Google is planning to introduce a program allowing publishers to sell e-book editions of new books on Google and will allow publishers some ability to set prices, the New York Times reported. The program is distinct from the Google Book Settlement.
In reaction, David Young, CEO of Hachette, told the Times, "Clearly any major company coming into the e-book space, providing that we are happy with the pricing structure, the selling price and the security of the technology, will be a welcome addition."
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After two years without any form of fixed prices for books, the Swiss parliament voted last Wednesday in favor of a law that permits Swiss, German and Austrian publishers to set fixed prices for books for at least 18 months. The second chamber of the Swiss parliament will have to discuss the issue in fall. The Swiss Publishers and Booksellers Association has been lobbying with the German Börsenverein for a return to fixed prices on books.
On May 2, 2007, the Swiss government had declared fixed prices to be in violation of the country's antitrust laws.
Although the measure is expected to help smaller and independent booksellers, the law will also likely be welcomed by amazon.de, Amazon's Germany subsidiary, as well. Because international online book transactions are exempt from the proposed law, Internet booksellers will be able to continue to discount titles for Swiss customers. Amazon's sales in Switzerland are estimated at around $40 million.--Carlo Bernasconi, editor-in-chief, Schweizer Buchhandel.
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Buffalo Street Books is the new name of Bookery II, Ithaca, N.Y., owned by Gary Weissbrot. Buffalo Books is still located at 215 N. Cayuga St., Ithaca, N.Y. 14850, but has a new phone and e-mail address: 607-273-8246 and BuffaloStreetBooks@hotmail.com. (Thanks to NAIBA!)
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Craig Morgan, owner of the Clear Creek Book Store, Golden, Colo., was interviewed by 9NEWS about his shop's dramatic comeback from near closure earlier this year (Shelf Awareness, April 2, 2009).
"We
almost went out of business," he said. "I had a large rent and bills
and loan payments and stuff and I didn't think I was going to be able
to make it. So I put it out on our newsletter that we were probably
going to close, barring a miracle. And people just responded like
crazy, 'No we're not going to let you close.' . . . They really care. I
think some people come in and buy books when they don't need them. I
don't know if that's true, but it seems like it."
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During the final week of Morningside Bookshop's existence, the New York Times
reported that "there was no letup in the energetic schedule of events
that have attracted neighbors for years," as the store neared its
closing date yesterday. "We love being here," owner Peter Soter said. "We don't want to go."
Robert
Hornsby, a spokesman for Columbia University, the bookstore's landlord
indicated that "the university had tried to help keep the shop open.
But he cited documents showing that the store owed $158,000 in rent."
Despite
efforts by people in the Morningside Heights neighborhood to forestall
the ending, thus far "no deals have been reached. But a competitor,
Chris Doeblin, owner of the neighborhood's only other mainstream
independent shop, Book Culture, on 112th Street, asked Columbia if he
could take over the lease and has enlisted a couple of dozen professors
to write to university officials about his proposal." The Times
added that "Hornsby said the university was awaiting Mr. Doeblin's
'business plan and financial statements' before a deal could be
reached."
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The Baltimore Jewish Times surveyed local libraries and bookstores about summer books and reading trends. At the Baltimore County Public Library, circulation is up 5.5% in the 10 months through April and computer usage has skyrocketed. At the Pikesville branch, popular books and categories include the Twilight series, zombie titles, thrillers, romances, job search and "re-training" titles, fix-it-yourself books and self-help--"whether it is managing debt or spirituality."
At breathe books in Baltimore, "sales are up in the economic downturn, with customers buying books on self-help, money and the 'law of attraction,' and positive messaging from spirits from 'other universes' that apparently foresaw this crisis and predict that everything will turn out all right," the Times wrote.
Sales of candles, gemstones, incense and New Age and guided meditation CDs have increased. Owner Susan L. Weis commented: "In the New Age world, there is no panic about the current situation."
The Pikesville Barnes & Noble has four tables of summer reads, including books that have sold well in the past and new titles by Steve Harvey, Michael Lewis, James Patterson, Charlaine Harris, David Baldacci and Jodi Picoult.
At Ivy Bookshop, popular titles include mysteries by Swedish, Italian and British authors, World War II books, cookbook narratives and personality biographies. There has been "a run" on books about the Wittgenstein family, whose bestknown member was philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. Fiction specialist Shirley Fergenson noted that many customers come in with book lists culled from local NPR station, the New York Times and the New Yorker.
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Memorial Day Weekend was a "solid holiday" for merchants in Petoskey, Mich., including McLean and Eakin Book Sellers, where manager Matt Norcross told the News-Review, "We were very happy overall with business performance during the weekend."
"Saturday turned out to be busier for the bookstore than the same period during the 2008 Memorial weekend," the paper wrote. "The pace turned out slower on Sunday, with Norcross believing that many people were outdoors enjoying the pleasant weather."
Norcross
added that he anticipates the summer season won't be a record-breaker
by any means but is not predicting doom and gloom. "I think it's going
to be just fine."
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Anne Laird, owner of the Town Book Store, Westfield, N.J., told MyCentralJersey.com
that "almost everyone who comes in will always ask, 'How are you doing?
How do you compete with Amazon, Barnes & Noble?' But we're
definitely holding our own. We'll take the time to help you find the
right book--we'll spend 30 minutes with you, if you need 30
minutes--and every book here has had a thought process behind why we
have it.''
"It's almost like it was meant to be. It's a fun type of store to own," she said of her "dream job."
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City
of Asylum Pittsburgh, an organization that "provides homes and care for
writers in exile, wants to create a cultural destination at three
properties anchored by 1406 Monterey St. . . . the nearly 4,000 square
feet would comprise a bookstore, a cafe, a public gathering space for
readings, performances and other events, and apartments on the upper
floors," according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
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China Daily
reported that Surnamed Liu confessed to stealing 1,565 books during the
past three years, but "said he felt his crime was just a bad habit." He
told police he wasn't interested in reselling them: "I have no money
but like reading very much, so I stole the books."
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Robin Wheeler has joined Pelican Publishing Company as southeastern sales manager. Formerly she was community relations manager at the Barnes & Noble in Savannah, Ga., where, among other things, she helped the store raise funding for more than 1,000 new books for the local public school system.