Library Stuff

“In an opinion issued this week, Judge Denise Cote shot down Penguin’s request for a jury trial to hear the remaining state and the consumer class action cases against them. “Penguin’s March 15, 2013 motion for a jury trial on the States’ claims is denied,” Cote ordered, holding that it was “clear that Penguin, along with all other litigating parties, knowingly and intentionally waived a jury determination of liability on the States’ claims.” The decision means that, barring a last minute settlement, Penguin will be joining Apple at the defense table on June 3 as the bench trial gets underway in the long-running e-book price fixing case.” (via Publishers Weekly)

“The publisher of Khaled Hosseini, Harlan Coben and other popular authors has decided that it’s comfortable with letting libraries offer e-book editions of brand new releases. Starting Tuesday, libraries can offer e-books from Penguin Group (USA) at the same time that the hardcover comes out, a switch from the previous policy of delaying downloads for six months, the publisher told The Associated Press. While vastly more e-books are available to libraries compared with a few years ago, Penguin and other publishers have limited digital access for fear of losing sales. The American Library Association has been calling for less restrictive terms.” (via Associated Press)

“Baker & Taylor, the world’s largest distributor of digital and physical books and entertainment products, today announced that it is partnering with Penguin Group on a pilot program that will re-introduce Penguin ebooks into selected libraries. During the pilot program, Penguin’s ebooks will be made available to Los Angeles Public Library and Cuyahoga County Public Library via Baker & Taylor’s Axis 360 digital media library platform. Baker & Taylor serves more than 28,000 public, K-12 school and academic libraries in the United States and abroad.”

via PRNewswire

“Major book publishers and libraries have been sparring for months over acceptable terms for making e-books available for lending. From time to time, they find some common ground. The Penguin Group plans to announce on Monday that it is expanding its e-book lending program to libraries in Los Angeles and Cleveland and surrounding areas though a new distribution partner. In a pilot program that will begin this year, Penguin has worked with Baker & Taylor, a distributor of print and digital books, to start e-book lending programs in the Los Angeles County library system, which will reach four million people, and the Cuyahoga County system in Ohio.”

via NY Times

“In a deal that had been months in the making, Pearson and Bertelsmann announced Monday morning that they have signed an agreement to form a joint venture that will combine the businesses of Random House and Penguin. The deal, which is expected to close in the second half of 2013, will make Penguin Group chairman John Makinson chairman of the newly named Penguin Random House company, while Random House chairman and CEO Markus Dohle will be CEO. Under the terms of the agreement, Bertelsmann will own 53% of the joint venture and Pearson will own 47%. The joint venture will exclude Bertelsmann’s trade publishing business in Germany, and Pearson will retain rights to use the Penguin brand in education markets worldwide. Bertelsmann will nominate five directors to the board of Penguin Random House, and Pearson will nominate four.”

via Publishers Weekly

“Penguin parent company Pearson released a short statement today confirming media rumors that it and Random House Parent Bertelsmann have been in talks over a merger of two of the largest book publishers in the world.”

via Digital Book World

“Pearson announces the release of two new data sets on the first birthday of its API programme, giving developers access to world class content from DK and Penguin. The dkimages API consists of a library of 90,000 images, while the Penguin Classics API includes 48 well-known titles, providing a wealth of image and literary content to inspire developer creativity.  Available through Plug & Play, Pearson’s API platform, the two data sets present exciting opportunities for developers to create new and innovative apps and services. The Penguin Classic API makes content from 31 authors and works including “David Copperfield”, “Emma” and “Melmoth the Wanderer” available.  Developers can explore the work of authors such as Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Anne Brontë, Charlotte Brontë and Thomas Hardy, creating new apps and experiences from these well-known books.”

via Pearson

“In the past year, Penguin Group USA has slowly pulled away from the library e-book market. Now it is tiptoeing back in. The publisher is working with New York City libraries and 3M on a pilot program that will make Penguin e-books available in city libraries beginning in August, Penguin said on Wednesday. If it is a success, the program could be expanded in public libraries across the country.”

via NY Times

TNW – “Since Twitter launched in 2006, there have been tons of unique uses of the platform, including fundraising, live tweeting the State of the Union, and now thanks to Penguin, a book club. I’ve seen some corners of Twitter take to using hashtags to create a conversation on the platform. While it can be difficult to follow a conversation on the service, especially in real-time, Penguin thinks that the time-shifted hobby of reading books is a perfect way to bring people together.”

Publishers Weekly – “Penguin, which only offered backlist e-book titles for library lending, is terminating its contract with OverDrive, the library digital vendor, and starting February 10 will cease to offer any of its e-books or audiobooks to libraries. Penguin is negotiating a “continuance” agreement that will allow libraries that have already purchased Penguin e-books to continue to loan them.”

More here