New Shelves Books

08/21/2026

ThriftBooks makes a play for library distribution. 🏛️

Seattle-based ThriftBooks has officially launched LibraryAdvantage, a nationwide program designed to help libraries order everything from new releases to hard-to-find and out-of-print titles.

After working with roughly 100 libraries to shape the offering, the company added library-specific tools including Net-30 invoicing, MARC records, discounts, multi-branch ordering, and a book buyback program.

With five U.S. warehouses and an estimated 19 million titles in stock, ThriftBooks is stepping into a library supply landscape reshaped by the collapse of Baker & Taylor.

📖 Is this the next evolution of library book distribution?

Read the full story at Publishers Weekly: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/100703-thriftbooks-launches-libraryadvantage-program.html

In response to the closing of Baker & Taylor, the new and used book vendor is entering the library services space with a new program for ordering everything from new releases to out-of-print editions.

08/20/2026

Indie bookstore, meet book review desk. 📚

As traditional newspaper book reviews disappear, Porter Square Books is taking matters into its own hands—launching the Porter Square Review of Books, with weekly-ish, ~500-word reviews that spotlight new releases, smaller presses, debuts, and overlooked gems.

For the publishing ecosystem, it’s a fascinating reminder: when discovery channels disappear, booksellers can create new ones. And when readers have fewer places to encounter thoughtful criticism, there’s an opportunity to build something new.

What happens when the bookstore becomes the reviewer? 👀

Read the full story via Nieman Lab: https://www.niemanlab.org/2026/06/book-reviews-are-an-endangered-species-so-this-independent-bookstore-decided-to-start-publishing-its-own/

“We’re not just going to complain about it!”

08/19/2026

📚 Are boys being left behind in reading? 👀

A new What Kids Are Reading report analyzed 23 million reading quizzes from nearly 1.1 million students across the UK and Ireland—and found a striking divide in reading choices among 11–14-year-olds.

For boys, 8 of the 10 most-read books were Diary of a Wimpy Kid titles. Girls, meanwhile, showed a broader mix of authors and genres, including Heartstopper, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, and The Hunger Games.

The bigger question for educators and publishers is: How do we turn a favorite series into a gateway to the next book?

🔗 Read the full story in The Guardian, here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jun/26/teenage-boys-stuck-reading-primary-level-books-diary-wimpy-kid

Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series accounts for eight of the 10 most read books by 11- to 14-year-old boys, while girls the same age enjoy a wider range of authors and genres

08/18/2026

🚨 BookBub just added another tool to the promo toolbox. 📚

In addition to BookBub’s coveted Featured Deals and the newer (but still popular) Free Reads program, they’ve now rolled out a program specifically highlighting books newly enrolled in Kindle Unlimited.

New in Kindle Unlimited is a genre-targeted email featuring handpicked titles and sending KU power readers directly to their Amazon pages—with the goal of driving page reads, visibility, and new readers. Books are eligible during their first 90 days of KU enrollment, giving authors and publishers another potential way to capitalize on that critical early window.

For indie authors and publishers, this is one to watch.

Read the full announcement from BookBub: https://insights.bookbub.com/introducing-new-in-kindle-unlimited/

Use New in Kindle Unlimited to put your newly-enrolled KU title in front of hundreds of thousands of BookBub power readers.

08/14/2026

📖🏫 School libraries are adapting to a rapidly changing landscape.

A new Publishers Weekly feature explores how librarians and library vendors are navigating new legislation, evolving collection development tools, and growing concerns over censorship—all while trying to keep books in students' hands.

From new catalog tags to approval workflows, the conversation highlights the challenges—and the collaboration—shaping the future of school libraries.

🔗 Read more via Publishers Weekly here: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/100947-the-evolving-vendor-school-library-ecosystem.html

Collection development continues to pose challenges for school librarians in an era of restrictive legislation and book bans.

08/13/2026

What happens when a blockbuster book deal disappears overnight?

The cancellation of Call Me, I'll Hide the Body has sparked one of publishing's biggest conversations of 2026—raising difficult questions about AI, authorship, trust, and how the industry verifies originality.

Whether you're an author, agent, editor, or reader, this story could shape how books are acquired for years to come.

🔗 Read the full Publishers Weekly article here: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/100983-after-the-cancellation-of-call-me-i-ll-hide-the-body-what-comes-next.html

Nigerian author Jerry Falade’s crime novel was nixed over suspicions it was written with AI, after fetching seven figures in a competitive auction. Falade told PW he can prove he is the book’s author.

08/11/2026

07/24/2026

Ever wondered how to sell your book in bulk to corporations?

Watch 3 Keys to a Winning Corporate Sales Pitch ⬇