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ABA, Ingram Announce Strategic Partnership
May 01, 2008 - The American Booksellers Association announced today the formation of a new strategic partnership with Ingram Book Company and Ingram Publisher Services to underwrite bookseller education for the next three years. The new partnership will begin with ABA's Day of Education being held in Hollywood, California, on Thursday, May 29, in conjunction with BookExpo America.
Amazon Sues New York State Over Internet Sales Tax Provision
May 01, 2008 - Amazon.com, LLC, and Amazon Services, LLC, have filed a complaint in the Supreme Court of the State of New York that challenges the Internet Sales Tax provision in the state's budget. In a complaint filed on April 25, Amazon claims that the provision is "unconstitutional" because the statute "requires out-of-state Internet retailers, with no physical presence in New York, to collect sales and use taxes."
Booksellers Summoned in Lawsuit Urged to Take Action
May 01, 2008 - This week, several ABA bookstore members received a summons in a civil action brought by Rev. Herman Douglas, Sr., against Rev. Joel Osteen, his publisher, distributors, and retailers. It is essential that booksellers do not ignore any summonses, subpoenas, or other documents that they receive from Rev. Douglas or anyone purporting to represent him.
Cody's & Kepler's Profiled in PBS Documentary to Premiere at BEA
May 01, 2008 - As part of ABA's Saturday programming at BookExpo America, the association will host a premiere of Paperback Dreams, a documentary that follows the history and struggles of Cody's Books and Kepler's Books. The documentary is expected to air on PBS in fall 2008, and director/producer Alex Beckstead is encouraging booksellers to create events surrounding the film's broadcast. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A discussion.
Around Indie Bookstores
May 01, 2008 - La Casa Azul Launches Online Bookstore; I Love A Mystery Wins 25 Under 25 Award; Old Harbor Hosts John Straley & Upcoming Whale-Watching Cruise; Octavia Books Creates Podcast With Rick Bragg
BTW News Briefs
May 01, 2008 - Emerging Leaders to Meet in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Lise Friedman Named Macmillan Sales Rep; The Winners of the 20th Annual Triangle Awards, Jane Addams Children's Book Awards, and Nebula Awards
Registration for Prospective Booksellers School Closes May 7
May 01, 2008 - Prospective booksellers who are interested in participating in "Opening a Bookstore: Creating Foundations for Success," a school sponsored by the American Booksellers Association and facilitated by Paz & Associates at BookExpo America, must register by Wednesday, May 7. The school program will run from Tuesday afternoon, May 27, through Thursday, May 29, at Hotel ABA, the Renaissance Hollywood, in Los Angeles.
Large-Store Roundtable Added to Day of Education
May 01, 2008 - "What can established stores do to increase sales?" will be the subject of a Large-Store Roundtable recently added to ABA's Day of Education at BookExpo America. The roundtable discussion, which is free to ABA members, is being hosted and moderated by Carla Cohen of Politics & Prose Books & Coffee in Washington, D.C.
Small Number of Rooms Now Available at Hotel ABA
April 30, 2008 - Due to a few recent cancellations, a limited number of rooms are now available at Hotel ABA 2008, The Renaissance Hollywood. Any ABA member bookseller who would like to reserve a room at the special rate of $164 per night should contact ABA as soon as possible. Reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, so ABA is urging interested booksellers to act quickly. To be able to accommodate as many members as possible, ABA is asking anyone with a reservation that is no longer needed to contact the association now.
Materials for Day of Education Sessions Available for Download
April 30, 2008 - Materials related to five of this year's ABA Day of Education sessions at BookExpo America 2008 are currently available to all ABA member booksellers via downloadable PDFs. By next Thursday, May 8, ABA expects to have all of the education session materials, which previously would have been printed and provided in a binder at the show, available to every member bookseller via BookWeb.org.
Four More Indie Favorites to Autograph in ABA Lounge
April 30, 2008 - Twenty-four of independent booksellers' favorite authors are now scheduled to autograph their latest titles in the ABA Lounge exclusively for the bookseller members of the American Booksellers Association at BookExpo America. The latest additions to the schedule are M.J. Rose, Alex Kava, Alan Brennert, and Mark Lecard.
NACS to Launch "4% Challenge" at ABA Day of Education
April 29, 2008 - The National Association of College Stores is offering the "College Store Literary Luncheon" and "The 4% Challenge: Strategies to Increase General Book Sales" in conjunction with ABA's Day of Education on Thursday, May 29, at Hotel ABA.
For Children's Booksellers: Day of Education Sessions, Author Events & More
April 29, 2008 - Children's booksellers can look forward to special programming every day from Wednesday afternoon, May 28, through Saturday, May 31, at BookExpo America 2008. Among the myriad events are an author's tea, a game show for lovers of books for teens and 'tweens, speed dating with children's authors, a traditional children's book and author breakfast, a mostly silent auction, and more. Education sessions for children's booksellers, co-sponsored by the American Booksellers Association and the Association of Booksellers for Children, will be part of the Day of Education at Hotel ABA on Thursday, May 29.
A Preview of African-American Programming at BEA
April 28, 2008 - This year's BookExpo America program for African-American book industry professionals, sponsored by the African-American Booksellers Committee, will be held on Thursday, May 29, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Registration for the program, which is open to all BEA registered attendees, is not required.
May 2 Deadline for Booksellers' Input on ABFFE
April 28, 2008 - This Friday, May 2, is the deadline for independent booksellers to offer a friendly but honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. Booksellers' opinions are being collected via a quick and anonymous online survey.
Correction
April 28, 2008 - Last week's profile of Changing Hands' Gayle Shanks, who is up for approval by ABA membership to serve a one-year term as president, incorrectly stated the size of the store and misidentified the current members of the business' ownership group. Changing Hands, which was founded by Shanks and her husband, Bob Sommer in 1974, is currently 13,000 square feet. In January 2008, Cindy Dach, the store's general manager, became part of Changing Hands' ownership group.
Ed Begley, Jr. to Kick Off ABA Day of Education
April 24, 2008 - Ed Begley, Jr., who has become as well known for his environmental activism as for his acting career, will be the morning's keynote speaker at the American Booksellers Association's Day of Education on Thursday, May 29. Begley is the co-star of the hit HGTV series Living With Ed, a look at the day-to-day realities of "living green," and author of Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life (Clarkson Potter).
ABA to Go Green at BEA
April 24, 2008 - This week, as worldwide celebrations of Earth Day brought added focus to the need for individuals and businesses to lessen their impact on the environment, ABA announced changes that will reduce the carbon footprint of its participation in BEA. In a change that will significantly cut down on the use of paper, and the attendant energy to produce and ship materials, ABA is making all of its education session materials, which previously would have been printed and provided in a binder at the show, available to every member bookseller via BookWeb.org by Thursday, May 8.
New York Budget With Internet Sales Tax Provision Signed Into Law
April 24, 2008 - On April 15, Gov. David Paterson signed into law the Internet Sales Tax provision that requires out-of-state retailers such as Amazon.com to comply with New York State sales tax laws and to collect and remit sales tax on sales to state residents. Though the provision is now in effect, out-of-state retailers not currently collecting sales tax that register with New York State by June 1, 2008, will not be penalized for uncollected sales tax up to that point. New York State has notified the 500 largest online retailers in the state that they need to register and to start collecting sales tax as of June 1.
ABFFE Seeks Booksellers' Opinions via Online Survey
April 24, 2008 - The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression is seeking a friendly but honest assessment of its strengths and weaknesses from the people it was created to serve -- independent booksellers -- via a quick and anonymous online survey. All booksellers are encouraged to complete the survey, which has a deadline of Friday, May 2.
BTW News Briefs
April 24, 2008 - Recession Hitting Chains Hard; Prairie Lights Announces New Ownership Structure; New York Bagels in Alaska Bookstore; Hue-Man in the Movies
Oregon Booksellers to Challenge Censorship Law
April 24, 2008 - On Friday, April 25, six Oregon booksellers will join the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and a coalition of groups in filing a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a new Oregon law that restricts the display and sale of books and magazines, which are protected by the First Amendment. Oregon House Bill 2843 makes it a misdemeanor to allow a minor under 13 to view or purchase a "sexually explicit" work.
