While the media in the United States (The New York Times) debates on whether teenagers should spend more time readingbooks rather than obtaining information off the Internet, on July 24, 2008, the Official Journal of the Federation (DOF)published a new Law for the Fostering of Book Reading. With such law, Mexico joins other countries with great editorialtradition with laws on book reading, such as Spain, France, Germany and Argentina. This new law provides for a dualapproach to foster and promote the reading of books and designates the Department of Public Education, the NationalBoard for Culture and Arts, the National Board for the Promotion of Reading Books and the state and municipalgovernments, as well as the Government of the Federal District, as the responsible authorities under such law. In additionto development and promotion activities, in order to strengthen the cultural and educational scene of Mexico throughreading books, the Law for the Fostering of Book Reading includes cultural development aspects with regards to theobservance of copyrights and sets forth price controls through a fixed price for books in order to protect consumers.
