AGP Executive Report

Texas App-Download Age Checks: A tech group and two high school students asked the U.S. Supreme Court to pause a Texas law forcing Google and Apple to verify users’ ages and block minors under 18 from downloading apps or buying in-app items without parental consent—arguing it harms teens’ access to news, education, and creative publishing. BL Webtoon to Print: Ize Press will release the completed boys-love webtoon Love So Pure as an English-language paperback in December 2026, bringing a 4.6M-view series from Tapas into bookstores. Book Bans Back in the Spotlight: Knox County reversed its removal of Alex Haley’s Roots after backlash over a passage involving sexual violence, reigniting debate over what belongs in school libraries. Indie Bookstore Win: Massachusetts’ Barrow Book Store was named a top independent bookstore again in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Literary Events & Community: Bloomsday returns June 13 with a Joyce-focused performance, while East Baton Rouge Parish Library voters head back to the polls June 27 on a property-tax continuation for library operations. Publishing & Culture Loss: Tributes continue after British artist David Hockney’s death at 88, with his work still shaping modern visual storytelling.

Publishing Policy & Education: Nigeria’s Publishers Association urged the Federal Ministry of Education to rethink a proposed textbook ranking policy, calling for wider consultation and more transparency. Health & Reading Culture: A new study in Frontiers in Nutrition reports tart cherry supplementation shifts the muscle protein profile after exercise-induced damage, adding “proteomic” support to recovery claims. Tech & Language Rights: Diaspora academics asked Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing to restore Greek language support, warning that digital exclusions can erase cultural history. Book World & Community: Allen County Public Library is bringing “The Magic In You” (magic + family stand-up) to multiple locations to fight summer reading drop-off. New Releases: Franklin Publishers announced KC Lewis’ sci-fi thriller Recurve, set in quarantined Houston after a First Contact disaster. Regional Spotlight: Tamil Nadu CM Vijay used NITI Aayog to push state autonomy, oppose NEET, and demand release of pending central education funds. Literature & Events: Beijing International Book Fair opens June 17–21 with the UAE as guest of honor, drawing 1,700+ exhibitors.

AI & Small Business: While big firms rein in costly AI bets, smaller companies are starting to implement AI for real productivity gains, with the shift tied to newer tools like Anthropic’s Claude. Early Childhood & Learning: Experts voted 7–2 for screen-free Pre-K, arguing play, movement, and face-to-face interaction matter most in early development. AI Safety & Story Repetition: A new study links chatbots’ recurring “Elias Thorne” stories to how safety guardrails shape outputs during training. Publishing & Books: Freida McFadden is moving into UK hardback with Waterstones exclusives for The Witch; Kevin Schneider’s memoir One Life One Perspective is out in paperback, hardcover, and ebook. Libraries Under Pressure: An Idaho Falls district keeps Shakespeare on shelves after a challenge, while Elizabethtown, PA weighs removing books labeled “explicit sexual content.” Community Reading Events: Desert Foothills Library turns its stacks into a mini-golf course for “Puttin’ Through the Pages.” Education Funding Fight (India): Tamil Nadu CM Vijay urges the Centre to release ₹3,284 crore education funds without tying them to NEP or the three-language policy. Book Trade & Access: OverDrive and EBSCO announce a new integration to improve discovery of digital resources in academic libraries.

Publishing & Books: University of Tennessee Press announced America’s First War: The Military History of the Declaration of Independence (paperback/ebook June 30), reframing the Declaration as a wartime tool aimed at rallying support and winning foreign backing. Book Retail & Community: Swindon’s West Swindon Library will close for repairs from 24 June, with borrowing/returns moving to an upstairs room at the Link Centre; eBooks and eAudiobooks stay available. New Releases: Crime novelist James Ellroy headlines a Pasadena stop at Vroman’s Bookstore, discussing and signing Red Sheet (Knopf), his 1962 Los Angeles historical thriller. Children’s Literature: Dr. Mustafa Rostom is preparing Oz Magic Mascots, a fantasy adventure set across Australia with native-animal characters. Literary Awards: Scotland-based author Fidan Meikle won the 2026 Jhalak Children’s and Young Adult Prize for My Name is Samim (Floris Books), inspired by unaccompanied child refugees. Royal Reading Initiative: Queen Camilla unveiled a bookshelf of 20 chosen titles for St Mungo’s, backing reading as support for people experiencing homelessness.

