AGP Executive Report

Supreme Court & Citizenship: The Court struck down President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship, ruling the Constitution guarantees citizenship for children born to parents unlawfully or temporarily present. Publishing & Sales: Trump’s nonfiction book “Regime Change” is reported to have sold 300,000 copies in its first week, defying a typical slump for political titles. New Fiction: Haruki Murakami released “The Tale of Kaho,” his first full-length novel in three years, with a 250,000-copy first print run and an e-book edition. Kids’ Books & Confidence: Neera K. Badhwar’s “Kali the Elephant Learns from Socrates the Philosopher” tackles teasing with humor and resilience. Book World & Freedom: Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee, seized by Chinese authorities in 2015, died in Taiwan at 70. Education & Textbooks: Odisha will withdraw and replace flawed 2026–27 textbooks for classes 1–8 after public backlash over errors. Local Author News: Hancock County author Eddie Price released historical novel “The Crucible of Wrath.” Tech & Live Music: A Sydney booking agency apologized after an AI-generated artist appeared on a live lineup without clear disclosure.

Texas History & Politics: Journalist David Griscom’s The Myth of Red Texas revisits the state’s radical past, challenging the idea that conservatism has always been “baked in.” America 250 Reading & Community: An Arlington Historical Society keepsake, the VA250 History Chronicle, packages 70 years of local history into a 32-page chronicle, while a separate opinion letter to two nieces confronts the nation’s founding ideals alongside slavery and sexism. Publishing & AI in the Enterprise: Anthropic expands Claude Desktop for AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Foundry, letting companies run chat and coding tools with centralized IT controls. Books in the Real World: A 1938 first edition of The Hobbit was donated to Oxfam and sold for £38k; the Jiangsu Book Fair spotlights children’s reading and health/AI-themed activities. Local Author Events: Left Bank Books hosts Marilyn Rockefeller and Susan Conley in Belfast for Time is the Substance; Whitefield Library brings illustrator Kevin Hawkes for summer reading. Fiction & Adaptations: Netflix’s Enola Holmes 3 jumps to the top of streaming charts, based on Nancy Springer’s books.

Libraries & Civic Storytelling: Illinois Humanities kicked off “Illinois Voices 250,” a statewide StoryCorps-style project inviting residents across all 102 counties to record everyday stories tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary. AI & Publishing/Creatives: Australian creatives, led by APRA AMCOS, urged Parliament to enforce copyright rules after claims artists’ work was used to train AI without consent. AI in the Real World: A New Zealand reporter says a two-month AI reporting project changed her view from “AI slop” to a practical workflow tool. Book Culture & Community: Sharjah’s “Library for Every Home” was highlighted at a world library conference, touting millions of books delivered to families. Books & Learning: A new children’s book launch story highlights how one South African security guard turned hardship into writing for his son. Science Books & Curiosity: Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb was named to lead the White House’s UAP advisory council, keeping the debate about alien traces front and center. Book Reviews: Ecco’s “Wisdom Corner” gets a thriller-focused review, while “Griefdogg” is praised for its tricky, rewarding narrative. Local Events: Malton Roman Festival returns with authors Terry Deary and Lindsey Davis as special guests.

AI in Science: Anthropic and NVIDIA are pushing Claude Science and BioNeMo agent tools deeper into research workflows, with a big emphasis on auditable, reproducible outputs and human control. Publishing & Access: Libraries Connected won £65,770 from Arts Council England to improve how public libraries and independent publishers work together on e-books, aiming to close access gaps. Book Retail News: A new romantasy-focused shop, Bad Girl Books, is set to open in Oxford with a dedicated range of about 2,000 titles plus special editions and author visits. Reading for Students: Malaysia’s RM100 MADANI Book Voucher Programme 2026 is rolling out, helping secondary students buy exam reference books and other reading materials. Book Events: Frostburg’s “Pirates Ahoy!” on July 8 will feature author-illustrator Matt James reading Nicola Winstanley’s The Pirate’s Bed and doing a drawing demo. New Releases: emaqi Premium launched in the US and Canada, offering 400+ manga series and 2,000+ volumes from 10+ publishers.

