David Young is stepping down as chair of Canongate Books this month, after more than eight years in the role, the Bookseller reported. He will be succeeded by current board member Anna Rafferty, who joined in March 2023.
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Young managed Little, Brown UK for 10 years before taking over Hachette Book Group USA from 2007 to 2013, after which he returned to the U.K. as CEO of Orion and deputy CEO of Hachette UK. He joined the Canongate board in October 2016, and succeeded Christopher Bland as chair a few months later.
Rafferty, who was appointed to the Canongate board in March 2023, is currently vice-president at the LEGO Group, where she leads on global digital consumer engagement. She previously worked as global digital director at BBC Studios and global director of product at Pottermore. Rafferty also spent 11 years as managing director for the digital and audio division at Penguin Books.
Canongate CEO Jamie Byng praised Young for his "chairing of the board of directors, a role that he has performed with wisdom, conviction, care, flair and thoughtfulness. His experience and judgement are legendary, as is his generosity of spirit, and I know I speak for the whole company when I say how much he will be missed. The only silver lining of David stepping down is that Anna Rafferty is stepping up. Anna has proved herself to be a huge asset to Canongate since joining the board in 2023 and I am confident her impact on the business is going to be even greater in this expanded role."
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The European and International Booksellers Federation has unveiled its Charter on Artificial Intelligence, setting out its position and guiding principles on the responsible and ethical use of AI in the bookselling and wider book ecosystem. The EIBF Charter on Artificial Intelligence is available here.
EIBF noted that the book sector "stands at a turning point: while AI offers significant potential to improve efficiency and support the bookselling profession, it also raises serious concerns about copyright and IP protection, transparency, and accountability. The EIBF Charter on AI recognizes both the opportunities and the risks of AI, affirming the need for a clear, balanced framework that protects intellectual property and ensures a fair and sustainable market. The Charter stresses that both Generative and Assistive AI must be developed and used responsibly, with safeguards for creative rights and ethical standards."
EIBF president Fabian Paagman said: "With this Charter, EIBF reaffirms its commitment to promoting innovation while safeguarding the rights of creators, ensuring transparency for consumers, and supporting a competitive and sustainable book industry. We look forward to working closely with our colleagues across the book sector to uphold these shared values."
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Italian culture minister Alessandro Giuli has signed a decree allocating €4 million (about $4.6 million) to the opening of bookshops run by young people under 35, with a special focus on inland, disadvantaged areas or those with no book sales outlets. Il Sole 24 ORE reported that "this is one of the flagship measures of the Olivetti Plan for Culture, the strategy with which the government wants to bring culture--and with it the presence of the State--back to the most forgotten territories."
Each new bookshop will receive a non-repayable grant of up to €24,000 (about $27,700), "plus a small but symbolic bonus of €1,000 (about $1,155) for training and tutoring courses. The objective: to support those who decide to bet on a profession that is both a business and a civil mission," Il Sole 24 ORE wrote, adding that the measure "comes at a crucial time: the Italian publishing industry is having to deal with a contraction in sales and a generational change that is struggling to take off. Many young booksellers are entering the market without networks or capital, often with projects that mix culture, literary cafés and neighborhood socializing."