AGP Executive Report

Publishing & Books in the Spotlight: Two Māori-language picture books were selected for the IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages, boosting te reo Māori visibility worldwide. Libraries as Community Hubs: Japan’s libraries are expanding fast—adding makerspaces, studios, health-check gear, and huge book displays—to become year-round local gathering spots. Book Retail & Access: Virginia’s Henry County schools are rolling out book vending machines stocked with keepable titles, while a right-wing Suffolk village bookstore is closing after “constant hostility,” moving online instead. Adaptations & Classics: With The Odyssey on screens, universities and critics are weighing how new film takes keep Homer alive for modern readers. Indie Culture Events: Busan’s independent groups are hosting a literature-and-arts celebration around South African poet Manthipe Moila’s debut collection Rootbound. Health & Science (Book-adjacent): FDA approved oveporexton for narcolepsy type 1, and a pilot study suggests psilocybin plus talk therapy may help adult women with anorexia nervosa.

AI & Policy: OpenAI’s “strategic futures” hire Dean Ball is framed as a Hayek-style push to shape AI rules from inside the company, as regulation debates heat up. Reading Access: India’s Same Language Subtitling push is now reaching 160 million viewers and is moving toward being mandatory for films and streaming. Publishing & Books: Nepalaya released three books featuring 75 writers under 25, split across stories, poems, and essays. Comics & Adaptations: Kakao’s Piccoma says the webtoon “Villains Are Destined to Die” has ended and is getting a TV anime. Poetry & Culture: Moitalel Ole Kenta’s new collection “You Make My World Beautiful” spotlights love, loss, and hope. Book Community: Delhi’s young readers are leaning into “slow reading” on Book Lovers Day to make reading feel less intimidating. Literary Events: Colorado Springs lists a full slate of local literary events starting Aug. 9. Indie/Local: A North Wales mutiny novel debuts from a Mold author, adding to the week’s crop of new fiction.

University of Michigan Grading Shake-Up: Starting fall 2027, first-semester freshmen in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts will see “pass/no credit” on transcripts instead of letter grades, with the school saying it’s meant to ease a student mental health crisis while keeping real grades for internal use. Literature & Language Events: In Pune, author Mani Rao argues Sanskrit classics should be read as literature, not only sacred texts, ahead of a talk with The Word Bookshop; in Odisha, officials are gearing up for the “Har Ghar Tiranga” push and related cultural programming, while the Dhivehi Bahuge Academy marks 15 years of work to protect Maldivian language and literature. Indie Bookstore News: Northshire Books marks 50 years, celebrating its Vermont roots and continued community focus as ownership transitions within the Ihasz family. Local Reading Culture: Chandigarh and Ludhiana are leaning into quieter social reading—silent reading parties and book clubs that turn pages into community without forcing conversation.

Festival & Big Names: The 2026 Harrogate Literature Festival lineup is getting major star power, with headline authors and speakers set across two weeks in October. Education & Access: Inspire School of Arts & Sciences is finally moving into its own Chico campus after 16 years in portable classrooms, and a new lecture is pushing researchers toward stronger academic paper writing. New Books & Launches: Quill Tree Books debuts “Flowers for Tía Luz Maria,” while P. Paramita’s “Appetite” lands at the Strand; plus fresh fiction buzz includes “Worse Than Strangers” and reviews of Mariam Rahmani’s “Liquid.” Publishing & Policy Pressure: Peoria Unified School District lists several classic titles as prohibited in middle school lesson plans, and Maharashtra bans 114 literature items tied to extremist groups. Books in Crisis: After a Russian strike, charred Ukrainian books are being salvaged and used to raise funds at a Lviv festival. Culture & Language: A Turkic writers anthology adds Kyrgyz voices, and Kozhikode plans a ₹50 crore M.T. Vasudevan Nair cultural park with a library, bookshop, and cinema. AI & Data: China’s AI push faces a “data wall” as high-quality training text runs short.

