Librarians update a militant dictionary, libraries face challenges, and book lovers worldwide celebrate new collections and cultural events.
Updated militant dictionary for librarians
The "Militant Dictionary for Librarians and the Defense of Public Reading," published by the SUD Collectivités Territoriales (SUD CT) Federation, has been updated with new entries covering topics like accessibility, rural libraries, media education, gender, inclusion of staff, youth, heritage, and more challenging subjects such as the rise of the far right, censorship, and shrinking budgets. The document was created by the "Library" commission of the SUD CT Federation and illustrated by Rémi Vidal, with a special font called "Luciole" designed for people with poor vision.Tribute to Christine Péclard in Paris
A group at the Marguerite Duras Media Library in Paris is trying to honor Christine Péclard, a former director of the library until 2015, by naming an auditorium after her. However, the project has not been approved by the administration, and a petition has been launched to address Aurélie Filippetti, the director of cultural affairs for the city of Paris.Postponed book delivery event
A planned gathering on 22 October at Lyon Station in Paris to support the delivery of books to railway workers has been postponed. Some progress might be made in the coming days, but no solution has been announced yet.Oskar Éditeur reminded of obligations
Oskar Éditeur has been reminded of its duty to deposit digital files with the National Library of France, following several failures. The Authority for the Regulation of Audiovisual and Digital Communication (Arcom) is ensuring that publishers follow these rules to help adapt books for people who cannot read.Book campaign in Lebanon
In Beirut, the National Network for the Protection of Libraries, Archives, and Cultural Heritage in Lebanon, Tālīd, has gathered more than 40,000 books as part of its "A Million Books for Lebanon" campaign. The goal is to rebuild scattered or destroyed collections, re-equip affected institutions, and provide books to displaced populations.Artists' book forum in Saint-Petersburg
The Library of the Illustrated Book in Saint-Petersburg is hosting the fourth edition of the Forum of Collectors of Artist's Books and Engravings. Artists, publishers, and collectors will present works that challenge the traditional form of the codex.Missing books in Brasília
About 6,000 books have left the Biblioteca Nacional de Brasília through the main door and have never returned. Some have been missing since July 2013. The library has decided to allow the books to be returned without penalty for a month as a temporary measure.Books returned after 116 years
In Llanrwst, Wales, Peter O'Sullivan returned two books borrowed by his grandfather in 1910, more than 116 years later. The condition of the books surprised the librarians.Rare book petting zoo in Louisiana
The Frazar Memorial Library of McNeese State University in Lake Charles has opened part of its special collections under the title "Rare Book Petting Zoo," allowing the public to interact with first editions, books with painted spines, art portfolios, and other rare bibliographic items.Book access concerns in Russia
The Russian Ministry of Digital Development estimates that up to 70% of municipal funds could be removed from public access if a recent practice of control were extended. This is due to books published with the support of organizations that have since become "undesirable."Library staff demand in Nancy
Sixteen temporary staff members of the Manufacture Media Library in Nancy have stopped working to demand their temporary positions be converted into fixed-term contracts. They are facing issues such as a non-functioning elevator, faulty air conditioning, and poor lighting, and have been given headlamps until the lighting is restored.SNCF library disruptions
The Central Correspondence Lending Library at SNCF, which has been sending books to railway workers and their families since 1986, is facing disruptions due to the gradual disappearance of internal mail. The CGT section is calling for a demonstration in Paris on 22 October if no progress is made by then.Hachette-BnF collection expansion
The Hachette-BnF collection, launched in 2014 by Hachette Livre and the French National Library (BnF), now includes the funds of six major French heritage libraries. This allows thousands of rare or out-of-print books to be ordered in bookstores and printed on demand.BnF's 30th anniversary stamp
The BnF François-Mitterrand is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a special stamp from La Poste, scheduled for release on 9 November 2026. The stamp will be available in advance from 5 to 7 November at the Autumn Philatelic Fair in Paris.Tool for easy-to-read books
The Departmental Library of Ille-et-Vilaine has launched the Facilomètre, a tool designed to help professionals identify books suitable for an "Easy to Read" collection. The tool has been tested for more than a year and uses different criteria based on seven categories of documents.New building for Vatican libraries
Pope Leo XIV has ordered the construction of a new building shared by the Apostolic Library and the Apostolic Archives to accommodate the growing collections and the increasing documentary production of the Holy See.Swiss National Library expansion
