Latest from The Bookseller

PRH to launch Penguin-branded consumer site Penguin Random House UK is to launch a multi-million pound Penguin-branded consumer website in the second half of this year, but chief executive Tom Weldon reiterated the company's view that it had no plans to become a retailer, claiming that it would be "quicker for PRH to burn the money".

Rakuten to buy OverDrive for £275m Japanese e-commerce company Rakuten is to buy OverDrive, which provides an e-book library lending platform, for $410m (£275m) in cash. The move will help Rakuten to expand into "new market segments". OverDrive is a distribution platform which supplies e-books, audiobooks, music and streaming video to 30,000 libraries, schools and retailers across the world. Rakuten Inc will fully acquire OverDrive Holdings, Inc, in a deal that is expected to close in April this year.

All libraries in England to get wi-fi funding The government will provide funding to give wi-fi access to all public libraries across England, chanceller George Osborne revealed yesterday (18th March) is his pre-election budget speech. The budget document said that £7.4m would be provided to fund wi-fi.

Blink to publish Professor Green Blink Publishing has acquired the autobiography of musician Professor Green. The book, Lucky, will be accompanied by “a ground-breaking app full of additional content and exclusive videos”, said the publisher. Acquisitions director Clare Tillyer bought world rights, excluding America, to Lucky in a “hotly contested auction” from Jon Elek at United Agents. Professor Green, real name Stephen Manderson, is a rapper and is married to "Made in Chelsea" star Millie Mackintosh.

UK leads LBF International Excellence Awards nominations The UK is leading the nominations in the shortlists for the London Book Fair International Excellence Awards 2015, followed by the US and China.

American publishers now 'less defensive, more optimistic' The Association of American Publishers held its half-day annual meeting at a new venue - Scholastic’s Soho headquarters in New York- on Wednesday, 18th March. Several big names were on the roster, including New York Times opinion columnist David Brooks.

Knockabout to publish Alan Moore's Jerusalem Alan Moore's million-word novel Jerusalem will be published next year by Knockabout Comics. The writer, best known for his graphic novels such as Watchmen (Titan) and V for Vendetta (DC), has been working on the epic novel since 2008. It is now set for release in autumn 2016 by Knockabout, with Liveright, an imprint of WW Norton, publishing in the US.

Parragon expands Disney franchise in US Bath-based Parragon is expanding its Disney franchise, including books based on the Frozen and Disney Princess brands, into North America. “Parragon has been offering Disney content through their publishing programs in many international territories, but to date our presence in North America has been limited,” said Paul Gregory, president of Parragon Publishing.

Google tax confirmed while Corporation Tax slashed to 20% Companies like Amazon and Google which move their profits overseas  will be charged a “diverted profits tax” the Chancellor confirmed this afternoon (18th March).

Orion buys 'online guide' by YouTuber KSI Orion has bought a comedy guide to the online universe by YouTuber KSI. Publishing director Anna Valentine bought UK and Commonwealth rights to KSI: I Am a Bell-End from Gordon Wise at Curtis Brown, acting on behalf of Liam Chivers at OP Talent. KSI – real name Olajide Olatunji – has more than 12m subscribers across his two YouTube channels.

Little, Brown acquires riot debut Little, Brown has acquired a debut novel about seven characters who take part in a protest which turns into a riot. Commissioning editor Ailah Ahmed bought UK and Commonwealth rights to Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa from Janklow & Nesbit, US. It is Ahmed's first acquisition since joining Little, Brown.

Dual language Elmer books from Turnaround Book distributor Turnaround is publishing 10 dual language board books based on David McKee’s Elmer the elephant character, under licence from Andersen Press. The books, which are sold in the UK and Ireland and cost £5.99, are all printed in English and either Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Italian, Polish, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu or Vietnamese. Turnaround said the range marks a “step forward in cross-cultural communications”.