EPP Books appointed local agent to supply relevant textbooks

Accra, Oct. 31, GNA- EPP Books Services has been appointed as the local partner of BookPower of the United Kingdom to ensure that relevant tertiary-level textbooks are supplied to educational institutions in the country at low prices.

BookPower is a registered UK charity that makes available specially selected unabridged editions of international, tertiary-level textbooks to students in selected English speaking developing countries.

The Chief Executive Officer of EPP Books Services, Mr Gibrine Adam said this in an interview with the GNA in Accra on Thursday at a forum to introduce the books to the reading public.

Mr Adam said the subject areas of the scheme are Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Accountancy, Economics and Management, Hotel, catering and Tourism, Veterinary medicine and Animal Welfare, Information Technology and Computer Science.

The BookPower scheme, formerly known as the English Language Book Scheme (ELBS) makes it possible for books to be sold to developing countries including Ghana at one fifth and one third of their original prices.

Some of the titles in the series are ABC of AIDS, Introduction to the symptoms and signs of Surgical Disease, Obstetrics and Gynaecology by Ten Teachers, International Child Health Care and Short textbook of Public Medicine for the Tropics.

Others are, the Concise Handbook of Human Anatomy and Diseases of Children in the sub-tropics and tropics.

The rest are Essential Malariology, HIV/AIDS: A Foundation for Nursing and Health Care Practice, Management: Theory and Practice, Personal and Human Resource Management, Management and Cost Accounting, Costing, Management Accounting, Quantitative Techniques, Auditing, Computer Science and Management Information systems.

Mr Adam called on academic staff and librarians to suggest additions to the list in the subject areas supported by the scheme adding that only textbooks of international reputation that have been published for the first time or in a new edition within the last five years are eligible for consideration.

He said among the sponsors of the scheme are, Astra Zeneca, The Commonwealth secretariat, Dulverton Trust, Barclays Bank, Ernest and Young, British and foreign school society, Grocers Company, Tanner Trust, Nielson Book data, Mary Webb Trust and Cloth workers Company. Mr Adam said as the local partner of BookPower in Ghana, EPP Books Services would ensure that the scheme is relevant to local textbook needs by advising on the range, level and treatment of subjects to be covered.

Providing information about tertiary level curriculum developments and acting where necessary as a channel, through which the input of local academics can be sought and accessed.

EPP Books services would also be acting as a focal point in the country to inform relevant academic staff, booksellers, librarians and students about the scheme and how it operates.

The company would ensure that information of particular books are included, where they can be obtained locally and to ensure that clients are familiar with the book trade in a country-wide promotion by mailing of catalogues and the holding of exhibitions.

He said the local representatives are to ensure that the objectives of the scheme are not defeated by any abuse especially in relation to the subsidized prices by assisting BookPower administration to monitor local prices of their editions and help identify the cause of any abuse or problems so that it can be rectified.

It would also ensure that BookPower, works in partnership with institutions and organizations in developing world for the benefit and development of their students and young professionals so that it will attract enough funds for its work.