The Swiss National Library has submitted a request for a building permit to renovate and expand the library. The construction is expected to begin in 2027 and last until 2034, with the library becoming more open to the public and serving as both a meeting place and a conservation site.Mexican libraries to renew collections
Public libraries in Mexico have not purchased books for ten years. The government plans to allocate 50 million pesos from its 2026 budget to renew their collections, favoring independent, small, and medium publishers. A zero-rate VAT for certain bookstores is being considered by the Congress.Bed bug closures in Aix-en-Provence
All municipal libraries in Aix-en-Provence have closed due to bed bugs found in the Halle aux Grains library. Inspections are planned before the return to school, and no bed bugs have been detected in other libraries.New bibliobus in Roubaix
The "Zèbre," a bibliobus for the Roubaix Media Library, is retiring and being replaced by the "Zébron," a new vehicle offering a more reliable and ecological service. The new service will start on 1 September, with an inauguration planned for 5 September.New media libraries in 2026
Several cities, including Perpignan and Les Herbiers, are opening new media libraries for the 2026 school year. These libraries are being created by converting old cinemas, setting up in priority neighborhoods, and adjusting their scale.Fashion library in La Coruña
The Marta Ortega Pérez Foundation in La Coruña has gathered over 5,500 books, magazines, catalogs, and rare items dedicated to fashion and its photography. The library, designed by architect Elsa Urquijo, features a striking spiral shelving system.Book access law in Alberta
Law 28 in Alberta grants the government the power to limit access to certain documents in public libraries based on age, targeting books with explicit depictions of sexual acts. The specific details of the law remain to be finalized.Increased borrowing of English books
Municipal libraries in Paris have reported an increase in the number of English-language books borrowed, with Freida McFadden appearing four times in the top ten most borrowed foreign language books.Robot companion in Japan
In Takeo, Saga prefecture, children will read in front of LOVOT, a companion robot replacing reading dogs in an initiative inspired by animal-assisted reading programs.Library exhibition in Japan
A permanent exhibition at the digital museum MOON will showcase the choices of more than 90 libraries across Japan, creating a map of the archipelago drawn by its librarians.Content controls in Libby app
OverDrive is preparing content controls in its Libby app, allowing users and librarians to choose whether to see works marked as involving artificial intelligence. No deployment schedule has been announced.Comics research on Hergé and Franquin
In the "Professions" section, Numa Sadoul explores the "Families in Cases" of comics, revealing the first research on the future interlocutor of Hergé and Franquin.Tax proposals in French National Assembly
The examination of the 2027 finance bill is underway in the National Assembly, with amendments proposed by Sarah Legrain suggesting a tax on the turnover of editorial groups and platforms, as well as misprinted books, to support bookstores and independent publishers.Death of Japanese writer Ryû Murakami
The Japanese writer Ryû Murakami, author of Bleu presque transparent and Les Bébés de la consigne automatique, died on 17 October 2026 at the age of 74. His novels often depicted the anger of a youth unable to find its place in society.French language enrichment
The French Language Enrichment Commission has focused on the nuclear field to facilitate the use of French in all domains.Archives call for Marcel Proust
In March, the State launched a call for corporate patronage for the acquisition of unpublished archives of Marcel Proust, with the amount now set at 5.1 million €.French manga returns
Rock 'n' Roll Jungle, an independent French manga, returns with a second volume that is more mature and complete, supported by Maxime Nicolas and Lucy Bernard.Bookstore policy change
Lagardère Travel Retail France defends its decision to cancel free book orders at the Relay station at Lyon station, citing a need for tool harmonization and assuring that books will continue to be available.Removal of far-right magazine
Lagardère Travel Retail has admitted to "failures" regarding the removal of the far-right magazine La Furia from its shelves but confirms its removal.Catherine Pégard's meeting
Catherine Pégard was received by the culture affairs committee of the National Assembly in the context of the examination of the PLF 2027. The government's budget has not satisfied many, and the Minister of Culture has made only vague statements.Comics on World War II
The scriptwriter Aubry Palouzier and illustrator Lucas Di Nallo have chosen comics to tell the story of the Battle of Mers el-Kébir, a complex and little-known episode of World War II.Literary prize in England
Helen Fielding launches a literary prize worth 2000 £ for unknown comedy writers in the north of England.Book withdrawal over 7 October attacks
Two authors, Alana Hadid and Jenan Matari, have withdrawn their children's book from Random House due to disagreements over the treatment of the attacks of 7 October 2023. The independent publisher Interlink Books will publish the book in 2027 under a different title.Bookstore mobilization
Bookstores are questioning whether to open on the approach of a new day of mobilization on 24 October, with messages on social networks indicating damaged shop windows and shops that have been looted.Conclusion of Slavic folklore series