Literary Prize: Julian Barnes won Spain’s Princess of Asturias Award for Literature, with the jury praising his “lucid, warm and compassionate” storytelling and essays. Publishing & Deals: Simon & Schuster acquired Chrystia Freeland’s Unreliable Boyfriend, an insider account from Canada’s former deputy prime minister. Book Awards: Connie Boyd’s debut The Power of Magical Women won a Next Generation Indie Book Award, spotlighting more than 70 women magicians. Reading Culture: Douglas Stuart warned that men are turning away from fiction, saying the long-term societal cost could be “more people in power who lack empathy.” Tech Meets Books: Texas app-age verification rules face a Supreme Court push from tech and student groups. Industry Watch: OverDrive and EBSCO announced a new integration to improve discovery of digital resources in academic libraries. Events & Community: The Edith Wharton Summit returned to Lenox for a once-a-decade gathering, while a “Life Inspirations” exhibit opens at Cape Vincent Little Bookstore. Amazon List: Amazon Books published its “Best Books of the Year So Far” Top 20, curated by editors rather than sales.

Book Retail & Community: Chapters Book Shop in Galax marks 30 years with a June 13 party, discounts, and free wine tastings, while LBI Book Swap helped draw readers to New Jersey’s second annual Bookstore Crawl across 70+ indies. Libraries & Access: Sudbury’s Westmount Avenue Public School received a $10,000 Indigo Love of Reading Foundation grant to refresh special-needs library collections. Publishing & Culture: Douglas Stuart reflects on the long road to Booker success for Shuggie Bain, and a new Chabad Ottawa building restores nearly 15,000 Jewish library books after years in storage. AI & Education: A study finds students writing without ChatGPT generate more diverse ideas than AI-written admissions essays. Tech in the Book World: Japan’s bookstores are adding lounges and “question stroll” browsing to keep customers in-store longer. Politics & Voters: LikelyStance.com launched an AI tool for the UK’s Makerfield by-election to compare 14 candidates and match issues to priorities.

Publishing & Procurement: The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) rolled out a free “Deeper Dive” guide on qualifications-based selection for federal design-build projects, aiming to help agencies use QBS within today’s FAR rules as progressive design-build momentum grows. Libraries & Access: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced a first-of-its-kind statewide digital library resource program, giving residents free access to e-books, journals, magazines, newspapers, and research databases via EBSCO. Book Trade & Community: Lake City Books is moving into a bigger downtown space in Madison, with more inventory and room for events. Indie Book Retail: Canora’s Ukrainian Heritage Museum opened for the summer with an open house and hot dog sale, adding new exhibits and mannequins. Kids Reading Tech: A Harvard-hosted discussion highlights that ebooks can help with features like audio and highlighting, but may also distract some children—especially when narration is turned on. AI in Science & Research: A Nature survey finds many scientists feel pessimistic about AI risks, even as many say they use AI tools to keep up. Health & Wellness Claims: A “Gumitide” scam warning roundup flags counterfeit listings and urges buyers to verify authorized sources. New Fiction: Neo-noir/surreal epic “New Stanton” by Maxwell Vagus is now available.

Publishing & Books on the Ground: Kate DiCamillo drew a sold-out crowd at Lykke Books in New Ulm, fielding reader questions and underscoring the role of teachers and librarians. Literary Festivals: Nepal’s Himalayan Literature Festival & Writers’ Workshop wrapped up after eight days, spotlighting poetry, film, and international writers. Awards & Shortlists: Scotland’s Highland Book Prize announced its shortlist ahead of a June 30 winner reveal. Reading Culture Abroad: Qatar’s Indian Cultural Centre opened a community library, with leaders arguing that libraries are about community and access—not just books. Indie Book Events: Yakima’s Spring Author Fair & Vendor Market brought local authors and makers together, with the next fair slated for October 4. Manga & Adaptations: GKIDS revealed a live-action Look Back film teaser, adapting Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga for a September 11, 2026 Japan release. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Zendaya surprised an indie bookstore in Danville, posing with copies of Dune Messiah and The Odyssey ahead of upcoming film projects. Free Streaming Watch: A roundup of free streaming sites highlights Tubi, Pluto TV, and Roku Channel for big catalogs without subscriptions.

