mentioning their joint work for “strengthening the capacities of Adelc”notably via the CNL’s financial support plan for bookstores.
For his part, Gilles Cohen-Solalco-founder of the Héloïse d’Ormesson publishing house and close friend of Jean-Guy Boin – whom he met occasionally in Frankfurt and Jerusalem -, defines him as a “great connoisseur of publishing” and describes their relationship as “extremely warm and friendly.”
“A man committed to all the major issues of books and publishing”
Finally, in a joint press release, Antoine Gallimardpresident of Bief and Vincent Montagnepresident of the National Publishing Union (SNE), both wanted, on behalf of their respective teams, to pay tribute to the memory of this fervent defender of books. “He has always worked in favor of collective action in the service of publishing and the book chain”they recall.
“His irreplaceable knowledge of global book markets allowed him to forge close ties with hundreds of players in France and abroad”detailed Antoine Gallimard, while Vincent Montagne praised “its action constantly guided by the search for the general interest”before keeping in memory “a committed man, with conviction and generosity on all the major issues of book publishing”.
