BookPeople will revert to its previous name, the Australian Booksellers Association, for its industry-facing work, Books+Publishing reported, noting that the rebranding is a "soft switchover" and the logo eventually will be updated. The organization had changed its name to BookPeople in 2022.
ABA CEO Susannah Bowen said, "We are pivoting back to the name Australian Booksellers Association for industry and advocacy, and will use Love Your Bookshop for consumer-facing campaigns. Implementation will be gradual--we will update materials as they come up in the normal course of operations. Thank you to all our bookshop members whose feedback helped inform this shift."
The latest rebranding was adopted after the association conducted a Member Priorities Feedback survey for members, with a rebranding from the perspective of industry and consumers as items for feedback, Books+Publishing noted.
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| Andrew Franklin | |
Andrew Franklin, founder and publisher of Profile Books, will receive the London Book Fair's 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes "an individual who has made a truly significant mark in the sphere of the global book world." LBF will honor him March 11 at a reception during the book fair.
LBF director Emma Lowe said: "We are absolutely delighted to recognize Andrew's brilliant career with this year's Lifetime Achievement Award. A standout independent publisher of his generation, it's not an exaggeration to say that Andrew has been an inspiration for thousands of people in the industry. The book world is in awe of what Andrew has built with Profile over nearly thirty years--from the many incredible books he's published and authors' careers he's fostered, to the care and passion he put into his company."
Franklin commented: "I am absurdly honored to be given this award. Some of my greatest publishing heroes are past winners and I really don't think I belong in their company. It is a particular pleasure to be given this award by the London Book Fair, because I strongly believe that the book trade thrives on sociability. We need to meet, make friends, develop contacts and exchange gossip. Writing and reading are the most rewarding solitary activity known to humankind. But publishing and selling books are social activities. It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a book fair to make a book."
Meryl Halls, managing director of the Booksellers Association, added: "Unsurprisingly, and un-coincidentally, he has also always been a friend and champion of booksellers and bookshops. I've been lucky enough to work with Andrew on a few trade groups and committees, and his commitment to connections, conversations and debate are second to none. He'll let you away with nothing, and yet you know he'll hold himself to the same high standards. I'm sure he'll continue to raise his voice, to make our benighted world a better, and more honest, place."
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| Liam Donnelly and Tony Hayes | |
Retail manager Liam Donnelly and bookstore manager Tony Hayes of Hodges Figgis Bookshop in Dublin, Ireland, have been named joint winners of the O'Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award 2026, which recognizes "outstanding achievement or an invaluable contribution to the book trade by an individual bookseller." The winners, whose names are added to The Elements, a bronze trophy sculpted by Rowan Gillespie, keep the award for the year and also receive a framed commemorative certificate.
The judges' citation reads: "Liam Donnelly and Tony Hayes have huge experience in a wide range of roles across the book world, and a vast knowledge of books and book people. Their complementary skills create the alchemy needed to keep their team motivated and customers coming back time after time. Always keen both to innovate and advocate, they are the perfect custodians of an iconic bookshop."