Publishers Weekly is maintaining a list of canceled events, impacted book industry functions and policies, and more on this list as a resource for navigating the new coronavirus and its impact on the industry. Please email our news team with updates or questions.

PW is also maintaining several additional list: one of publication dates changed due to the pandemic, one of children's publishing–related updates, one of special offers and discounts offered during the outbreak will also be maintained separately, and one of bookstores that have turned to crowdfunding to stay alive. Elsewhere, Poets & Writers is keeping a running list of postponed and canceled writing retreats and contests, the Washington Post is maintaining a virtual literary event calendar, the AAP is keeping a Covid-19 Resource Center for publishers, the IBPA is keeping its own Covid-19 Resource Center for independent book publishers, and the Authors Guild is maintaining a guide to economic relief for writers.

The following are quick-links to the homepages of various industry organizations working to respond to Covid-19: American Booksellers Association • American Library Association • Association of American Publishers • Authors Guild • Authors League Fund • Book Industry Charitable Foundation • Book Industry Study Group • The Book Manufacturers’ Institute's bookmanufacturers.org • Community of Literary Magazines and Presses • Independent Book Publisher Association • Independent Publishing Caucus • PEN America • Poets & Writers • PubWest

Please note: Benefits.gov is maintaining a list of resources for all those who have lost jobs during the crisis, and AFL-CIO is maintaining its own page cataloguing federal and state resources for workers. While the open enrollment window is closed, losing one's job is a circumstance that allows for emergency American Care Act enrollment.

2021

February 1

  • Taipei Book Fair Forced to Go Virtual: A last-minute outbreak of Covid-19 cases at a local hospital effectively derailed the planned in-person segment of the 2021 Taipei International Book Fair, which ran from January 26 to 31 as a virtual event.
  • Paris Is Losing Its Bouquinistes: Many booksellers in Paris who sell books along the Seine, called bouquinistes, may permanently shutter their businesses due to the pandemic.

January 25

January 21

January 15

January 14

January 13

  • Holiday Toy Drive Becomes Pandemic Book Drive: In large part due to the pandemic, the office of California Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris tweaked an annual holiday tradition: instead of sponsoring a toy drive in California's 74th Assembly District as the office usually does, it organized a book drive.
  • How a New York City Store Persists: The Corner Bookstore in New York City carries on after more than 40 years in business, supported by its community.
  • Dutch Bookstores Want to Reopen: Bookstores in the Netherlands are asking the government to allow them to reopen.
  • The Bookseller of Kabul Carries On: Despite the pandemic and political strife, Shah M. Book Co. in Afghanistan has launched a successful international online business.

January 11

January 7

January 6

2020

December 31

December 22

December 21

  • Working from Home Took Hold in 2020: A PW workplace survey found that nearly all responding publishing employees were given the option to work from home this year—and most of those workers are still doing just that.

December 17

  • Making Children's Books in the Covid-19 Era: As with so many in the publishing industry, children's book art and design professionals have had to reevaluate their workflow in these unpredictable times. Here, staffers reflected on some of the challenges and surprises of shifting to working remotely.

December 16

December 8

December 3

December 1

November 30

November 23

  • Scholastic Book Fairs Revamps with New Options in Pandemic Era: Scholastic Book Fairs has charted a new course by offering a series of redesigned book fair options to meet customers’ needs during Covid-19 restrictions.
  • Guadalajara Goes Digital: The Guadalajara International Book Fair, the world's second largest book fair, is offering a virtual program with more than 300 events, including four days of professional panels and 120 book readings and launches by authors from 38 different countries.
  • Canadian CEOs Ask for Bookstores to Be Labeled Essential: Heather Reisman, CEO of Indigo Books & Music, and Kristin Cochrane, the CEO of Penguin Random House Canada, wrote a letter asking the Ontario government to allow bookstores to remain open during the new lockdown.
  • Lockdown Hurts Manitoba Store's Finances: The owner of Winnipeg's Whodunit Mystery Bookstore says the current lockdown may cost him 25% of his annual revenue.

November 20

November 17

  • Poets House, Hammered by Pandemic, Suspends Operations: Poets House, the poetry library in lower Manhattan founded in 1986, has suspended operations indefinitely, due to budgetary issues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, Lee Briccetti, the executive director of Poets House for more than 30 years, will retire in 2021.
  • North Carolina Store Closes Due to Covid: Park Road Books in Charlotte has closed temporarily due to an employee testing positive for Covid-19.

November 16

November 13

November 11

November 10

November 3

November 2

  • Struggles at the Strand: Employees at NYC's beloved 93-year-old bookselling institution say its owner's attempts to save the business are making it harder than ever to run the store.
  • France Considers Opening Bookstores: France is considering allowing bookstores to open during its current lockdown, which started on Friday.

October 30

October 29

October 28

  • Experts Say Covid Will Change Book Shopping Patterns Forever: Speakers on a panel organized by the Book Manufacturers Institute agreed that the Covid-19 experience will likely permanently change the way consumers shop for books and that all aspects of publishing will need to adapt to the new landscape.

October 26

  • NYC's Strand Book Store Asks for Help: Nancy Bass Wyden, owner of Strand Book Store, with two locations in Manhattan, posted an open letter on social media Friday asking for help from the local community, saying sales are down 70% and that the need for more support has become urgent.
  • How Bookstores Are Coping: 'Vox' takes a long look at how several indie bookstores around the country are facing challenges from Covid-19.

October 23

October 22

October 21

October 20

  • Frankfurt's Boos Says Physical Fairs Cannot Be Replaced: Though the all-virtual Frankfurt Book Fair was well-received, Frankfurt director Juergen Boos is all the more convinced that in-person, face-to-face book fairs are essential to the health of the industry and cannot be replaced.
  • Scottish Authors Get More Financial Relief: The Society of Authors and Creative Scotland are distributing a further £600,000 ($775,000) in grants to help authors in Scotland enduring economic hardship due to the pandemic.

October 19

October 15

  • Frankfurt Participants See Silver Linings: The news out of the ongoing Frankfurt Book Fair, which has been entirely virtual, has largely been positive, with publishers and other industry players discussing how they have coped with the challenges caused by the pandemic.
  • The Plight of the Local Bookstore: Independent booksellers are desperate for customers to return, the New York Times reports—and not just for an online reading.