Publishing & Prizes: Jaime Burnet’s milktooth won the $30,000 Thomas Radall Atlantic Fiction Award at the 2026 Nova Scotia and Atlantic Book Awards festival (May 28–June 4), with Danica Roache also among winners. New Books: Harper Select will publish The Last Flight: The Untold Story of the Search for JFK Jr. and the Race Against the Atlantic (Oct. 13, 2026), written by the Coast Guard commander who led the mission and a maritime historian. Queer Book Retail: London’s The Common Press, a queer and POC-focused bookshop, opened a second location in Dalston with a cafe, bar, and events space. Local Publishing: Fresh Water Press (Two Rivers) shared plans for new releases, including a Wisconsin novella tied to the 250th anniversary. Book Industry Watch: Penguin Random House India won’t distribute Joe Sacco’s graphic reportage The Once and Future Riot in India after internal concerns. Community Reading: Trinity College Dublin launches a literary walking tour plus a new stage production, Oscar Unwritten, starting June 10.

Publishing & Culture Diplomacy: Saudi Arabia wrapped up its guest-of-honor run at the 2026 Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair with a packed pavilion of seminars, performances, crafts, and rare manuscripts, as Malaysia also reported a record 2.416M visitors and a growing digital publishing ecosystem. Book Community & Events: Zendaya made a stop at California’s Rakestraw Books, posing with copies of her book-to-screen picks, while in Seoul the Seorae Book Club invited readers to discuss Shin Kyung-sook’s “The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness” in English. Literary Heritage Preservation: Somalia and UNESCO launched a workshop to preserve documentary heritage, including the Radio Mogadishu archive, aiming to build a national Memory of the World committee. Reading as Local Change: In Kashmir’s Aragam village, homes are becoming “mini libraries” as teens turn reading into education and community storytelling. Indie Bookstore Impact: A Covington, Kentucky bookstore plans to relocate due to the long-running Brent Spence Bridge corridor project. Genre & Global Trends: Chinese genre fiction and web novels keep spreading overseas, with promotion events spotlighting historical fantasy, mystery, and online literature.

Audiobooks as reading: A new report highlights how listening fits real life, with libraries and readers saying audiobooks help busy schedules and keep demand rising. KLIBF publishing boom: Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair closed with a record 2.416 million visitors, featuring hundreds of publishers and a push for digital reading plus the MADANI Book Voucher. Saudi culture on display: Saudi Arabia wrapped up its guest-of-honor run at KLIBF with a literature-and-arts pavilion, seminars, crafts, and rare manuscripts. Bookshop spotlight: Porto’s Livraria Lello is celebrated as a must-see bookstore-meets-museum, famous for its red staircase and stained-glass ceiling. Texas school reading fight: Texas education leaders are set to vote on standards and a required reading list that would include biblical passages and figures. Literary culture events: Orillia and Leacock Museum plan an outdoor poetry-and-music lawn night, while libraries roll out summer programs and craft-friendly reading activities. Zendaya at an indie shop: Zendaya visited Rakestraw Books and posed with copies of Dune: Messiah and The Odyssey, a neat nod to upcoming film projects.

Independent bookstores under pressure: Australia has seen at least 13 shop closures in a year, with the count of bookshops dropping from 2,879 (2013) to 1,457 (2023), as rents, discount chains, and online giants squeeze local sellers. Libraries as community hubs: San Benito County Public Library’s summer reading runs June 8–Aug. 2 with reading tiers, free lunches, and activities like scavenger hunts and book rewards. Reading access and literacy: Glasgow is pushing systematic synthetic phonics so every child leaves primary able to read, while Lincoln, Nebraska highlights a children’s book, “Roxie in Color,” printed in Atkinson Hyper-Legible font for kids with visually impaired parents. Publishing and culture events: Fnac Qatar returns to the Doha International Book Fair with a focus on French language and authors. Book-world spotlight: Ann Patchett’s “Whistler” gets a review spotlighting its quieter love story across stepfamily years.

