Across the publishing industry, all the players are proudly declaring independence. Authors have cut ties with publishers and agents and found success in more than “50 shades.” Determined to survive in their brick-and-mortar forms, “indie” booksellers are fighting for their rights in court. And at least one public library system has created a platform for independence in e-books.
“In a filing this week with the Securities & Exchange Commission, Len Riggio said he has notified the Barnes & Noble company board that he plans to make an offer to acquire B&N’s retail trade stores,” Andrew Albanese, senior writer at Publishers Weekly, tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally.
“The retail segment includes all bricks-and-mortar stores, barnesandnoble.com, and Sterling Publishing. What’s missing from that group? Why, of course, the Nook Media group which houses the Nook digital devices and Nook bookstore as well as the college stores,” Albanese notes. “B&N also announced in January that sales of its digital devices were below expectations for the holidays.”
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Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.