First Annual Record Store Day a Hit
April 23, 2008 - On Saturday, April 19, independently owned record stores around the world took part in the first annual Record Store Day, a celebration of the culture of indie record stores and the unique place that they occupy in their local communities and nationally. By all accounts, the day was a huge success.
ABACUS: Easy to Do, Great Benefits
April 23, 2008 - Data gathering for the 2008 ABACUS Survey is now underway via a simple, confidential online form. All ABA member stores are encouraged to participate in the survey, which provides participants with a customized analysis of their business' financial results that can be used to evaluate and improve store performance. As an added bonus, participating stores receive a $50 rebate.
Eat. Shop. Local.
April 23, 2008 - Billed as "indispensable guides to stylishly unique, locally owned eating and shopping," the eat.shop series is a natural for the independent bookstore customer. The guides, created by Kaie Wellman and self-published under her imprint Cabazon Books, have a stand-out, simple design, and highlight about 90 local restaurants and shops in each of 20 city guides. The guides focus, as the name suggests, only on eating and shopping, and only on local venues.
In the Spotlight: Gayle Shanks, Candidate for ABA President
April 23, 2008 - The past year has been a busy one for the ABA Board of Directors, said Vice President Gayle Shanks, who is currently up for approval by membership to serve a one-year term as president starting this June. "We have spent time clarifying our expectations -- what we are as an association, how we can better serve our members, and at what cost. We have redesigned the way we think about strategic planning and adopted a set of goals that guide our decisions." Throughout, Shanks said, the focus has been on helping member stores increase their bottom line.
Doing the ABA Author Lunch?
April 23, 2008 - Booksellers at stores with Book Sense who would like to attend this year's ABA Author Luncheon at BookExpo America must make reservations via an electronic form on BookWeb.org. The event, on Friday, May 30, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, is free and open exclusively to the owners and staff at stores with Book Sense.
Toddlin' Along the Thames
April 23, 2008 - Chuck and Dee Robinson of Village Books in Bellingham, Washington, write about their recent trip to the London Book Fair with 15 other U.S. booksellers. The fair, which appeared at first glance like a smaller version of BookExpo America, was a "little odd" as there weren't many books.... However, the U.S. booksellers shared rich conversations with their U.K. counterparts and had meetings with independent publishers that began like sales calls and ended up being more like cultural exchanges.
Booksellers Forum in New Hampshire Next Week
April 23, 2008 - The last of this spring's nine ABA Booksellers Forum programs will be held next Thursday, May 1, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in conjunction with the New England Independent Booksellers Association. The owners and staff of all ABA and NEIBA member stores are encouraged to attend the event at the Hilton Garden Inn.
ABFFE & PEN American Center Joint Membership Offer Expires May 1
April 22, 2008 - Booksellers who would like to take advantage of a special, limited-time membership offer to join both the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and PEN American Center for just $50, the usual price for ABFFE membership alone, need to sign up by Thursday, May 1.
Great Turnout for Grand Rapids Forum
April 22, 2008 - Close to 60 booksellers attended the ABA Booksellers Forum, held in conjunction with the Great Lakes Booksellers Association on Wednesday, April 16, at Schuler Books & Music in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Following a tour of the bookstore and the well-received education session, "Booksellers at the Tipping Point: Leveraging Localism and Independence to Promote Your Store," forum discussions included shop local efforts, sales tax equity for online purchases, lease renegotiation, the redesign of ABA's Book Sense marketing program, and more.
Evan Handler Shares the Good News -- and the Bad -- of Being Alive
April 22, 2008 - Shortly after Evan Handler learned, at the age of 24, that he had leukemia and a life-expectancy of "not very long," he began making notes about his medical ordeal and other matters of a problematic existence that seemed about to end all too soon. Against all odds, and with the help of a bone-marrow transplant, Handler emerged five years later cancer-free. Now, the 47-year-old actor, known for his roles in Broadway plays and the television series Sex and the City, entertains readers with stories of his various dysfunctional relationships, existential ponderings, thespic successes, screenwriting disappointments, regrets, and rejoicings in It's Only Temporary: The Good News and the Bad News of Being Alive (Riverhead).
March Bookstore Openings
April 22, 2008 - Eight ABA member bookstores opened for business in March 2008.
A Look at NY's Internet Sales Tax Provision -- And How It Affects Indies in Other States
April 17, 2008 - Last week, independent retailers in New York State scored a huge victory when the legislature passed a final budget that includes the Internet Sales Tax provision. As New York State awaits Gov. Paterson's signature on the budget, here are some answers to the questions that independent booksellers in other states might have regarding how the provision will, or won't, affect their business activities in New York.
Authors to Autograph in ABA's Member-Only Lounge
April 17, 2008 - The ABA Lounge at BookExpo America -- Room 515A in the West Building of the Los Angeles Convention Center -- will be the place for member booksellers to go for autographs from some of their favorite authors. Here's a look at the schedule of the 20 authors to date who will appear in the lounge on Friday, May 30, and Saturday, May 31.
Registration Opens for Prospective Booksellers School
April 17, 2008 - ABA is sponsoring a school for prospective booksellers from Tuesday afternoon, May 27, through Thursday, May 29, at Hotel ABA in Los Angeles in conjunction with the BookExpo America trade show. The program -- "Opening a Bookstore: Creating Foundations for Success," facilitated by Paz & Associates -- is right for anyone contemplating a career as a bookstore owner, or anyone working towards opening a bookstore or considering investing in one.
ABA at BEA 2008: "Welcome to Hollywood" Tours & Reception
April 17, 2008 - ABA is inviting member booksellers to kick off their stay in Los Angeles for BookExpo America 2008 with fun activities on Wednesday afternoon, May 28. Special arrangements have been made with a local walking tour company, which has added a significant literary edge to its standard Hollywood Walking Tour, just for member booksellers. The association has also arranged a shuttle bus to take members for a special tour of the Getty Museum and Bookstore. There's also an alternative list of suggested activities. The afternoon will be capped with a "Welcome to Hollywood" Author Reception at the famed Egyptian Theatre.
Legislation Introduced in Senate to Make Healthcare Affordable for Small Businesses
April 16, 2008 - This month, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation to make health insurance more available and affordable for the employees of small businesses and for the self-employed. The legislation, the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP), S. 2795, is sponsored by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and Norm Coleman (R-MN).
Something to Hide: Authors to Read in Support of Free Speech
April 16, 2008 - Bestselling authors Judy Blume, Jim Crace, Andre Dubus III, Dennis Lehane, and Azar Nafisi are among those who will read in support of First Amendment rights at "Something to Hide: Writers Against the Surveillance State," presented by Pen American Center and the American Civil Liberties Union at next month's BookExpo America. The event, which is co-sponsored by the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and the Campaign for Reader Privacy, will be held on Saturday at the L.A. Convention Center. A ticketed "meet and greet" author reception is also planned at an outside venue.
GPI's Tyson Miller Offers Insights on Report Detailing Book Industry Environmental Efforts
April 16, 2008 - Thirteen printers, six paper mills, and 75 publishers (representing more than 45 percent of market share by revenue) participated in a 2007 Environmental Benchmarking Survey commissioned by the Book Industry Study Group and Green Press Initiative. The results of the survey are now available in Environmental Trends and Climate Impacts: Findings From the U.S. Book Industry, a report offering insight on everything from energy use and environmental policy development, to resource consumption and the certification and conservation of forests, and more. GPI's Tyson Miller recently talked to BTW about some of the study's key findings and what remains to be done.
BTW News Briefs
April 16, 2008 - NEIBA Calls for Rusty Drugan Scholarship Nominations; Beacon Press to Publish Series on Free Speech History; National Park Association Leases Blue Heron Bookstore; Online Sales Expected to Climb Despite Struggling Economy; Lightning Source UK Expands; BISG to Hold 5th Making Information Pay Conference; Speck Press Moves to Fulcrum Publishing
ABFFE & PEN American Center Offer Special Joint Membership
April 16, 2008 - Booksellers can now take advantage of a special, limited-time membership offer to join both the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and PEN American Center for just $50, the usual price for ABFFE membership alone.
