Baker & Taylor, one of the largest library book distributors in the country, will close by year’s end, affecting Delaware County libraries, writes Nate File for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The nearly 200-year-old company began shutting down in early October and has already laid off 500 employees.
B&T had been subject to several recent acquisitions, then a proposed September deal to sell the company to another distributor fell through.
Libraries nationwide are suddenly facing cancelled book orders and interrupted services.
Delaware County’s library system relied heavily on B&T overall, though the amount varied from library to library, which operate independently, according to Anny Laepple, director of Delaware County Libraries.
Some branches were already switching distributors because of a noticeable decline in B&T quality since the pandemic, Laepple said. But others had been using B& T for years, “so they are now scrambling to meet the demand for materials,” she said.
B&T also provided other services for some Delaware County library branches, like Mylar covers for new books to extend their lifespan.
They also provide cover art, professional reviews, and other book data for online catalog.
“The closure definitely had far-reaching ripples, not just the books,” Laepple said.
Read more about the impact of B&T’s closing in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