Assistive Tech & Jobs in Africa: A new Mastercard Foundation report says assistive technology could drive youth employment and inclusion, but high costs, weak service delivery, and long travel distances still block access across Africa. Konkani Literature Spotlight: Karnataka’s Konkani Sahitya Academy held “Kavyan Vhalo-15,” celebrating Konkani language and its multi-script literary heritage. DOJ vs SPLC: The U.S. Department of Justice filed superseding charges alleging the Southern Poverty Law Center used donations to support extremist racist groups, including the KKK. Copyright Clash in UK Politics: Reform UK removed campaign material after illustrator Stanley Chow accused the party of using his cartoon without permission, including claims tied to AI-style imagery. Graphic Memoir Loss: Marjane Satrapi, creator of Persepolis, has died at 56, with tributes highlighting her global impact on literature and film. Reading as Community: A CNN report spotlights Silent Book Clubs and similar gatherings as a growing antidote to declining leisure reading. Pride Books & Local Culture: “Books for Pride” roundups and Pride-related library removals show how publishing and reading remain central to LGBTQ+ visibility. Kalinga Literary Festival in Nepal: The KLF kicked off in Kathmandu with a “Beyond Borders” theme linking South Asian literature, art, and cultural ties. E-readers Beyond Amazon: A guide lists Kindle alternatives for readers looking to leave Amazon’s ecosystem.

Publishing & Books: A.C. Sreehari, a major Malayalam poet and English professor, died at 57 after a heart attack, leaving a body of work taught in Kerala universities. Literary Culture: Russian Language Day events at UNECA and in Bahrain spotlight Pushkin and growing interest in Russian study. Book Fairs & Heritage: Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair showcased rare archaeological replicas and a documentary on Al-Faw. Local Bookshops: Storytime Bookshop in Kennewick will reopen after a fire, backed by community donations, with a new nonprofit “Book Buddy” program. Reading Habits: National Bathroom Reading Week urges print reading for short, easy breaks—no phone scrolling. AI & Writing: Commentary and debate continue over whether AI can replace human authorship, with writers pushing back on “AI apocalypse” fears. Manga Business: Dokodemo Young Champion, the industry’s biggest manga magazine, has shut down due to distribution limits.

Publishing & Books: Lucy Foley’s latest discussion on how she cracked the case for a Miss Marple continuation novel is drawing attention from mystery readers. New Releases & Reading Culture: Steve Kaffen’s World Cup-focused book, “Living the World Cup,” leans on his seven-tournament experience and promises a sequel angle. Community Libraries: Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library’s 2026 Summer Read, “North Woods” by Daniel Mason, is set for group discussions in July and August. Book Trade & Events: Wordsley Library’s reading group teamed up with author Leo Vardiashvili on a short story for a 2026 anthology. Controversy & Access: Essex County Council has told libraries to “pause” promotion of events including Pride and Black History Month, sparking backlash. Media & Storytelling: Marjane Satrapi, creator of “Persepolis,” has died at 56, renewing interest in her work and legacy. Tech & Creativity: A new debate keeps heating up around AI’s role in children’s books and the creative process.

Literary Festivals: Nepal’s Kathmandu Kalinga LitFest returns June 6–7 at Hotel Himalaya, with a “Beyond Borders” theme spotlighting South Asian literature, art, identity, inclusion, spirituality, and social change. Publishing & Culture: Bulgaria’s Pencho Slaveykov Today initiative held talks in Kazanlak on modernism rooted in tradition, while Romanian translators and authors featured at Bucharest’s Bookfest underscored cross-border literary ties. Book Events (Local): Oshkosh’s Caramel Crisp Bookstore is running two late-June author moments—Jim Boland signing “The Black Egg Children” (June 26) and Mariah Weber hosting a “Book Monster Enthusiast” storytime (June 27). Independent Press Under Pressure: Pasadena’s Red Hen Press is launching a GoFundMe as funding cuts and financial strain threaten its programming. Community Book Resilience: Kennewick’s Storytime Bookshop plans to reopen after a fire, restarting with donations and community support. Major Literary Loss: Graphic memoir icon Marjane Satrapi, creator of “Persepolis,” has died at 56.