In the Spotlight: ABA Board Candidate Michael Tucker
April 16, 2008 - This week, in the third of a series of ABA Board candidate profiles, BTW talks to Michael Tucker of California's Books Inc. Tucker is up for election to a second three-year term as a Board director. He's also on the ballot for approval by membership to serve a one-year term as ABA vice president/secretary beginning this June. Tucker is president/CEO and co-owner of Books Inc., which has 11 locations.
Idlewild Books: A Trip Around the World
April 15, 2008 - On Sunday, April 20, Idlewild Books will open near Union Square in New York City with an inventory of 6,000 titles, all of them arranged according to country. "I've always been a big traveler and reader so the idea of a bookstore organized by country -- with literature, guide books, books about politics and culture, and so on, all shelved together by place -- always appealed to me," said owner David Del Vecchio.
ABA Author Lunch Reservations Accepted Via BookWeb.org
April 15, 2008 - Booksellers at stores with Book Sense who would like to attend this year's ABA Author Luncheon at BookExpo America must make reservations via an electronic form on BookWeb.org. The event, on Friday, May 30, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, is free and open exclusively to the owners and staff at stores with Book Sense.
Indie Bookstore Participation Sought for "Independent Retailer Watch"
April 15, 2008 - Book Publishing Report, which for 33 years has been providing business-related trade news to publishers, is hoping to increase its contacts among independent booksellers -- not as readers, but rather as participants in its monthly "Independent Retailer Watch." In 2007, the newsletter began asking independent booksellers survey questions designed to highlight different aspects of independent book retailing.
Bookstore Sales Up for 8th Consecutive Month
April 14, 2008 - Preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census reflect an increase in bookstore sales in February 2008 of 11.4 percent, compared to February 2007. This was the eighth consecutive month that retail sales at bookstores exceeded the previous year's results.
E-Fairness Victory in New York Elates Booksellers
April 10, 2008 - In what was a significant victory for independent retailers, on Wednesday, April 9, the New York State Legislature passed a final budget that includes the Internet Sales Tax provision. This means that out-of-state retailers such as Amazon.com now will be required to comply with New York State sales tax laws and collect and remit sales tax on sales to state residents. Gov. David Paterson has 10 days to sign the budget. The Internet Sales Tax provision takes effect immediately once the budget bill is signed, though out-of-state retailers not currently collecting sales tax that register with New York State by June 1, 2008, will not be penalized for sales tax up to that point.
Economic Stimulus Act: Tax Benefits for Businesses
April 10, 2008 - While much has been written about the 2008 Economic Stimulus Act's stimulus payments to individuals, many small business owners may not be aware of provisions that can directly affect them. The stimulus package approved by Congress earlier this year provides incentives to businesses, including a special 50 percent depreciation allowance for 2008 purchases and an increase in the small business expensing limitation for tax years beginning in 2008.
NYC Booksellers Forum Focuses on Shop Local Movement, Internet Sales Tax Effort
April 10, 2008 - At this week's ABA Booksellers Forum program, held in conjunction with the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association at Random House's offices in midtown Manhattan, approximately 30 booksellers heard ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz and Chief Program Officer Len Vlahos present the session "Booksellers at the Tipping Point," which argues that a significant shift in both consumer values and desires and the maturing corporate chain retail landscape are offering indie retailers a unique opportunity to differentiate themselves and to satisfy customers' evolving desires. The presentation sparked a lively dialog and segued into a working-lunch discussion for the remainder of the three-hour forum.
Penguin Bookshop: Becoming as Green as It Gets
April 10, 2008 - After nearly 78 years, the Penguin Bookshop in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, was due for a makeover, but what it's getting is a radical stem-to-stern renovation. The nearly 100-year-old building is being gutted and "retro-greened" to meet building standards set by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. Penguin management team Karen Fadzen and Leah Lindemann are documenting the entire process on the Penguin Bookshop blog.
In the Spotlight: ABA Board Candidate Ken White
April 10, 2008 - ABA bookstore members recently received ballots to elect three booksellers to serve as directors on the ABA Board and to approve a new president and vice president. Director candidates on the ballot are Ken White of SFSU Bookstore in San Francisco; Dan Chartrand of Water Street Bookstore in Exeter, New Hampshire; and Michael Tucker of Books Inc. in San Francisco. Here, in the second of a series of candidate profiles, BTW talks to SFSU's Ken White.
Booksellers Forum in Michigan Next Week
April 10, 2008 - The owners and staff of ABA and GLBA member stores are invited to a Booksellers Forum program on Wednesday, April 16, at Schuler Books & Music in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Arizona Legislators Reject Bill Targeting "Dangerous" Media
April 09, 2008 - On Monday, April 7, state legislators in Arizona rejected House Bill 2660, a proposal that would make businesses financially liable for creating or distributing books, movies, and other media that "cause" a serious crime. Chris Finan, president of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, which provided support to Arizona booksellers who were opposed to the bill, said, "The committee acted largely in response to First Amendment concerns."
Bookseller Founds Alliance to Help Kalamazoo Independents
April 09, 2008 - Like so many towns across the country today, Kalamazoo, Michigan's local economy is hurting. But while Kalamazoo's economy may be stagnant, the area's independent retailers are not. Gloria Tiller of Kazoo Books recently founded the Buy Local Kalamazoo independent business alliance as a way to help the town and its local business owners. And, while Tiller had to do most of the heavy lifting to get the IBA off the ground, there are now more than 45 businesses lined up to become members at the alliance's official launch this May.
BTW News Briefs
April 09, 2008 - BEA Adds Sunday "Meet the Bestsellers"; SCIBA Serves Up Literacy at Annual Dinner; Griffin Poetry Prize Announces Shortlist; ABC Names 2008 E.B.White Read Aloud Award Winners; 2008 Pulitzer Prize Winners Announced
LIBRIS: The Checks Are in the Mail
April 09, 2008 - In January, ABA announced a near-record dividend for policyholders of its LIBRIS insurance program. Now, dividend checks representing three percent of a business' annual premium are on their way to participating ABA member bookstores.
Hotel ABA Reservations, Cancellations?
April 07, 2008 - With Hotel ABA 2008, The Renaissance Hollywood, booked to capacity, ABA has been adding the names of member booksellers who still want reservations to a waiting list. Anyone with a reservation that is no longer needed is asked to contact the association, so the room remains in the Hotel ABA block and can be assigned to another member.
NY E-Fairness: Budget Deadline Passes, Negotiations Continue
April 03, 2008 - At press time, the April 1 deadline for the New York State budget had come and gone, and it was still unclear when Gov. David Paterson and the New York legislature would reach a final agreement. News accounts from Albany indicate that the Internet Sales Tax provision remains in the proposed budget; however, with negotiations still ongoing, no provision is guaranteed inclusion in the final document. As such, the American Booksellers Association is continuing its lobbying efforts on behalf of the Internet Sales Tax provision's inclusion.
More Booksellers Making Earth Day Greener Than Ever
April 03, 2008 - With the annual celebration of Earth Day less than three weeks away, booksellers across the country are steeped in plans to promote conservation, green living, and an understanding of our impact on the environment. Here, in the second of a two-part series, booksellers from The Learned Owl Book Shop, Cranesbill Books, and Eagle Harbor Book Company share innovative ideas for marking the April 22 worldwide event and for making their communities better places to live.
In the Spotlight: ABA Board Candidate Dan Chartrand
April 03, 2008 - This week, ABA bookstore members began receiving ballots to elect three booksellers to serve as directors on the ABA Board and to approve a new president and vice president. In the first of a series of candidate profiles, BTW talks to Dan Chartrand of Water Street Bookstore in Exeter, New Hampshire.
Colorado Booksellers' Efforts Result in Defeat of Censorship Bill
April 03, 2008 - In response to strong opposition by booksellers and other supporters of First Amendment rights, the Colorado legislature has killed a bill banning the sale to minors of works that are "harmful" to minors because of their sexual content. In February, Matt Miller, general manager of Denver's Tattered Cover Book Store, and Lisa Knudsen, executive director of the Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association, told the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee that Senate Bill 125 would have a chilling effect on the sale of books and magazines that are protected by the First Amendment.