AI Copyright Clash: Australian authors and artists say big tech is scraping their books and art to train models without permission, calling it “copyright crime” and urging royalties instead of exemptions. Local Book Culture: Tulsa’s new Palomino Books & Music opens July 1 with a curated mix of Indigenous-language and community-focused titles, plus used books to keep reading accessible. Library Funding Fight: Spokane County Library District is asking voters for a property tax levy increase to avoid cutting services, including the possible closure of a library location. Royal Reading Backlash: Queen Camilla’s photo meeting J.K. Rowling at Holyrood Palace sparks online fury during Pride Month, reigniting debate over Rowling’s past comments. New Releases & Reviews: Netflix’s Enola Holmes 3 review highlights a fast, twisty plot as Enola searches for Sherlock. Courtroom Update: E. Jean Carroll asks a judge to order Trump to pay nearly $5.8M after a Supreme Court appeal fails. Publishing/Business: North Carolina’s Cedars Lodge & Spa condo project moves into receivership, with implications for the development’s future.

Supreme Court Sports Ruling: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld state laws barring biological males from girls’ sports, affirming Idaho and West Virginia’s approach to Title IX and equal protection. Faith & Publishing: Penguin Random House is launching a Christian imprint in the UK, with commissioning editor Charisa Gunasekera at the center of the push. Royal Books Moment: Queen Camilla met JK Rowling at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, spotlighting access to books for children. Christian Creator Pivot: A tarot influencer with nearly 1 million followers says she became Christian, deleted tarot content, and is shifting her platform toward faith. Library Pride Backlash: A Pennsylvania library removed a Pride Month children’s display after officials’ request, reigniting debate over what belongs in kids’ rooms. Trade Policy Pressure: UK publishing groups urged an urgent EU customs-duty exemption for books and print media as new €3 tariffs begin July 1. New Releases: Kirk Ward Robinson’s The Family Speaks is out, and queer readers got fresh Pride picks from Salt Lake Community College staff.

Supreme Court & Publishing: New financial disclosures show justices earned at least $2M from book publishers, with Sonia Sotomayor also reporting free concert tickets from Bad Bunny’s label. Romance-to-Screen: Amazon MGM Studios is adapting Ali Hazelwood’s “Love, Theoretically,” with Sofia Alvarez directing and Hazelwood and Colleen Hoover producing. AI & Trust in Search: Richard Nasser’s DOI-backed “AI Visibility Research Stack” argues high-trust businesses need “proof-based visibility” as answer engines summarize and recommend. Climate & Health: A new report frames heat as a gendered climate disaster, tracing how colonial-era medical anxiety shaped public health views of women’s bodies under extreme heat. Books & Community: Dua Lipa is opening a physical library of banned and censored books in Portugal, while local events spotlight independent authors and comic creators. Sports Culture: Paraguay’s Orlando Gill stars in a World Cup upset over Germany, turning the match into a penalty-shootout story fans will quote for years.

Connect250 & StoryCorps: As the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary, StoryCorps and NPR’s Morning Edition are launching Connect250, pairing strangers for recorded conversations that will be archived at the Library of Congress. Race & the anniversary story: Eddie Glaude Jr.’s new book, America, U.S.A., argues that each major “America 250” celebration has avoided the nation’s darker racial truths. Book culture in schools: West Valley High School in California will require parent opt-in for two extracurricular book-club titles, Nic Stone’s Dear Martin and Cherie Dimaline’s The Marrow Thieves. Publishing & market signals: The UK print market is forecast to lose volume but gain value as prices rise, while e-books look steadier. Author spotlight: Emily Giffin will debut Love You More at the Atlanta History Center. Literary awards: The Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction shortlist is out, with the winner set for Oct. 21. Kids’ reading push: Galleria Dallas and Catch Up & Read are rolling out a July exhibit and storytimes to help early readers.