October 13

October 9

October 5

  • Bookselling Activism During the Pandemic: At its fall show, Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association members discussed how to keep activism front and center at bookstores—even as the Covid-19 crisis limits physical interaction and community events.
  • Pandemic Could Close Paris Booksellers: The Covid-19 crisis is threatening Paris's famed Seine-side booksellers, "les bouquinistes," who have been around since the 1500s.

October 2

October 1

  • HMH Reorganization Will Cut 525 Jobs As Houghton Mifflin Harcourt shifts more of its education publishing business to the creation of digital products, the company said it has implemented a restructuring program that will cut its workforce by 22% in order to save between $95 million to $100 million annually. HMH Books & Media is not affected by the restructuring.
  • Connecticut Loses a Bookstore: That Book Store in Wethersfield is closing permanently. It had been open since 2018.

September 29

September 28

September 25

September 24

September 23

September 21

September 16

  • Bookstore Sales Fell 24.6% in July: Bookstore sales dropped 24.6% in July compared to a year ago, according to estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The July results were an improvement over steeper sales drops in recent months, but sales through the first seven months of 2020 were down 31.6%.
  • 2020 TBF Digital Lineup: The full lineup for the 2020 Texas Book Festival Weekend has been announced, and includes Matthew McConaughey, David Chang, Kevin Kwan, Sigrid Nunez, Isabel Wilkerson, Julia Alvarez, Michael J. Sandel, and Ibi Zoboi.

September 15

  • Literary Arts Emergency Fund Donates $3.5 Million: The fund, jointly launched in response to Covid-19 by the Academy of American Poets, the Community of Literary Magazine & Presses, and the National Book Foundation, will benefit 292 nonprofit literary arts organizations, magazines, and presses.
  • Licensing Leadership Summit Goes Digital: The Licensing Leadership Summit, which was rescheduled to be held at Hilton New York Midtown on November 5 and 6, is going virtual on October 28 and 29.
  • Portland Book Festival's Virtual Lineup: This year’s festival will take place online from November 5 to 21, and the lineup has just been announced.

September 14

  • Fall Regionals 2020: The Virtual Edition: This year’s bookseller shows are moving online, but still have plenty of author events, education, and exhibits. Plus, ABA CEO Allison Hill shares an urgent message with publishers.
  • Graywolf Takes Literary Salon Virtual: Graywolf Press is moving its annual Literary Salon online this year due to the pandemic. While the event is free, donations are appreciated.

September 8

  • Frankfurt Cancels Physical Fair, Goes All Virtual: The Frankfurt Book Fair has canceled its physical, in-person fair and will proceed as an entirely virtual, online-only event. It will take place, as scheduled, October 12-18.
  • Indie Publishers Ride the Pandemic Roller Coaster: A PW survey of six independent publishers scattered across the country found mixed results about how business has gone so far this year.
  • Booker Dinner Canceled: Literary London's flagship event, the formal dinner at Guildhall in the City at which the Booker Prize is presented, has been canceled over fears of the coronavirus, reports BookBrunch. The presentation will be held at a smaller, lower-key event at on November 17.
  • How Seattle Stores Are Coping with Covid: Booksellers in Seattle are finding ways to sell books in the midst of the pandemic, but many are facing diminished sales.
  • California Volunteer Store Struggles: Café con Libros in Pomona is a volunteer-run community store that is facing a shortfall of workers to run the store.

September 4

September 3

  • BMI Fall Conference Goes Virtual: The Book Manufacturers’ Institute has made the move to virtual for its 2020 Fall Annual Conference, which will take place the last two weeks of October and be held over a number of days featuring 1-hour sessions and other networking functions.

September 2

  • Beijing Book Fair Makes Virtual Pivot: The 27th edition of the Beijing International Book Fair, which would have taken place at the China International Exhibition Center from August 26 to August 30, kicked off its virtual version last week. Meanwhile, data shows that the Chinese book market is showing improvement since plunging when the Covid-19 pandemic began.
  • Canadian Book Sales Recover from Covid-19 Dip: The last eight weeks of book sales in Canada have been better than the corresponding period in 2019 and the market is slowly making up for sales lost earlier in the year due to the Covid-19 crisis, says BookNet Canada's CEO Noah Genner.
  • Changing Jobs in the Age of Covid-19: Starting a new job under the cloud of the pandemic is inarguably difficult. To get a handle on just how tricky it can be, we checked in with a number of recent hires in the children's publishing world, who spoke about the challenges of learning the ropes of a new position while working remotely.
  • Ann Patchett Discusses Indie Struggles: The owner of Nashville's Parnassus Books describes the challenges facing the store during the pandemic.
  • Working to Survive the Pandemic: Bob and Angel Dobrow, co-owners of Zenith Bookstore in Duluth, Minn., write candidly about the challenges they face.

August 28

  • Printers Confirm: Capacity for Trade Titles Tight: During a Book Manufacturers Institute’s webinar on August 26, representatives from across the book manufacturing spectrum confirmed something that has been widely discussed in publishing circles for many weeks: printing capacity for trade books is tight.
  • Bucks County Announces Digital Lineup: The Bucks County Book Festival has announced its lineup for its virtual fair on September 25-26, featuring keynote speaker Ibram X. Kendi.
  • Waterstones Closes Another Branch: The U.K. chain is not renewing the lease on its store in Lancaster on King Street.

August 27

August 26

August 25

August 24

August 21

August 20

August 18

August 14

  • June Bookstore Sales Fell 35%: June bookstore sales were $384 million, a decline of 35.3% from June 2019, according to results from the U.S. Census Bureau. As severe as the June decline was, it represented an improvement of nearly 30% over May sales.
  • Oklahoma Stores Are Doing Fine: Bookstores in Tulsa have seen surprisingly strong sales since the start of the pandemic.