BTW News Briefs
April 03, 2008 - NCIBA Names Book of the Year Winners; Dutton's Throws a Closing Party; AAP Reports Book Sales Rose to $25 Billion in 2007; Consortium to Distribute Profile Books
ABA Booksellers Forum in NYC Next Week
April 03, 2008 - ABA is holding a Booksellers Forum program in conjunction with the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association on Tuesday, April 8, in New York City. The owners and staff of all ABA and NAIBA member stores are encouraged to attend the event, which will be held at Random House's offices on Broadway.
Shelf-Talkers Promote Book Sense Book of the Year Winners & Honor Books
April 03, 2008 - Booksellers can now draw customers' attention to this year's Book Sense Book of the Year winners and honor books with downloadable shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org. Generic winner and honor book shelf-takers are available, as are shelf-talkers with a bookseller's quote for each of the winning titles and for the four honor books in each category.
Booksellers Participate in ABA Forums, Regional Programs in CO, GA, OR
April 02, 2008 - ABA Booksellers Forum programs were held at the end of March in conjunction with the Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association, Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, and Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association. Participating booksellers offered praise for both ABA and regional events at each.
Gearing Up for a Revitalized Children's Book Week
April 01, 2008 - Children's Book Week is being celebrated this year from Monday, May 12, to Sunday, May 18. The 89th annual event, sponsored by the Children's Book Council, in association with the CBC Foundation, features an array of activities, including the First Annual Children's Book Choice Awards and a children's version of the National Endowment for the Arts' (NEA) Big Read with New York City's Mercantile Library for Fiction. To help bookstores and libraries promote Children's Book Week, CBC offers a variety of materials for publicity and display purposes.
Campaign for Reader Privacy Urges Passage of NSL Reform Act
April 01, 2008 - The members of the Campaign for Reader Privacy -- the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers, and PEN American Center -- published an open letter in the April 1 edition of Roll Call that urges Congress to pass legislation restoring the safeguards for reader privacy eliminated by the USA Patriot Act.
ABA Author Lunch Reservations Being Accepted
March 31, 2008 - Booksellers at stores with Book Sense are invited to make reservations for this year's ABA Author Luncheon at BookExpo America. The event, on Friday, May 30, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, is free and open exclusively to the owners and staff at stores with Book Sense.
NY E-Fairness Efforts Continue: More Booksellers Urged to Write
March 27, 2008 - As New York State legislators returned to the capital following their Easter break, and the state's budget deadline of April 1 looms, ABA continued its lobbying efforts on behalf of the proposed Internet Sales Tax provision's inclusion in the final state budget. This week, ABA COO Oren Teicher sent a letter to targeted members of the New York State Senate that emphasized "tax enforcement should not be confused with tax enactment" and called on them to include the provision in the final state budget. Booksellers state-wide are joining in the effort by writing to their assembly members and senators to express support for the Internet Sales Tax provision.
ABA Revamps Day of Education Schedule for BEA
March 27, 2008 - ABA has reorganized its schedule for the Day of Education on Thursday, May 29, at this year's BookExpo America. Changes to the program, which encompasses 15 education sessions and breakfast and lunch keynote addresses, were made in response to bookseller input.
Forum Program Heads to New Hampshire
March 26, 2008 - The last of this spring's nine ABA Booksellers Forum programs will be held on Thursday, May 1, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in conjunction with the New England Independent Booksellers Association. The owners and staff of all ABA and NEIBA member stores are encouraged to attend the event at the Hilton Garden Inn. In addition to the forum, the program will include ABA's "Booksellers at the Tipping Point: Leveraging Localism and Independence to Promote Your Store" and NEIBA's "Peer Review Program: What It Is, What We've Done to Date, What We're Doing in 2008."
Making Earth Day Greener Than Ever
March 26, 2008 - For a lot of booksellers, every day is Earth Day, but on and around April 22, several bookstores -- including Changing Hands, Vroman's, Boulder Bookstore, and McNally Robinson -- will hold events and create displays to promote Green Living and to participate in the worldwide celebration of Earth Day 2008.
Bitterroot Coalition Hails Withdrawal of Plans for Wal-Mart Supercenter
March 26, 2008 - After two years of opposition, Wal-Mart has withdrawn plans to open a supercenter in Hamilton, Montana. "They cited economic conditions and a strategic plan into which we no longer fit, but I know that if we hadn't put up strong opposition for two years, they'd be open today," said Russ Lawrence, owner of Hamilton's Chapter One Book Store and ABA president.
Utilizing Information in ABACUS Store Reports
March 26, 2008 - Why should booksellers participate in the 2008 ABACUS Survey? In the first of a series of articles, David Walker, ABA's industry consultant, explains how participants can use the information in their individual ABACUS reports to help their bookstores become more profitable. Booksellers who have never participated in an ABACUS Survey can follow along using a sample report on BookWeb.org.
ABA Board Ballot on the Way
March 26, 2008 - ABA bookstore members will soon begin receiving a ballot to approve new officers and to elect directors to the Board for terms beginning June 2008. The envelope, arriving by U.S. mail, also includes a cover letter from ABA Nominating Committee Chair Beth Puffer of New York City's Bank Street Bookstore, biographical data on the Board candidates, and a special postage-paid envelope for return of the ballot to ABA's auditor, Marks Paneth & Shron LLP.
Reservations Open for ABA Author Lunch
March 25, 2008 - Booksellers at stores with Book Sense are invited to reserve a space at this year's ABA Author Luncheon, to be held on Friday, May 30, at BookExpo America. The free event -- open exclusively to the owners and staff at stores with Book Sense -- brings together booksellers and dozens of authors whose books they have made past or present Book Sense Picks.
Announcing the 2008 Book Sense Book of the Year Winners
March 20, 2008 - ABA announces the winners of the 2008 Book Sense Book of the Year Awards as voted by the owners and staff of member bookstores. Four Honor Books in each of the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Children's Literature, and Children's Illustrated are also named.
ABA Joins Retail Council of New York in Albany E-Fairness Effort
March 20, 2008 - Following up on letters sent by New York booksellers to their state legislators, on Wednesday, March 19, ABA staff joined representatives of the Retail Council of New York in Albany, where they met with key legislators from both the Assembly and Senate in support of the Internet Sales Tax provision's inclusion in the final state budget. At the meetings, the groups urged legislators to include in the final budget the provision that would enforce existing sales tax laws by requiring out-of-state retailers like Amazon.com to collect and remit sales tax on sales made to New York residents.
BTW News Briefs
March 20, 2008 - Borders, Strapped for Cash, Up for Sale?; Roy Schonfeld Named PW's Rep of the Year; Lambda Literary Foundation and The Publishing Triangle Announce Awards Finalists; ABFFE Welcomes Betsy Burton to Board; BISG to Hold 5th Making Information Pay Conference
Booksellers Forums in Colorado, Georgia & Oregon Next Week
March 19, 2008 - Three ABA Booksellers Forum programs are on tap for the remainder of this month: on Thursday, March 27, in Estes Park, Colorado, and on Saturday, March 29, in Atlanta, Georgia, and Portland, Oregon. The owners and staff of all ABA member stores, as well as those of the respective regional associations, are invited to attend. The events will feature an education component and an opportunity to discuss concerns and hear the latest news about the association's programs and initiatives from ABA senior staff and Board members.
On California Minds: E-Fairness, Localism, BookSense.com
March 19, 2008 - At last week's ABA Booksellers Forum programs in Los Angeles and San Francisco, upbeat booksellers were talking about everything from sales tax equity for online purchases and ways to leverage the burgeoning localism movement to wished-for website improvements and the pros and cons of different POS systems.
Book Sense This Week
March 19, 2008 - The Latest Book Sense Bestseller Lists; Bestsellers Bookstore & Coffee Co. Thrives on Courthouse Square
Hilton Atlanta to Host Spring Book Show, ABA & SIBA Programs
March 19, 2008 - Due to storm damage to Atlanta's Georgia World Congress Center, the ABA Booksellers Forum program, the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance education program, and the Spring Book Show have been moved to the Hilton Atlanta. The Spring Book Show runs from Friday, March 28, through Sunday, March 30, with SIBA programming on Friday and ABA's Booksellers Forum program on Saturday.
