TODAY'S NEWS

Ingram Adds Ingram Digital to Newly Formed Ingram Content Group
By Jim Milliot
As part of its plan to integrate all of its operations into a single unit, Ingram has formed the Ingram Content Group Inc. and will move its newest business, Ingram Digital, into the company that already includes the Ingram Book Group and Lightning Source. Skip Prichard will oversee the operation as president and CEO of Ingram Content Group. Ingram chairman John Ingram said the reorganization is keeping in line with his original vision of providing customers and clients with a “one-stop place to go to have their digital and print distribution needs met.” He noted that in response to demands from the market, Ingram has morphed from being a traditional distributor of books to a company that handles digital distribution through Ingram Digital and provides print-on-demand services through Lightning. Though both companies were started as separate companies, John Ingram said it was always his intention to put them into one group that could provide customers with a suite of services for both the print and digital markets. Read on »

B&T, OverDrive Ink Digital Distribution Deal
Baker & Taylor is teaming up with digital media distributor OverDrive in a longterm technology licensing agreement to distribute downloadable e-books, audiobooks, music, video and related content to Baker & Taylor customers. In the coming months, OverDrive will provide the infrastructure for B&T to offer its library and trade customers around the world a Digital Media Library with content that can be downloaded and played on a variety of devices. Read on »

Indigo Finishes Fiscal 2009 with Sales Gain
Indigo Books & Music closed out its fiscal 2009 ended March 28 with sales of C$940.4 million ($1.3 billion at current exchange rates), an increase of 1.9% over fiscal 2008. Net income fell to C$30.7 million from C$52.8 million; in 2009 Indigo paid taxes of C$15.1 million compared to a tax recovery of C$8.8 million in the previous year. During the year, Indigo launched its Shortcovers digital program and opened Pistachio, an eco-lifestyle store.

The Canadian bookstore chain ended fiscal 2009 on a strong note, with sales up 4%, to C$214.5 million. Comps sales at superstore rose 3.8% and increased 6.2% at small format stores. Sales through chapters.indigo.ca fell 6.5%, to C$23.1 million.

The retailer also announced that it will issue its first dividend to shareholders in June.

HarperCollins UK Reorg Follows Ridout Departure
By Lynn Andriani
HarperCollins UK managing director Amanda Ridout announced last week that she will be leaving the company at the end of June to “pursue other ventures.” Following Ridout’s notice, CEO and publisher Victoria Barnsley said the roles of MD of HarperCollins, MD of HarperFiction and MD of Harper NonFiction/Collins will be phased out in favor of a “flatter structure.” Read on »

FiledBy Expands Online Author Directory
By Lynn Andriani
Online resource FiledBy has expanded its online author directory, adding and linking together sites for coauthors, illustrators, artists, photographers and others who contributed to the publication of a book.

The site included 1.8 million author sites in its directory before the latest expansion, which adds more than 1 million contributors whose efforts led to a published work. Each contributor now has a free site that he or she can claim and enhance with photographs, a biography, links and multimedia (video, podcast or PDF). All sites are linked to relevant contributors on FiledBy and include pages for each of their books.

Blogs

MORE STORIES

Beacon Press, King Estate To Announce Publishing Pact
Beacon Press will hold a press conference to announce an agreement with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Estate to launch a new publishing program called, The King Legacy. The agreement will link the MLK Estate and Beacon Press, a publisher long identified with both the Civil Rights Movement and social justice activism, in a publishing partnership focused on King and his social, cultural and political impact. The press conference will be held Wednesday, May 27 at the Beacon Press offices in Boston. Read on »

Web-Exclusive Reviews
Robert Kiyosaki explores the new reality of real estate, Arianne Cohen gives the tall their own book, Patrick Allitt recovers the history of conservatism, Tasha Blaine explores nannyhood, Janice Lieberman helps smart shoppers find husbands, and June Green returns with her latest beach novel. Plus: Toni Morrison compiles essays on writing from Orhan Pamuk, John Updike, Nadine Gordimer and others. Read on »

Job Moves
Scott Laverty has been named CIO of Borders Group. Also at Borders, Paul Devitt has been named director of e-commerce systems. Laverty has more than 25 years of experience in information systems and, most recently was at IBM. Devitt was most recently s enior manager of e-commerce technologies at Circuit City.

Diane Salvatore has been named v-p and publisher of Broadway Books. Salvatore, a veteran of magazine publishing, was most recently editor in chief of Ladies’ Home Journal and has also worked for myriad women's and teen magazines, including YM, Marie Claire, Good Housekeeping and Glamour.

The PW Morning Report
Former eBay CEO at Work on Book; Audible’s Blackberry App; Mein Kampf Publisher Sued; Oxford Po Prof Steps Down; Books at the Forefront Read on »

AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: Senator Byron Dorgan; The Marriage-Go-Round; Right on the Money
On today’s Diane Rehm Show: North Dakota senator Byron Dorgan, whose Reckless! How Debt, Deregulation, and Dark Money Nearly Bankrupted America (And How We Can Fix It!) (Thomas Dunne Books, 978-0312383039, $24.99) pubs today. Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

The Stars Come Out for King
Larry King posed for a photo opp at his recent book party for My Remarkable Journey (Weinstein Books). King (l.) is pictured here with Joy Behar (c.) and Diana Ross. Click Here to Submit Your Pictures »

JOB OF THE DAY

PW VIRTUAL EDITION

To access the latest issue of Publishers Weekly no matter where you are, be sure to take a look at PW's Virtual Edition -- available online anytime. If you're not already a subscriber, take a look at a sample issue here.