E-book discovery by readers has been much in the news lately, and it's definitely an issue for authors, especially those who are self-published. While readers continue to find their next great book in online stores, some still browse brick and mortar bookstores. Wouldn't it be nice if they could find and buy e-books in a store? No, not showrooming Books-A-Million to buy a book on Amazon. Buy actually buying the e-book in the store, so that the author and the store both make money on the deal. Bitingduck Press has an answer. It's still new, so don't look for it yet...

The Bookseller recently published what appears to be a very interesting article about a sort of bookseller's university that Waterstones—the UK-based bookstore chain—plans to open at some point in the near-to-distant future. And I use the term "appears," by the way, because the article in question in available only to subscribers of the website's premium content, of which I am not one. Bummer. The article's abstract, at any rate, claims that Waterstones Academy, as the school will be known, will be an "industry first" in the UK. Students of the nine month-long program, which will be operated in partnership with the...

Would you pay to browse a bookstore's shelves? Victoria Barnsley, CEO of HarperCollins UK & International, discussed that concept during a recent interview on BBC's The Bottom Line with Evan Davis. "In America, certain shoe shops are charging to try on shoes. These people just go in, try them on and go and order them online,” Barnsley said. “I think the idea of a bookshop becoming a book club is not that insane, actually. You actually pay for the privilege of browsing.” Pay to browse. In a bookshop. [caption id="attachment_78843" align="alignright" width="161"] Victoria Barnsley, HarperCollins UK and Int'l CEO[/caption] The idea seemed crazy coming out of...

When Borders announced liquidation last week, there was a brief glimmer of hope that thirty of the stores might still be saved under a deal with Books-A-Million. That hope is now gone, with BAM's CEO telling newspapers that his company couldn't reach a satisfactory deal with Borders in time (some of the stores had already started going-out-of-business sales). However, BAM may independently lease some of the store locations Borders leaves behind, like the former Borders store at Huntington Mall in Barboursville, West Virginia. Via Shelf Awareness (Photo: markhillary) ...

Starting in September, Collins customers in Australia will be able to purchase Kobo devices in store, as well as shop for Kobo ebooks from Collins' website. According to CNET Australia, Kobo will keep its current online partnership with Borders.com as well. There doesn't seem to be a direct link to this press release on either company's website this morning, so the copy below was lifted from BookBee: Collins Booksellers Announce Partnership with Kobo a Leading, Global, eReading Service Collins Selects the Kobo Wireless eReader and Kobo’s World-class Content Catalogue – Offering Another Way for their Customers to Read. Melbourne – Australia Friday July 22,...

Alabama-based Books-A-Million has put in a bid to buy at least 30 Borders stores, reports the International Business Times, although it's possible that number could jump as high as 35. The offer is for 21 Borders superstores and 9 smaller stores, and around half of the locations are in the northeast, where Books-A-Million wants to expand (7 are located in Pennsylvania alone). If the bid is accepted, BAM would take over the inventory and merchandise and renegotiate the leases. The article also notes that "as many as 1,000 to 1,500 jobs" could be saved. Books-A-Million is not without its own troubles....

Shelf Awareness notes that Penguin Group (USA) has been printing up in-store displays to remind shoppers that the store sells ebooks as well, then distributing them to independent bookstores: "So far, 40 have been created, and by the time the publisher is finished, some 200 stores will receive a custom easel." It's too bad Google's ebook buying experience is so convoluted—the last time I tried it, I had to create a store account, link my Google account, provide a credit card (even though I've got one stored already with Google), and click buttons and checkboxes on multiple screens. But at...

The New York Times reports that Borders has called off tomorrow's auction and will move forward with submitting the liquidation plan it has worked out with Hilco and the Gordon Brothers Group. If the federal judge approves the plan on Thursday as expected, the company will start closing stores this Friday, and continue liquidation through September. Borders has 399 stores still open, and employees 10,700 people. The Times also points out that Borders' death may have ripple effects in the publishing industry: Publishers said with Borders gone, they would plan for smaller print runs and shipments. Employees at major publishing houses worried...

I'm writing this today from the coffee shop at a Borders, one of the superstore locations in the middle of the U.S. to survive the company's recent bankruptcy and ensuing real estate culling. I was the first person in the store this morning, and in the past half hour nobody else has come in, which seems too bad: here are thousands upon thousands of books, comics, and magazines, and nobody to browse them. John C. Malone, who wants to buy 70% of Barnes & Noble, told the New York Times earlier this week why he thinks bookstores still matter (emphasis mine): "We...