Creating a Compendium of Green Resources
March 18, 2008 - For booksellers, becoming greener means incorporating environmentally friendly practices in day-to-day operations, as well as meeting the needs of a growing number of consumers looking for reliable information on everything from the science of global warming to public policies and personal practices that can help make the world a better place to live. To help members meet these challenges, ABA has, and will continue to, develop education sessions with take-home materials (some now available on BookWeb.org). In addition, the association is seeking member input for an ongoing series of green retailing articles in BTW, and for a green title list.
From NY to DC: A Mini Bookstore Tour
March 18, 2008 - On her way to a meeting of the Library of Congress' Reading Promotions Partners at the Center for the Book in Washington, D.C., ABA Director of Member Services Jill Perlstein stopped at several bookstores along the way to chat with their owners and snap a few photos for BookWeb.org's photo gallery. In a trip covering over 600 miles in a little more than two days, Perlstein stopped at six ABA member stores.
Bookstore Sales Up for 7th Consecutive Month
March 18, 2008 - The new year got off to a good start, with retail sales at bookstores exceeding last January's results. Preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census reflect an increase in bookstore sales in January 2008 of 4.7 percent as compared to January 2007. This was the seventh consecutive month that retail sales at bookstores exceeded the previous year's results.
Hotel ABA Reminder
March 17, 2008 - With this year's Hotel ABA, the Renaissance Hollywood, currently booked to capacity, ABA member booksellers who would like reservations should contact the association to be put on a waiting list. To ensure that as many waiting booksellers as possible can be accommodated, anyone who no longer needs their Hotel ABA reservation should contact the association, so the room remains in the ABA block and can be assigned to another member.
NY E-Fairness Initiative Makes Progress Despite Albany Uncertainty
March 13, 2008 - On Wednesday, March 12, the same day that Gov. Eliot Spitzer announced his resignation, the New York State Assembly passed its budget for 2008 - 09, including the Internet Sales Tax provision, which would require remote, online retailers using New York residents to solicit sales in the state to collect sales and use taxes. The state Senate also passed its budget resolution, though the Senate budget did not contain the Internet Sales Tax provision. As the Assembly and Senate seek to resolve the budget, ABA is urging booksellers to call on their legislators to keep the Internet Sales Tax provision intact and in the budget.
Indie Focus Groups Invaluable to Publishers
March 13, 2008 - Independent booksellers and representatives from 12 major publishing houses and Ingram Book Group/Ingram Publishers Services gathered last week in New York for a series of focus groups organized by ABA on behalf of the participating companies. This is the third year that the association has facilitated the focus groups, which enable publishers to gather bookseller feedback about existing programs, as well as input on plans for the future.
ABA Forum Tour Begins at Well-Attended MBA Spring Meeting
March 12, 2008 - On Saturday, March 8, ABA held an education program and a Booksellers Forum in conjunction with the Midwest Booksellers Association Spring Meeting in Minneapolis. More than 40 booksellers participated in the day's programming, where they learned about great authorless events from ABA Board member Collette Morgan of Wild Rumpus; got energized about the Shop Local movement at ABA's "Booksellers at the Tipping Point"; discussed industry concerns at the Booksellers Forum; and, at MBA events, met authors, learned about upcoming titles and regional marketing efforts, and more.
BTW News Briefs
March 12, 2008 - 2008 PEN/Faulkner Fiction Winners Announced; NYC's McNally Robinson Expecting a Sibling & a Name Change; Stockton Bagnulo to Leave BookStream; New $5 Bill to Enter Circulation
Playing Games New and Old at Toy Fair
March 12, 2008 - Valerie Koehler of Houston's Blue Willow Bookshop, who comes from a family of gamers, recently set off for the New York Toy Fair along with her sisters to find the next big thing. Here, she shares some of her experiences, several of her "finds," and a look at emerging trends.
Vroman's Celebrates Bookseller of the Year Honor
March 12, 2008 - Since Tuesday, March 11, when Publishers Weekly named Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, California, its 2008 Bookseller of the Year, the staff of "129 incredible employees" has received "congratulatory phone calls, e-mails, and flowers from colleagues and publishers and authors and friends of the store. It was a really great day for everyone here," said Allison Hill, Vroman's president and COO.
Booksellers Forum Tour Heads to Michigan in April
March 12, 2008 - ABA will hold a Booksellers Forum program in conjunction with the Great Lakes Booksellers Association on Wednesday, April 16, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The owners and staff of all ABA and GLBA member stores are encouraged to attend the event, which will be held at Schuler Books & Music in Grand Rapids.
National Poetry Month Beckons
March 12, 2008 - April and the celebration of National Poetry Month is just around the corner. In addition to the National Poetry Month poster, the Academy of American Poets offers dozens of resources to help stores mark the occasion. Featured on the Academy's website are extensive tips for booksellers on marketing, merchandising, events, and more; a mobile archive of more than 2,500 poems, as well as hundreds of biographies and essays; and ideas for the first "Poem In Your Pocket Day" on April 17.
January/February ABA Member Bookstore Openings
March 12, 2008 - ABA welcomed seven new bookstores that opened for business during the first two months of 2008.
Going, Going, Green: Recommendations Sought for Valuable Resource
March 11, 2008 - There is still time for all ABA member booksellers to submit nominations for a selected list of notable titles dealing with the environment -- everything from how to modify personal and business practices to conserve resources and cut carbon emissions to titles focusing on public policy.
Shipping News: Yellow Transportation Raises Rates
March 10, 2008 - This week, Yellow Transportation announced a general rate increase on freight shipments in the U.S. and Canada of approximately 3.9 percent. To help counter the increases, ABA members can sign up for the Discount Shipping Program, managed by PartnerShip. There's no charge to sign up and use the program, and members save up to 64 percent on Yellow Transportation and UPS Freight shipments.
National Book Critics Circle Announces 2007 Award Winners
March 07, 2008 - The National Book Critics Circle chose Junot Diaz's debut novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Riverhead) as the winner of its 2007 award for fiction. The announcement was made at NBCC's 34th annual awards, on Thursday, March 6, at the New School's Tishman Auditorium in New York City.
Registration Opens for ABA Day of Education; BEA Special Events Tickets on Sale
March 06, 2008 - Registration for this year's BookExpo America Special Events and for the American Booksellers Association's Day of Education is now open at www.bookexpoamerica.com.
New York State Campaign for E-Fairness: Op-Ed and Letter to Editor Templates Available
March 06, 2008 - ABA continues to urge New York State bookstore members to voice their support for the Internet Sales Tax provision in Gov. Eliot Spitzer's proposed budget. To help in this important outreach, this week ABA is making available Op-Ed and Letter to the Editor templates that booksellers can adapt and send to local media. The association is also planning a series of lobbying events, tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, March 19, and all New York State bookstore members are being encouraged to attend.
What's Your Plan? Booksellers on Resources for Successful Business Plan Creation
March 06, 2008 - For prospective booksellers who may be daunted by the idea of creating a business plan, learning what resources are available to help is a good first step. Mary McHale, the owner of Fox Tale Books in New Durham, New Hampshire; Zachary Steele, the owner of Wordsmiths Books in Decatur, Georgia; and Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, a manager at New York City's McNally Robinson Booksellers, who recently won a $15,000 prize for her business plan for a future bookstore, recently spoke about the resources they called upon to help them get started.
ABFFE Selects The Ten-Cent Plague as Book of the Month
March 06, 2008 - The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) has chosen David Hajdu's The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America (FSG) as its Book of the Month for March.
California Here We Come: ABA to Hold Forums in L.A. & San Francisco Next Week
March 06, 2008 - Booksellers are invited to an ABA Booksellers Forum program on Monday, March 10, in Los Angeles, and on Wednesday, March 12, in San Francisco. Each event will feature an education component and an opportunity to discuss concerns and hear the latest news about ABA's programs and initiatives. The owners and staff of ABA, SCIBA, and NCIBA member stores are encouraged to attend.
ABA Booksellers Forum in NYC on April 8
March 06, 2008 - ABA will hold a Booksellers Forum program in conjunction with the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association on Tuesday, April 8, at Random House's offices in New York City. The owners and staff of all ABA and NAIBA member stores are encouraged to attend.
