Tomorrow night is the night for our virtual Buzz Romance Editors Panel, at 7 pm ET, on Wednesday, August 21. We’re excited to have our first-ever librarian host, romance enthusiast Beth Gabriel from the Milwaukee Public Library. Register here if you haven’t already to hear four featured authors from the sampler in conversation with their editors.
German Bookseller Weltbild Will Close
With no buyer to be found, German bookseller Weltbild will close its 14 remaining stores by the end of August and liquidate. Most of the approximately 440 employees will lose their jobs. But Augsburger Allgemeine reports that the country’s leading bookseller Thalia is interested in acquiring assets from the bankruptcy estate — including inventory, trademark rights and the Tolino ereader and ebook business. Thalia has submitted an application to the Federal Cartel Office regarding its purchase interest.
People 8/19
IPG to Offer Client Digital Product to Libraries for Perpetual Access
Independent Publishers Group (IPG) has paired with the Digital Public Library of America to offer “tens of thousands of ebook and audiobook titles” from a number of their publisher clients for outright purchase and perpetual access, rather than time- or usage-limited access. IPG recently sold their digital distribution business to Bookwire. Clearly welcomed by libraries, unfortunately the announcement engages in inflammatory and disingenuous rhetoric. They claim that, “Since the advent and spread of digital content, libraries have only been able to license ebooks and audiobooks from publishers and aggregators with no option to buy, trapping libraries in licensing agreements where […]
Australia’s Booktopia Sold to DigiDirect
Online electronics retailer digiDirect has bought Booktopia, after it was pushed into bankruptcy in June by its credit card processor, owing creditors about $60 million (AU). The acquisition, for an undisclosed amount of money, includes all the business’s assets. DigiDirect is owned by Shant Kradjian, who will serve as ceo. Kradjian says he is adding 100 jobs back to the company and encouraging laid off employees to return (the company laid off about 90 workers over the past 18 months). The previous senior management and board of directors will not be a part of the company going forward. Kradjian was […]
Compass Rose Launches In Partnership With Indie Bookstores
Compass Rose is a new publisher with the stated purpose of partnering with independent bookstores, from the editorial process through publication. Founded by Robert Mrazek and Steve Israel, both former US Representatives-turned-novelists, and former American Booksellers Association ceo Oren Teicher, the company will publish “a curated and eclectic list that crosses a number of fiction and non-fiction genres, including memoir, adventure, new editions of classics, and “literary thrillers.” They plan to publish one book per month, starting in February 2025. Mrazek serves as chair & publisher, Teicher serves as co-chair, and Israel is partner and industry advisor. The company has an […]