News from The Bookseller

Russell Brand: 'schools without libraries are a disgrace' Russell Brand described schools without a library as a "disgrace", and said public libraries closures were driven by a "fundamentalist philosophy of profit", in an entertaining and enthusiastically received Reading Agency Lecture last night (Tuesday 25th November). The comedian and author told the audience at the Institute of Education that he had returned to visit his old school in Grays, Essex, now called the Hathaway Academy, and found that it no longer had a library.

Kinney submits to Day's chart-topper The penultimate book in Sylvia Day's Crossfire erotica quintet has ended Jeff Kinney's two-week run at the summit of the UK Official Top 50 by a matter of just 221 copies, while Lynda Bellingham's just-released novel joined her memoir in the top 50.

Half of C&R staff have now left Little, Brown More than half of staff at Constable & Robinson have left the publisher since Little, Brown Book Group bought the company, it has emerged. The formerly independent publisher was purchased by the Hachette division in February, with the Constable & Robinson team moving into Little, Brown’s Victoria Embankment offices in April.

Two jobs cut at Egmont marketing Egmont UK is cutting two roles in its marketing team following last year’s merger of its two book businesses. Sales, marketing and PR director Ingrid Gilmore confirmed that two employees will be made redundant, saying: “The restructure means that the marketing team will now consist of five roles.  These roles will work across fiction, brands and licensing, picturebooks, pre-school and non-fiction.  Previously there were two marketing teams made up of seven roles working across the separate books divisions.”

Patterson in Obama books campaign James Patterson has launched a campaign in the US to persuade President Barack Obama to draw attention to the importance of reading. The campaign, which has the hashtag #SaveOurBooks on Twitter, asks people to sign a petition, write to their politicians, spread to word on social media and find out what more Patterson is doing to keep people reading, borrowing and buying books.

Cornwell releases Kindle Single on Ripper hunt Patricia Cornwell has released an essay as a Kindle Single via Amazon Publishing’s crime imprint Thomas & Mercer. Chasing the Ripper, which costs 99p on the Kindle store, documents her investigation of Jack the Ripper for her 2002 book Portrait of a Killer (Little, Brown). In the book Cornwell controversially identified British painter Walter Sickert as the Ripper.

CCBF to strengthen partnership with LBF The Chinese government official behind the Shanghai Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) has said he is committed to co-operating with the team behind the London Book Fair (LBF), with further events in China under consideration. Kan Ning Hui, whose official title is deputy director of the Shanghai Press & Publication Administration, told The Bookseller: “To make CCBF more open internationally we are thinking of working with book fairs and organisations all over the world. We are planning new co-operative projects with the London Book Fair, including a new project in China.”

Nosy Crow wins at Growing Business Awards Independent children’s publisher Nosy Crow was last night (25th November) named Young Company of the Year 2014 in the Growing Business Awards. Nosy Crow beat five other companies shortlisted in the same category, including popcorn maker Propercorn and cement producer Hope Construction Materials. The Growing Business Awards are hosted by trade magazine Reed Business and supported by the CBI in association with Lloyds Bank.