The U.K. publishing industry "has revealed its fears about Donald Trump's tax changes to U.S.-bound parcels, which have led distributor Gardners to place additional charges on packages to the U.S.," the Bookseller reported. Trump cut the "de minimis" exemption on August 29, which means that packages valued under $800 are now subject to tax. Gardners has reportedly added £2.65 (about $3.56) to each parcel sent to the U.S.
A Gardners spokesperson said: "We are aware of the removal of the $800 de minimis threshold and have been advised that postal untracked shipments have been suspended. In response, we have put in place a solution to keep shipments moving smoothly into the U.S. This does involve some additional charges, but they are not prohibitive, and we are working hard to ensure that the impact on our customers is minimal. While the changes have created challenges, we remain committed to providing a reliable service for our customers that send books into the U.S."
One book retailer, who wished to remain anonymous, commented: "We decided to suspend U.S. shipments for a few days to make sure [there are] no nasty surprises with additional customs or brokerage fees... [I am feeling] nervous. Trump can announce dramatic changes on tariffs on a whim at sector and country level. I'm rather hoping the recent court ruling is upheld by the Supreme Court as pushing up the prices of non-print commodities leaves less consumer spending for books."
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The Canadian Independent Booksellers Association has launched The Booksellers' List, an initiative that highlights the titles most anticipated by Canada's indie bookstores for the fall 2025 season. Quill & Quire reported that the 20-title fall list "is the first that CIBA plans to release seasonally, four times a year. Of the selected titles, the one with the most votes is named as the top pick of the season." For the initial list, Pick a Colour by Souvankham Thammavongsa is the #1 choice.
The first list features seven works of nonfiction, one collection of poetry, and 12 fiction titles. Of the 20 titles, 17 are by Canadian authors. It does not include children's books, but CIBA hopes to add a kids' list in 2026.
"Unlike algorithm-driven bestseller charts or critic-curated picks, The Booksellers' List is built entirely on bookseller enthusiasm," CIBA said. "It offers an authentic reflection of the reading tastes, curiosities, and conversations happening in communities nationwide. It captures the buzz of indie bookstores across Canada."
The Booksellers' List is similar to the American Booksellers Association's monthly Indie Next promotion. CIBA executive director Laura Carter said, "We reviewed a number of similar programs and met with the ABA to discuss the Indie Next program, BookNet about Loan, Stars, Book People in Australia, and the U.K. indie bookseller association about their Book of the Month program. This allowed us to consider the strengths and challenges of other programs and determine what would work best for the indie market in Canada."
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On September 20, Dutch booksellers, readers, writers, and others will march in Utrecht for freedom and democracy, the European & International Booksellers Federation's Newsflash reported. The Dutch Booksellers Association (KbB) will be among those joining the march to stand up for the freedom to read. --Robert Gray