August 13

August 12

August 11

August 10

August 7

August 6

August 5

August 4

August 3

July 31

  • AAP Pegs 2019 Sales Growth at 1.1%: Final estimates from the AAP found a 1.1% increase in total industry sales in 2019 over 2018. Sales were estimated to be $25.93 billion. The increase was led by a 20.4% jump in sales in the PreK-12 category, where sales were $4.07 billion. In the trade category, sales inched ahead 0.4%, to $16.23 billion.
  • Amazon Online Sales Soared in Q2: Online sales at Amazon jumped 48% in the second quarter of 2020 over the comparable period in 2019, to $45.9 billion. Total revenue rose 40% and operating income skyrocketed 87%.
  • June Rebound Eases Declines at Lagardère Publishing: Revenue in the first six months of 2020 fell 7% at Lagardère Publishing compared to the same period in 2019, helped by a 20% jump in June sales. Hachette Book Group had the best performance in the period, with sales falling 1%.
  • Brooklyn Book Fest Goes Virtual for 2020: The 15th Annual Brooklyn Book Festival, which will take place September 28-October 5 this year, will be held entirely virtually due to pandemic-related restrictions on public gatherings. Brooklyn-born playwright Lynn Nottage will be honored with this year’s Best of Brooklyn Award.
  • Stephenie Meyer to Embark on Pandemic Book Tour: When it comes to promoting her fifth novel in the Twilight Saga, 'Midnight Sun,' during Covid-19, Stephenie Meyer has found a creative way to connect safely with her fans. In celebration of the book, which releases on August 4, she will hold a socially distanced in-person appearance (at a drive-in theater) and three virtual events.

July 30

July 29

July 28

  • Italy's Book Sales Bounce Back: The recent return of book buyers to stores in Italy has helped the overall Italian book business bounce back. After showing a year-over-year revenue loss of 20% through April 18, that loss is down to 11% as of July 11.
  • Powell's Closes Portland Airport Stores: Powell's Books has closed its two stores in the Portland, Ore., airport permanently after 30 years in business there.
  • Utah Store Needs Cash to Stay Open: Ken Sanders Rare Books in Salt Lake City is raising $250,000 on GoFundMe to remain in business.
  • Hong Kong Bookstore Closes: Swidon Book Company in Hong Kong is closing its retail store after 50 years to focus on online bookselling.
  • U.K. Considers New Online Tax: The U.K. is considering levying a new tax on online stores to protect retail stores.

July 27

July 23

  • Revenue Tumbled 71% in First Half of 2020 at Reed Exhibitions: Revenue at Reed Exhibitions, whose businesses include BookExpo, fell to £201 million, from £684 million in the first six months of 2019, and the group had an adjusted operating loss of £117 million compared to a profit of £231 million a year ago.
  • Europe's Pandemic Sales Slide Quantified: A report by the Federation of European Publishers aims to quantify the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on European publishers, citing a significant plunge in bookstore sales and commensurate lost revenue for publishers.
  • Books In Bloom Goes Online: The festival, now in its fourth year, will be held free online and will run for six weeks, from July 16 to August 20.
  • Florida Loses a Bookstore: Books-A-Million is closing its Jacksonville Beach store after 25 years in business at that location.

July 22

  • New ‘Festival of Licensing’ To Connect Global Licensors and Licensees Virtually: As trade shows across all industries look for ways to stay relevant during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Global Licensing Group, organizer of Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, has canceled the live version of its London-based Brand Licensing Europe trade show, scheduled for October. Instead, it is launching a global, month-long, virtual Festival of Licensing from October 6-29, 2020.

July 20

July 17

July 16

July 15

July 14

July 13

July 10

July 9

July 8

July 7

July 6

July 2

July 1

June 30

June 29

  • Small Presses Cope During Covid-19, Part II: Just like the companies in the New York City and Minneapolis publishing hubs, independent presses in other parts of the country said that sales are starting to rebound after two months of declines, a 'PW' survey has found.
  • Ohio Store Thrives Despite Pandemic: Browse Awhile Books in Tipp City has long focused on online sales, which has helped it cope with the coronavirus shutdown.
  • Canada Needs Its Bookstores: The publisher of Cormorant Books argues that Canada cannot afford to lose any more bookstores.

June 26

June 25

  • B&N Makes Headquarter Layoffs: Even as its stores reopen, Barnes & Noble has laid off a number of employees at its headquarters, including some book buyers.
  • Texas Loses a Bookstore: Phoenix Bookstore in Laredo is closing permanently after six months in business.

June 24

  • TBF to Host Virtual Fest in Fall: The Texas Book Festival will take place entirely online this year, featuring two full weeks of free virtual programming Oct. 31–Nov. 15.
  • B&N Closes Upper East Side Store: Barnes & Noble plans to close its 12-year-old Manhattan location on the Upper East Side. 64 booksellers will be laid off.
  • Two Tahoe Bookstores to Reopen: Word After Word in Truckee, Calif., and Cuppa Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., are both opening for in-store customers in the popular resort region.

June 23

June 22

  • Indie Publishers Cope with Covid-19: A survey 'PW' conducted with small-sized publishers found no plan for immediate return to offices and a trend of strong backlist sales.
  • PNBA Switches to Virtual Trade Show: The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association has canceled its annual in-person trade show and will instead host a virtual event, to be held during the original dates of September 30-October 2.

June 19

  • Frankfurt Still a Go: The Frankfurter Buchmesse sent out a release this week assuring those planning to attend this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair that the event will go ahead.

June 18

June 17

  • Author Elin Hilderbrand to Hold Four In-Store Events: Over the next two week, four bookstores — two in Delaware and one each in New Jersey and California — will host author Elin HIlderbrand for in-person book signings. All events will follow strict safety and health protocols set by her publisher, Little, Brown, and the stores themselves.
  • B&N Closes Manhattan Store: Barnes & Noble has permanently closed its store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan after 12 years in that location.
  • Customers Return to London Bookstores: Readers returned to bookstores in London as they reopened this week.

June 16

  • April Bookstore Sales Tumbled 65.3%: Bookstore sales plunged 65.3% in April compared to April 2019, tumbling to $219 million. April is expected to be the worst month for bricks-and-mortar stores, and advance sales released by the U.S. Census Bureau showed improvement in total retail sales for the month.
  • Six Publishers Plan Indie Shindig: The new program is aimed at promoting new books to independent booksellers in the absence of the numerous trade shows that have been postponed because of the coronavirus.
  • U.K. Bookstores Have Strong First Day: U.K. bookstores were allowed to reopen on Monday and reported robust sales.
  • B&N Opens New Store in Florida: The new Barnes & Noble store in Sarasota has implemented the company's pandemic safety protocols.

