This weeks Literary Ledger 23 to 30 January 2025

Welcome to your weekly roundup of all things books! We’re keeping it short and sweet, just five stories to keep you in the loop without overwhelming you. Think of this as your quick fix for staying connected to the book world.

I) Sourcebooks Eyes UK Expansion Following DK Partnership Success

Sourcebooks, a fast-growing independent publisher in the US, has enjoyed strong sales thanks to its partnership with DK, which began in 2019. Riding on this success, the CEO has stated that opening a UK office is inevitable to support further growth. While it’s still early days, the CEO has suggested that the future UK base could be co-located with DK’s space.

II) London Book Fair to Move East: Olympia Out, ExCeL In

With the London Book Fair coming up in March 2026, some unsurprising news has popped up. LBF, one of the UK’s biggest publishing events, has announced that starting in 2027 it’s moving from Olympia in West London to the ExCeL exhibition centre in East London, as part of a multi‑year deal. Organisers say the move is about finding a venue that can better support the fair’s long-term role as a major international event. ExCeL offers a bigger, more inclusive, and more accessible space, plus better WiFi and 5G support. So far, the reaction seems pretty acceptable; it looks like the move is just about improving the experience for everyone, from publishers to the public.

III) Generative AI Isn’t Neutral: Authors Are Losing Out

The Society of Authors (SoA), the UK trade union for writers, translators, and other creators, has co‑published a new report showing that a huge majority of authors, 86 %, say their earnings have already been hit by generative AI. Basically, most authors feel that AI tools are already affecting their income in a real way. But the report isn’t just about numbers, it also calls for a proper regulatory framework for AI in the UK. I’ve talked a lot about AI in publishing, and if you’ve been following me, you know where I stand: there need to be stricter rules on how it’s used. Without that, authors will keep being insulted and diminished, and that’s just not acceptable.

IV) A New Era at Frankfurter Buchmesse: Juergen Boos Steps Down

More news from the world of book fairs: the Frankfurter Buchmesse (Frankfurt Book Fair), one of the most important international events for publishing and rights trading, has announced that Joachim Kaufmann will become its next president and CEO, starting in autumn 2026. He will take over from Juergen Boos, who has led the organisation for over 20 years and is retiring after more than two decades at the helm. Kaufmann was previously CEO of Carlsen Verlag, a major German publishing house within the Bonnier Group.

V) HarperCollins Launches Audiobook “Breakfast Clubs” for Primary Schools

The National Year of Reading is still doing great work, and we’re hearing more updates about the initiatives making a difference, especially for children. Take HarperCollins UK, for example, who have launched a trial programme offering free audiobook‑based “breakfast club” sessions for primary schools.

Here’s what it involves:

• Free curated audiobook playlists.

• Delivered through a secure platform (Glose), so schools can stream the stories easily and at no cost.

• Designed to complement existing breakfast club routines, helping pupils start the school day with listening activities that promote reading for pleasure.

The trial runs from January through April 2026 and is open to primary schools that choose to participate. Participation is voluntary, and schools provide feedback on how the programme works for their pupils.

I love this so much, reading is such an important hobby and skill. Hopefully, initiatives like this will help counter the worrying trend that kids just aren’t reading like they used to. It shouldn’t feel like a chore, it should be a love, essentially a necessity (too much?). Reading makes you open-minded, curious, intelligent, imaginative, it really does wonders for the mind, just six minutes of reading a day can reduce stress by up to 60%!