Amazon Buys The Book Depository
Amazon has signed a preliminary agreement to acquire the fast-growing U.K. e-tailer the Book Depository. Launched in 2004, the Book Depository offers about six million titles for sale and ships to more than 100 countries. The deal is subject to regulatory approval, and the U.K.'s Office of Fair Trading said it expected to issue its recommendation on the purchase by the end of August. In addition to selling print books online, the Book Depository also sells e-books and has its own imprint, Dodo Press, that has republished more than 15,000 out-of-print or difficult to find titles.

Najafi Wants Better Terms
Whether Borders moves forward as a chain of 200 or so stores or is liquidated could come down to the same issue the current Borders management and publishers could never agree upon—terms. According to sources, Najafi CEO Jahm Najafi is looking for publishers to return to doing business with Borders on regular payment terms, something publishers appear wary to commit to at this point.

MHSP Shut
The shutdown of Minnesota's state government forced the Minnesota Historical Society Press, housed at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, to cease daily operations indefinitely as of July 1. Sixteen MHS Press staffers are affected by the press's shutdown. According to Pamela McClanahan, director of the press, two fall books are ready to go to the printer now, and four are scheduled to go to the printer soon after July 15. If the dispute over the shutdown isn't resolved soon, the press's fall schedule will need to be adjusted, threatening sales for the season.

HC Kids Does Digital I Can Read Editions
HarperCollins Children's Books is teaming with the Apple iBookstore and Barnes & Noble's Nook Bookstore to launch digital editions of its popular I Can Read early reader picture book series. Harper will set up I Can Read digital boutiques at each online store, launching with 80 titles, with plans for more to come. The titles are priced at $4.99.