Monsudar

Monsudar Publishing LLC is a Mongolian book publisher based in Ulaanbaatar and widely described as the country's first privately owned company specializing in book publishing. According to its own account, it was established in 2002, while the Mongolian-language Wikipedia entry states that it began operating in 1998; both sources agree that it has grown into one of the largest publishing houses in Mongolia. The company was founded by Mr. Enkhbat Roozon, who remains associated with the business and who in 2019 was awarded the Goethe Medal by the Goethe-Institut for his contribution to Mongolia's cultural and educational development. Monsudar's business is built on translating and publishing foreign works under official licence, alongside Mongolian and classic literature, children's books, non-fiction and educational materials. The company says it was a pioneer in introducing officially licensed and translated books and products in Mongolia, and that respecting intellectual property rights was central to its business from the beginning. It works with more than 100 freelance translators, editors and artists, and its own team numbers around 45 to 58 people depending on the source. It publishes roughly 60 to 80 new titles a year and reports over 500 titles in print, with more than 800 titles released over its lifetime according to the Mongolian Wikipedia article. The publisher is organized into five imprints, each with its own character and specialty. The best known is Jangar, a children's-book imprint whose stated goal is to spread a love of books and reading to future generations. Monsudar's catalogue spans fiction, children's books, non-fiction, personal development, psychology, cognition and reference works, and it has also produced maps, dictionaries, language titles and CDs of Mongolian and foreign classical music. Since 2005 it has published more than 200 kinds of school textbooks, workbooks, teacher's guides and teaching materials for general-education schools, and has supplied tens of thousands of books to school and public libraries. Internationally, Monsudar has cooperated with more than 50 organizations since 2003, including Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Dorling Kindersley, Random House, Bloomsbury and Little, Brown. Its public-facing activity includes annual reading-promotion events such as 'Soyon Gegeerliin Udruud' (Days of Enlightenment) and 'Zuni nomtoi ungruulye' (Spend the summer with a book), which bring together writers, translators, scholars, media and readers. The company positions itself around social enlightenment, aiming to be the leading force of social enlightenment in Mongolia and to set a benchmark for the Mongolian publishing industry in editorial quality, design and production standards.

Monsudar Publishing LLC emerged as one of the first privately owned publishing companies in Mongolia. Its own corporate history dates the establishment to 2002, while the Mongolian-language Wikipedia article states that the publishing house began operating in 1998. Both accounts agree that it was a pioneer of private book publishing in the country and that it grew into one of Mongolia's largest publishers. From the outset, the company made intellectual property rights a central part of its model. It describes itself as a pioneer in introducing officially licensed and translated books and products in Mongolia, at a time when unauthorized copying and translation were common. This licensing approach shaped its catalogue: rather than only reprinting domestic works, Monsudar built a list of translated international titles, including world classics, works by Nobel laureates and contemporary international bestsellers. International cooperation began in earnest in 2003, when the company started working with foreign publishers. Over the following years it established relationships with more than 50 organizations, among them Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Dorling Kindersley, Random House, Bloomsbury and Little, Brown. These partnerships allowed Monsudar to publish Mongolian-language editions of internationally recognized titles under licence. A major expansion came in 2005, when Monsudar began publishing textbooks and educational materials for general-education schools. Over time it released more than 200 kinds of textbooks, workbooks, teacher's guides and teaching aids, and supplied tens of thousands of books to school and public libraries. This educational line complemented its trade publishing and reinforced its role in the country's education system. The company also developed a structure of five imprints, each with a distinct editorial character. The best known is Jangar, a children's-book imprint that publishes more than 30 new kinds of titles a year, designed to match children's age-specific needs and to cover knowledge and character-building themes. Alongside books, Monsudar has published maps, dictionaries, language titles and CDs of Mongolian and foreign classical music. By the late 2010s, Monsudar described itself as the market leader in Mongolian book publishing by number of new titles per year and by annual revenue. It reported a dedicated team of around 45 people supported by more than 100 freelance translators, editors and artists, publishing roughly 60 new titles a year with over 500 titles in print. The Mongolian Wikipedia article gives a somewhat different snapshot, citing 58 employees and 70–80 new titles a year, and more than 800 titles published over the company's lifetime. A significant moment of recognition came in 2019, when founder Enkhbat Roozon was awarded the Goethe Medal by the Goethe-Institut, an official decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany, for his commitment to social progress in Mongolia and his contribution to the country's cultural and educational policy. The company continues to run annual public events such as 'Days of Enlightenment' and 'Spend the summer with a book', which bring together writers, translators, scholars, media and readers around specific themes, reflecting its stated vision of being a leading force of social enlightenment in Mongolia.

• 2019

  Founder Enkhbat Roozon is awarded the Goethe Medal by the Goethe-Institut.

• 2005

  The company starts publishing textbooks and educational materials for general-education schools.

• 2003

  Monsudar begins cooperating with foreign publishers; partnerships eventually exceed 50 organizations.

• 2002

  Monsudar Publishing LLC is established, according to the company's own account.

• 1998

  Monsudar begins operating as a publishing house, according to the Mongolian-language Wikipedia article.

Mongolia's leading privately owned publishing house, positioning itself around social enlightenment, licensed translations and world-class editorial, design and production standards.

• Jangar children's book imprint

  Children's-book imprint publishing more than 30 new kinds of titles a year, designed for children's age-specific needs and covering knowledge and character-building themes.

• Licensed translated literature

  Mongolian-language editions of world classics, Nobel laureates' works and contemporary international bestsellers, published under licence.

• School textbooks and teaching materials

  More than 200 kinds of textbooks, workbooks, teacher's guides and teaching aids for general-education schools since 2005.

• Reference and language titles

  Maps, dictionaries and linguistics works published by the company.

• Music CDs

  CDs of Mongolian and foreign classical music.

1. 1Monsudar official websitemonsudar.mn
2. 2Monsudar – About usmonsudar.mn
3. 3Monsudar on Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Монсудар хэвлэлийн газар – Mongolian Wikipediamn.wikipedia.org