Checkouts and Balances

As some states move to pass new laws making e-book licensing more accessible for libraries, a new study from the AAP and Authors Guild suggests that increased e-book lending would “undermine the commercial marketplace.” A decade since its founding, the Independent Publishers Caucus now has more than 100 member presses, and has built an array of programs for booksellers, librarians, and more, from in-person events to its new indie bestsellers list. The American Library Association has officially reunited its divisions for children and young adults under the same leadership. Romance publisher Keeperton has tapped Kate Roddy, who helped launch Abrams’s new commercial fiction program in January, to lead acquisitions. And we rounded up the biggest titles for adults and children out this month. In other news, MrBeast and James Patterson’s joint thriller—out today—is likely on track for an underwhelming debut, per the Hollywood Reporter, despite the YouTuber’s promotional efforts. Vanity Fair does a deep dive into the business of celebrity ghostwriting, and the Guardian surveys U.K. publishers about their strategies for pushing fall books. The White House is facing criticism after using imagery from Joanna Cole’s Magic School Bus series to promote ICE deportations, via Newsweek. Hanover Square Press will publish an anonymous Hollywood assistant’s horror novel satirizing the industry, per Variety. And writer Wendell Berry, who championed agrarian life, has died at 92.