Industry & Advocacy News

What Authors Need to Know About the Baker & Taylor Closure and How It Affects Library Access to Your Book

The Publishing Industry

December 4, 2025

• Share
• on Twitter (opens in a new tab)
• on Facebook (opens in a new tab)
• on Linkedin (opens in a new tab)
• via email

According to multiple reports, Baker & Taylor, the nation’s largest distributor of books and other media to public and academic libraries, is shutting down operations and will fully close by the beginning of 2026. B&T had been in advanced discussions to sell its assets to ReaderLink Distribution Services, but the deal collapsed in late September. The company reportedly has already laid off hundreds of employees from its North Carolina headquarters and Illinois distribution center.

B&T has long been a fixture of the publishing industry. Founded in 1828, it positions itself as “the largest supplier of library content, software and services to public and academic libraries in the U.S.” and also provides “sales, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution support to small and mid-sized publishers.” It reportedly serves more than 4,000 institutional customers and is estimated to hold between two-thirds and three-quarters of the library distribution market. As a result, observers are predicting the closure will be an “extraordinarily disruptive event” as libraries will have to quickly find other suppliers and publishers may lose inventory held in B&T warehouses. This will likely mean longer wait times for library patrons, particularly for new and popular books.

What Does This Mean for Authors (and Their Readers)?

Baker & Taylor’s closure has already caused problems for authors—especially those who depended on libraries or smaller distribution channels to reach readers.

Here’s how the process has typically worked: When a new book is released, the publisher ensures it’s listed with large distributors like B&T. Libraries place bulk orders through these distributors, who provide “shelf-ready” support—cataloging, labeling, and often shipping directly to libraries, allowing those books to be quickly added and offered to patrons. For authors, this streamlined process meant new releases could reliably reach library shelves, gaining discoverability as patrons browse new offerings.

Now, some libraries are scrambling to find new suppliers, small presses are negotiating alternative distributors, and cataloging is sometimes delayed as libraries adjust. As a result, authors have reported late or missing royalty payments, uncertainty about how many libraries have received their books, and fewer opportunities for readers to discover them in person.

Although the closure means changes for authors, libraries remain committed to bringing a wide variety of books to their patrons, and suppliers are finding ways to fill B&T’s role. Other companies with library businesses, including Ingram, Brodart, and Amazon (which recently launched a business hub for libraries), will undoubtedly try to step in to fill the market gap. Ingram has reported that it is increasing stock across its distribution centers and investing in “better onboarding, smarter metadata, and tailored solutions to help libraries serve their communities — and help publishers connect their books with readers.”

We have to keep in mind that given B&T’s outsized role in the marketplace, efforts like these will take time, and some suppliers may not yet have the inventory to ramp up their sales right away. This is especially true because B&T’s collapse apparently occurred without much advance warning.

What Can Authors Do?

To ensure continued library visibility and financial stability, you can:

• Contact your publisher and ask whether any of your book orders have been delayed or lost, if your royalties are at risk, and what’s happening with unsold inventory affected by the Baker & Taylor closure. Ideally, your publisher is rerouting orders, securing payments, and ensuring your books remain available to libraries and readers.
• Confirm with publishers that your books are available through alternate library suppliers such as Ingram or Bookazine. Make sure your metadata and ordering details are current for these distributors; this helps new library partners easily find and order your books.
• For self-published authors, review your book’s metadata and distribution channels to ensure your titles remain visible and accessible for library purchase. Prioritize alternatives like IngramSpark for print distribution and Draft2Digital or PublishDrive for ebooks, as libraries and publishers increasingly rely on these services to fill the gap. Consider directly contacting libraries to inform them about their work, since most institutions continue to purchase through remaining wholesalers like Ingram.

Although Baker & Taylor’s library services division is closing at year’s end, the company is actively seeking a buyer for its publisher services division, which includes the Paw Prints and CamCat imprints. If a buyer is found, your contracts will transfer to the new owner. If the imprints cease to exist, rights will revert to all affected authors. We’ll continue to update you as we learn more.

The Guild will continue to monitor the situation and will provide further updates as we learn more information. Sign up for our free newsletter here to get the latest updates (if you’re a Guild member, you receive our newsletter automatically).