The National Library of the Kingdom hosted a press conference yesterday evening in Rabat to present its first-ever report on the state of publishing and books in Morocco for the year 2024. The event was attended by a distinguished group of professionals, researchers, and cultural enthusiasts.
This report is part of the National Library’s commitment to fulfilling its intellectual and cultural functions as stipulated by Law No. 68-99 governing its operations. It particularly focuses on managing the legal deposit system and providing bibliographic data related to Moroccan intellectual productions.
In her speech at the event, the Director of the National Library, Samira Al-Malizi, emphasized that this report represents a foundational step in a new path for the institution, being the first institutional publication documenting the annual publishing landscape in Morocco.
She confirmed that this initiative aims to provide professionals, readers, and researchers with a reliable and accurate database, which will support publishing policies and enhance cultural production while facilitating an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework governing this vital field.
In this context, she also highlighted the importance of this report in opening new avenues for creativity and innovation and overcoming the challenges that hinder the sector’s development. She noted that the National Library intends to make this effort an annual tradition presented during the International Book and Publishing Fair, thus enhancing the institution’s prominence in both national and international arenas.
According to the report, a total of approximately 6,838 publications were registered in 2024, of which 66% were in Arabic, 26% in French, and 4% in English, with smaller percentages in Amazigh, Spanish, and Italian.
Statistics indicate that private publishers accounted for 72% of the total number of publishers, compared to 28% for public publishers.
The Casablanca-Settat and Rabat-Salé-Kenitra regions led national production, contributing about 57% of the total output, while the fields of social sciences, literature, and writing techniques emerged as the most prominent areas within national cultural production.
The report is expected to be printed and published soon, serving as an unprecedented institutional reference to monitor the dynamics of publishing in Morocco. It will be made available to the public through the National Library’s website, allowing professionals, researchers, and cultural stakeholders to access its data and leverage it for research, creativity, and cultural planning.
