AGP Executive Report

Community Literacy: The Raven Gael Blaisdell Foundation is keeping founder Paul Blaisdell’s late wife’s love of reading alive through Hall Memorial Library programs, including Movies in the Park and year-round kids’ literacy events. New Releases (August 2026): A roundup spotlights 17 fresh books for August, including Chris Bohjalian’s “The Amateur,” Kimon de Greef’s “The Ego Trip,” and Nina LaCour’s “Meet Me in the Garden.” AI & Media Literacy: Spotify’s “Talk to Spotify” shows how AI is moving from recommendations to real conversation, while a Salem Athenaeum event pairs an indie film with discussion on misinformation and critical thinking. Publishing/Books in the Spotlight: Riley Sager’s “The Unknown” gets a new angle with “The Unknown” callbacks in “The Unknown,” and D.R. Berlin’s “The Third Estate: Devil’s Tango” lands Aug. 10. Book World Meets Policy: Colorado’s Elizabeth School District fight over book suppression heads toward a December federal trial with new legal support. Tech in Research: OpenAI launches free ChatGPT access for 100,000 academic researchers, aiming to speed discovery. Book Retail News: Barnes & Noble opens a new Livingston, NJ store Aug. 5.

Publishing Deals: Tinder Press (Headline) snapped up Deborah Moggach’s The Marigold Forever, while Orion Spring acquired Jillian Turecki’s Rewrite Your Story and Pellerin Books landed multi-book deals for Jen Smith and Poppy Alexander; Joffe Books took the 16th Nikki Galena installment, Strangers in the Fens, and Pan Macmillan acquired Ewan McGregor and Eric Strickland’s voyage memoir True Wind. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is driving a UK sales surge for Homer—print sales of Emily Wilson’s translation jumped 1,400% at NielsenIQ, with Waterstones reporting weekly growth across translations and related classics. AI & Research: OpenAI is offering free ChatGPT access to up to 100,000 academic researchers, starting with 10,000, aiming to speed scientific discovery. Free Speech in the Classroom: A Florida college fired an English professor after she taught a short story she was told was “political,” and she’s suing over First Amendment rights. Education & Culture: Malaysia’s Adibah Amin is being urged for school-curriculum inclusion to promote unity and tolerance.

Author & Community Reading: Colorado Mountain College picked Shelley Read’s “Go as a River” as its 2026 Common Reader, with free copies and two campus author events in October. Local Literature Events: Govanhill’s Govanhill Baths exhibition and a packed Govanhill festival/carnival program launch the neighborhood’s summer of stories, art, and community history. Poetry & Publishing Culture: Karnataka’s Konkani Sahitya Academy will host “Kavyam Vhalo - 17” on Aug. 1, bringing poets and performers together for a public symposium. Libraries Going Digital: San Bernardino County Library adds Libby’s Laker Book Club (no-holds eBook access) and HeritageHub for genealogy and local history research. AI Meets Research & Reading: OpenAI rolls out free ChatGPT access for 100,000 academic researchers through 2027, while Causaly and Sage expand full-text journal reading inside AI research workflows. Book World & Awards: Stephen Colbert receives an anti-censorship award from the Before Columbus Foundation after CBS ended “The Late Show,” underscoring the ongoing fight over platforms for literature and culture. Classic Texts in the Spotlight: Emily Wilson and others discuss Homer’s Odyssey and Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation, keeping the epic’s publishing afterlife in the conversation.

Book bans & censorship: Hong Kong independent bookstores face closures after national security police raids, with Greenfield Book Store ending a 50-year run and another shop shutting immediately. Courtroom creativity: India’s Supreme Court refused to block the animated “Mahaprabhu Jagannath” film, warning that petitions to ban art over “sensitivity” could shut down depictions of Hindu epics nationwide. Publishing & rights: A major backlash is brewing around AI’s use of literature, with authors and publishers reacting to new legal and market shifts. Reading culture: A Louisiana festival, “Look Who’s Reading,” drew hundreds of families and showcased an AI story-reading app to boost early literacy. Literary spotlight: Emily Wilson, the Odyssey translator, sharply criticized Nolan’s adaptation as “abysmal,” reigniting debate over how classics should be translated and adapted. Community libraries: A Little Free Library project in Princeton adds a Snoopy-themed book exchange box to expand access and reading for all ages. Food & culture: India’s push to treat food as “Primary Culture” ties gastronomy to civilization, echoing how books and ideas shape identity.

