Starting this week, the team here at the Big Bad Book Blog is pleased to introduce its readers to a new weekly feature for your elucidation, pleasure and occasional head-scratching: the Big Bad Link Roundup. Each week we will compile a short list of notable happenings in the world of books and publishing.

For the week of March 16th – 20th:

• Sony and Google are partnering up with a digital book agreement in order to take on their rival Amazon.com.
• Stacey’s, the largest independent bookstore in San Francisco, closed.
• Both the Publishing Triangle and the Lambda Literary Awards have released their list of finalists for this year’s awards for glbt books.
• Author James Purdy, who wrote Malcolm, In a Shallow Grave, Garments and other such “darkly comedic” fiction that exposes a frankly sinister side of America, died at age 94.
• Harlequin, the leader of romance publishing, has announced that they are introducing a young adult line called Harlequin Teen.
• Amazon.com, makers of the popular e-reader Kindle, is being sued by Discovery Communications over claims of patent infringement.
• The longlist has been announced for the Orange Prize award for female fiction writers.
• Wholesale distributor Baker & Taylor are consolidating their book warehousing, closing a site in California and moving key operations to Indianapolis.
• Millard Kaufman, co-creator of Mr. Magoo, writer of multiple Oscar-nominated screenplays and the novel Bowl of Cherries died at age 92.

Be sure to let us know of any news we might have missed. Have a great weekend, all!