Pearson announced results for the first half of the year, with sales of £1.79 billion, up 12 percent from the same period last year. Operating profit grew substantially from £9 million last year to £148 million (an increase from £107 million in 2020). Major restructuring costs affected last year’s profits—particularly reorganizing the business into five distinct segments—and this year’s increase is also attributed to “the net gain related to acquisitions and disposals compared to a loss in 2021.” Most business segments saw improvements in the period. Assessment & Qualifications grew 22 percent, including 45 percent growth in US Student Assessment, […]
People 7/29
Adam Sonderberg will re-join the Seminary Co-Op Bookstores as a deputy director, overseeing operations of the Seminary Co-op and 57th Street Book, buying, and content curation. He was previously handling supervisor at the Skokie Public Library.
PRH Makes Some Strides in Diversity, Sustainability
On Tuesday, Penguin Random House released their social impact report, their “global commitment to serving our communities beyond the books we publish,” which shares programming highlights and data between January 1, 2021 – July 1, 2022. The initiative has three pillars: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Environment & Sustainability, and Free Expression & Joy of Reading. As part of their DEI goals, PRH U.S. updated its workforce demographics to reflect the staff as of October 2021. Among non-warehouse staff, 73 percent identify as women, 26 percent as men, and 0.5 percent as nonbinary. White staffers make up 74 percent of the […]
People 7/27
At HMH, Benita Flucker has been named to the new position of chief equity and inclusion officer, focusing on "internal and public-facing DEI efforts."
Obituary: Stuart Woods
Stuart Woods, 84, died at home in Connecticut on July 22. He was the author of more than 90 novels, beginning with Chiefs in 1981, and served on the boards of the Authors Guild Foundation since 2004. Putnam published his memoir, An Extravagant Life, in June, and will publish the next two books in the Stone Barrington series in August and October.
Bookselling: Books Are Magic to Open Second Location
Five years after launching their first store, Books Are Magic owners Emma Straub and Michael Fusco-Straub will open a second location in Brooklyn, Time Out New York reports. The second store will be at 122 Montague St. in Brooklyn Heights and is expected to open in late October.