The city of Paris is having difficulty finding new second-hand booksellers, while 16 locations are vacant. A call for applications has been launched, the deadline is October 14.
A profession that no longer attracts? The vision of closed boxes is increasingly recurrent on the Parisian quays where there has been a shortage of would-be book sellers since Covid-19. 16 locations are currently empty.
While the city of Paris launched a call for applications in September to attract new second-hand booksellers. But after a few days, the number of applications was low: only five applications had been submitted as of September 25, regretted the cultural association of Paris booksellers on Facebook.
“We have a reputation that is worldwide, so it’s true that it’s quite surprising that it doesn’t attract more people”, testifies to BFM Paris Île-de-France, Pascal Corseaux, bookseller on the quay of Conti.
“Because there are still possibilities of doing something by using the new means of communication and by considering the boxes and the platforms as a meeting address,” he adds.
Too short a deadline for applications?
But for the cultural association of Paris second-hand booksellers, the selection procedure does not encourage potential candidates. “The time between the decision of the commission date and the deadline for submitting applications is too short,” explains Jérôme Callais, president of the Paris booksellers’ association.
“Vacant places should be announced at least three months before people have time to prepare the file, to think, to say to themselves ‘yes it’s a good idea’. We have the impression that it’s a bit in a hurry,” he regrets.
Visible on the banks of the Seine for more than 450 years, the second-hand booksellers are considered one of the most famous symbols of the capital. “It brings a little authentic side,” comments one tourist while another adds: “It’s super cool, it’s a symbol of the Parisian way of life and history.”
Applications can be submitted until Monday October 14 at 4 p.m. by post or by email to [email protected]. The candidate selection committee plans to meet on November 6, and the selected candidates will receive an operating authorization for a period of five years. The information can be found on the city of Paris website.
Rémi Sanlis and Laura Bacca, with Marine Langlois
