Trade Book Publishing in Saudi Arabia Past and Present

This article concentrates on private book publishing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At the beginning, it gives a historical background about the emergence of printing presses in the Hijaz. The first printing press to be established in Mecca was al-Wilayah in 1883. Later on some other private printing presses were founded. These presses played an essential part in the intellectual life of the country particularly in Hijaz. The study divides the development of book industry into two periods; 1. The Early Saudi Era (1924-1960); 2. The Late Saudi Era (1960-The present). In its conclusion, the study suggests some practical solutions to the book publishing's major problems raised by the study.