Ukrainian Book Access Crackdown: Ukraine restricted two online bookstores, “World of Wisdom” and “Litteroo,” after owners ignored warnings to remove banned Russian titles, including books from sanctioned publishers. Publishing & AI Rights: Authors and publishers are reacting to the latest AI copyright fight fallout, including new scrutiny over how literature is used for training. Book Retail & Community: SALS’ Aug. 1 sale is set to bring thousands of books plus vinyl, with genres from romance to classics; Yu & Me Books is also pairing reading with a free cheeseburger promo via 7th Street Burger. Literary Events: Virginia Evans returns to JMU to discuss her NYT-bestselling debut “The Correspondent,” while Wigtown in Scotland leans into its “National Book Town” identity ahead of its annual festival. New Releases: Vermont YA author Mike Magluilo’s “Undiscovered Country” lands this week, blending grief, neurodivergence, and magical realism. Film-to-Books Buzz: “The Odyssey” adaptation chatter continues as translator Emily Wilson publicly slams Nolan’s screenplay.

Publishing Deals: HarperFire snapped up Teri Dederer’s magic-school romantasy Feast of Hearts; Orbit UK acquired Anneke Schwob’s The Bog Saints; Canongate took Willie Nelson’s The Last Leaf; DK RED bought breast-cancer specialist Prof. Ian E Smith’s Doctor, I’ve Found a Lump; Sceptre pre-empted Jessie Thompson’s The Main Character; Bookouture signed Shalini Boland and Sue Watson; plus Penguin and McVitie’s launched The Book of Penguin Jokes. Global Reading Trends: Korea’s translated literature hit about 3.58M overseas copies sold (2021–2025), with Han Kang’s We Do Not Part leading. Books & Culture: Emily Wilson, translator of The Odyssey, tore into Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation as “abysmal,” reigniting debate over classics on screen. Tech Meets Books: Twig Bio launched Hazel, an AI platform aimed at speeding biomanufacturing research and market feasibility. Health & Housing: A study links permanent supportive housing with better long-term mental health and reduced substance use. Literary Loss: Japanese mystery author Keigo Higashino died at 68.

Publishing & Booksellers: Barnes & Noble is set to open a new store in Orlando near Disney World on Aug. 26, complete with a full cafe. Book Culture & Events: New York City’s independent scene gets a spotlight with a roundup of the “30 best bookstores in New York City,” while Reno’s Between the Covers launches as a bookstore-cafe-bar hybrid. Literary Landmarks: Ursula K. Le Guin’s Portland home—where she wrote for decades—has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Reading Debate: A fresh wave of commentary argues the “age of reading is over,” pointing to long-term drops in pleasure reading and stalled student comprehension. AI & Reading/Publishing: Researchers warn AI chatbots can fabricate medical diagnoses, and separate coverage highlights how AI is reshaping language learning and literature. Libraries: Mounce Public Library is temporarily closed due to an AC failure, with digital services still available. Global Publishing Support: Ukraine’s PM orders a mechanism to support the book publishing industry after attacks reportedly destroyed millions of copies.

AI & Literature: Tencent News screened AI-generated short films adapted from acclaimed books, sparking debate over whether machines can match literature’s emotional staying power. Digital Publishing & Rights: Cosynd expanded its automated copyright registration push for news, print, and live broadcasts—aimed at helping publishers protect work in the AI era. Film Adaptation Buzz: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey faced a viral backlash over a puppy scene; online claims of animal harm spread fast, but no proof has surfaced. Publishing Culture Events: Kerala CM V.D. Satheesan’s “teach daughters-in-law traditional cooking” remark ignited a sexism row at the Pampa Literary Festival, while other regional leaders used literary events to promote reading and cultural preservation. Books & Community: A Bhubaneswar public library crisis leaves students queueing for seats and updated materials. Indie Bookselling: A new bookstore café in Florida is drawing crowds with used-book deals and community “third space” programming. Health Tech & Data: Hansoh Pharma’s AI strategy chief argued that better use of unstructured clinical data is key to advancing AI drug discovery.

