Children’s author Natalie Portelli was the most borrowed local author from public libraries last year, with her books being loaned out a total of 14,728 times. Figures of which Maltese authors local readers have gravitated towards emerge as the National Book Council has published the latest remuneration figures for the public lending rights scheme for 2021. Introduced in 2014, the scheme allows authors, illustrators and photographers to make passive income every time one of their publications is checked out of a public library. The going rate offered is around 44c per book. Co-authors and illustrators responsible for more than 50 per cent of a book are also entitled to this remuneration, as are editors responsible for putting together publications that feature several contributors. Portelli, who has authored several Maltese fairy tales and popular children’s books featuring animals, made €5,000 from loans of her books. The next most popular author was Clare Azzopardi, whose works range from picture books for young children to prose for adults. Her most recent novel, Castillo, has been adapted into a stage play due to be performed next month. Azzopardi’s books were borrowed...
