Latest News from The Bookseller - includ. JK Rowling: 'Brexit debate is ugliest in my lifetime'

Vaizey: Library service is not in crisis Government minister Ed Vaizey has said "the library service is not in crisis”, whilst criticising the library closure figures claimed by campaigners and the BBC.

Crossan and Riddell win Carnegie and Kate Greenaway awards Chris Riddell has broken records by becoming the first illustrator to win three CILIP Kate Greenaway medals, picking up the prestigious award for The Sleeper and the Spindle (written by Neil Gaiman). The CILIP Carnegie award was presented to Sarah Crossan's verse novel, One.

JK Rowling: 'Brexit debate is ugliest in my lifetime' The EU referendum debate has deteriorated into one of the most "divisive and bitter political campaigns ever waged" with some "racists and bigots" directing the Leave campaign, author JK Rowling has said.

Booksellers 'reluctant' to stock romance, claims Choc Lit m.d The "snobbery" of booksellers in not stocking or promoting romance titles is "giving Amazon a huge advantage" and driving more sales through online channels, m.d. of women's fiction publisher Choc Lit, Lyn Vernham, has said.

Two new Evie Wyld novels to Jonathan Cape Jonathan Cape has acquired two new novels from British-Australian novelist and major literary prize-winner Evie Wyld.

EIBF pulls out of World Book Capital committee over free speech concerns Concerns over freedom of speech are understood to be a factor in the withdrawal of the European and International Booksellers Federation from the committee which appoints the Unesco World Book Capital city. Frictions are understood to have come to the fore around 18 months ago, when Chinese city Shenzhen and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates were put forward as potential winners.

US consumers to receive Apple e-book refunds Consumers in America are set to receive reimbursements for e-books today, following the end of the e-book price-fixing ruling in March.

Male model Lucky Blue Smith to Transworld Transworld has acquired a book by 18-year-old American male model and social media star, Lucky Blue Smith.

Stilborn appointed to Blackwell's board Blackwell’s head of operations Kate Stilborn has been appointed to the bookshop’s board as customer service and operations director.

ECJ rules on Dutch libraries e-book case A preliminary ruling at the European Court of Justice has said authors should be compensated for the lending of their electronic books by European Union public libraries in the same way as traditional books – with one royalty per purchase, not every time an e-book is lent to a reader.

Mankell play published in English for first time An extract from a "taboo" play by late Scandinavian crime writer, Henning Mankell, never before translated into English, has been published by quarterly freedom-of-expression magazine Index on Censorship in its latest issue.

Guildford Book Festival appoints new co-directors Alex Andrews and Jane Beaton have been appointed co-directors of the annual Guildford Book Festival.