AI & Bias in Books/Publishing: A new Israeli study says generative AI can reproduce hidden Jewish stereotypes even without overt antisemitic output, using fictional-biography tests across models like ChatGPT and DeepSeek. Censorship & Academic Publishing: Việt Nam orders universities to report whether a controversial Hồ Chí Minh-related book author is invited to teach or speak, after recalls, fines, and a publisher suspension—another warning shot for alternative history. Local Libraries Under Pressure: Rural libraries say FCC decisions are hurting access to tech and services, even as volunteers highlight how Wi‑Fi, devices, and STEAM programs keep communities connected. Community Book Culture: Chiang Mai’s 2026 book fair returns with 210+ publishers and kids’ storytelling and illustration contests. Book Events & Authors: A local NI writer launches a literary agency to back emerging academics and fiction; a Kentucky author celebrates a children’s release tied to her son’s memory. Free RPG Day Buzz: One store reports a big Free RPG Day turnout, boosted by a Yu‑Gi‑Oh! Chaos Origins premiere event.

Local Politics & Libraries: A co-founder of Meridian’s “Concerned Citizens” group that tried to dissolve the Meridian Library District has filed to run for mayor, reigniting debate over library access to sexual material and the district’s governance. Court Reporting Standards: Nigeria’s NAJUC Abuja chair Olakunle Olasanmi urged accurate, factual court coverage ahead of the 2027 elections, promising to push out fake-news and unaccredited court reporters. Publishing & Faith Content: Malaysia’s JAKIM warned publishers to vet religious books containing Quranic and hadis texts, after controversy over alleged inaccuracies in a religious title. Literary Events: Left Bank Books in Belfast hosts Cassandra Neyenesch in conversation with Jessica Berger Gross; Long Beach and San Pedro also spotlight a Japanese American family memoir, “Unbreakable,” with author and community programming. AI & Reading Culture: A new wave of AI-generated book knockoffs targeting authors’ work is reported, alongside fresh discussion of how AI should be used carefully rather than blindly. Classics & Discovery: The Vesuvius Challenge says digital unrolling of Herculaneum papyri has produced near-complete reading and new Philodemus texts.

BookTok literary tourism: A new travel trend is turning books into itineraries, with Skyscanner reporting a big rise in trips inspired by literature and growing interest in “library” stops. Backlist books get a second life: A 1983 children’s title, The Weighty Word Book, is surging after a TikTok revival, pushing UNM Press to ramp up printing through multiple vendors to meet demand. Academic integrity under pressure: Brown University faces an AI-cheating scandal after a professor says at least 50 students cheated on a midterm, warning that integrity is at risk. Publishing & culture: Maggie O’Farrell’s Land draws on her ancestor’s Irish mapping work, while Christina Baker Kline’s The Foursome retells the conjoined twins’ story through their marriages. Local politics and classrooms: Idaho’s school board book review fight shows how national culture-war politics can land in local decisions. Sports + books crossover: Harry Kane set a new World Cup scoring record, adding to the week’s steady stream of sports-to-story momentum.

AI Copyright Fight: A Sony Music v. Suno copyright case heads toward a July summary-judgment hearing in Boston, while Hagens Berman—fresh off a $260B tobacco settlement—has joined independent-artist lawsuits against Suno and Udio. Publishing & Censorship: Springer Nature, despite its Ukraine stance, is still distributing about 200 Russian scientific journals via a translation partner, drawing renewed scrutiny over links to sanctioned institutions and Kremlin narratives. Book Industry & Tech: Accenture’s lowered revenue growth guidance is rattling the global IT services mood, with analysts warning it could hit order books and deal pipelines for publishers and tech-adjacent firms. Books & Community: Vroman’s hosts Jeremy Atherton Lin discussing Deep House, a queer memoir braided with U.S. marriage and immigration history. Local Book Culture: A rare-volume Idaho shop highlights a new antiquarian acquisition, while libraries across the U.S. keep pushing summer reading and author events. Education Policy: Texas finalizes a Bible-infused required reading list, reigniting church-state debate.

