The planned mediation between former Foundry partners Peter McGuigan and Yfat Reiss Gendell was postponed “due to personal issues” of McGuigan’s counsel, and is now scheduled for March 9. As a result, the previously planned court conference date has been cancelled, and a new date will be set “after the mediation has been conducted, and if the mediation fails to resolve this case.”
Judge to Rule “Soon” On AAP’s Motion for A Preliminary Injunction
As the court hearing on the AAP’s motion for a preliminary injunction blocking Maryland’s library ebook lending law proceeded over more than three hours on Monday, there was a consistent theme: Judge Deborah L. Boardman’s considerable questions and comments were the most illuminating part. And it’s important to note that she concluded the lengthy discussions by promising, “It is my intention to issue my decision on this soon. I will not be sitting on this idly, I promise you that.” Overall she had far more questions for Maryland’s attorney. She did press AAP attorney Scott Zebrak on the whether there […]
Judge Questions Maryland and AAP
The AAP and the state of Maryland appeared before Federal Judge Deborah L. Boardman Monday morning for an extensive hearing on the AAP’s motion for a preliminary injunction blocking the state’s law on library licensing of digital text. After about an hour of questions directed at the attorney for Maryland, the court took a break at 12:20 before pressing the AAP about their ability to meet the stringent legal conditions for a preliminary injunction. So this is an interim report that we will update later today on our site. Judge Boardman made it clear that she had significant questions about […]
Obituaries: Jason Epstein Dies At 93
Editor and innovator Jason Epstein, 93, died on Friday at home on Sag Harbor, his daughter Helen Epstein confirmed to the NYT. Creator of Anchor Books when he was 25, longtime editorial director at Random House, and co-creator of The New York Review of Books and the Library of America, the NYT calls him “the editor, author and publishing visionary who introduced the quality paperback to American readers.” As the paper notes, “He officially retired in 1999 but continued to edit books into his 80s.” Penguin Random House said in a statement: “We mourn the passing of our extraordinary, pathfinding […]
Maryland Concedes They Are Regulating Where Congress Would Not Go
In a bizarre reply to the AAP’s request for a preliminary injunction, the state of Maryland both concedes and underscores that Congress specifically declined to create a first sale doctrine for digital goods, leaving it to the marketplace to adapt. Unhappy with that decision and its effect, Maryland has elected to regulate the marketplace for copyrighted goods, in conflict with Congress and the law. They justify that with the novel suggestion that once copyrighted goods are offered to the marketplace, they have magically “left the world of copyright” — except they haven’t — and “entered the marketplace for such transactions,” […]
Harper Shows Modest Growth In Holiday Quarter
News Corp. reported fiscal second quarter sales through December 31, 2021 after the close of the market on Thursday, with HarperCollins recorded sales of $617 million. Sales were up $73 million compared to a year ago, but $50 million of that came from the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt trade acquisition. The $23 million organic growth at Harper comprised a 4.2 percent gain, their softest increase over the six straight quarters of gains. HMH on its own declined compared to a year ago. At HMH Books & Media, for which the company has been exploring a sale since November, sales for the […]