As Brazil heads toward the first round of its presidential election on October 4, the book industry is urging candidates to prioritize long-term policies for books, libraries, and the regulation of artificial intelligence. Organizations such as Abrelivros, the Câmara Brasileira do Livro (CBL), and the Sindicato Nacional dos Editores de Livros (SNEL) have released a detailed plan calling for the creation of book purchase programs, increased funding for libraries, support for publishers and booksellers, and clearer rules on how protected works can be used in AI systems. These groups made similar requests to candidates in 2022, focusing on initiatives like the National Program for Books and Teaching Materials (PNLD) and the National Book and Reading Plan (PNLL). The PNLD, which provides free textbooks and literature to public schools, distributed over 127 million textbooks in 2025, reaching 33 million students and teachers. The organizations want this program to be enshrined in law to guarantee its continuation through different governments. They also stress the need for predictable funding and purchase schedules to help with planning, while allowing schools to choose from approved titles. The PNLD Digital platform, which gives digital access to school and literary works, has been launched as part of this effort. The groups are also concerned about a decline in reading habits in Brazil. According to the 2024 Retratos da Leitura no Brasil study, 53% of those surveyed reported not reading at all in the three months before the study. The number of readers aged 5 and over has dropped by 6.7 million since 2019. In response, the organizations are calling for more investment in teacher training, reading mediation, and the modernization of public and school libraries. The use of protected works in AI systems is another key issue. The organizations are pushing for AI training to require the prior approval of rights holders and to include a "fair" payment for their use. Legislative efforts, including bills PL 2219/2022 and PL 4025/2023, are underway to address these concerns, but the upcoming election makes timely action essential. In other parts of the world, similar issues are being addressed. In Mexico, the Cámara Nacional de la Industria Editorial Mexicana (CANIEM) has asked President Claudia Sheinbaum to implement five measures, including a single price for books and zero-rate VAT for booksellers. In Argentina, the province of Córdoba has invested 550 million pesos in locally published books, supporting 27 small and medium publishers. Meanwhile, in the United States, publishers are experimenting with shorter, more illustrated children's books to attract younger readers, and the debate over book censorship continues, with several states facing legal challenges.