B&N, Microsoft Complete Deal

Barnes & Noble and Microsoft have finalized their partnership agreement creating Nook Media, a B&N subsidiary in which Microsoft will hold a 17.6% stake. Nook Media, first announced in April, will comprise B&N’s Nook reading devices, the Nook e-bookstore, and PubIt, as well as B&N’s college stores, and, according to B&N, will have a “mutually beneficial relationship with Barnes & Noble’s retail stores.”

Hachette Realigns Sales Structure

Under the new sales structure at Hachette, Chris Murphy has been promoted to senior v-p of the newly created Retail Sales department, which will consist of five sub-departments: National Accounts, CBA, Clients and Nashville, Young Reader Sales, and National Field Force. Joining HBG as senior v-p of sales strategy and operations, a new group within the sales department, is David Bowers. Jean Griffin remains v-p, International, Canada, and Special Markets, and publishing director, Ansel Adams. All three report to Evan Schnittman, executive v-p and chief marketing officer.

HC Changes Prod. Dev. Team

HarperCollins is reorganizing its product development team in the general books group. The moves, which include hiring two new staffers to take on the role of executive director of digital product development, are intended, the publisher said, to “increase product innovation, best-practice sharing, and scaling of successful ideas and projects.” Taking on the aforementioned roles are Adrianna Dufay (from JPMorgan Chase) and Brian Perrin (from NBC). In addition, HC has promoted Ana Maria Allessi to the newly created role of v-p of digital innovation.

Penguin, 3M Pilot Program Goes Live

Library vendor 3M’s library e-book pilot with Penguin has gone live. Patrons at the New York Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library will now be able to check out a selection of Penguin titles via the 3M Cloud Library e-Book Lending Service. The e-books will be available under a one-year license with renewable terms, and will not include new books until six months after publication.

FastPencil In Library Deal

FastPencil has partnered with Auto-Graphics to bring FastPencil’s Library Management Platform to libraries. Library patrons will be able to use the platform to publish and sell books in print and digital formats.