John Lescroart and several other authors interviewed haven't embraced electronic readers, but they and their publishers are definitely using the technology to attract and build an audience through special promotions, sales of out-of-print works, and links to their Web-based content.

Wirral MBC leader Steve Foulkes has made a furious response to an inspector's finding that his council breached its statutory duty when it sought to close 11 libraries.

Culture minister Margaret Hodge has urged councils to 'think radically' about the modernisation of public libraries or risk them becoming a 'curiosity of history'.

Quercus Publishing expects its results for the year to December will be materially ahead of current market expectations.

The e-book publishing space for independent authors and publishers just got a little smaller with Silicon Valley based Smashwords, Inc's acquisition of BookHabit Limited, from New Zealand.

Novelist Jane Austen may have died from tuberculosis rather than Addison's disease as is widely believed, an expert said yesterday.

The Hachette Book Group has announced a new environmental policy that will increase the publisher's use of recycled paper, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the use of paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The policy has both long-term

Pearson thinks book retailers are through the worst of the downturn, despite Borders UK's slide into administration last week, and believes U.S. namesake Borders Group Inc is on the up.

36 employees based at the bookseller's head office on Charing Cross Road, London, have been made redundant. Store staff have not been affected by the redundancies.

A bookseller from Peckham has won the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys prize with her debut novel. 29-year-old Evie Wyld saw off competition from an exceptional shortlist which included the Booker winner Aravind Adiga and Orange Prize winner Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Wirral Council's leadership withdrew its library closure plans because the risk of being found in breach of its statutory duties was "too high for the council to take", it was revealed last night.

Online retailers are expecting bumper internet sales this Christmas with more shoppers than ever logging on to buy iPods and the latest Dan Brown novel.

A biography of Robert Burns has won the £10,000 book of the year prize at the 2009 Saltire Society Literary Awards.

The new show - called TV Book Club - will feature Stars such as Strictly Come Dancing contestant Laila Rouass and comic Jo Brand. They will be joined by stylist Gok Wan, comic Dave Spikey and Inspector Lynley star Nathaniel

Mexican novelist and poet Jose Emilio Pacheco was awarded Monday the Cervantes prize for 2009, the top literary prize in the Spanish-speaking world.

The Kindle 2 ebook reader is the 'most wished for, most gifted and the number one best-selling product across all product categories' according to Amazon USA.

The London Evening Standard's monopoly on the free commuter newspaper market in the capital will be shortlived - because a rival title is to be launched next year.

Jonathan Littell, who won France's prestigious Prix Goncourt in 2006 for "The Kindly Ones," has picked up another prize for the same work - the Literary Review Bad Sex in Fiction Award.