Library Stuff

“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

ALA – ” The American Library Association (ALA) is calling on publisher Random House to reconsider its decision to raise the price of ebooks to the library market starting March 1. ALA President Molly Raphael issued the following statement: “While I appreciate Random House’s engagement with libraries and its commitment to perpetual access,” Raphael said, “I am deeply disappointed in the severe escalation in ebook pricing reported today. Calling on our history together and our hope to satisfy mutual goals moving forward, the American Library Association strongly urges Random House to reconsider its decision. In a time of extreme financial constraint, a major price increase effectively curtails access for many libraries, and especially our communities that are hardest hit economically.”

Reuters – “Random House, the world’s biggest book publisher, is considering joining a book-search project run by Google, once considered an arch-enemy by the paper publishing industry.” (via)

Newsday – “Random House is loosening its purse strings with a $1 million donation to First Book, a nonprofit literacy organization. The gift, a multiyear commitment announced today, is the largest single philanthropic contribution ever made by the house, the world’s largest trade book publisher.”