BTW News Briefs
March 05, 2008 - Arlene Lyons Honored as Retailer of the Year; Publishers Begin Removing Piracy Protections for Audiobooks; Richard Gwyn Wins Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Nonfiction; ForeWord Magazine Announces Book of the Year Finalists
ABA Board Candidate Petition Deadline Next Wednesday
March 05, 2008 - Petitions to place the names of additional director candidates on this year's ABA Board of Directors election ballot must be submitted to the chair of the Nominating Committee by Wednesday, March 12.
University Book Store Selected for 2009 IBF Calendar
March 05, 2008 - Among the 25 bookshops selected for the International Booksellers Federation's 2009 "People in Bookshops" calendar is one entry from the U.S. -- a photo of University Book Store in Seattle, Washington, submitted by Bryan Pearce.
Indie Bookseller Recommendations Featured on NBC's Today Show
February 28, 2008 - On Thursday morning, February 28, NBC's Today Show once again featured a segment highlighting the reading recommendations of independent booksellers. Returning to the show were Marva Allen of Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe in New York City, Jamil Zaidi of Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle, and Roberta Rubin of The Book Stall at Chestnut Court in Winnetka, Illinois. For the "Cover to Cover" segment, the booksellers were asked to focus on books for readers on the go, titles to share with friends, and great bedtime reading.
New York Booksellers Urged to Contact State Legislators on E-Fairness
February 28, 2008 - On Wednesday, February 27, ABA called on member bookstores in New York State to voice their support for the Internet Sales Tax provision in Gov. Eliot Spitzer's proposed budget by writing to both their state senator and assemblyperson. If the budget is approved with the provision, out-of-state online retailers selling products in New York State will be required to collect state sales tax. The budget, which is due by April 1, will be debated by legislators throughout March.
BookExpo America Announces Stellar Special Events Lineup
February 28, 2008 - BookExpo America has announced the roster of speakers for the trade show's popular Author Breakfasts and Luncheon programs. This year's lineup brings together top names from the diverse worlds of literature, children's books, politics, sports, and Hollywood. Among the participants are Sherman Alexie, Neil Gaiman, Christopher Buckley, Richard Engel, Azar Nafisi, Alec Baldwin, Michael Moore, Magic Johnson, and Ted Turner.
Northshire & Powell's Offer Free Random House Download
February 27, 2008 - From 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, February 27, until midnight on Friday, February 29, the websites of Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vermont, and Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon, are offering customers free downloads of Random House's Beautiful Children by Charles Bock. The publisher, which is also offering the free download on its own website, invited both chain and independent online retailers to participate.
Green Press Initiative Sets Goals to Improve Book Industry's Ecological Footprint
February 27, 2008 - Many bookstores have gone green both in their title selection and store practices, but what about the environmental impact of the books themselves? The nonprofit Green Press Initiative is working with publishers, authors, and other industry stakeholders to change paper use to better conserve natural resources and preserve endangered forests. More than 180 organizations either have signed its "Book Industry Treatise on Responsible Paper Use" or have taken the next step, which is to develop an internal paper policy with goals and targets in line with those of the treatise.
Wanted: Indie Recommendations for a Green List
February 27, 2008 - To meet growing consumer interest in issues relating to our environment, ABA is asking booksellers to help compile a list of notable "green" titles dealing with everything from how to modify personal and business practices to conserve resources and cut carbon emissions to public policy issues.
Story Prize Winner Announced
February 27, 2008 - On Wednesday, February 27, the Story Prize held its fourth annual awards presentation recognizing books of short fiction. The winner of this year's prize is Jim Shepard, for the 2007 collection Like You'd Understand, Anyway (Knopf), which was also a National Book Award finalist.
BTW News Briefs
February 27, 2008 - Dutton's Brentwood Closing Its Doors; New Indie Coming to South Padre Island, Texas; Oak Park, Illinois' The Book Table to Expand; New Owners for Valley Bookseller; Random House Acquires Monacelli Press; AAP Announces 10th Anniversary Smaller and Independent Publishers Meeting Program; Waynick Book Group Launches Three New Imprints
Study Indicates Procurement From Local Supplier Provides Greater Economic Benefit to Community
February 27, 2008 - A recently released Civic Economics study commissioned by Local First Arizona reveals that public procurement from a local supplier generates "dramatically greater local economic activity" than procurement from a chain business. "Procurement Matters: The Economic Impact of Local Suppliers" compared the local economic impact of Wist Office Products, a local supplier and LFA member, with Office Max Contract, a division of Office Max, after the state of Arizona dropped Wist from its stable of office suppliers.
Reminder! ABA Booksellers Forum in Minneapolis Next Week
February 27, 2008 - This year's first ABA Booksellers Forum program is being held on Saturday, March 8, in conjunction with the Midwest Booksellers Association Spring Meeting, during the weekend of the Minneapolis Spring Gift Show. The owners and staff of ABA and MBA member stores are invited to participate in the open forum discussion and two ABA education sessions.
Book Sense Book of the Year Awards: Last Chance to Have a Say
February 27, 2008 - Voting online and via fax for the 2008 Book Sense Book of Year Awards ends at midnight on Monday, March 3. Everyone working at an ABA member store is urged to cast a ballot to help choose independent booksellers' handselling favorites in the categories of Adult Fiction and Nonfiction and Children's Literature and Illustrated.
Turn Tax Prep Into a Positive: Join the ABACUS Survey
February 26, 2008 - Gathering your business' financial data for tax time? Well, then, now's also the perfect time to provide 2007 financial data to the 2008 ABACUS Survey. Using a secure, confidential electronic survey form on BookWeb.org, ABA member bookstores can become a vital part of this year's study in just about one hour's time. In return, each participant will receive a customized analysis of the business' financial results that can be used to evaluate and improve store performance.
Petition Deadline for ABA Board Candidates March 12
February 26, 2008 - In addition to the 2008 Board of Directors candidates recommended by ABA's Nominating Committee and approved by the Board, the association's bylaws stipulate that bookstore members can submit petitions to place the names of additional director candidates on the ballot. All petitions must be submitted to the chair of the Nominating Committee by Wednesday, March 12.
Bank of America Offers Special Promo on Credit Card Processing
February 25, 2008 - ABA affinity partner Bank of America Merchant Services has announced that it will be waiving the $75 application fee for booksellers who sign up for its credit card processing program from March 1 through the end of June 2008.
ABA Unveils "Day of Education" for BEA 2008
February 21, 2008 - This week, ABA provides a first look at programming for its Day of Education to be held on Thursday, May 29, at BookExpo America in Los Angeles. The program, which will be held at Hotel ABA, the Renaissance Hollywood, is open exclusively to ABA bookstore and provisional members.
Wi3 Education Handouts Now Available on BookWeb
February 21, 2008 - For the approximately 500 booksellers who attended ABA's 2008 Winter Institute, there were 24 education sessions to pick from, on topics ranging from developing a business plan to better understanding customer behavior and reaching today's "digital natives." Now, many of the detailed Wi3 handouts and supporting materials are available to all ABA bookstore members via BookWeb.org.
Booksellers Forums in Colorado, Georgia & Oregon at End of March
February 20, 2008 - An ABA's Booksellers Forum program will be held on Thursday, March 27, in Estes Park, Colorado, followed by programs on Saturday, March 29, in Atlanta, Georgia, and in Portland, Oregon. The owners and staff of all ABA member stores, as well as those of the respective regional associations, are invited to attend. The events will feature an education component and an opportunity to discuss concerns and hear the latest news about the association's programs and initiatives from ABA senior staff and Board members.
Reading Is Fundamental Urges Support for Reinstatement of Funding
February 20, 2008 - Since 1975, Reading Is Fundamental's Inexpensive Book Distribution program, providing free books and literacy resources to underserved children from birth to age eight, has been funded by Congress and six administrations without interruption. Now, however, funding for the program is in jeopardy. To help garner congressional support for reinstatement of the budget, RIF is asking booksellers and others concerned about literacy to take part in an e-mail campaign to members of Congress.