SLAVA IV, the fourth and concluding volume of the first cycle of the series, continues the exploration of Slavic folklore, with the story of Mirko and Slava confronting an ancestral creature that feeds on human souls.Book withdrawal in Quebec
The Quebec editions of Boréal announce that they will no longer reprint C'était ça ou mourir and will not publish any other book by Thélyson Orélien, after an analysis of the working documents of the novel revealed traces of artificial intelligence in their metadata.Historical adventure novel
CONQUISTA, a historical adventure novel, launches its Ulule campaign, following Francisco de Peralta, a young Aragonese hidalgo who leaves Spain in 1535 with the hope of finding wealth, glory, and a life worthy of his ambitions in the New World.New novel from Boualem Sansal
Boualem Sansal returns with a new novel, La possibility d'un miracle, after a prepayment of a million euros. The novel was started before his arrest, then "found, rewritten, completed, finished."Support for Sally Rooney
Nearly 160 personalities from the literary, artistic, and cultural worlds have taken up the defense of the Irish novelist Sally Rooney. Signatories include three Nobel Prize-winning authors, Annie Ernaux, Anne Carson, and J. M. Coetzee, as well as film figures such as Tilda Swinton, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Paul Mescal.Dismissal of defamation lawsuit
The American justice has dismissed the defamation lawsuit filed by Morgan Carey against his sister, Mariah Carey, after the publication of her memoirs, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, in 2020.Supreme Court judges withdraw
Four judges of the American Supreme Court have withdrawn from a case involving BMG, a company controlled by Bertelsmann, due to a conflict of interest with their publisher, Penguin Random House, which is also owned by the same German group.Revisiting Ferdinand Buisson's plea
Ferdinand Buisson's plea in favor of the League of Nations (1917) is being revisited in light of the speech that Emmanuel Macron delivered at the General Assembly of the United Nations on 22 September 2026.Dystopian graphic novel
Altered Blood, a dystopian science fiction graphic novel, follows Kryo, a half-human, half-alien Altérée, in a world where Earth has disappeared, with a quest that could finally reveal her origins.Withdrawal of first novel
Juna Liebrecht's first novel, scheduled for 1 November, will not be published by Molino Verlag due to a wave of criticism and threatening messages. The withdrawal was requested by the author herself.Authors sue Meta Platforms Inc.
Several hundred authors have sued Meta Platforms Inc., the company behind Facebook and the large language models LLaMA, for using their works for AI training purposes without their authorization.Fantasy manga in December
Heathen(s), a fantasy manga inspired by ancient Greece, is scheduled for December 2026, following the journey of Xenos, a young boy very talented in magic, with choices that could turn everything upside down.Closure of Pérgamo bookstore
The Pérgamo bookstore in Madrid, founded in 1946, will close its historic address in the Salamanca district on 17 November. The owners of the premises have decided not to renew the lease despite the store's solid activity.Threats against Youssef Badr
Youssef Badr, a judge in Bobigny and author, is targeted by Frontières. His publisher is calling on booksellers to mobilize after threats and attacks, with the Paris prosecutor's office opening an investigation for cyberbullying and threats.Legal battle in Mexico
Penguin Random House in Mexico is contesting restrictions imposed on Todo a la luz, a book dedicated to an abuse and exploitation case. Singer Gloria Trevi has denounced the use of her name and image, and the International Association of Publishers supports the publisher's appeal.New director for Clos Lucé
Anne-Laure Béatrix has been appointed director general of the Clos Lucé castle in Amboise after twelve years at the Louvre museum. Her mission is to develop the cultural programming and partnerships of this place dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci.Fnac Darty acquisition
The European Commission has authorized Daniel Křetínský's public offer to acquire Fnac Darty. The takeover is expected to close early November, allowing the Czech billionaire to control both one of the main French publishing groups and one of the country's leading book sellers.Exhibition catalog pre-sale
The catalog for the exhibition "Des Dieux et des Hommes" by Philippe Druillet × Enki Bilal is available for pre-sale on Ulule. The exhibition will be held at the Fonds Enki Bilal in Paris from 3 December 2026 to 9 May 2027.Burden of proof in copyright cases
The question of originality is being raised for creators when they try to have the production and distribution of counterfeits sanctioned. The burden of proof of the originality of the work falls entirely on them, leading to risky, lengthy, and often costly procedures. A proposed law aims to better share this burden of proof.Sales rankings and literary prize
Sarah Knafo remains on top of sales, while Thélyson Orélien climbs despite the controversy. A new literary prize has been born with the title "Alexandre Dumas had no AI, but he was helped." The academician Jean-Christophe Rufin has been violently attacked in front of his home.
