(31 Oct 2025) After nearly 200 years of serving libraries and publishers, book distributor Baker & Taylor (B&T) is preparing to close its doors. Despite attempts to sustain operations and fulfill existing contracts, the company has begun a gradual shutdown amid ongoing financial strain.
Multiple reports, including from Publishers Weekly and Illinois-based Shaw Local, as well as posts from former employees on social media, indicate that B&T is in the process of ceasing operations. While the company has not yet issued an official statement, it has reportedly begun closing parts of its business, including its distribution center in Momence, Illinois, and parts of its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. Employees have been told that all remaining operations are expected to end by late 2025.
The decision follows the collapse of a planned sale to ReaderLink Distribution Services, which had signed a letter of intent in early September to acquire B&T’s assets. That deal was expected to close later in the month but fell through on the scheduled closing day. Without a buyer and under pressure from its main lender, CIT Northbridge Credit LLC, B&T’s leadership reportedly determined that winding down the business was the only remaining option.
The shutdown also highlights the economic pressures facing the library book trade: thin profit margins, high operational costs, and the steady rise of ebook platforms such as OverDrive, which continue to capture a larger share of library budgets. B&T’s own digital platform, Boundless, launched in 2023, struggled to gain traction.
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