diff --git a/config/settings/base.py b/config/settings/base.py
index b55bd83..4e4bdfa 100644
--- a/config/settings/base.py
+++ b/config/settings/base.py
@@ -335,6 +335,11 @@
     True,
 )
 
+NOTIFY_BOOKS = DynamicSetting(
+    "core.GrumpySettings.notify_books",
+    False,
+)
+
 PASSWORD_MIN_LENGTH = DynamicSetting(
     "core.GrumpySettings.password_min_length",
     8,
diff --git a/grumpy/books/views.py b/grumpy/books/views.py
index 540d41b..88f1f31 100644
--- a/grumpy/books/views.py
+++ b/grumpy/books/views.py
@@ -1,11 +1,17 @@
+import copy
 import logging
 
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib import messages
 from django.contrib.auth.mixins import LoginRequiredMixin, UserPassesTestMixin
+from django.contrib.sites.shortcuts import get_current_site
+from django.core.mail import mail_managers
 from django.views.generic.edit import CreateView, DeleteView, UpdateView
 from django.views.generic.list import ListView
 from django.urls import reverse_lazy
 
+from allauth.account.adapter import get_adapter
+
 from grumpy.core.utils import is_error
 from grumpy.books.forms import BookForm
 from grumpy.books.models import Book
@@ -13,6 +19,13 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+def notify(request, subject, message):
+    adapter = get_adapter(request)
+    subject = adapter.format_email_subject(subject)
+    message = f"{message} [{get_current_site(request)}]"
+    mail_managers(subject, message, fail_silently=True)
+
+
 class BookListView(LoginRequiredMixin, ListView):
     model = Book
     fields = [
@@ -49,6 +62,14 @@ def form_valid(self, form):
             messages.add_message(
                 self.request, messages.SUCCESS, f'Successfully added "{self.object}".'
             )
+
+            if settings.NOTIFY_BOOKS:
+                notify(
+                    self.request,
+                    "new book created",
+                    f"User {current_user} created a new book: {self.object.id}.",
+                )
+
         return response
 
     def test_func(self):
@@ -104,9 +125,20 @@ def test_func(self):
         return user_can_delete_book
 
     def form_valid(self, form):
+        deleted_book = copy.copy(
+            self.object
+        )  # shallow copy to refer to book details after it's been deleted
         response = super().form_valid(form)
         if not is_error(response.status_code):
             messages.add_message(
                 self.request, messages.SUCCESS, f'Successfully deleted "{self.object}".'
             )
+
+            if settings.NOTIFY_BOOKS:
+                notify(
+                    self.request,
+                    "book deleted",
+                    f"User {self.request.user} deleted a book: {deleted_book.id}.",
+                )
+
         return response
diff --git a/grumpy/core/admin/admin_settings.py b/grumpy/core/admin/admin_settings.py
index 1036c70..7b4890b 100644
--- a/grumpy/core/admin/admin_settings.py
+++ b/grumpy/core/admin/admin_settings.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ class GrumpySettingsAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
         "allow_signup",
         "require_approval",
         "notify_signups",
+        "notify_books",
         "password_min_length",
         "password_max_length",
         "password_strength",
diff --git a/grumpy/core/migrations/0005_grumpysettings_notify_books.py b/grumpy/core/migrations/0005_grumpysettings_notify_books.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b82a1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/grumpy/core/migrations/0005_grumpysettings_notify_books.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Generated by Django 5.2.7 on 2026-08-14 09:10
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("core", "0004_grumpysettings_notify_signups"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="grumpysettings",
+            name="notify_books",
+            field=models.BooleanField(
+                default=False,
+                help_text="Notify managers when a book is added or deleted.",
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/grumpy/core/models/models_settings.py b/grumpy/core/models/models_settings.py
index 5477b15..433cb1e 100644
--- a/grumpy/core/models/models_settings.py
+++ b/grumpy/core/models/models_settings.py
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ class Meta:
         help_text=_("Notify managers when a new user signs up."),
     )
 
+    notify_books = models.BooleanField(
+        default=False,
+        help_text=_("Notify managers when a book is added or deleted."),
+    )
+
     password_min_length = models.PositiveIntegerField(
         default=6, help_text=_("Minimum length of a user password")
     )