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Publisher News
Court Dismisses 'Implausible' Price-Fixing Suits Against Amazon, Big Five Publishers
The long-shot cases, first filed in early 2021, had alleged a conspiracy between Amazon and the Big Five publishers to eliminate price competition in the print and e-book markets, claims the defendants called "irrational" and "implausible."
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Libraries
Register Today for AAPI Communities in Conversation #10 Featuring Weike Wang, Author of 'Joan Is Okay'
Wang will appear in conversation with Lalitha Nataraj from the California State University San Marcos University Library.
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Libraries
Authors, Advocacy Group Pen Open Letter Urging Publishers to Support Libraries
The advocacy group Fight for the Future has organized an open letter demanding that publishers and their trade organizations cease efforts the authors say are undermining libraries. In response, the AAP has labeled the campaign "disinformation," while a group led by the Authors Guild called the statement "highly misleading."
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Libraries
Congressional Resolution Condemns Nationwide Book Banning Efforts
In honor of Banned Books Week, the resolution seeks to recognize the “alarming threats to freedom of expression” sweeping the country, and calls for “local governments and educational institutions” to protect the rights of Americans “to read a wide array of books reflecting a multitude of viewpoints and perspectives.”
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Libraries
EveryLibrary Poll Finds Book Bans Are Broadly Unpopular With Voters
A new poll released to coincide with Banned Books Week confirms that efforts to censor books remain unpopular with voters across party lines.
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Libraries
PEN America Report Shows ‘Rapid Acceleration’ of Book Bans in Schools
Coinciding with Banned Books Week 2022, PEN America has released an alarming new report, which found that more than 2,500 book bans were issued in some 140 school districts in 32 states during the 2021-22 school year.
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Soapbox
In Defense of Library Lending
Kyle K. Courtney, the chair of Library Futures, defends controlled digital lending, the practice at issue in a key copyright case.
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Libraries
On Eve of Banned Books Week 2022, ALA Says Challenges Are Rising
ALA documented 681 attempts to ban or restrict library resources involving 1,651 different titles through August, on pace to shatter last year's record number of challenges. Banned Books Week 2022 is set to run September 18-24.
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Libraries
Library Futures Joins NYU’s Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy
At NYU, the two year-old library advocacy group will become part of a wider community of "practitioners, scholars, students, and researchers working together to further knowledge and policy in the service of the public good,” said Library Futures director Jennie Rose Halperin.
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Cory Doctorow
We Wrote a Book About Why Audible Won’t Sell Our Book...and Snuck It Onto Audible
In his new book with Rebecca Giblin, 'Chokepoint Capitalism,' Cory Doctorow explores how large companies have positioned themselves between consumers and creatives and with a new Kickstarter campaign once again takes aim at the world's dominant audiobook platform.
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Libraries
After Strong First Season, Literati Book Fairs Expand into New Territories
Schools in select cities across the country will be able to operate a Literati Book Fair in the new academic year.
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Libraries
Publishers, Internet Archive Trade Reply Briefs in Book Scanning Case
The parties sharpen their arguments for summary judgment in the closely watched copyright case.
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Libraries
Judge Tosses Virginia Obscenity Cases, Declares State Law Unconstitutional
In a resounding victory for the freedom to read, a Virginia state judge on August 30 swiftly dismissed two closely watched cases that sought to bar the public display and sale of two books alleged to be obscene under an obscure state law, and in so doing struck down the state law the claims were based on.
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Libraries
Register Today for AAPI Communities in Conversation #9 Featuring Andrea Wang, Author of 'The Many Meanings of Meilan'
Wang is set to appear in conversation with Crystal Chen of the New York Public Library. The live stream is set for Tuesday, September 6, at 1 PM ET.
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Libraries
This Ohio Librarian Is Seeking to Defeat a Book Banner Where It Counts—at the Ballot Box
With schools and libraries under increasing political pressure, Kathy Zappitello, director of the Conneaut Public Library and the 2022 President of the Association of Rural and Small Libraries, is standing up by standing for public office.
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Libraries
Biden Administration Announces Historic Open Access Policy for Taxpayer-Funded Research
The culmination of a 20-year advocacy effort, the new policy will finally make taxpayer-funded research available to the public without cost or delay.
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Libraries
Biden Administration Announces New IMLS Board Appointees
On August 12, President Biden announced 11 appointees to serve on the the National Museum and Library Services Board, including a recent ALA president, an ALA honorary membership recipient (the association's highest honor), and the state librarian of Biden's home state of Delaware.
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Libraries
Supporters, Opponents Weigh in on Internet Archive Copyright Battle
Stakeholders on both sides of the closely-watched copyright case have now weighed in with amicus briefs. PW rounds them up here.
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Libraries
ALA Responds as Legislation Threatens Librarians for Offering Information on Abortion Services
ALA says it is “developing guidance” for libraries and library workers and working with other organizations to “oppose any efforts to limit access to constitutionally protected information or limit privacy protections” for library users.
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Publisher News
With Hearing Set, Court Urged to Dismiss Closely Watched Virginia Obscenity Lawsuits
A Virginia state judge has set an August 30 hearing for two lawsuits that seek to ban two popular books from bookshelves across the state, alleging they are “obscene” under an obscure state obscenity law.