THIS WEEK


News Review The headlines: in brief


Penguin Random House UK proposes to remove 38 roles


Penguin Random House UK (PRH UK) is proposing to remove 38 roles across several divisions and departments as the publisher faces “longer-term challenges” around growing profits “in the face of increasing cost pressures”. The roles, which represent 1.84% of PRH UK’s headcount, will be at risk of redundancy. PRH would not elaborate on which departments were affected other than to confirm they are across several different divisions and departments, and that the roles affected are separate from the cuts at the third- part distribution services operation at Grantham.


WELDON: “THE BUSINESS FACES A LONGER-TERM CHALLENGE AROUND GROWING OUR PROFITS”


In an email to staff c.e.o. Tom Weldon said the business was focused on a “dual strategy to invest to grow while being increasingly vigilant on costs”. He said: “While our revenues have grown over the past five years, the business faces a


of the Week


Four


Novelists Richard Osman above and Taylor Jenkins Reid, Waterstones Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho and illustrator Flavia Z Drago have been named Authors of the Day for The London Book Fair 2024. The event runs from the 12th to the 14th March at Olympia London.


Rights deal Rights deal 12 3rd November 2023


W&N seizes 10 books from Helen Garner Weidenfeld & Nicolson (W&N) has seized 10 books by Helen Garner left in a competitive five-way auction. Lettice Franklin, publishing director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, exclud- ing Australia, New Zealand and Canada, from Sarah Lutyens at Lutyens & Rubinstein, on behalf of Michael Heyward at Text Publishing. The titles acquired include four works of fiction, one work of non-fiction, Garner’s three volumes of diaries, her collected short fiction and her collected short non-fiction. The first works will publish on 29th February 2024.


Stat


longer-term challenge around growing our profits in the face of increasing cost pressures”, citing cost inflation, supply chain complexit and a slowing market coming off the high of the pandemic. He explained decisions regarding the roles affected were made at a divisional level by the relevant leader and that “there is no one single factor driving these decisions, but they include a need to align to our strategy for future growth; removing roles where work has diminished; stopping certain activities where the value is unclear; or restructuring to work smarter”. PRH will be starting a collective consultation process which will run until 5th December. Weldon said: “I appreciate this is


very difficult news. People are—and have always been—at the heart of our business.”


Faber acquires final book by Saunders Faber has acquired A Drop of Golden Sun, the final novel for children by Costa Award-winning author Kate Saunders left. Associate publisher Alice Swan acquired world rights from Millie Hoskins at United Agents, and the book will be published in paperback on 7th March 2024, almost a year after Saunders’ death. The synopsis says: “Brimming with joy and adventure, A Drop of Golden Sun, set in 1973, follows 12-year-old child actor Jenny, who has just been cast in a major motion picture.”


WHS launches service for second-hand books W H Smith is launching a new books service with buy-back company Zeercle, offering customers the opportunity to swap their second- hand books for money off their next purchase with a W H Smith e-gift card. The majority of the old books will


The Bookseller @thebookseller


Nandini Das (@rentravailer) has won the £25,000 #BritishAcademy BookPrize for Global Cultural Understanding (@BritishAcademy_) tinyurl.com/yc69baef


find new homes through Zeercle’s resale channels, which offer second- hand books at reduced prices. Books that are not in a condition to be sold will be “recycled responsibly” through the new Bookcycle scheme. Customers will need to register


online and scan their second-hand books through the website, which uses Zeercle’s technology to determine a value for the book based on criteria such as its condition, the popularity of the title and its demand in the market. The books can then be dropped off in any participating W H Smith High Street store in exchange for an e-gift card for the value of the trade-in.


© Conor O’Leary


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