10-24-2025

The big news in the library world is the closing of the largest supplier of books to libraries in the country. No, it isn’t Amazon.

Baker & Taylor, which was founded in 1828 has been struggling financially for some time. In the past ten years it has been sold three times and hoped for a fourth last month. However, the deal with ReaderLink fell through on September 26^th they announced not the closing of the deal but the cancelation of the acquisition leaving 5,000 libraries wonder what was next.

In the week that followed publishers reached out to libraries notifying them their books would no longer be available through the distributor and providing alternate means for purchases.

Library Directors for Prairie Lakes Library System libraries meet on the first Tuesday of the month. Our conversation discussion and experience sharing on alternative vendors took on a new urgency after the meeting as that was also the day B&T sent out its announcement. They will be filling orders from their current stock, but no backorders or future publications would be available. In January they will be winding down operations.

If you’ve seen me locked onto my computer the past two weeks rather than bouncing around the library, I was probably exploring other vendors, setting up lines of credit, or weeding through lists of books determining which had arrived, which were expected, which were likely canceled, and which had been sent to a stop gap vendor.

Whoever said the life of a librarian isn’t exciting?

The good news is that we have a new vendor and several lists have been created including selection of authors whose new releases are automatic purchases and can be sent as a standing order rather than waiting for me to notice they are coming out.

The bad news is that we are waiting for financial component to be finalized. Our credit cleared, but our additional discounts as a member of WiLS (Wisconsin Library Services) have not yet been applied. Fingers crossed, that will be lickity-split and we’ll have piles of new books here soon.

In the meanwhile, this is a great time to try a new to you author.

In other good news, the East Troy Lions Club held their annual Classic Car Show on October 4^th. It was a huge success with over 400 cars spread out over two Village properties and the down the block. This would be why the library was closed that day. As generous supporters of the library, the Lions made a $1,500 donation from the car show’s proceeds.

Thank you East Troy Lions. We are proud to share your name.

Reading Now: Various Thanksgiving related books for a presentation at the next Women’s Club meeting.

Listening to Now: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (I tried reading it this summer and couldn’t get into it. It is a good listen.)