Blackwell’s continues reorganisation

17 Apr, 2013

Oxford’s historic bookseller Blackwell’s is closing its library division in an effort to get the company back into profit. It is thought that about 55 people will be made redundant.

The bookseller, founded in Oxford in 1879, has already sold its European and African academic library divisions to Dawson Books, Europe’s largest supplier of books for academics and professional libraries.

Blackwell’s says that it will now concentrate on its bookshop business and its digital services to students and academics.

The company has been retrenching for the last few years and is now run once again from its bookshop in Broad Street. It is still a major employer in Oxford with about 500 staff.

Once the company returns to profit the plan is to turn ownership over to its employees along the lines of that of the successful John Lewis retail group.