Publishing & Books: A debut Appalachian coming-of-age novel, Shelly Chatterelli’s “Knowin’ Sugar,” is getting rave reviews for its poetic language and immersive central character, with praise from authors and artists. Book Industry Economics: A Canadian book-prize group says lost Canada Council for the Arts funding has created a “perfect storm” of cash pressure, forcing heavier fundraising just as costs rise. AI & Reading: A new report warns AI is flooding the online book market with poor translations, and offers tips to spot them. Publishing Business Moves: Indigo River Publishing promotes Keira Lopez to COO, expanding operational oversight as it grows author and imprint programs. Classics on Screen: Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is sparking renewed interest in Homer, with critics and scholars stressing it can’t capture the poem fully—but can still spotlight big human questions. Community Book Culture: Local bookstores keep building “third spaces” through book clubs and events, with readers seeking connection beyond home and work. Tech/Media: OpenAI’s ChatGPT device details and upgrades are drawing attention, adding to the week’s AI buzz around how people consume information.

Publishing & Rights: HarperCollins India will publish Dr Sylvia Karpagam’s “The Meat of the Matter,” linking nutrition policy to caste, economics and corporate influence, with a release set for Aug 18. AI & Authorship: Online debate is heating up after speculation about whether authors of colour are being targeted in generative AI writing claims. Tech for Readers (and beyond): OpenAI says ChatGPT for Free users now gets unlimited text chats and a stronger default model, while leaked details suggest its first screenless smart speaker could be “doughnut”-like and camera-equipped. Bookselling & Community: Third Place Books names Milo Michels as the new Author Events Manager from Sept 10, following Spencer Ruchti’s step-down. Censorship Watch: Maharashtra bans and orders forfeiture of 114 publications tied to proscribed terrorist groups, citing glorification of violent extremism. Industry Moves: Lumina Datamatics completes its acquisition of TNQTech, aiming to expand scholarly publishing tech and AI-enabled services. Literary Culture: China’s “delivery rider poet” Wang Jibing wins the Lu Xun Literary Prize, continuing to deliver food as he writes.

Book Culture & Events: Greater Philadelphia is gearing up for the Philadelphia Bookstore Crawl on Aug. 22, with 50+ independent shops offering discounts, signings, workshops, and even tarot readings. Literary Heritage: Bangladesh marked Rabindranath Tagore’s 85th death anniversary with TV tributes and cultural programs honoring the Nobel laureate’s legacy. Publishing & Community: Malaysia posthumously named Mana Sikana its 16th National Laureate, praising his novels, criticism, teaching, and wider cultural impact. New Books: Henry County High School grad Rob Smith will release a debut children’s fantasy, The Magic of Merryfin Sparkshoe, on Sept. 1, with interactive map and QR-linked music. Bookselling & AI Tension: A used-bookseller describes how AI companies may be buying books only to strip, scan, and train models—fueling fresh outrage over AI training practices. Reading Access: Panama’s National Bicentennial Reading Plan is moving from camps into schools, distributing a first kit of six publications for students.

New Store Openings: West Reading, Pa. gets a gothic hit with The Velvet Spine, a new indie bookstore built around horror, mystery, dark romance and fantasy—plus a Aug. 7-9 grand opening with giveaways and “blind date” books. Publishing Deals: Abacus buys Letty Butler’s debut novel Arseholes; Orbit UK lands Russell Franklin’s epic fantasy trilogy; Embla Books signs two Dandy Smith psychological thrillers; Firefly Press acquires Sarah Ziman’s This Is Just to Say (world rights). Global Book Trade Under Fire: Ukraine’s book industry urges clearing warehouse stock through libraries and bookstores to reduce losses from Russian strikes. Libraries & Access: Turkey reports record library growth—members, users and new space surging; Ukraine and Turkey both highlight how physical networks still matter. Manga & Kids Pipeline: Seven Seas licenses multiple manga titles for English release (including Wandmaker of the Ruined World and The Kaiju Autopsy), while Story Monsters® names Linda Soules’ So You Want to Be A… series its 2026 Purple Dragonfly Grand Prize winner. Reading Culture: A century after Tagore’s Mymensingh visit, local sites still lack memorial plaques, renewing calls for preservation. Industry Watch: Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump print circulation dips below 1 million for the first time in JMPA’s tracking history.