June 15

June 12

  • ABA's Priority Is 'Keeping Bookstores Open': The ABA's Virtual Town Hall held Thursday addressed a wide range of topics, from the shift to online bookselling to racism to marketing activities, all with one thing in mind: the need to keep bookstores in business.
  • Internet Archive to End 'National Emergency Library' Initiative: Citing a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by publishers, Internet Archive founder Brewster Kahle announced this week that the IA’s National Emergency Library initiative will cease opertation on June 16, two weeks earlier than its previously announced June 30 closing date.
  • Koreans Shift Book Buying to Online: Online sales at Kyobo, Korea's largest bookstore chain, oustripped in-store sales for the first time.
  • Massachusetts Religious Store Reopens: Heritage House in Brockton, a religious bookstore, is cautiously welcoming customers again.
  • Illinois Gets a New Barnes & Noble: Barnes & Noble is opening a new, redesigned store in Schaumberg, which will be smaller than the city's previous location.
  • Fall for the Book Goes Digital: The Virginia-based festival is moving its festival online and, instead of hosting four days filled to the brim with programs, will extend its programming from September through November.

June 11

June 10

June 9

June 8

June 5

  • Amazon Sued Over Warehouses: The e-tailer has been sued over its warehouse policies after a New York worker brought the coronavirus home, resulting in her cousin's death.
  • Amazon Reverses Ban On Coronavirus Book: The e-commerce giant had blocked the sale of the book by a former New York Times reporter and conservative-media commentator over concerns that its content violated company guidelines.

June 4

June 3

June 2

June 1

May 29

  • Frankfurt Organizers Fine-Tune Upcoming Fair: The Frankfurt Book Fair will be limited to 20,000 fairgoers at any one time to ensure safety, said book fair director Juergen Boos. Meanwhile, German publishing giants Random House, Holtzbrinck, and Bonnier have announced that they won't exhibit, but will take part in some events.
  • Heartland Fall Forum's 2020 Show Is Postponed: Heartland Fall Forum, the joint trade show co-hosted by the Midwest Independent Booksellers and Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Associations has been postponed this fall, though there will be virtual events.
  • Chicagoland Loses a Bookstore: Anderson's Bookshops is closing its LaGrange location permanently.
  • Innovation is Saving Bookstores: Ann Patchett tells 'Axios' that bookstores are innovating to stay connected with readers.
  • Indigo Is Rolling Out Reopenings: The Canadian bookstore chain is beginning to reopen across Canada as provinces allow.

May 28

May 27

May 26

May 22

May 21

May 20

  • Bloomsbury Hoping Digital Gains Will Soften Covid-19 Impacts: Bloomsbury Publishing reported a 10% profit increase in the fiscal year ended February 29, 2020, over fiscal 2019. The publisher said its business in the current fiscal year has suffered "significant disruption" because of the coronavirus pandemic, but said it is "well placed to benefit from increased demand for our digital resources, audio, and e-books.”
  • France's Publishers Expect Big Revenue Declines: A survey found one in four French publishers said they expected to lose between 20% and 40% of revenue this year, with a quarter expecting to lose more than 40%.
  • Macmillan Launches Indie Bookstore Assistance Program: Macmillan Publishers will issue promotional terms intended to help independent bookstores recover from what it calls "the significant and calamitous impacts of Covid-19 on the channel."
  • James and the Giant Peach Reading Raises Funds for Global Health Initiative: Roald Dahl's children's classic James and the Giant Peach is heading from the page to the screen in support of a major global health initiative's work to combat the new coronavirus. The Roald Dahl Story Company has tapped Jojo Rabbit director Taika Waititi to create a 10-episode YouTube reading of the book featuring dozens of actors, musicians, and designers, from Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, and Lupita Nyong'o, to Ryan Reynolds and Nick Kroll.
  • Bookselling in the Time of Coronavirus: A podcast from 'Newsday' looks at how the pandemic is affecting booksellers.
  • U.K. Booksellers Need More Resilience: Booksellers in the U.K. need to embrace technology and prepare for a possible second wave of infections.

May 19

May 18

May 15

  • Bookstore Sales Plunged 33.4% in March: With many stores closing in March, bookstore sales tumbled 33.4% in the month compared to March 2019, according to preliminary estimates reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.
  • BMI Confab Looks at Printing During the Pandemic: Analysts at the Book Manufacturer Institute’s Spring Management Conference were optimistic about the recovery of the printing sector and the overall economy despite the severe impact of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
  • Indies Plan Digital Celebrations for New Hunger Games Book: The long-awaited prequel to the Hunger Game series will hit bookstores next Tuesday, but readers across the country will not be able to go inside those stores to celebrate the release. We spoke with three indie bookstores that are offering promotions and events during a challenging time.
  • German Bookstores Rebound After Reopening: Since stores began reopening on April 20, German bookstores are back to 80% to 85% of comparable sales from the same period last year.
  • A Virtual Bologna: One Agent's Experience: Marietta B. Zacker of the Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency shares her reflections on connecting with clients during the pandemic through the Bologna Children's Book Fair's virtual event.
  • SIBA Moves Fall Conference Online: The Southern Independent Bookstore Alliance has canceled its fall regional show in New Orleans and is moving the event online.
  • U.K. Bookstore Chains Plan Reopening: Waterstones and Blackwell's say they hope they will be able to reopen stores in June.

May 14

May 13

May 12

May 11

May 8

May 7

May 6

  • Frankfurt's Boos Promises a Reinvented Book Fair: The director of the Frankfurt Book Fair said the event will happen, but with significant changes, including moving some events online, isolating the trade show from the consumer show, and reworking the LitAg.
  • Some California Bookstores Prepare To Reopen: As part of "Phase 2" of California's four-step plan to restart its economy, bookstores can reopen on May 8 as long as they follow the state’s guidelines to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Stores will be able to offer curbside pickup and home delivery. Kepler's is beginning the process be designing a health shopping environment for its staff and community.
  • NYC's Housing Works Lays Off 200: The nonprofit, which operates 15 book and thrift stores in New York City, laid off nearly 200 bookstore staffers last week. The company's staff has been unionizing.
  • Two Italian Stores Cope with Reopening: NPR spoke with representatives from two bookstores in Italy that are facing new challenges as the country reopens businesses.
  • Kentucky Store Closes for Good: Joseph-Beth Booksellers has permanently closed its store in Crestview Hills.
  • Australian Chain Gets a New Boss: Dymocks bookstore chain in Australia has a new managing director.
  • U.K. Guide to Reopening Bookstores: The Booksellers Association in the U.K. and Ireland has released guidelines for social distancing and more.

