Issaquah, Wash.

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), selected five books as finalists for the 2013 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults, which honors the best nonfiction books written for young adults between Nov. 1, 2011 and Oct. 31, 2012. YALSA will name the 2013 award winner at the Youth Media Awards at 7:45 a.m. on Jan. 28, in Seattle during the American Library Association’s Midwinter Meeting.

Barnes & Noble announced that all previous records for pre-ordered books have been broken with J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” with less than 100 days to go before the July 21 publication date. Barnes & Noble has taken more than 500,000 pre-orders and expects this number to surpass one million. The book has also been ranked No. 1 on BN.com since it become available for pre-order on Feb. 1. Barnes and Noble has launched a “Waiting for Harry” book club trying to capitalize on the hype. Not to be outdone, Amazon.com announced it is looking for the “Harry-est Town” in

Offshore sourcing is becoming increasingly popular among publishers who are looking to get cost-effective, quality printing and other publishing services. Forty percent of book publishers said they had worked with an overseas printer in the past year, according to a July 2006 study by the market-trend research company TrendWatch Graphic Arts. Yet, as they say, buyer beware. Global sourcing has its advantages as well as its pitfalls. To successfully navigate an offshore partnership, experienced publishers and printers offer these 15 tips. 1. Research a reputable partner. Do your research to find the largest and most reputable printers available. Tad Crawford, president and publisher,

The acquisition of Sterling Publishing by Barnes & Noble led two major retailers to terminate their relationship with the niche book publisher. Costco Inc. and Borders Group Inc. stopped carrying titles published by Sterling. They say Sterling's purchase by bookseller Barnes & Noble transformed the publisher from vendor to competitor. Barnes & Noble acquired New York-based Sterling for $110 million in December. "We had a good relationship with Sterling, one that worked well for both companies," says Jenie Carlen, public relations manager with Borders Group Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich. "However, there is a fundamental business conflict. Barnes & Noble is a competitor.