US Supreme Court refuses to re-open Authors Guild case against Google
In the US, the Supreme Court has refused a petition to re-open a case alleging Google breached copyright by digitising millions of books, reports the New York Times. The long-running...
Authors ask Supreme Court to hear appeal against Google ruling
In the US, the Authors Guild is petitioning the Supreme Court to hear its case alleging Google breached copyright by digitising millions of books, reports the Guardian. The petition has...
Google opens experimental ebookstore
Google has opened a new ebookstore for ‘mobile-first’ titles, reports the Bookseller. Editions at Play, created by London-based publisher Visual Editions and Google’s Creative Lab in Sydney, is designed to...
Google prioritises ‘mobile-friendly’ websites in new search algorithm
A change to Google’s search algorithm has come into effect which ranks ‘mobile-friendly’ websites higher in searches on smartphones and tablets. The change occurred on 21 April following an announcement by Google in February. Australian digital marketing...
Barnes & Noble partners with Google for same-day delivery in three US cities
In the US, Barnes & Noble has partnered with Google Shopping Express for same-day delivery in three cities, reports Publishers Weekly. The announcement comes the day after Amazon announced it would...
Norwegian publishers refuse Google ebook deal
Norway’s three biggest publishers, Aschehoug, Gyldendal and Cappelen Damm, will not allow Google to sell their ebooks, reports the Bookseller. The Google Play store launched in Norway on 4 June with five...
Authors Guild files appeal in Google book-scanning case
In the US, the Authors Guild has filed an appeal in its long-running copyright infringement lawsuit against Google over its book-scanning project, reports Publishers Weekly. On 11 April the Authors...
Amazon, Apple and Google must pay UK taxes from 2015
Multinational corporations such as Amazon, Apple and Google will no longer be able to avoid paying 20% value-added tax (VAT) on online sales within the UK after the government legislates to close...
Eight-year book-scanning project ends after US judge rules in favour of Google
In the US, Judge Denny Chin has ruled in favour of Google in the long-running litigation over Google’s book-scanning project, ending an eight-year-long legal battle. Chin dismissed the Authors Guild’s...
Google launches ebookstores in New Zealand, Asian countries
Google has launched ebookstores in nine countries in the region, including New Zealand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, according to its list of countries where...
French and German book trades call for government ebook policy
In France and Germany, publishers and booksellers associations are calling for their national governments to implement a policy to protect the ebook trade from big retailers, reports the Bookseller. At...
Google to launch textbook purchase and rental service
Google is launching a new service in August that allows students to purchase and rent textbooks from the Google Play store to read on Android devices, iOS devices and the...
Authors Guild v Google: judges drop class action ruling
In the US Authors Guild’s lawsuit against Google’s book-scanning project, judges from the US Second Circuit Court of Appeals have dropped Judge Denny Chin’s 2012 ruling that granted the guild class action status,...
Jon Page on the digital future for booksellers
Pages & Pages general manager Jon Page is stepping down as president of the Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) in June. In his final ‘President’s report’ in the ABA’s News on...
International Library News
UK legal deposit extended to include digital publications In the UK, new regulations have extended legal deposit to include all digital publications, reports the Bookseller. The newly introduced regulations require UK...
US indie booksellers increase ebook sales under Kobo
In the US, Kobo has helped American Booksellers Association (ABA) member booksellers sell more ebooks in its first month’s partnership with the organisation than Google did in more than two...
Arthur Frommer ‘re-acquires’ iconic brand from Google
Arthur Frommer, founder of the Frommer travel publishing brand, has acquired ‘certain’ content from Google, which acquired the brand from Wiley in 2012, reports the Bookseller. Google said in a...
Google stops publishing Frommer’s titles in print
Google has stopped publishing print editions of Frommer’s titles, reports travel website Skrift. According to Skrift, the last two Frommer’s titles to appear in print were two guidebooks in the...
Google to publish ebooks that tie in with popular video game
In the US, a Google games division will publish a series of ebooks related to a popular online video game, reports Publishers Lunch. The Google division, called Niantic Labs, will soon...
Copia to provide ebooks for QBD, Co-op Bookshop
Ebook platform Copia has confirmed that it will provide ebooks for bookselling chains QBD and Co-op Bookshop. Mathew Barlow, vice president of business development for Copia Interactive, told Bookseller+Publisher that...