LISNews: Librarian News

Jessamyn points to an interesting Post Over At Tim O'Reilly's Place on Amazon's big plans. Tim says that Amazon has serious plans for vertical integration of the publishing industry. Having got retailers on the ropes, they now are aiming at publishers. "Amazon has, so far, created huge value for the publishing ecosystem. Now, as they become more powerful, they need to be especially watchful that they don't irreparably damage an industry on which they too depend.

Jessamyn Adds: "How do libraries fit into this model? We’re frequently told that we’ve got crazy buying power in the aggregate but what happens when we’re not even given the option to see these books brought to market?"

The Owners of the Long Beach shop have agreed to sell the property to a redevelopment agency and don't know if they'll relocate.
"It's been a family business since 1934," said 68-year-old Jacqueline Smith, who owns the store with her husband, Phil. "It's been my life and my dream, but it's reality," she said.

Employees at the store have been selling off remaining inventory for months. Generally, they keep about 1 million books in stock, but that number is now closer to 700,000, and many employees do not expect the store to reopen.

Amazon has sent an open letter to “interested parties,” explaining “what we’re changing with print on demand and why we are doing so.” Amazon has caused a major stir in the pod field with its decision to have publishers who want to sell pod titles directly through its Web site use its BookSurge pod subsidiary. And late Monday afternoon, Ingram, parent company of BookSurge rival Lightning Source, issued a statement from John Ingram noting the concerns it has fielded from publishers about Amazon’s actions.

Complete article at Publisher's Weekly.

American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression is challenging a new Indiana law which requires dealers of sexually explicit materials to register and file a statement with the secretary of state. Full story at the Bookfinder Blog.