PRESBOOK PLc. CAMEROON

by Tangwing Pius
(Buea)

PRESBOOK PLc. CAMEROON
“DISTRIBUTING KNOWLEDGE AND FIGHTING POVERTY”
HEADQUARTERS:

P.O. BOX 13, LIMBE IN FAKO DIVISION,
SOUTH WEST REGION CAMEROON.
MOTTO: TO SERVE
POLICY: QUALITY & EXCELLENCE
VISION: TO CONTINUE CRAFTING IN FAITH THE EVANGELISTIC
AIM: FIRST CLASS SERVICES COMBINED WITH VALUE FOR MONEY AND MISSION OF THEIR FORERUNNERS.
EMAIL: PRESBOOK@YAHOO.COM
PHONE/FAX: 00237 33 33 23 88 OR 00237 77 40 56 42.

It was founded around 1930 by the then Basel Mission. When the Basel Mission handed over its activities to the Presbyterian Church In Cameroon in 1957, the name changed to PRESBOOK BOOKDEPOT & Printing Press. It has since functioned as one entity with one General Manager until 1999 when it was legally separated into two distinct entities – Presbook Plc., and Printing Press (or Presprint) Plc., respectively.

Its main aim was to print and distribute Christian Literature to the Christians of the PCC. As time went on, there was an increasing need for the other books especially with the coming of Primary and Secondary schools. As the wind of education expanded, there was also the need to increase the printing and distribution of school textbooks around the country.

There has been the need too, to source and distribute didactic material including stationery, sideline and office equipment. Since then, she has devoted her expertise and specialized in sourcing from local and foreign authors/publishers, and distributes books at all levels of learning including Primary, Secondary and University Textbooks.

It is owned by the Presbyterian Church In Cameroon with the Moderator having 99% of the Shares while the Synod Clerk owns 1% of the share capital. The Synod, elects the Board of Directors.

The Board members are elected once for a five-year term of office which is renewable once. Board Meetings are held

at least twice a year (June, to examine the Audited Accounts and December, to approve the annual budget).

An extraordinary Board Meeting can be called at any time as need arises. The Chairperson is appointed by the Moderator in consultation with Synod Executive Committee.

Presbook runs on an average annual turnover of CFA 1.3 billion francs. As a book distributor, not an author or publisher of books, over 70% of the sales turnover revert to the book suppliers or authors who in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry dictate to Presbook the price of books. Books were sourced mainly from abroad from such publishers as Macmillan, Oxford University Press, Cambridge, Harcourt, Saint Jerome, Evans and Little Bird. But today, most of these publishers have representatives in Cameroon.

However, most Primary and Secondary school books are now written and published by local authors including – Anucam, Cosmos, the Cure Series, Ludacam, Pase, and the Kinge series. The Bookshop deals with over 200 book suppliers with well over 2,000 titles.

It was created to spread the gospel through print and the distribution and sale of Christian Literature to Christians. It was also established to encourage a reading culture among the Christians of the Basel Mission and later on the Presbyterians, as a tool of evangelistic efforts.

It is one of the most renowned, acclaimed and credible Institutions of the Presbyterian Church In Cameroon. Its services are found in most towns in the country with 16 branches in 04 regions of the Republic. The bookshops are located on the high streets of the cities.

They supply the most durable, assorted but affordable stationery of high quality. Other services include: office automation & equipment, general merchandise, general maintenance works and service providers.

PRESBOOK PLc. CAMEROON