Algiers International Book Fair: From Intellectual Pursuit to Social Status

The Algiers International Book Fair has evolved into a major social event, attracting families in search of leisure spaces. While academics, students, and researchers utilize the fair to access specialized references and foreign publications, others participate for social visibility. The trend of displaying book purchases on social media has turned the act of buying books into a form of 'social prestige.' According to lawyer Abdelhafid Milat, this high attendance should not be dismissed; rather, it represents a genuine societal need for cultural spaces. He argues that this engagement can serve as a gateway to promoting reading habits, urging authorities to move beyond annual events by establishing permanent cultural infrastructure and libraries to sustain the public's interest in knowledge.