Abortion Law Scrutiny: Ireland’s Oireachtas debate over Sinn Féin’s bill to scrap the three-day wait for abortion is splitting lawmakers on whether to add more review before it becomes law. Publishing & Books: A new middle grade novel from Tiffany D. Jackson, Ghost in the Night, is set for August and draws on her own ghost-tour experience in Savannah. AI & Medicine: Researchers report in Science that AI can design new proteins for potential vaccines and cancer treatments. Libraries & Community: A Wisconsin historical fiction novel, The River Between Us, takes inspiration from the Hay River and local Indigenous histories. Meta Memoir Lawsuit: A former Meta executive sues the company, alleging it tried to silence her memoir Careless People via arbitration and surveillance. Education Policy: The U.S. Education Department withdraws from a discipline-disparities agreement for Native students in South Dakota, citing a shift away from DEI-based interpretations. Local Book Culture: A library adult book fair in Miles City plans used-book sales plus “collage” and book-and-bakery events.

AI Copyright Fight: More than 100 authors sue Anthropic, alleging it used pirated books to train Claude, as courts begin drawing lines on how copyrighted text can be used for AI. Inclusive Religion Launch: Samadarshini, a new initiative promoting an anti-caste, feminist, democratic Hinduism, launched June 24 with a steering committee spanning scholars and community leaders. New Adult Fiction: American Girl is expanding into adult novels with Fiona Davis’s “Samantha: The Next Chapter,” debuting Oct. 13, 2026, as Samantha investigates a stolen inheritance. Community Reading Access: Freedom Reads holds a national Inside Literary Prize event inside a Minnesota correctional facility, connecting incarcerated readers with major literary conversations. Local Literacy Boost: Mat-Su’s shuttered school books are getting a second life through Bright Lights’ summer program. Book Talk & Workshops: St. Tammany Parish Library brings author Joy E. Rancatore for a summer writing workshop for adult patrons. Gardening Pick: Vermont author Charlie Nardozzi’s “Continuous Vegetable Gardening” spotlights no-till, continuous harvest methods. Graphic Novel Spotlight: Tillie Walden’s “Charity & Sylvia” reframes queer history as a community’s slow acceptance, set in 19th-century rural Vermont.

Government Access & Transparency: Florida’s Department of Government Efficiency has been granted direct access to Cape Coral’s computer systems to pull local financial and personnel information, with the city saying it’s adding the provided data to its website. Community & Craft: A southeast Idaho entrepreneur launched Elite Seats Luxury Bathroom Trailer to solve restroom problems for weddings and events, after running into tariff and storage hurdles. Literary Spotlight (Queer Gothic): Christopher Conner discusses how gothic fiction became refuge and how his visibility-focused work spans web series and novels, with a sequel planned. Publishing & Rights: A former Meta executive sued to overturn an arbitration order that bars her from promoting her memoir “Careless People,” arguing the non-disparagement deal was signed under duress. Culture & Debate: A South African writer’s “apartheid arithmetic” essay argues municipal systems still deny property rights by treating informal multi-household land as one ratepayer. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Netflix’s “I Will Find You” is framed as a high-stakes binge built from Harlan Coben’s novel. Local Reading Life: South Dakota’s “One Book South Dakota” program spotlights “A Biography of a Mountain” author Matthew Davis on Mount Rushmore history. AI & Professional Rules: The IRS reminds tax pros that AI can assist but doesn’t replace professional judgment under Circular 230. Book Bans Fight: Mississippi’s Supreme Court declined to review a case involving an assistant principal fired for reading “I Need a New Butt!”

Housing & Publishing Policy: The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act cleared Congress with rare bipartisan support, but Trump postponed signing and is tying it to the SAVE America Act—an uncertainty that could ripple through homebuilding, local permitting, and the broader book-and-library ecosystem that depends on stable community budgets. Book Bans & Library Access: Massachusetts lawmakers advanced a bill to safeguard libraries from book bans, giving school librarians primary authority and requiring age-appropriate, professionally guided review processes. Children’s Books & Community Events: A new picture book, “The City Was Never More Alive,” turns New York’s basketball championship into a read-aloud keepsake, while the JCS Book Mobile brought author-illustrator Jessica Bowdon’s work to summer readers. Awards & LGBTQ+ Literature: “Love Is For All Of Us” won a Nautilus gold medal for poetry, spotlighting tenderness and belonging from the LGBTQ+ community. Author News: Jane Yolen, a towering force in children’s literature, has died at 87. Tech/Workplace Reading Adjacent: OffiGo published a standing-desk storage guide aimed at helping buyers evaluate real-world usability.