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Bestsellers this week 

Monday, 1 September 2014
Four books in the ‘Minecraft’ series (Egmont Books) have re-entered the bestsellers chart this week, taking out the top four spots. The four titles are also the top four titles...

Notions Unlimited bookstore closes 

Monday, 1 September 2014
Science-fiction, fantasy and horror bookstore Notions Unlimited in Melbourne closed on 20 August and won’t reopen elsewhere, said owner Chuck McKenzie in a statement.McKenzie said ongoing issues with the landlord...

Stella Prize to launch secondary schools program

Monday, 1 September 2014
The Stella Prize Schools Program will launch in Melbourne on 10 September with a free event for teachers, librarians, educators and students. The event will feature Australian authors Carrie Tiffany, Cate Kennedy...

Educational Publishing Awards 2014 shortlist announced

Monday, 1 September 2014
The titles shortlisted for the Australian Publishers Association Educational Publishing Awards have been announced.The shortlisted titles in each category are: Primary EducationPrimary Student Resource: Mathematics (Numeracy) Cambridge HOTmaths FUNdamentals iPad...

Davitt Awards 2014 winners announced 

Monday, 1 September 2014
Sisters in Crime has announced the winners of the 2014 Davitt Awards for the best crime books by Australian women.The winning titles in each category are:Adult novel  Dark Horse (Honey...

Spain’s domestic publishing down 12% in 2013 

Friday, 29 August 2014
Spain’s domestic publishing market saw a drop of almost 12% in turnover from 2012 to 2013, according to an annual survey by the Spanish publishers association. This amounts to a...

Aldi removes Roald Dahl book over language concerns 

Friday, 29 August 2014
Supermarket chain Aldi has removed Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes from its Australian stores following a customer complaint about its ‘unacceptable’ language for kids, reports the Guardian. The complaint, which was...

Kobo to sell waterproof ereader

Thursday, 28 August 2014
Kobo has unveiled the ‘world’s first premium waterproof e-ink ereader’, reports Digital Book World. The Waterproof Aura H2O Reader can be submerged in one metre of water for up to...

NZ Post Book Awards 2014 winners announced

Thursday, 28 August 2014
The winners of this year’s New Zealand Post Book Awards have been announced. The winners in each category are:Book of the Year Peter McLeavey: The Life and Times of a...

Catton to set up reading grant for NZ writers

Thursday, 28 August 2014
Eleanor Catton will use her prize money from this year’s New Zealand Post Book Awards to set up a new reading grant for New Zealand writers, reports stuff.co.nz.Catton made the...

New website, membership program for Text

Thursday, 28 August 2014
Text Publishing has launched a new ‘responsive design’ website and membership program.Digital manager Michelle Calligaro told Books+Publishing that the website has been designed to be ‘really mobile friendly’.‘Before we created...

Seaton and Herft join ABA management committee

Thursday, 28 August 2014
Jane Seaton from Beaufort Street Books in Perth and Laura Herft from Dillons Norwood Bookshop in Adelaide have joined the Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) management committee.‘I believe both Jane and...

‘Overland’ Story Wine Prize shortlist announced

Wednesday, 27 August 2014
The shortlist for Overland’s inaugural Story Wine Prize has been announced. The shortlisted stories are: ‘I thought maybe I could be a lounge singer’ by Lauren Aimee Curtis ‘Parts per million’...

Scribe acquires crime thrillers

Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Scribe has acquired world rights in two crime thrillers by Melbourne writer and librarian J M Green. Good Money was shortlisted in the 2014 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for an...

New website to list Australian releases

Wednesday, 27 August 2014
A new website promises to list new book releases by Australian authors ‘and nothing more’. The publishers of the website told Books+Publishing their identities are ‘purposely not being published as...

International library news

Wednesday, 27 August 2014
No print books for Florida Polytechnic University libraryThe newly opened Florida Polytechnic University (FPU) in the US includes a library without print books, reports Library Journal. The university library, called ‘the Commons’, covers...

‘Buy it now’ buttons planned for libraries

Wednesday, 27 August 2014
The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) and Public Library Services South Australia (PLS SA) have announced plans to trial ‘buy it now’ buttons for library...

Madman acquires film rights to ‘Quota’

Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Film rights to Quota by Jock Serong (Text) have been optioned by Madman. ‘We are delighted that Madman has optioned Jock Serong’s acclaimed debut Quota, and look forward to working closely...

Hinkler sells Engage Literacy to Capstone

Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Hinkler has announced it has sold its international literacy program Engage Literacy to US publisher CapstoneCapstone is the exclusive distributor of the Engage Literacy program in North America, the UK...

Quote of the week

Wednesday, 27 August 2014
‘We hope that the “buy it now” button will deliver real benefits to users and revenue to authors, publishers, booksellers, and libraries’—ALIA chief executive Sue McKerracher on plans for libraries...

Berkelouw to open new Port Macquarie store

Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Work on a new Berkelouw Books store in Port Macquarie, NSW, will begin in September. The store, which will open in Port Central Shopping Centre, will focus on ‘providing value to...