Credit insurance seems to be a more standard feature of doing business in the UK than it is in the US, and the FT reports on growing concerns that “the drying up of credit insurance could herald a wave of insolvencies in the troubled sector with the weakest stores and suppliers driven out of business.” Entrepreneur Luke Johnson, whose company owns Borders UK, says: “This is a lubricant that is vital for everyday transactions. I think if necessary the government should step in to replace the capacity collapse.” An anonymous executive adds: “If credit insurance gets pulled it can be […]
NY Considers Library Funding Cuts
One more story on the economy: New York’s budget division has recommended to the governor a $20 million cut in library support as part of proposed statewide reductions of expenses. That represents abou 20 percent of the currently allocated $99 million, a number already slimmed by $4 million from the 2007 allocation. The NY Library Association says the proposal “would bring library aid down to a level not seen since 1993.” Executive director Michael Borges says in a statement that “no other educational institutions have been targeted for a 20 percent cut in state funding. There seems to be no […]
RDR Appeals Rowling Ruling
Facing a fine of just $6,750 and free legal defense, why wouldn’t they? Michigan’s RDR Books filed a notice of appeal last week against Judge Robert Patterson’s September ruling in favor of Warner Bros., blocking publication of RDR’s HARRY POTTER LEXICON.Grand Rapids Press
On Kitty on Oprah
December’s Chicago Magazine will carry a story called Bagging the Media Queen, looking at Kitty Kelley’s research and forthcoming book on Oprah Winfrey. The Sun-Times says the article “makes it pretty clear Kelley’s long-anticipated book about the TV queen will not be a puff piece. Kelley told all of the people she’s interviewed that her Oprah project will not be a hatchet job…. Yet the Chicago mag story points out that even after spending a hour or two listening to glowing tales about Oprah, Kelley eventually gets around to questions about sex, drugs and old boyfriends.”Sun-Times
How to Keep Cooking Everything
Mark Bittman’s HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING has sold over 2 million copies in 10 years and now Wiley is releasing an announced 300,000-copy printing of a substantially revised edition. The author tells the WSJ, “there is a lot less meat in this edition. We made a decision to increase recipes for vegetables, fruit, beans, grains and salads. The balance has shifted. I looked at the old edition and thought, 200 chicken recipes, who needs that?”WSJ
People
Namrata Tripathi will join Atheneum Children’s as executive editor on December 8. She has most recently been senior editor at Hyperion Children’s. Additionally, associate editor Lisa Cheng will move from Margaret K. McElderry Books to Atheneum, reporting to Tripathi.