Our roundup of key news affecting authors. In this edition: 10 ways to help indie publishers and bookstores, COVID-19 updates, and more…

10 Ways to Help Indie Publishers & Booksellers
CLMP
A variety of helpful things you can do to support independent publishers and booksellers.

Kids’ Authors Go Digital
Publishers Weekly
“From storytimes to drawing lessons and online festivals, the work these authors do each day ensures that those who are fortunate to have digital access can discover new worlds.”

Covid-19 Updates: Special Offers, Events and Discounts
Publishers Weekly
“Publishers Weekly is maintaining a listing of special offers, events, and discounts provided in an effort to mitigate the impact of the new coronavirus on the book publishing industry and on related communities.”

These Are the Most Challenged Books, According to the A.L.A.
The New York Times
“Eight of the 10 titles identified in the American Library Association’s annual ranking of the most frequently banned or protested books featured L.G.B.T.Q. subject matter.”

Federal Appeals Court Declares Literacy a Constitutional Right
Publishers Weekly
“In a potential landmark ruling, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals held this week that access to a basic minimum education ‘that can plausibly impart literacy’ is a fundamental, Constitutionally protected right.”

The 10 Types of Readers You Meet During a Quarantine
The Washington Post
“From escapist fantasy fans to romance enthusiasts, readers are turning to a variety of books while stuck at home.”

The Federalist Publisher’s Tweet Was Unlawful: NLRB Judge
Bloomberg Law
“The publisher of conservative online magazine The Federalist broke federal labor laws when he tweeted last year that he’d send employees ‘back to the salt mine’ if they tried to unionize, a National Labor Relations Board administrative judge decided.”

What Do Letters Reveal About the Creative Mind?
The New York Times
“In an age of oversharing and auto-fiction, reading a person’s correspondence still offers the best window into how a literary self is formed.”

Special Analysis: Explicit Press Protections in State and Territorial Emergency Laws
Reporters Committee
“If misused, emergency public health powers could come into conflict with the newsgathering rights of journalists. Fortunately, many states, though far from all, have passed laws that explicitly protect the news media.”