Northshire Bookstore Prepares to Launch Print-on-Demand Publishing Service
February 20, 2008 - In about one week, Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vermont, expects to officially launch its in-store Print-on-Demand publishing service. The focal point of the new service is the Espresso Book Machine, an on-site fully integrated book-making machine that can produce a high-quality, trade-size paperback book in minutes.
ABA's Ends Policies: A Nimbler, More Realistic Approach to Planning
February 20, 2008 - As part of ABA's overall governance, at its January meeting the Board of Directors reviewed and approved the ABA Ends Policies, which are now posted on BookWeb.org. In a letter to ABA members, President Russ Lawrence explained how the association's Five-Year Strategic Plan morphed into Ends Statements, "a much nimbler, more realistic approach to planning."
BTW News Briefs
February 20, 2008 - AAP Unveils Handbook on Book Paper and the Environment; ABFFE Book of the Month Is Dissent: Voices of Conscience; Cody's Books to Move; New Yorker Weekly E-Mail Newsletter Focuses on Book Content; Tor Offers R.A. Salvatore Contest Site
Balloting for Book of the Year Awards Ends March 3
February 20, 2008 - There are less than two weeks left for ABA member booksellers to cast their votes for the 2008 Book Sense Book of the Year Awards. Everyone working at an ABA member store is eligible to vote.
Obituaries
February 20, 2008 - This week, members of the bookselling community learned of the passing of two of their colleagues: Carole Fewx, longtime co-owner of the former Jackson's Books, in Salem, Oregon; and Trumbull Huntington, former owner of Huntington's Book Stores in Middletown, Hartford, and West Hartford, Connecticut.
2008 ABACUS Survey Data Gathering Begins
February 14, 2008 - ABA bookstore members can now begin submitting 2007 financial data to the 2008 ABACUS Study via a secure and confidential electronic survey form on BookWeb.org. Data gathering for this year's study is beginning more than a full month earlier than in 2007 at the suggestion of ABA's Booksellers Advisory Council, which felt that an earlier launch would increase the number of participants. The study experienced a sharp decline in participation from 2006 to 2007, after three years of steady increases.
Booksellers Forum Tour Begins in Minneapolis, Los Angeles & San Francisco
February 14, 2008 - ABA's Booksellers Forum Tour will begin on Saturday, March 8, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, followed by stops on Monday, March 10, in Los Angeles, and on Wednesday, March 12, in San Francisco, California. The owners and staff of all ABA member stores, as well as those of the respective regional associations, are invited to attend. Each event will feature an education component and an opportunity to discuss concerns and hear the latest news about the association's programs and initiatives.
Kepler's Books More Than Two Years Later
February 14, 2008 - In the summer of 2005, when Kepler's Books closed its doors for what owner Clark Kepler believed was the last time, customers of the Menlo Park, California, institution rallied and refused to let it die. In the two and half years since, Kepler's has formalized community support via a membership program, restructured organizationally, integrated a number of on- and offsite events, and undergone an interior redesign. Sales have turned around, and all of this progress has left Kepler feeling "guardedly optimistic."
California Booksellers Go Green, Sell Green, and Save Green
February 14, 2008 - Booksellers have long championed environmental issues, but 2008 seems to be the year of "Green Retailing" as evidenced by the very positive response to everything green at this year's ABA Winter Institute. Independent booksellers across the country are among those at the forefront of the movement to become smarter, cleaner, more efficient retailers. This week, BTW looks at the steps several California booksellers have taken to not only help save the environment, but to save money, too.
Wi3: From the Publishers' Perspective
February 14, 2008 - Representatives from six of ABA's Third Annual Winter Institute Publisher Partners offer their thoughts on the two-and-a-half day education symposium, held in Louisville, Kentucky, last month.
Howorth to Be Honored by Authors Guild
February 14, 2008 - Richard Howorth, founder of Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi, former American Booksellers Association president, and current Oxford mayor, will be honored with the Authors Guild Award for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community at the Authors Guild Dinner on May 5.
Hotel ABA Partially Sold Out, Names Being Added to Waiting List
February 14, 2008 - Hotel ABA, the Renaissance Hollywood, offering accommodations exclusively for ABA member booksellers attending this year's BookExpo America, is currently booked to capacity on several nights. ABA suggests members reserve Hotel ABA rooms for the available nights and then contact the association to be put on a waiting list for the other nights. Booksellers who no longer need their Hotel ABA reservations are also asked to contact ABA.
Keeping Independent Booksellers in the Digital Dialogue
February 14, 2008 - Although most of this week's O'Reilly Media "Tools of Change" Conference was aimed squarely at publishers, ABA Chief Program Officer Len Vlahos says there was much for booksellers, and trade association professionals, to learn, too: everything from new technologies that have enabled us to reconnect with other human beings to a strong focus on how best to distribute digital content. But the greatest value Vlahos found was in meeting colleagues old and new and giving independent booksellers a voice in the digital dialogue.
Cast Your Vote in an Important Race
February 14, 2008 - Since mid-January, the polls have been open for the owners and staff at ABA member stores to cast their ballots for this year's Book Sense Book of the Year Awards. But time is running out: Voting online and via fax is open until midnight on Monday, March 3. Ballots sent via regular mail must be postmarked by Friday, February 22, and received at ABA by March 3.
Bookstore Sales Up for Sixth Consecutive Month
February 13, 2008 - For the sixth consecutive month, retail sales at bookstores exceeded last year's results. Preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census reflect an increase in bookstore sales in December 2007 of 2.7 percent as compared to December 2006.
Amazon Opposes New York's Online Sales Tax Provision; ABA Reiterates Support for Gov. Spitzer
February 13, 2008 - This week, Amazon.com announced that it plans to fight New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's proposal to require online retailers with certain selling activities in the state to collect and remit sales tax for sales made to in-state customers, according to published reports. In response, on Wednesday, February 13, the American Booksellers Association reiterated its support for Governor Spitzer's action.
Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas Weigh In on Trade Groups' Call for E-Fairness
February 13, 2008 - This week, Florida and Pennsylvania became the latest states to respond to a letter from ABA and seven other trade groups calling for the equitable enforcement of sales tax laws on online purchases. In addition, Texas continued a dialogue with ABA on the sales tax issue via a letter from the state's comptroller of public accounts. ABA is asking booksellers in these states to write to their governors now.
ABA Board Candidate Petition Deadline March 12
February 13, 2008 - In addition to the 2008 Board of Directors candidates recommended by ABA's Nominating Committee and approved by the Board, the association's bylaws stipulate that bookstore members can submit petitions to place the names of additional director candidates on the ballot. All petitions must be submitted to the chair of the Nominating Committee by Wednesday, March 12.
A Report on ABA's Winter Board Meeting
February 07, 2008 - The American Booksellers Association Board of Directors and senior staff held meetings from Sunday, January 27, to Tuesday, January 29, immediately following the Winter Institute at the Louisville Marriott Downtown.
ABFFE Fights CIA Censorship, Defends FOIA Reform
February 07, 2008 - On February 7, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression joined groups opposing both the Central Intelligence Agency censorship of Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House and President George Bush's effort to alter legislation that strengthens the Freedom of Information Act.
2008 ABA Board Candidates and Petition Guidelines
February 07, 2008 - At its January meeting, the American Booksellers Association's Board of Directors approved the report of the ABA Nominating Committee, chaired by ABA Board member Beth Puffer of Bank Street Bookstore in New York City. Under ABA's bylaws, bookstore members may submit petitions for additional director candidates by March 12.
2009 Winter Institute - Set for Salt Lake City
February 07, 2008 - The host city of the 2002 Winter Olympics will now be the location for ABA's 2009 Annual Winter Institute. Wi4 will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, from Thursday, January 29, through Sunday, February 1, at the Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown.
ABA Offers Suggested Hotel Accommodation Options for BEA
February 07, 2008 - The 2008 Hotel ABA, The Renaissance Hollywood, is currently booked to capacity for several of the nights for which the American Booksellers Association negotiated a special rate for its bookseller members. ABA is providing booksellers with a list of other accommodation options in Hollywood.
States' Responses to Call for E-Fairness Keep Rolling In
February 07, 2008 - This week, North Carolina responded to the letter from the American Booksellers Association and seven other trade groups that called for the equitable enforcement of sales tax laws on online purchases. In addition, both Iowa and Tennessee sent second letters in response to ABA's follow-up letters that the association mailed on behalf of the independent trade groups.
