Report on the Publishing and Book Sector in Morocco: Literature, Humanities, and Social Sciences (2022-2023)

To coincide with the recent International Book Fair in Morocco, the King Abdul-Aziz Al Saud Foundation share an excerpt from their annual report on the publishing and book sector.

For several years, the King Abdul-Aziz Al Saud Foundation for Islamic Studies and Humanities has published an annual report on the state of Moroccan publishing in literature, humanities, and social sciences, timed for the International Book Fair in Morocco. To coincide with the 29th Fair in Rabat in May 2024, and following the recovery in the publishing industry since the COVID-19 outbreak, the Foundation is pleased to present its latest report on Moroccan book publishing for 2022-2023 to readers, industry professionals, and stakeholders.

These reports, well-regarded by publishers, authors, cultural institutions, researchers, and the public, have garnered positive feedback in the media and online. Generating and publishing bibliographic information is integral to our mission, and we achieve this through thorough national, Maghreb, Arab, and international sector surveys, continuously updating our bibliographic database, which is accessible to researchers and the wider public.

The report offers comprehensive bibliometric data on Moroccan publications, covering literature, humanities, and social sciences. It includes analyses on language, knowledge domains, translations, publishing patterns across Morocco, and publications by Moroccan authors abroad. Its goal is to illuminate Moroccan intellectual contributions within Arab and global cultural, intellectual, and scientific spheres. By publishing this report annually, alongside the International Book Fair, our objective is to bolster Moroccan cultural, literary, and scientific output and enhance understanding of publishing dynamics in Morocco. 

It's important to note that this report focuses solely on intellectual production in the Moroccan publishing sector (books and journals). Economic aspects, such as market statistics (transactions, print runs, sales), are exclusively detailed by Moroccan publisher associations. 

Overview of Publishing in Morocco (2022/2023)

Moroccan publishing in 2022/2023 amounts to 3,482 titles produced, averaging 1,741 titles annually across print and digital formats. Journals accounted for 496 issues during this period.

Print publications constituted 92% of Morocco’s total publishing output in humanities, social sciences, and literature. Digital publications comprised 8%, mainly in foreign languages (67.02% in French and English), predominantly released by public institutions like ministries, the Bank of Morocco, and various research bodies.

Notably, the Policy Center for the New South led digital publishing efforts, contributing 47.12% of the official volume and 70.31% of foreign language publications. Challenges in digital publishing for professional publishers stem from economic fragility and local reading habits favouring free access over copyright awareness.

Arabic-language digital publications represented one-third of the total official digital production, mainly digital reissues by public institutions in foreign languages, alongside modest contributions from research centers. Arabic publications in literature, humanities, and social sciences constituted 78.29% of the total, with French at 17.72%, followed by English at 2.58% and Amazigh at 1.51%. French dominated in research fields like economics, management, finance, and political studies.

Methodology and Scope of the Report

This report relies on bibliographic data sourced from our institution's continuously updated database, which undergoes daily acquisitions. Print publications are sourced from various bookstores and retail outlets across different regions of Morocco, while digital publications are downloaded from the Internet. Publications by Moroccans abroad are gathered through an active network of book suppliers spanning North Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and America.

Our acquisitions encompass all print and digital publications, including books and journals, across all languages and disciplines, with a few exceptions:  

•        scientific publications (e.g., physics, chemistry, medicine, biology),
•        general publications (e.g., cookbooks, decoration, public health),
•        simplified publications lacking academic or informative criteria, and
•        children's books.

Due to the fragmented nature of the publishing and printing sectors in Morocco and the limited distribution networks outside the Casablanca/Rabat region, significant efforts are made to track publications nationwide. However, capturing all Moroccan publications issued in a given year remains challenging. The compilation process often spans two to three years, reflecting the institution's extensive experience in acquisition services. 

This is a brief excerpt from a full report, 'Publishing and Books in Morocco 2022/2023', by The King Abdul-Aziz Foundation (Casablanca, Morocco),  http://www.fondation.org.ma/web/article/694
For detailed bibliographic data on the 2022/2023 period, please refer to the ‘Catalog of Moroccan Publications’ on the website, which provides descriptions and covers of all listed publications: www.maroc-catalog.org.
Previous reports on the Moroccan publishing and book sector, as well as other information, are available from: www.foundation.org.ma.