PINE BROOK, N.J., Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A.J. Willner Auctions will conduct a major liquidation auction of approximately 700,000 Spanish-language and bilingual books from Lectorum Publications, the largest and longest-running Spanish-language book distributor in the United States. The company is closing its doors after more than 60 years in business, citing dramatic federal funding changes that devastated sales throughout 2024.
Lectorum president and CEO Alex Correa told Publishers Weekly that the company’s downfall was driven by a sudden and severe shift in federal school funding—specifically, changes to Title I allocations, which historically enabled schools to purchase Spanish-language reading materials for bilingual and ESL programs.
“The most critical factor for us was the shift in federal funding policies for schools, in particular regarding Title I funds, intended in part for purchases of books in Spanish,” Correa said.
“Our sales were impacted by 30% during the year, which is hard on an industry that already works with thin margins.”
For decades, Lectorum was a cornerstone supplier to educational institutions across the U.S. In previous years, schools accounted for roughly 60% of the company’s business, and children’s books for grades K–8 represented 70–75% of total sales. After the pandemic, the company’s revenue stabilized at roughly $12 million annually, but the sudden policy shift and corresponding drop in school purchasing proved unsustainable.
With school budgets redirected and Spanish-language book allocations curtailed, Lectorum experienced an unprecedented collapse in demand—forcing the company to wind down operations and liquidate its inventory.
Auction Details
- Auctioneer: A.J. Willner Auctions
- Inventory: Approx. 700,000 Spanish-language & bilingual books
- Categories: K–8 children’s literature, award-winning titles, classroom sets, library editions, trade books, bilingual readers, and more
- Location: Pine Brook, NJ
- Timed Online Auction Ends: Dec 4th, 2025.
A Historic Opportunity for Schools, Libraries, Liquidators & Resellers
For decades, Lectorum has been the leading source of Spanish-language literature for U.S. schools, libraries, bilingual programs, and literacy initiatives. The liquidation represents the single largest offering of Spanish-language educational inventory to hit the U.S. market in years.
Buyers will have access to:
- Pallet lots of new, current-catalog titles
- Children’s bestsellers and bilingual classics
- Classroom sets and guided-reading materials
- Hardcovers, paperbacks, library bindings
- Publisher overstocks, backlist, and deep inventory across all age groups
About Lectorum Publications
Founded more than 60 years ago, Lectorum Publications was the nation’s largest independent distributor of Spanish-language books, serving public schools, dual-language programs, universities, and libraries nationwide. The company also operated as a publisher and produced Spanish-language editions of major U.S. children’s titles.
About A.J. Willner Auctions
A.J. Willner Auctions is a full-service business liquidation firm specializing in commercial inventory, industrial assets, heavy equipment, and specialty collections. With over 100 years of combined experience, the firm serves banks, trustees, attorneys, and private owners throughout the northeastern United States.
CONTACT:
AJ Willner Auctions
Harry Byrnes
(908) 789-9999
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SOURCE AJ Willner Auctions LLC