May 5

May 4

May 1

April 30

April 29

April 28

April 27

April 24

  • Artist Relief Reports First Round of Emergency Grants, Survey Results: More than 55,000 applicants applied to Artist Relief to receive the first round of 200, $5,000 emergency relief grants for artists in need due to the pandemic.
  • Publishing Organizations Urge Public to Support Bookstores: In a joint statement released to mark World Book Day, leaders of three organizations serving the publishing industry issued a cry to support the country’s booksellers as they fight to survive the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • MacKids Streaming Schoolhouse to Offer Author-Led Classes: Schools nationwide have struggled with the challenge of how best to open for online instruction, but for students who have internet access, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group is offering four days of instruction from a unique set of teachers. From April 27–30, MacKids Streaming Schoolhouse will provide classes for middle graders taught by children's authors.

April 23

April 22

  • Public Libraries After the Pandemic: The value of public libraries is rarely questioned in times of crisis—think of the New Orleans Public Library after Hurricane Katrina, or the Ferguson Municipal Public Library during the unrest there. But this crisis is different, Sari Feldman writes.
  • South Carolina Bookstore Shares Story of Re-opening: Fiction Addiction in Greenville, S.C., has re-opened after the state government gave permission; shoppers are limited to four at a time. "My concern was less for my own health, than the health of the store," said owner Jill Hendrix.
  • Amazon Warehouse Workers Walk Off Job: 300 Amazon warehouse employees refuse to work amid coronavirus-safety worries, reports the New York Post.
  • Sant Jordi Online Literary Festival Goes Digital: The free festival, running from April 23-25, decided to move its programming online when COVID-19 shut down New York City.
  • Whiting Hosts Educational Zoom for Writers: A Whiting Foundation webinar will explore the various kinds of aid available to freelancers and self-employed writers, and will be led by financial advisor and artist Amy Smith and Luiza Teixeira-Vesey, who maintains NYFA's list of emergency grants.
  • Bay Area Book Festival #UNBOUND: Over the weekend of May 1–3, the festival will launch a series of live and recorded virtual author programs on the Festival’s YouTube channel.

April 21

April 20

April 17

April 16

April 15

April 14

April 13

April 10

  • BISG Examines Publishing Supply Chain During Covid-19: The biggest takeaway from BISG's survey on the industry supply chain is the need for all sectors of the industry to communicate and work together. "Transparency and collaboration," Andrew Savikas, president of GetAbstract and chair of BISG, said. "The more we do both, the better chance we have of coming through all of this and becoming a better industry."
  • NEA Offering $75 Million to Nonprofits to Save Jobs: The National Endowment for the Arts is now taking applications for $75 million in grants to nonprofit arts organizations to combat job losses related to Covid-19. Grants are fixed at $50,000 for individual nonprofits.
  • R.J. Julia Saves Staff by Giving Away $150,000 in Books: As the impact of the new coronavirus became clear for Madison, Conn., indie R.J. Julia Booksellers, owner Roxanne Coady was faced with the question of how to ensure that the store's 30 full-time employees have a paycheck and the store itself has a future. The answer was to give books away to children who need them.
  • #AuthorsTakeAction, Authors Save Lives: Authors are working hard to amplify on social media new releases during the shutdown in response to the new coronavirus. Children's author Padma Venkatraman is spearheading the launch of #AuthorsTakeAction, a social media campaign designed to boost authors' books, and also slow the spread of the virus.
  • London Book Fair Offers Partial Refunds: The London Book Fair has sent letters to individuals and organizations offering a 60% refund to those registered for this year's canceled fair or a 100% credit for next year.
  • HALO Fund Benefits Libraries: Donations to the "Help a Library Worker Out" fund via the EveryLibrary Institute will help librarians, library staff, and library workers who need help with housing expenses, child care, groceries, or other expenses during the pandemic.
  • Crowdsourced App Aims to Help Bookstores: A website and app called SaveYourBookstore.com is crowdsourcing information from across the globe to help users find local bookstores and learn about the services still being offered during the pandemic.
  • City Lights at Risk of Not Reopening: San Francisco's iconic bookstore is closed, and is raising money for a future that may be in doubt.
  • How a Nashville Store Is Coping: Ann Patchett writes about running Parnassus Books in the middle of the pandemic.
  • L.A. Times Book Prizes Go Online: The L.A. Times Book Prizes ceremony will be virtual, and free, this year.
  • Printers Row Postponed: The 2020 Printers Row Lit Fest in Chicago has been postponed until September 5 and 6.
  • Australians Promote Indie Bookstores: The Australian Booksellers Association is launching Love Your Bookshop Everyday, a website to promote stores.

April 9

April 8

  • B&N Copes: With most of its stores closed, B&N is using a skeleton crew to buy new titles, mainly for BN.com and rapidly refurbishing its closed outlets. It has also responded to a protest by employees at a New Jersey warehouse. CEO James Daunt noted that the company has the "steadfast" support of its owner, Elliott Advisors.
  • AUPresses Cancels 2020 Annual Meeting, Plans Virtual Alternative: "The possible risks to the safety and health of our attendees, as well as the uncertain duration of current travel restrictions, have made it impossible for the in-person meeting to proceed," reads a statement from the AUpresses board of directors.
  • Arts Funders Launch Artist Pandemic Relief Fund: In response to the impact of the pandemic on the arts community, a multi-disciplinary coalition of arts organizations have joined together to launch Artist Relief, a nonprofit fund that has will award $5,000 grants to individual artists facing economic need due to Covid-19.
  • PRH UK Starts Furloughs: Penguin Random House UK is the latest U.K. publisher to take cost out of the business in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. The publisher is taking advantage of the furloughing scheme announced by the U.K. government in which the state will pay 80% of salary up to £30,000 a year. CEO Tom Weldon said the company will "top" the government payments to make sure employees are paid in full.
  • Festival Neue Literatur Postponed: Due to COVID-19, the 2020 iteration of the festival has been postponed until further notice.
  • New Zealand Booksellers Look Ahead: Booksellers in New Zealand are cautiously optimistic they can weather the coronavirus crisis.
  • Dallas Bookstore Helps with Hotline: Deep Vellum Books opened a hotline for book recommendations that has become so much more.
  • Amazon in U.K. Prioritizes Kids Books: Amazon in the U.K. is now prioritizing delivery of children's books and education titles.