Libraries & Access: Fallbrook Library starts solar panel work Aug. 17–Nov. 7, with the main library closed but the Community Room operating as a mini library. Local Library Updates: Monona Public Library shuts Aug. 7 for HVAC work; upper-floor services stay open longer, while lower-level meetings/events move. Book Retail & Community: Barnes & Noble opens at a former Party City site in a 10,000-square-foot space. Publishing & Bookselling: Penguin Michael Joseph launches UK romantic fiction imprint Amara; RBmedia acquires Boldwood Books. AI & Reading Culture: A new study finds people rate AI-written stories higher when told they’re human. AI in the real world: Reuters reports Chinese military-linked researchers used outputs from OpenAI/Anthropic via model distillation to train smaller systems. Book Events: Lisa Gardner signs “You’ll Be Sorry” at Tales & Tails with puppy adoption; Bookworm Bonanza raises ~$700 and Band-Aid donations for local kids’ care. Literary Spotlight: Alberta senator Kristopher Wells debuts a 300+ queer picture-book collection, billed as the largest of its kind.

Miles Franklin Award: Omar Musa’s novel Fierceland won the 2026 Miles Franklin Prize, a $60,000 boost for a globe-spanning family saga rooted in Borneo, palm-oil wealth, and the cost of colonial capitalism. Literary Prizes: The Wainwright Prize 2026 shortlist was revealed, adding more momentum to the UK’s prize season. Classics Boom: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is driving a major sales surge for Homer, with Emily Wilson’s translation among the biggest winners and libraries reporting sharp demand spikes. Publishing Business: Penguin Michael Joseph is launching romantic fiction imprint Amara with Entangled Publishing in the UK, while Honno snapped up Alys Einion’s When We Are Free as its lead title. Book Trade Disruption: High demand is causing supply issues for Emily Wilson’s The Odyssey in the UK, with distributors reportedly awaiting shipments. AI & Reading: New research finds readers rate AI-written stories higher when they think a human wrote them, and struggle to tell the difference. Community & Culture: The 12th Baku International Book Fair returns for a seven-day program starting Oct. 21.

Book Pop-Ups & Community Fundraising: Guildford Town Centre in Surrey is launching a month-long “The Book Corner” pop-up (about 1,000 titles across kids, YA, fiction and popular genres), with 100% of proceeds supporting the Surrey Fire Fighters’ Charitable Society and literacy initiatives via Surrey Libraries and youth grants. Indie Bookstore Rescue: Grand Rapids’ Books & Mortar is officially reopening after a community-led effort to buy the “fiercely independent” shop that had announced it would close. Publishing Policy Push: Ukraine’s parliamentary committee backed an appeal for urgent state support for the book publishing industry, citing non-functioning library procurement and bookstore rental compensation, especially after Russian attacks damaged print infrastructure. New Releases & Formats: Image Comics announced a recolored paperback edition of Scott Snyder and Jock’s Wytches, Vol. 1 timed with the TV adaptation. Global Reading & Adaptations: KADOKAWA launched the Record of Lodoss War WEBTOON spin-off The Necromancer Queen in 150+ countries, expanding a classic fantasy universe into digital comics. Book Culture on the Move: Ohio’s bookmobiles are expanding, with a new $200,000 vehicle replacement helping the Holmes County District Public Library keep rolling to rural stops.

Publishing Deals: Pan Macmillan snapped up Andy Carroll’s “unfiltered” memoir Owning It, while Firefly Press acquired Alyson Williams’ middle-grade debut The Secret Lamb and Moth Books bought the English translation rights to Olga Campofreda’s Strega-nominated Dutiful Daughters. Guided Journals & Self-Help: 4th Estate acquired Jennette McCurdy’s guided journal The Examined Year: A Self-Discovery Tool. Book Trade & Events: National Book Store brings back the free Philippine Readers & Writers Festival (Aug. 14–16) with 40+ events and a first-time partnership with Komikon. Literary Buzz: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is driving a major Homer sales surge in Korea, with “Odyssey”-titled books up sharply year-on-year. Community Reading: Shannon Staub Library’s “Birdhouse Village” display (through Aug. 31) pairs local art with a fundraiser bookstore. AI & Research Integrity: A BMJ study using AI screening flagged a growing share of cancer papers that “look like” paper-mill fabrications, raising alarms for peer review.

