On April 29, 2026, the Association des libraires du Québec brought booksellers, publishers, distributors, authors and librarians to the Théâtre Paradoxe in Montréal. The theme was Relève : pour la suite du monde du livre: the people entering the trade, the readers who renew it, and the structures that have to change to stay alive. The goal was concrete: action tracks doable within 24 to 36 months, usable in the 2026 election cycle and in each association's strategic planning. A room full of people who read for a living: every sticky note came back proofread. The Rencontres have run every year since 2009, and the room held the whole chain, from author to library.
The next generation doesn't only depend on recruiting. It depends on the training, working and transfer conditions that let people commit to the sector for the long run. Translated from French.
Training initiatives already exist, but the sector needs a real continuum: initial training, on-the-job learning, mentoring, professional development and handing over know-how before people leave.
Create and test a structured mentoring network to support newcomers and pass on professional know-how.
Salaries, benefits, rent and job stability decide whether people can remain in the sector.
Study the weight of commercial rent and propose a tax measure to support independent bookstores.
The next generation needs its skills recognized, and clear paths to acquire them.
Draft a professional standard for sales representatives in distribution, with training and a qualification path.
People want to master new technologies, AI included, while protecting creation and the value of human work.
Study a label that identifies books made by humans.
Many issues cross the boundaries of each trade and need more than occasional exchanges.
Form a committee across book trades to draft shared recommendations on responsible use of AI.
Securing the next generation of the trade also means securing the next generation of readers.
Develop a travelling literary caravan that brings books into schools.
Continuity can't rest on individual will alone: it depends on the economic, regulatory and institutional environment.
Study support for business takeovers and protection against debt when book businesses change hands.
The ALQ keeps speaking for Québec's independent bookstores. In August 2026, it published a study on their economic and community benefits. In October, after the change of government, it said it was ready to work with the new ministers of Culture and Education. News from alq.qc.ca.