April 7

April 6

April 3

April 2

  • Macmillan Lays Off Some Staff, Temporarily Cuts Some Salaries: Macmillan Publishers has laid off an undisclosed number of employees across all divisions, temporarily reduced pay for select employees, and implemented a hiring freeze, effective today.
  • Half Price Books Cuts Workforce By More Than 2,000: Half Price Books has laid off or furloughed 2,146 people, representing 78% of its workforce of 2,752. The company operates 126 stores in 17 states, all of which are closed.
  • Barnes & Noble Scales Back: Barnes & Noble has now temporarily closed more than 500 stores and furloughed "a large number" of employees across all departments at its company headquarters.
  • Print Units Fell 9% Last Week: Unit sales of print books fell 9.2% in the week ended March 28 compared to the previous week at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Of the four major categories, only juvenile fiction saw an increase over the prior week.
  • ABA Cancels the Children’s Institute: The American Booksellers Association announced that it will postpone Children’s Institute, an annual convention of children’s book publishers, authors and retailers, until 2021.
  • Future Uncertain for America's Oldest Independent Bookstore: The Andover Bookstores, America’s oldest continuously operated independent bookstore, is turning to customers to help ensure its doors will open again when the new coronavirus passes.
  • Comics vs. Coronavirus: Following Up with Comics Retailers: PW’s annual comics retailer survey was published just as the virus began to disrupt the U.S. comics and book marketplace. However, since the feature was published, the pandemic has hit the country head on, forcing many comics and book retailers to close, at least temporarily.
  • GLIBA Director Larry Law's Letter On His Experience Surviving the Coronavirus: Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association executive director Larry Law opens up in a letter to members about his experience with the new coronavirus as a public service. Law is recovering in quarantine.
  • ABA President Reassures Booksellers: American Booksellers Association board president Jamie Fiocco has written a letter of encouragement to her constituents.
  • BMI Launches Online Forum: The Book Manufacturers’ Institute (BMI) has created a new public-facing website, BookManufacturers.org, to provide a forum for the book industry and update on the status of manufacturing operations.
  • In U.K., Ingram Stays Open, Extra Clean: Ingram in the U.K. is performing extra cleaning of its facilities and continuing to ship books on behalf of booksellers.
  • Binc Gives Out $50,000 In One Week: The Book Industry Charitable Foundation delivered $50,000 to booksellers in need last week.
  • IPAF 2020 Moves Online: This year’s International Prize for Arabic Fiction will be awarded online.

April 1

  • Amazon Expands List of Priority Items: In a new announcement to suppliers and vendors, Amazon said that while it will continue to prioritize products such as household staples and medical supplies, it now has the capacity to add more products to its priority list. It isn't clear if books made the list.
  • Quad Closes Book Printing Operations: The loss of printing capacity is one of the many concerns publishers are facing because of the new coronavirus outbreak—and the business was dealt an unhappy surprise last week when Quad unexpectedly closed its book printing facilities.
  • Diamond Comic Halts Payments to Publishers: Diamond Comic Distributors, the largest distributor of comics in North America, announced that it will not pay publishers and other vendors this week.
  • D.C. Bookstore Uses Food Delivery App for Books: Starting this week, Washington D.C.’s Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe is using Postmate, an app largely used for food delivery, to get books in the hands of readers in the D.C. area.
  • Gaithersburg Book Festival Goes Virtual: The City of Gaithersburg has canceled the Gaithersburg Book Festival, which was scheduled for May 16. Plans are underway to provide some of the planned programming virtually.
  • Booksellers Down Under May Get Benefits: Australian booksellers may be eligible for government support if laid off due to the pandemic.
  • Bertrams Closes in the U.K.: The bookstore and library fulfillment company has temporarily closed due to the pandemic.
  • Salt Lake City Bookstore Is Saved: Loans and a generous landlord helped save Ken Sanders Rare Books from closure due to the new coronavirus.
  • U.K. Bookstores Have Will to Survive: The Bookseller Association in the U.K. says bookstores will "roar back" after the coronavirus crisis passes.

March 31

March 30

March 27

March 26

March 25

March 24

March 23

March 20

March 19

  • Reed Hopes to Find New Dates for BookExpo: Acknowledging that Reed Exhibitions is disappointed about Penguin Random House's decision to withdraw from BookExpo and BookCon, which was set for May 27-31 at New York City's Javits Center, event manager Jenny Martin said Reed is hoping to find new dates for the event.
  • Print Unit Sales Fell 10% Last Week: Unit sales of print books fell 10% for the week ended March 14 compared to the previous week, according to NPD BookScan. The juvenile nonfiction category was the only segment in which sales rose last week.
  • Anime Central Canceled: Anime Central 2020 was slated for May 15–17 in Rosemont, Ill., but has been called off.
  • TCAF Canceled: The Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2020, scheduled for May 8, 9, and 10, has been canceled.
  • Hay Festival Canceled: Wales's Hay Festival of Arts & Letters has been canceled in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Free Comic Book Day Postponed: Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Diamond Comic Distributors is postponing Free Comic Book Day 2020.
  • Books-A-Million Offers Curbside Pickup: The chain is offering curbside pickup at most locations.
  • Amazon Books Closes Stores: Amazon has temporarily closed its 21 retail stores dedicated to books.
  • Lammys to Be Held Digitally: The Lambda Literary Awards ceremony this June in New York City will be held digitally in June in a format yet to be determined.
  • Astoria Bookshop Closes to Foot Traffic: The Queens, N.Y., store is closed for browsing until further notice, will shop hours online remain 11:00 a.m. ET–7:00 p.m. for online, phone, and pick-up orders, and the store will ship via USPS Media Mail, pricing shipping at $2.00 for the first book + $0.25 for each additional book.
  • Seven Stories Launches New Remote Reading Series, Book Club: Seven Stories Press has launched a new remote reading and storytime series and a remote book club, the SSP Self-Isolation Book Club.
  • Petition to Close Kinokuniya Stores: A Change.org petition is asking Kinokuniya to close its stores in the U.S. and offer paid leave.
  • Powell's Owner Affirms Commitment: The owner of Powell's in Portland says she is "doing everything possible to keep the store alive."