BTW News Briefs
February 07, 2008 - Obituary: Susan Reiheld; BookStream to Launch TitleWave, an Event for Booksellers; Andy Ross to Launch Literary Agency; Elinor Hirschhorn Named Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Officer of Simon & Schuster
Palo Alto Books Inc. Changes Location
February 06, 2008 - After 50-plus years at the Stanford Shopping Center, San Francisco's Books Inc. moved one of its locations to the nearby Town & Country Village shopping center, which offers a mix of locally owned and national stores. The new 4,000-square-foot location is the same size as the previous store, but in a shopping center with more local flavor, said Margie Scott Tucker.
Wi3: Shop Local "Dream Team" Discusses Localism Movement in America
February 06, 2008 - Beginning with optimism and ending with a standing ovation from the approximately 500 attendees, the Winter Institute keynote discussion on Shop Local and related movements was a fascinating overview about the importance of building alliances among locally owned independent businesses and changing consumers' mindsets regarding the importance of a healthy local economy.
It's Time to Cast Your Vote...
February 06, 2008 - Super Tuesday is over, but there's still time for the owners and staff of all ABA member stores to cast their votes for this year's Book Sense Book of the Year. The awards, honoring independent booksellers' handselling favorites in the categories of Adult Fiction and Nonfiction and Children's Literature and Illustrated, will be presented at the American Booksellers Association's Celebration of Bookselling at this spring's BookExpo America in Los Angeles.
Indies Team Up for Small Press Month
February 06, 2008 - This March marks the 12th annual National Small Press Month. Bookstores and other venues across the country will celebrate small presses with multi-author events. Co-sponsored by the New York Center for Independent Publishing, PMA -- the Independent Book Publishers Association, and CLMP -- Council of Literary Magazines and Publications, NSPM organizers provide booksellers with suggestions, resources, and marketing materials to participate. In addition, stores with Book Sense should be on the lookout for a NSPM poster in the February Red Box.
Hold the Date: A Booksellers Forum is Coming to a Location Near You
February 05, 2008 - Here's a look at the schedule of nine ABA Booksellers Forums to be held in locations across the country this spring. Each will provide an opportunity for members, and prospective members, to meet with ABA senior staff and representatives of the Board of Directors to learn about the association's programs and initiatives, to voice concerns, and to offer input on the organization's future direction. Each forum will also feature an educational component.
Obituary: Robert Warwick
February 04, 2008 - Robert Warwick, the third generation owner of Warwick's bookstore in La Jolla, California, died on January 29 from complications of a stroke. He was 75.
Third Annual Winter Institute a Rousing Success
January 31, 2008 - Last week's Winter Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, has earned accolades for the quality of its educational sessions and keynote speakers, its many networking opportunities, and a host of special events, including an Author Reception featuring more than 35 of independent booksellers' favorite authors. As the 500 ABA member booksellers who participated in the event return to their stores and begin applying what they've learned, BTW looks back at some of the highlights.
A Great Big Thank You
January 31, 2008 - The American Booksellers Association extends sincere thanks to all of its Winter Institute Partners whose support made last weekend's event such a success.
Wi3: A Bookseller's Perspective
January 31, 2008 - For Tova Beiser of Providence, Rhode Island's Brown University Bookstore last week's Winter Institute provided a wonderful opportunity to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones, to glean new ideas, and to recharge her batteries. Here, she offers her impressions of everything from the city of Louisville (easily navigable) and its residents (friendly and courteous) to the education sessions (invaluable and incredibly helpful) to the Author Reception (marvelous).
ABA Releases 2007 ABACUS Results
January 31, 2008 - ABA member bookstores participating in the 2007 ABACUS Survey recently received their individual store reports and a $50 dues rebate check. Now, the American Booksellers Association is making the 2007 ABACUS Review available to all member booksellers via BookWeb.
ABFFE Condemns Hacker Attacks on Online Bookseller
January 31, 2008 - The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression has condemned efforts by computer hackers to disrupt the operations of online bookseller Abunga.com. The online retailer, which advertises itself as a bookseller that "promotes decency" by refusing to sell "pornography" and other "illicit material," has drawn the ire of hackers because it has discontinued sales of Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass.
The Winter Institute in Pictures
January 31, 2008 - The 500 independent booksellers who gathered at last weekend's Winter Institute participated in 24 education sessions; three keynote addresses; four Rep Picks sessions, which were repeated several times; three evening receptions; and innumerable opportunities to socialize and network with colleagues. Here in photos are some of the highlights.
BTW News Briefs
January 31, 2008 - AAP/ALSC Task Force Creates Children's Title List to Promote Literacy Among Hispanic and Latino Communities; NEIBA to Hold Emerging Leaders Gathering; Oprah's New Pick: A New Earth; Thomas Nelson Plans to Go Green; Seattle Seahawks Football Coach ... and Future Bookseller?
E-Fairness Reminder: Template Letter Available
January 30, 2008 - To date, 15 states have responded to a letter from ABA and seven other trade groups that calls for the equitable enforcement of sales tax laws on online purchases. It's now crucial for booksellers in the remaining 30 states that collect sales tax to let their governors know how important this issue is for their state's business owners. To help, ABA offers a template letter that can be easily downloaded and adapted.
A Banner Month for Mary Gay Shipley and That Bookstore
January 30, 2008 - Mary Gay Shipley and her store, That Bookstore in Blytheville (TBIB), have not lacked for accolades this month. In January, Main Street Arkansas named TBIB as its Main Street Merchant of the Year; AY Magazine's March issue picked Shipley as one of its 12 Powerful Women; and, earlier this month, TBIB was one of nine independent bookstores featured in an AP story about bookstores worthy of being great tourist destinations.
WNBA's Complete List of Pannell Award Nominees
January 30, 2008 - This week, the Women's National Book Association announced the nominees for the 2008 Lucile Micheels Pannell Awards, recognizing retail bookstores that excel at inspiring the interest of young people in books and reading. WNBA will present the awards to two bookstores (one general and one children's specialty store) at BookExpo America 2008 in Los Angeles.
Indie Bookstore Business Plan Wins the Big Prize
January 30, 2008 - Jessica Stockton Bagnulo of McNally Robinson Booksellers in New York City was named the first-place winner in the Power UP! Business Plan Competition, presented by the Brooklyn Public Library's Business Library and sponsored by Citigroup. She'll receive $15,000 and an in-kind package of services worth $5,000 for her plan to open an independent bookstore in Brooklyn.
Wi3 Rep Picks: The Titles They Were Talking About
January 29, 2008 - Last week's Winter Institute included four Rep Picks sessions, which were repeated three times over the course of the two days. At each, representatives from six of Wi3's 24 Publisher Partners presented titles that independent booksellers can look forward to selling this spring. Here's a look at the lists of titles as provided by the publishers prior to the event.
NRF Expo Offers Peek at Store of the Future & Retail Horizons Study
January 29, 2008 - Hot topics at this month's National Retail Federation Convention & Expo included consumer advocacy, customer satisfaction and loyalty, and the role technology will play in the store of the future. Last week, BTW looked at "Harness the Chaos in Today's Connected World," a session featuring author Daniel Pink (A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, Riverhead) and Fred Balboni of IBM Global Business Services Store of the Future. This week's focus is on the Store of the Future and several of the key findings of NRF's Retail Horizons study.
The Winter Institute Begins
January 24, 2008 - As Bookselling This Week reaches your Inbox this Thursday, close to 500 ABA member booksellers are converging in Louisville, Kentucky, for the opening of the American Booksellers Association's Third Annual Winter Institute.
Survey Finds Support for "Buy Local" Boosted Holiday Spending at Independent Stores
January 24, 2008 - As major chains report weak holiday sales, a nationwide survey of 1,382 independent retailers, including members of the American Booksellers Association, has found that a desire to support locally owned businesses is emerging as a factor in people's shopping choices. The survey, which included retailers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., found that, even in a difficult economic climate, many independent retailers are holding their own and even seeing sales gains by emphasizing their local ownership and community roots.
Gov. Spitzer's Call to Clarify Sale