TODAY'S NEWS

Judge Rejects Internet Archive Motion to Intervene in Google Settlement
By Andrew Albanese
A federal judge overseeing the approval process for the Google Book Search settlement has rejected an attempt by the Internet Archive (IA) to intervene in the action. In a short ruling released today, Judge Dennis Chin wrote that he construed the IA’s letter to the court, filed last week, as “a motion to intervene,” and denied it. “The proposed interveners are, however, free to file objections to the proposed settlement.” Objections and comments must be filed by May 5. Read on »

New Report Sees Dip in 2009 Book Sales
Total book sales are projected to dip 0.5% in 2009, to $35.04 billion, according to the PW/IPR Book Sales Index, a new report from Publishers Weekly and the Institute for Publishing Research. Sales will be down or flat in all the trade segments, but will increase in the professional, higher education and standardized testing segments.

Al Greco, cofounder of IPR, said the decline in discretionary spending among consumers will mean a tough year for all trade book segments, noting that all the economic data reports, such as retail spending and personal income, that are used to build the forecast continue to be weak. Children’s paperback is expected to be the strongest trade segment this year, albeit with sales inching up only 0.1%. Trade paperback sales are forecast to decline 3.0% in 2009 compared to 6.8% for adult hardcovers. Read on »

Aperture Cuts Staff, Publishing List
By Calvin Reid
The Aperture Foundation, the New York City-based nonprofit photography publisher and resource center, is the latest house forced to eliminate staff and reduce book releases due to the impact of the current economic downturn. Beginning May 1, Aperture will cut its workforce by 20%, eliminating seven jobs from the Foundation’s 47 positions. Aperture has also instituted “temporary salary reductions” for selected staffers.

While Aperture executive director Juan García de Oteyza said the Foundation will not eliminate any core programs—among them books, a quarterly magazine, exhibitions, limited edition prints, exhibitions and public programs—it will reduce the number of books it publishes each year. De Oteyza emphasized that all exhibitions and public programs for 2009 will be presented as planned. Read on »

Barnes & Noble Launches Audiobook Store
By Jim Milliot
Barnes & Noble has taken another step in deepening its role in the digital marketplace, launching its Audiobook MP3 Store on Barnes & Noble.com. The store will feature spokenword audiobook MP3s available for download and transfer to iPods, iPhones, MP3 players and other portable devices. The site is launching with more than 10,000 titles across all genres, priced between $10 and $20 per download. Read on »

More Than 100,000 Users in 160 Countries Try Shortcovers
By Lynn Andriani
Indigo Books & Music’s e-reading platform, Shortcovers, has released user metrics from its first two months. Among the most interesting findings: more than 100,000 people from 160 countries have tried Shortcovers, and 10,000 have registered with the service since it launched in February. Read on »

Blogs

MORE STORIES

Perseus's BEA Instabook
As we wrote about in this week's magazine, Perseus Books Group has promised to publish a book within a 48-hour window at BEA. The goal is to have the title ready for a launch party, at the house's booth, by 4 p.m. Saturday. Why the quickie publishing job? According to Perseus chief marketing officer Rick Joyce the move is about making a point, that book publishing is not a technology backwater.

For more on the project, which has already started at www.bookthesequel.com, get the full story here.

Web Exclusive Reviews
This week on the Web: butterfly smuggling and a real life Law & Order: Animal Victims Unit, two manifestos from radio talkers, thoughts on life from a beach bum Buddha and Bill Gates's father, and lots of advice for women who feel anxious, miscast or quickly forgotten. Plus: an excellent guide to AA, without the BS. Read on »

The PW Morning Report
U.K. Digital Book Market Worth £80 Million; Bissell on Foster Wallace; Highlights from the LA Times Festival; Pitt and Jolie Block Tell-All; Duffy Likely Next U.K. Poet Laureate. Read on »

AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: The End of Overeating; Either You're In or You're in the Way; Ursula K. Le Guin
Today, both The Early Show and The Leonard Lopate Show hosted Dr. David Kessler, former FDA commissioner under presidents Bush and Clinton, whose The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite (Rodale, 978-1605297859, $25.95; Rodale Books unabridged CD, $29.99) pubs tomorrow. Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Celebrating KCC at BCC
The third annual Kids' Comic Con held its first KCC Breakfast Awards ceremony on the campus of the Bronx Community College to honor supporters. Pictured (l. to r.) are honoree Janna Morishima, Diamond Kids; Jonathan Goldwater, Archie Inc.; honoree Ali Kokmen, Del Rey Manga; honoree Mike Pellerito, Archie Inc.; honoree Calvin Reid, PW; Alex Simmons, founder Kids Comic Con; honoree Fred Mausser, Archie Inc.; honoree Pina Martinelli, BCC; and honoree Eugene Adams, BCC.
Submit your pictures here

JOB OF THE DAY

PW VIRTUAL EDITION

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