Archives for September 2005

Profits Rise at Random Bertelsmann reported results for the first half of the year, with Random House registering sales of 799 million euros ($994 million) and “operating EBIT” of 48 million euros. The company says the decline in sales versus 818 million euros a year ago is due to the weak dollar, though dollar softness has effected euro-denominated results for a long time now. The UK division produced “the largest gains” in both sales and profits, extra helpful to the company because they are recorded in stronger pounds; and the German division “posted notable improvements in sales of its adult […]

Helping Hands John Grisham is donating $5 million to create the Rebuild the Coast Fund Organization to help uninsured people from Mississippi (where he has a home, in Oxford) rebuild homes and businesses. He commented: “We don’t normally publicize gifts. It’s something we keep extremely private. But in these very, very rare circumstances — this tragic time — we hope the gift will get some attention and inspire other people to contribute money and help our fellow Mississippians on the Gulf Coast.” On Friday, Scholastic announced a $100,000 cash donation and indicated: “Scholastic Education and Scholastic Library Publishing divisions will […]

In Katrina’s Wake The ABA has set up a fund to help booksellers and their families following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Checks payable to ABA/Bookseller Relief Fund can be sent to the organization’s office at 200 White Plains Road, Tarrytown, NY 10591. They ask that you write “Bookseller Relief” on the outside of the envelope. ABA’s director of special projects David Walker is collecting offers from stores around the country to house and/or employ displaced booksellers. BTW Writer Vicki Hinze has set up a “Hurricane check-in” page on her web site to help keep track of writers in the […]

Surprise Closing at Kepler’s Menlo Park, CA independent bookstore Kepler’s closed suddenly yesterday after just over 50 years in business, with a sign posted on the door telling customers: “As much as we love what we do and would like to continue another 50 years, we simply cannot.” Palo Alto Online reports, “Employees were left stunned and reeling from the announcement as [owner Clark] Kepler cited financial problems that had built since the dot-com bust of 2001.… Some employees had heard rumors of a financial crisis over several days, but many thought the all-staff meeting was to announce layoffs.” City […]