March 22, 2026

Fully Booked

Last week, new data showed that the number of books published in 2025 hit an all-time high at four million, largely owing to an explosion of self-published titles—though traditional publishers also upped their output. Shuttered library wholesaler Baker & Taylor unexpectedly filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, reporting that it is unable to pay back the hundreds of millions of dollars it cumulatively owes to more than 1,000 publishers, libraries, and other creditors. Chicken Soup for the Soul filed a copyright suit against a swath of Big Tech firms, and alleged that an OpenAI employee set the precedent for using pirated books to develop AI in the late 2010s. Dial Books for Young Readers was closed after 65 years, triggering some reshuffling throughout the Penguin Young Readers division. And the HarperCollins employee union ratified a new contract, winning workers one of the highest base pays in the publishing business.

During this year’s SXSW EDU in Austin, LGBTQ+ advocacy organization PFLAG National hosted a session about book bans, queer stories, and literary freedom on March 11. The panel featured (from l.) moderator and journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, author Casey McQuiston, ALA president Sam Hemlick, and PFLAG CEO Brian K. Bond.
(Courtesy ID PR)

Book Output Topped Four Million in 2025

The total number of books published in the U.S. in 2025 jumped 32.5% over 2024, according to statistics compiled by Bowker, led by a boom in self-published titles. The number of traditionally published books released last year rose 6.6%, to 642,242. more

B&T Makes Surprise Chapter 11 Filing

The closed library wholesaler reported that it owes between $100 million and $500 million and has assets of just $1 million to $10 million. It owes Penguin Random House alone more than $23 million. more

Chicken Soup for the Soul Sues AI Firms for Copyright Infringement

In the complaint, the company makes the novel claim that the entire generative AI industry was built on a foundation of pirated books, first downloaded by one OpenAI employee in 2018. Defendants include OpenAI and seven other tech firms. more

Layoffs, Moves at Penguin Young Readers as Dial Imprint Shuttered

Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of PYR, has been closed, resulting in a number of layoffs and moves within the division. more

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