New edition of the checkbook will be released by the end of the year with financial support

The Minister of Culture announced this Thursday that the Government will move forward with the second edition of the checkbook by the end of the year, Margarida Balseiro Lopes added that the value attributed to each of these vouchers will be increased.

"By the end of the year, the Government will launch the second edition of the book check," a concrete measure to ensure that books "continue to be protected, promoted, and valued," said the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports during the presentation of the third Book 2.0.

The deadline for completing the first edition of the 20-euro checkbook was extended until July 15, after its execution rate reached 20%, thus enabling more young people to take advantage of the measure.

Once this phase is complete, the Directorate-General for Books, Archives and Libraries (DGLAB) will prepare an evaluation report that will allow the ministry to better understand the scope of the initiative, its real impact and the aspects that need to be improved.

"Although preliminary, everything indicates that it will be possible to increase the allocated amount. Furthermore, we are aware that we must make a greater effort to publicize this measure so that it reaches more young people, in more places, from north to south of the country," said Margarida Balseiro Lopes, quoted by the Lusa news agency.

Miguel Pauseiro, president of the Portuguese Association of Publishers and Booksellers (APEL), which promotes Book 2.0, emphasized, regarding the minister's announcement, that "the value is significant." "We won't gain readers in a year, but neither will we gain readers with 20 euros. We have to start working on improving value, communication, and operationalization in bookstores," he stated.