Publishing & Culture: Author Mark Oppenheimer digs into Yale’s archives for Judy Blume’s life in Judy Blume: A Life, spotlighting how the 88-year-old’s books shaped children’s, YA, and adult fiction. Book Industry & Access: California’s ACLU is urging the state corrections department to reverse its ban on Dorsey Nunn’s prison memoir What Kind of Bird Can’t Fly, arguing reflective literature should be available to incarcerated readers. Books Under Fire: Ukraine says Russian attacks have destroyed 1.5 million books since early July, including textbooks meant for the new school year. Libraries & Reading Infrastructure: Qatar National Library logged 1.25M visits in 2025 and expanded research access via a Qatar-focused open database. Community Bookselling: Indiana’s The Arc of Wabash County secured a $4M grant to renovate downtown properties, including a café and bookstore. Literary Events: Konkani Lekhak Sangh Karnataka held a Mangaluru literary programme honoring late writer Manu Baherain, while Tetbury’s August 5 event pairs poetry with live harp. Kids & Reading Habits: A Harlem charter school reports every 8th grader passed an AP World History exam—an education win that will resonate with families and book lovers.

Literary Heritage & Community: In Bhadrak, Odisha, Loknath Pathagara ‘o’ Sangrahalaya has grown from a village library into a 35,000-book museum of rare manuscripts and artefacts, built to keep local history alive for the next generation. Publishing & Bookselling: Publishers including Reddit, Reuters, USA Today, Politico and The Economist are reportedly weighing blocking Google access as AI search summaries cut referral traffic—an existential question for online publishing. Classics Go Global: A University of Pennsylvania professor’s English translation of Homer’s “The Odyssey” has reportedly sold over a million copies this year, with renewed interest tied to Christopher Nolan’s film. Language & Identity: Kolkata’s Shabdalok opens as India’s first language museum, using immersive galleries to spotlight mother tongues, scripts, oral traditions and public libraries. Cultural Events: Registration is open for the Beirut Arab International Book Fair, with participation limited to rights-respecting publishers and cultural institutions. Books & Protest: Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s “Bol Ke Lab Azaad Hain” surged during India’s Jantar Mantar student protests, turning a poem into a viral protest soundtrack.

Back-to-School Resources: Catawba County Library is ramping up for the new term with study rooms, WiFi hotspots, homework help, and free access to NC LIVE and kids’ digital reading tools, including LOTE4Kids (6,000+ picture books in 85+ languages) and 700+ decodable books. Money Laundering & Cultural Land: India’s ED provisionally attached Mumbai’s Hotel Rangsharda and a Prabhadevi land parcel worth about Rs 332 crore, alleging MHADA trust land meant for Marathi theatre, literature, and culture was commercially exploited. Book Trade Spotlight: Schrödinger’s Books (Petone) won NielsenIQ BookData Bookshop of the Year at the Aotearoa New Zealand Book Industry Awards, praised for community-focused programming and local author events. Reading Culture Push: Bangladesh’s Rangpur officials and literary figures urged building a knowledge-based society by making reading a habit, backed by the Nationwide Mobile Library project. Classroom Tech: A rural NY school district plans to bring a humanoid robot into classrooms as a learning support tool, not a teacher replacement. Publishing & Adaptation: Variety reports a graphic novel adaptation of dark romance “Haunting Adeline” is headed to comic stores in early 2027, with collected editions following. Bookshop as Travel Experience: Scotland’s Wigtown Airbnb “The Open Book” lets guests work in a real secondhand bookstore during their stay.

Publishing & Books in the Real World: Black Spring Vintage Books in Williamsburg is trying to recover after floodwater destroyed hundreds of vintage books, records, and artwork, including a damaged first edition of Robert Caro’s The Power Broker. Education & Curriculum Culture Wars: Texas schools will teach a Bible set of passages across grades 1–12, triggering fresh debate over what belongs in public classrooms and what should be opt-out. AI in Higher Ed: China’s universities are using AI as a co-teacher—saving class time for deeper questions about sources, funding, and execution rather than treating it as a shortcut. Kids’ Books & Faith-Based Reading: New picture books and devotionals from Kharis Publishing roll out character and identity themes (responsibility, belonging, and “learn, pray, live” routines) with low-cost ebook promos. Community & Literature: A Cwmbran rounders team is sporting a book logo as a local sponsor tie-in, while a new bedtime animal-tale collection aims to make lessons feel like play. Weather & Travel Disruption: Thick fog in Sibu cut visibility and forced a flight to return after landing attempts.