March 18

March 17

March 16

  • Sharjah Cancels WBC Closing Ceremony: The closing ceremony honoring Sharjah as World Book Capital, which was to take place on April 14, has been canceled.
  • PEN World Voices Canceled: PEN America has canceled its World Voices Festival, which was to be held in New York and Los Angeles in May.
  • IPA Congress in Norway Canceled: The International Publishers Association has suspended its biennial conference, which was to take place in Lillehammer, May 28–30.
  • CLMP Annual Meeting Goes Digital: The Community of Literary Magazines and Presses is working to address member needs in the wake of the new coronavirus outbreak, and has transitioned its April 8 meeting into a digital one.
  • C4F Shutters Until April 6: The Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, N.Y., will close and reopen on April 6.
  • The Century Closes: The Century Association will close its clubhouse doors to members and guests through April 10.
  • Indie Bookstores Begin Temporary Closures: In less than a week, brisk early March sales at bookstores in many regions have given way to temporary closures in response to the widening effects of the new coronavirus outbreak.
  • B&N, BAM Remain Open: Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million are currently continuing to operate all of their stores, although both noted they are closely monitoring new developments in the new coronavirus outbreak.
  • The Loft Announces Wordplay Literary Fest Will Be Virtual This Spring: The Loft literary center in Minneapolis is not canceling its second annual Wordplay literary festival. Instead, it is partnering with other literary organizations around the U.S. to hold a two-month virtual celebration of books and authors.
  • PRH Organizes Global Taskforces In Response to Virus Threat: In a letter to Penguin Random House employees worldwide, PRH CEO Markus Dohle outlined how PRH plans to address the challenges the company faces coping with the global spread of the new coronavirus.

March 14-15

  • Powell's Closes: Powell’s Books in Oregon has closed all of its stores through the end of March.
  • Yaddo Closes: The Saratoga Springs, New York–based arts residency will close temporarily, and will update fellows and the public on further changes as they come.
  • Licensing Expo Rescheduled: Licensing Expo has been rescheduled to take place on August 11–13 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
  • Kettle Pond Canceled: The second annual Kettle Pond Writers' Conference has been canceled; a third will be held in June 2021.
  • TechForum Canceled: BookNet Canada's annual TechForum conference, scheduled for March 23–25, has been canceled.

March 13

  • Gov. Cuomo Shuts Down Gatherings of 500+ In NYS: Governor Andrew Cuomo has banned most gatherings of more than 500 people in New York State.
  • New York's Public Libraries Close: The New York Public Library will close its doors at all locations, beginning March 14 and lasting at least through March 31. All public-facing programs were suspended on March 13 at the NYPL, Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Public Library.
  • HC Allows Employees to Work from Home: HarperCollins has informed its New York City–based employees that they should consider the option of working remotely if their role allows to combat potential spread of Covid-19, although its 195 Broadway office will remain open
  • Abrams Encourages Staff to Work Remotely: The publisher will provide its employees with the technology and support so that the company and its staff can work remotely effective March 16.
  • Paris Review Suspends Spring Revel: For the short-term, the event has been postponed from April 7 and is to be rescheduled.
  • Morgan Library Closes: The Morgan will close as of March 13, at 5:00 PM, until March 30, and cancel all public events.
  • IBPA Publishing University 2020 Canceled: More details will be emailed to attendees on March 23, including several options related to registration fees for the event.
  • Windham Campbells Will Be Held Digitally: The Windham Campbell Prizes will be announced online on March 19 from London, but the live event will be canceled.
  • San Diego Writers Festival Postponed: The San Diego Writers Festival, which was to be held on April 4, will be postponed until the fall.
  • Eric Carle Museum Suspends Events Until April: The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art has canceled programs and events through April 5.
  • knk Thought Leadership Conference Postponed: The event, scheduled for April 22, will be postponed, and knk will update attendees shortly. Those with further questions can email david.hetherington@knkcom.
  • Bay Area Book Festival Postponed: The program will be held in May 2021, but the organizers (pending the situation) will aim to bring some of the program highlights and featured authors to readers later this year.
  • Women in Leadership Conference Postponed: The event was to be held on Marymount Manhattan College in New York on April 2, but will be moved to the fall.
  • Believer Festival 2020 Canceled: The event, which was slated to run at the end of April in Las Vegas, has been called off.
  • Center for Book Arts Postpones Benefit, Cancels March Programming: The Center has postponed its annual benefit, slated for April 2, and requests that attendees consider donating the purchase price of their tickets. The Center will also suspend all upcoming public programming from March 16 through the end of the month at least.
  • BISG Annual Meeting Postponed: The BISG annual meeting, previously scheduled for April 24, has been postponed to September 11. James Daunt has agreed to remain the closing keynote. Anyone who registered has the option for a full refund.
  • MacDowell Colony Closes Temporarily: The artist residency program will close temporarily due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Artists-in-residence will be assisted with early departures, and no new Fellows to arrive until danger of virus transmission is contained.
  • Madrid Book Fair Postponed: The event, originally slated for May 29–June 14, has been moved to October 2–18, to be held concurrently with the LIBER International Book Fair in Barcelona and the Frankfurt Book Fair.
  • Bogotá Book Fair Postponed: The Bogotá Book Fair, which was slated to be held in the Colombian capital from April 21–May 6, has been postponed.
  • YALLWest in Santa Monica Canceled: The show will return in spring of 2021, but still intends to hold its 10th anniversary event in Charleston, N.C., this fall.
  • WonderCon Canceled: Comic-Con International has officially and indefinitely postponed WonderCon Anaheim, which was scheduled for April 10–12.
  • Left Coast Crime Canceled: The annual mystery convention, which was to be held in Rosemont, Ill., March 12–15, has been canceled.
  • Literary Orange Canceled: The event, slated for April 4 in Newport Beach, Calif., has been canceled.
  • Unbound Book Festival Canceled: The Unbound Book Festival in Columbia, Mo., which was due to take place April 23–26, has been canceled.
  • 2020 Ezra Jack Keats Award Ceremony Canceled: The ceremony, due to be held by the University of Southern Mississippi on April 2, has been canceled out of concern over the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
  • DIS2020 Postponed: This year's Digital Innovators' Summit, which was to be held March 24–25 in Berlin, Germany, will be postponed until September, its organizers confirmed.
  • Writers and Illustrators of the Future Postponed: The 36th annual L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future workshops and awards celebration, which were set to take place in Hollywood, Calif., on April 3, will be postponed until later this year.
  • TWF 2020 Canceled: The 2020 Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival, slated for March 25-29, has been canceled. The Saints + Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival has also been canceled.
  • House of Speakeasy Cancels March Event: The March 24 edition of "Seriously Entertaining" at Joe's Pub will not take place, and refunds will be offered.
  • Seattle Libraries Close: Seattle is closing all public libraries, community centers, and parks programs in a bid to slow the new coronavirus.
  • Cleveland Public Library Shutters Programs: The Cleveland Public Library is canceling all major programs and events due to the coronavirus scare.
  • Buying Books for Coronavirus Lockdown: An Arizona TV station surveyed customers who were buying books in preparation for the lockdown.
  • Boston Store Needs Cash for Staff: I AM Books is raising money to pay staff while it closes due to the coronavirus outbreak.