Copyright & Film: The Ninth Circuit upheld dismissal of a novelist’s copyright claims that Paramount’s “Infinite” copied his reincarnation-themed book “The Link,” reinforcing the need to properly allege access and substantial similarity. Book Culture & Community: A Kansas City bookstore and tavern, Afterword Tavern & Shelves, reopened in a new location near Martini Corner, aiming to bring back book clubs and open mic nights. Author News: Beloved writer Benjamin Alire Sáenz, the first Latino to win the PEN/Faulkner Prize, died at 71. Education & Policy: Texas continues removing 100+ classic titles from public school libraries under a “local community values” framework, while Illinois’ upcoming sales tax holiday offers limited relief and critics call it inefficient. Safety & Reading for Families: A new push highlights concerns that some children’s flotation devices may increase drowning risk, urging stronger warnings and oversight. Tech & Publishing Adjacent: Berkeley Lab researchers unveiled an AI model that speeds solid-material synthesis by predicting how atoms move during reactions. Indie Book World: Nefer Bookcafé in the Bronx is positioning itself as a true third space—books, conversation, and community—beyond just browsing.

Publishing Deals: HarperVoyager acquired LK Steven’s upmarket speculative standalone The Kindling, while Riverrun snapped up Daniel Kehlmann’s dark comedy Afrika—both moves signal publishers betting on distinctive, genre-leaning fiction. Industry Policy: France is running a public consultation on how to define “books” to set the right VAT rates, a reminder that classification rules can reshape pricing and access. Book Trade & Rights: The Independent Publishers Guild’s 2026 Autumn Conference in London will be headlined by BBC economics correspondent Dharshini David and author-academic Eleanor Drage, spotlighting the business side of publishing. Humanities & Higher Ed: A new statement from the Mellon Foundation argues the humanities are “at risk” amid underfunding and suppression, defending literature and related fields as essential to understanding human experience. Books Under Fire: The Ukrainian Red Cross says Russian UAV strikes destroyed millions of books stored in Ranok publishing warehouses in Kharkiv, underscoring how conflict hits culture and classrooms. AI & Safety: Fields Medal winner Jacob Tsimerman, once a major AI critic, is joining OpenAI to focus on AI safety research. Public Health: India’s NCB warned parents and educators about the rising “chemsex” trend online, citing overdose, dependence, and STI risks.

Telangana Tourism Push: Culture Minister Jupally Krishna Rao urged NRIs to act as Telangana tourism ambassadors, including adopting destinations and helping conserve heritage, with an NRI Bhavan planned in Hyderabad (₹10 crore). Book Culture & Community: A new romance-only bookstore, The Sinful Spine, opened in Newcastle and drew huge queues, while Tempe’s Vintage Truth Books (used classics for Gen Z) is bringing “touch and smell” back to reading. AI vs Books: Reports say some AI firms are buying rare books, scanning them, and destroying originals to avoid “AI slop,” reigniting debate over ethics and training data. Publishing/Reading Rights: Stephen Colbert received an anti-censorship American Book Award, underscoring free-expression fights in literary culture. Health & Tech Milestone: India’s VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital performed the world’s first robotic systemic AV valve replacement in a rare adult case—another example of medical innovation tied to advanced imaging and planning. Education & Literature: Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate says it’s expanding PhD and master’s programs across public universities, including languages and literature. Local Library Win: A Thunder Bay library supporter won a July 50/50 jackpot ($36,915), boosting community support for reading spaces.

Publishing Policy: South Korea is weighing tax credits for publishers, with a bill offering up to 30% support on production costs to ease pressure from paper prices and a slower economy. Reading Boom: Despite an overall long decline in reading, South Koreans in their 20s and 30s are driving a “reading renaissance,” with lines at the Seoul International Book Fair and heavy generative AI use alongside book buying. Global Book Sales: A translated Korean “healing fiction” hit—Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop—led overseas sales in 2025, showing how neighborhood stories travel well. Book Industry & Ethics: The Giller Foundation is partnering with Book Clubs for Inmates in Canada, backing prison reading programs and a new writers’ circle. Community Book Culture: R.D. Talley Books, the first Black-owned bookstore on the Las Vegas Strip, reopened in a new Fashion Show Mall location. Literature & Language: A Radwa Ashour Award cycle recognized new Arabic-literature voices, while a separate report highlights how migration can speed up language loss. Book Launch With Heart: In Assam flood-hit areas, a planned grand launch was scaled down to a symbolic release of 14 children’s novels.