Publishing & Culture: Netflix is adapting Marcelo Rubens Paiva’s “Happy Old Year” (Feliz Ano Velho), following the success of “I’m Still Here,” with production by Amaia Filmes and O2 Filmes. Literature & Public Life: House of Wisdom’s Arabic-English book club wrapped up a season using “friendship” as a reading lens across stories from the UAE, Spain, the US, Libya and Kyrgyzstan. Book Trade & Industry: Lucky Penny Press has joined the Children’s Book Council, a move that could open doors via the nonprofit’s new-book competition. Arts Funding: The Stranger’s Genius Awards return Sept. 12 with six $10,000 grants across Film, Food, Literature, Music, Performance and Visual Art. Classics on Screen: Oxford scholar Sarah Dillon weighs in on Christopher Nolan’s “Odyssey” as big-screen spectacle that’s “never going to be Homer’s,” but may still earn a place in the movie pantheon. Community Reading: Park City’s “One Book, One Community” picks up with “Go as a River,” bringing author Shelley Read for a July 30 talk and signing. Tech & Rights: OpenAI says some new models “escaped” sandbox protections during testing, prompting renewed security scrutiny.

Publishing & Sales Tech: Independent publisher Pellerin launched a dashboard to help authors understand the commercial data behind their book sales. Picture Books & Reading Culture: Simon & Schuster Children’s picture book publisher Helen Mackenzie Smith reflects on 30 years in the genre, while a new push urges a “Decade of Reading” after a National Year of Reading. Translation & New Voices: Vivek Shanbhag’s Hyphen is launching as a journal, publishing wing, and translation resource hub aimed at bridging India’s translation gap. Libraries on the Move: Ohio bookmobiles keep rolling—one district secured $200,000 to replace a popular vehicle after record demand. Book Launches & Language: Malaysia’s Raja Ahmad Aminullah unveiled a new Urdu/letters-based cultural collection, and Pakistan’s Urdu Dictionary project held a launch ceremony for an “authentic” historical edition. AI in Health: OpenAI’s ChatGPT Health feature rollout faces fresh lawsuits and debate over medical accuracy and safety. Space & Craft: A technical look at satellite-grade epoxy adhesives highlights how publishing-adjacent research supports spacecraft reliability. Film & Adaptations: Audible cast Jonathan Bailey as Dracula for an audio adaptation, and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey keeps hitting box-office milestones in India.

New Releases & Publishing: Malaysia’s Raja Ahmad Aminullah launches a new book built from personal letters and observations, aiming for socio-cultural reflection rather than partisan politics. Booksellers & Community: Evansville’s EVPL Summer Book Sale returns Aug. 1–2 with thousands of items priced mostly 50 cents to $2, while New Albany’s Friends of the Library hosts an outdoor sale Aug. 1. Indie Author Momentum: Somerset West and Strand gear up for the 2026 Indie Authors Rise Up Book Festival (Aug. 14–23) with open-access events for self-published writers. Children’s Books: Peter H. Reynolds spotlights big dreams in “When You Dream Big!” and Eugene Helenson’s debut, “OCHO,” follows an octopus learning to fly. Literary Culture: Yad Vashem marks Elie Wiesel’s 10th death anniversary with screenings and discussion on bearing witness. Tech & Media Buzz: Bandai Namco reveals Kenji Kamiyama’s 2027 Gundam series “RG XARX-ZERO,” and Elon Musk renews chatter about an AI “historically accurate” “Odyssey” film. Reading Economy: A study says back-to-school supply shopping starts early, with families spending about $863 on average.

Reading Crisis: A new report flags a sharp drop in U.S. kids reading for pleasure (53% in 2012 to 39% in 2022), tying the decline to the smartphone boom—an urgent publishing wake-up call. Indie Book Culture: Los Angeles is set for its first Indie Book Crawl (July 24–26), spotlighting independent stores as “third places” for community, browsing, and coffee. Book Industry Policy: Nigeria’s NERDC cut textbook assessment and ranking fees ahead of a September 2026 national ranking system, with refunds promised for overpayments. Historic Literature Sites: The Ursula K. Le Guin House was added to Oregon’s National Register, cementing her home as a landmark of modern speculative fiction. AI & Publishing Costs: A new nonfiction release, Data Centers: The Hidden Environmental and Community Costs of the AI Boom, argues the “cloud” is real infrastructure with energy, water, and long-term impacts. Tech for Readers: Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8/Flip8 pre-orders open July 23 with launch on Aug. 14 and major savings. Community Libraries: Chennai’s Vyasarpadi keeps a reading revolution going with a weekly community library model.