BTW News Briefs

Mitchell Kaplan to Be Honored at National Book Awards Ceremony

The National Book Foundation announced today that Books & Books owner Mitchell Kaplan, co-founder of the Miami International Book Fair and former ABA president, will receive the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community at the 62nd National Book Awards Ceremony and Benefit Dinner on Wednesday, November 16, in New York City.

Past recipients of the Literarian Award, which was established to recognize an individual whose work has enhanced the literary world during a lifetime of service, include Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Robert B. Silvers and Barbara Epstein, Terry Gross, Barney Rosset, Dave Eggers, and Joan Ganz Cooney.

Also honored at the ceremony will be poet John Ashbery, who will receive the 2011 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters for a lifetime of literary achievement. Previous recipients include Toni Morrison, John Updike, Norman Mailer, Joan Didion, Maxine Hong Kingston, Gore Vidal, and Tom Wolfe.

The awards ceremony will be hosted by actor, writer, and musician John Lithgow.

Poll Finds One in Six Americans Likely to Purchase E-Readers in Next Six Months

According to the results of a new Harris poll released this week, one in six Americans (15 percent) currently uses an e-reader device, and among those who do not have an e-Reader, one in six (15 percent) say they are likely to get an e-reader device in the next six months. The poll surveyed 2,183 adults online between July 11 and 18, 2011.

The poll by Harris Inactive also noted that e-reader users are more likely to buy books and more than one-third (36 percent) say they are reading more compared to just 16 percent of non-users.

Among those who said they read at least one book in an average year, three-quarters said they read both fiction (76 percent) and nonfiction (76 percent), but, Harris said, certain types of books rise to the top in both categories: “Among fiction categories, almost half of readers say they read mystery, thriller and crime books (47 percent), while one-quarter read science fiction (25 percent), literature (23 percent) and romance (23 percent). One in 10 read graphic novels (10 percent) while 8 percent read chick-lit and 5 percent read Westerns.

“Among nonfiction categories, almost three in ten readers say they read biographies (29 percent) while one-quarter read history (27 percent) and religious and spirituality books (24 percent). Just under one in five readers (18 percent) read self-help books, while 13 percent read true crime, 12 percent read current affairs, 11 percent read political books and 10 percent read business books.”

Workshop Draws Prospective Bookseller From Across the U.S.

Prospective booksellers from across the U.S. and as far away as Lagos, Nigeria, gathered last week for the Paz & Associates workshop “Owning a Bookstore: The Business Essentials,” which was co-sponsored by the American Booksellers Association.  The full-week program, which focused on the best practices of retail bookselling, was held on Amelia Island, Florida.

The workshop featured trainers from the Small Business Administration, a lease negotiator, a store designer, and new and veteran booksellers.

Pictured are front (left to right): Brenda Beal, Tina Ferguson, Holly Weinkauf, Amy Sullivan; Middle: Trainers Mark Kaufman and Donna Paz Kaufman; back (left to right): Dan Iddings, Serena Wyckoff, Wendy Lenz, Jordan McAuley, Nancy Gupton, Dan Tribby, Olubunmi Onafowokan. Photo courtesy of Marsha Wood. 

Sourcebooks Forms Education Division

Sourcebooks is launching a new education division that will be responsible for managing the company’s college-bound publishing program, a Naked Roommate first-year experience program, and MyMaxScore.com, an online SAT/ACT test prep solution. The education group will also serve as a platform for launching a host of new programs.

Initial staffing for the education division includes six new positions in sales, marketing, and information systems. Editorial and publicity will be provided by the Sourcebooks’ existing infrastructure.