March 12

  • Coronavirus Impact Begins to Spread: The growing impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the publishing industry came into view this week as some independent bookstores reported slowing sales and the number of book festival and author tour cancellations rose.
  • 2020 Texas Library Association Annual Conference Is Canceled: The news comes after publishers and other TLA exhibitors began pulling out in large numbers earlier this week, and as the host city of Houston moved to pull the plug on other scheduled events, including the popular Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
  • MoCCA Arts Fest Rescheduled Over Virus Concerns: The MoCCA Arts Festival, an annual festival of indie and self-published comics and graphic novels organized by the Society of Illustrators, has been postponed.
  • Whiting Awards Cancels Live Ceremony: The 2020 Whiting Award winners will be announced as scheduled on March 25, but the in-person ceremony and reading have been canceled.
  • New Orleans Book Festival Canceled: The event, held yearly at Tulane University, has been canceled for this year, and will be held next year from March 18–20.
  • Diamond Cancels 2020 Retailer Summit: Diamond Comic Distributors has canceled its 2020 Retailer Summit, which was scheduled to take place April 14–16 in conjunction with MegaCon in Orlando.
  • Children's Africana Book Awards Canceled: Both the Children’s Africana Book Award dinner and festival, which were scheduled for March 27–28, have been canceled due to coronavirus concerns.
  • National Black Writers Conference Postponed: The National Black Writers Conference is being postponed to support the efforts to prevent community spread of the new coronavirus.
  • JFK Presidential Library Closes: The Boston library will be closed until further notice after two employees were potentially exposed to Covid-19 last week.

March 11

  • 2020 Bologna Children's Book Fair Is Canceled: Due to the spread of the new coronavirus in Italy, the organizers of the Bologna Children's Book Fair have canceled the fair this year.
  • PRH Gives NYC Staff Ability to Work from Home: Acknowledging that many people in its New York City headquarters may be uncomfortable commuting to its office, PRH US CEO Madeline McIntosh issued a memo saying the any employees who are able to complete their work from home may do so.
  • ABA Updates Booksellers on Coronavirus Response: In an email to member stores Tuesday afternoon, the American Booksellers Association announced steps that it is taking to respond to the needs of independent bookstores and ABA staff amid growing concerns about the new coronavirus.
  • For Midwest Booksellers, It's Business as Usual Despite Coronavirus Fears: Midwest booksellers and the two regionals representing them report that business is usual despite coronavirus fears, although booksellers are minimizing physical contact between visiting authors and their fans.
  • 'L.A. Times' Postpones Festival of Books: The 25th Los Angeles Times Festival of Books will be held October 3–4 rather than next month, and the Book Prizes awards ceremony, planned for April 17, is canceled, but honorees and winners will still be announced that day.
  • P&W Gala Is Off: Poets & Writers has canceled its 50th anniversary gala in Manhattan, which was to be held March 16.
  • Virginia Festival of Books Canceled: This year's festival will not be held, and the festival will update its attendees on "many other implications of this cancelation" via its website.
  • WNDB Symposium and Award Ceremony Canceled: We Need Diverse Books has canceled the Diversity in Children’s Literature Symposium and the Walter Dean Myers Award Ceremony on March 13.
  • BIGNY Postpones March Event: BIGNY will postpone its March 24 program From Kitchen to Cookbook, and will notify all registered attendees when it is rescheduled.
  • PEN Events Still On: PEN America is proceeding with plans for the PEN America World Voices Festival, to be held May 4–9 in New York and May 6–9 in Los Angeles, and the New York PEN America Literary Gala on May 19.

March 10

  • NBCC Award Ceremony Postponed: The National Book Critics Circle has canceled both its finalists reading, set for March 11, and its awards ceremony on March 12. The NBCC will still deliberate on March 12 to choose this year's winners.
  • New York Bookstores Weathering Coronavirus Outbreak
    From New York City to Buffalo, booksellers said customers were undeterred thus far by the news that a growing number of New Yorkers had contracted the new coronavirus.
  • Tucson Festival of Books Canceled: The 2020 Tucson Festival of Books has been canceled due to concerns about the new coronavirus.

March 9

Early March

  • Reed Confirms BookExpo, BookCon to Proceed as Planned: Reed Exhibitions issued a statement confirming that BookExpo and BookCon will proceed as planned May 27–31, 2020, at the Javits Center in New York City.
  • London Book Fair Canceled: Citing concerns about the potential spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, Reed Exhibitions has canceled this year's London Book Fair. Numerous major publishing conglomerates had already pulled out of the event.
  • Paris Book Fair Canceled, Brussels to Go Ahead: As a result of the spread of the new coronavirus, the Salon du Livre in Paris has been canceled. So far, the Foire du Livre de Bruxelles, which begins this Thursday, is slated to commence as planned.

This article has been updated with further information.