Follett Announces Sale of Baker & Taylor

Follett Corp. has sold book and digital content distributor Baker & Taylor, which will now operate as a separate, privately owned entity. The company was sold to a private investment group led by Amandeep Kochar, who previously served as general manager and executive vice president of Baker & Taylor.

Follett had acquired Baker & Taylor in April 2016., and the company offered no explanation for the divestiture, which comes just two months after the divestiture of its K–12 School Solutions Division. However, both Follett and Baker & Taylor indicated they expect a seamless transition for customers.

"Working together on a thoughtful transition, both Baker & Taylor and Follett Corporation are committed to ensuring this change is seamless for our customers, partners and team members," Kochar said.

"This is a pivotal and exciting time for Baker & Taylor. As an independent entity, we look forward to leading with our expertise and legacy and advancing our technology-based services and products," Kochar said.

Kochar will serve as president and CEO of Baker & Taylor. The rest of the management team will also be remaining in place. Related businesses will also be going with Baker & Taylor following the sale, including "Baker & Taylor Publisher Services, collectionHQ, Baker & Taylor UK and [Australian subsidiary] James Bennett," according to the companies.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • a glowing gaming controller, a digital tree structure, and an open book

    Report: Use of Game Engines Expands Beyond Gaming

    Game development technology is increasingly being utilized beyond its traditional gaming roots, according to the recently released annual "State of Game Development" report from development and DevOps solutions provider Perforce Software.

  • abstract representation of equity at the core of AI

    Why Equity Must Be a Core Part of the Conversation About AI

    AI is an immensely powerful tool that can provide customized support for students with diverse learning needs, tailoring educational experiences to meet student’s individual needs more effectively. However, significant disparities in AI access and digital literacy skills prevent many of these same students from fully leveraging its benefits.

  • Man wearing headset working on a computer

    Internet2: Network Routing Security and RPKI Adoption in Research and Education

    We ask James Deaton, vice president of network services, about Internet2's initiatives and leadership efforts to promote routing security and RPKI adoption in research and higher education networks.

  • network of transparent cloud icons, each containing a security symbol like a lock or shield

    Okta, OpenID Foundation Propose New Identity Security Standard

    Okta and the OpenID Foundation have announced the formation of the IPSIE Working Group — with the acronym standing for Interoperability Profiling for Secure Identity in the Enterprise — dedicated to a new identity security standard for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications.