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ABA to Kick Off Spring Forum Schedule at CAMEX
January 21, 2010 - ABA will be holding its first Booksellers Forum of 2010 on March 12 in Orlando, Florida, in conjunction with the National Association of College Stores' Campus Market Expo, where forum participants will be able to take advantage of special housing and registration offers. All ABA member booksellers are invited to the forum program, which is being held in conjunction with NACS and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance. |
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Op-Ed Template Added to E-Fairness Action Kit
January 21, 2010 - This week, ABA announced the addition of an op-ed template to the new E-Fairness Action Kit. Booksellers are urged to adapt the op-ed and to e-mail it to their local newspapers as a way of promoting the issue of e-fairness. |
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February Indie Notables Fliers & Shelf-Talkers Now Available
January 21, 2010 - Booksellers can now download the February Indie Next List Notables title recommendations from BookWeb.org in flier format and as shelf-talkers. Each month, the Indie Next List Notables showcase outstanding writing -- selections that have all been recommended by indie booksellers nationwide. |
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Noted Publishing Execs to Be Featured on Wi5 Panel
January 21, 2010 - One of the highlights of next month's Winter Institute will be a panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities presented by digitization that will feature three of the book industry's top executives. |
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Google's Daniel Clancy to Present Wi5 Tech Day Luncheon Keynote
January 21, 2010 - Daniel Clancy, director of Google Books, will be the keynote lunch speaker at the Winter Institute's Technology Day, on Wednesday, February 3. Clancy, who has given tech talks at a variety of venues, including South by Southwest and Stanford University, will discuss the soon-to-be-launched Google Editions and diversity in the e-book marketplace. |
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Booksellers Hoping to Fill Wi5 Hotel Cancellations
January 21, 2010 - There are still dozens of booksellers hoping for room reservations at the Winter Institute's sold-out host hotel, the Doubletree San Jose. |
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Survey Looks at Consumers' E-Book Preferences
January 21, 2010 - The Book Industry Study Group last week published the results of the first of three surveys that examine when, why, how, and where consumers purchase and use e-books and e-readers. Among the key findings: Thirty percent of print book buyers would wait up to three months to purchase the e-book edition of a book by a favorite author. |
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March Workshop on Opening or Buying a Bookstore
January 21, 2010 - The Bookstore Training Group of Paz & Associates will be conducting an intensive workshop retreat, "Opening a Bookstore: The Business Essentials," from Monday through Friday, March 15 - 19, on Amelia Island (near Jacksonville, Florida). |
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Nominations Sought for PW Bookseller & Rep of Year
January 21, 2010 - Publishers Weekly is seeking nominations for its Bookseller and Sales Rep of the Year awards to be presented this spring at BookExpo America in New York City. |
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WNBA Announces Pannell Award Nominees
January 21, 2010 - The Women's National Book Association this week announced the nominees for the 2010 WNBA Pannell Awards, recognizing retail bookstores that excel at inspiring the interest of young people in books and reading. |
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BTW News Briefs
January 21, 2010 - Future of Current Health Care Bill Up in Air; ALA Announces Caldecott & Newbery Medal Winners; Philip Gross Wins T.S. Eliot Prize; Mystery Writers of America Unveil 2010 Edgar Award Nominees; HarperCollins in E-Book Talks With Apple |
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Holiday Survey Shows Sales Increase for Indie Business and Positive Effect of Buy Local Campaigns
January 14, 2010 - More holiday shoppers deliberately sought out locally owned businesses this year, according to a national survey of more than 1,800 independent businesses. The survey found that holiday sales for independent retailers were up an average of 2.2 percent. That contrasts with the Commerce Department figures released today, which show that overall retail sales were down 0.3 percent in December and up 1.8 percent in November. |
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40 ABA Member Stores Open in 2009
January 14, 2010 - Despite last year's economic challenges, 40 ABA member stores opened in 2009 across the U.S. The new indie bookstores are in 19 states, with California, New York, and Wisconsin leading the way, at five openings each. Illinois and Texas followed, each with four new indie bookstores. Included in the 40 regular new stores are two branches of existing businesses -- Books Inc. in Berkeley, California, and Posman Books in New York City. One ABA international member also opened for business in 2009: Coral Reef Bookstore in Anguilla, British West Indies. |
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Five More Authors Join Winter Institute Lineup
January 14, 2010 - The list of participants in the Winter Institute's popular Author Reception grew by five this week, bringing the total number of authors and illustrators to 42 -- the greatest number ever participating in an ABA Winter Institute event. |
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Booksellers Urged to Contact Legislators to Demand E-Fairness
January 14, 2010 - Last week, ABA launched the E-Fairness Action Kit (E-FACT) to provide booksellers with crucial, state-specific tools to help them with their e-fairness communications and advocacy efforts. ABA is urging booksellers to use E-FACT's template letters to reach out to their state legislators, governor, and revenue departments. |
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Bookstore Sales Fall in November
January 14, 2010 - After a strong September, retail sales at bookstores fell for the second straight month. Bookstore sales decreased by 2.0 percent in November 2009, compared to November 2008, according to preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census. |
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IndieCommerce Outlines Plans for First Half of 2010
January 14, 2010 - This week, ABA presented IndieCommerce members with a roadmap of upgrades and new features planned for the first half of 2010. ABA also assured members that, in the wake of the staff reorganization announced last week, IndieCommerce remains an extremely high priority and that the recent changes would put staff in a stronger position to respond to customer service questions and to implement new features. |
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Reservations Open for ABA Hotel at BEA 2010
January 14, 2010 - Booksellers at ABA member stores can now make reservations for the official "ABA Hotel," which was secured by BookExpo America for the 2010 show in New York City. The Park Central Hotel, located just 20 blocks north of the Javits Center, near Times Square, provides easy access to BEA via taxi, bus, or subway. |
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Obituary: Bob Simoneaux
January 14, 2010 - Robert Ross "Bob" Simoneaux, 64, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, died on Monday, January 11, 2010, after a long illness. He was co-owner, with his wife, Kathleen Yates Simoneaux, of Chester Country Book & Music Company in West Chester, Pennsylvania. |
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A Quick Look at Some Gift Card Packaging Options
January 14, 2010 - The National Retail Federation lists gift cards as the most requested holiday item, and they remain a popular choice year round. With their consumer appeal, and ability to draw new customers who are likely to spend more than the face value, gift cards' only drawback is their size. To help booksellers increase the visibility of gift cards, here's a shortlist of alternative sources for packaging and holders. |
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BTW News Briefs
January 14, 2010 - Spartanburg Writers Project to Open Indie Bookstore; IndieBound iPhone App Receives Kudos From Boston Globe; Seattle's University Book Store Celebrates 110 With 110; PNBA Announces Award Winners; NRF Finds Holiday Season Ends on High Note |
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The Indie Mind, Body, Spirit Bestseller List
January 14, 2010 - Based on sales in independent bookstores nationwide, for the eight-week period ending January 12, 2010. |
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ABA Joins Indie Businesses in Important Post-Holiday Survey; Bookseller Participation Urged
January 07, 2010 - Once again, ABA is partnering with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and a wide range of other indie business groups on a national post-holiday survey of independent businesses. The short survey seeks to gauge how indie businesses are weathering the extremely challenging economic climate and to assess whether people are more aware and supportive of locally owned, independent businesses. All ABA main store members are urged to take a few minutes to complete the survey, whose deadline is Tuesday, January 12. |
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ABA Launches E-Fairness Action Kit
January 07, 2010 - As states ring in the new year faced with significant budget shortfalls, it is clear that e-fairness will be a major focus in 2010. With a tremendous opportunity to win a significant victory for sales tax equity around the country, ABA has launched a new E-Fairness Action Kit (E-FACT) that provides booksellers with crucial, state-specific tools to help them in their e-fairness outreach efforts. |
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Holiday Season 2009: Better Than Last Year
January 07, 2010 - Booksellers can finally exhale after a holiday season that, for the most part, was an improvement over a dismal 2008. The season saw sales dips at some indie booksellers, but these declines were outnumbered by modest, and sometimes robust, gains at others. Booksellers from across the country reported that the Local First movement was bearing fruit, and several reaped the benefits of creative, homegrown marketing campaigns. |
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ABA Announces Staff Reorganization
January 07, 2010 - ABA announced today that it has begun the process of a staff reorganization. Regarding the changes, Chief Executive Officer Oren Teicher said, "I was charged by the association's Board of Directors to make ABA both more efficient and better prepared to meet the new and myriad challenges facing independent booksellers. This reorganization, which is the result of many months of analysis and investigation, is the first step in that process." |
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The 2010 February Indie Next List
January 07, 2010 - Here's a preview of the titles on the February Indie Next List flier, now on its way to ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement. A downloadable PDF version of the list will also be available beginning February 1 on BookWeb.org and IndieBound.org. |
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Wi5's Consultation Station: Schedule Appointments Now
January 07, 2010 - New this year is the opportunity for booksellers to schedule one-on-one conversations with a wide variety of service providers who will be on-hand at the Winter Institute. Currently scheduled to have representatives at the Consultation Station are 14 book industry service providers, including POS vendors, trade associations, Ingram, LIBRIS insurance, W.G. Ellerkamp Paper Company, PartnerShip, and more. |
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The Latest on Wi5 Hotel Reservations, Room Shares & More
January 07, 2010 - The Doubletree San Jose, the headquarters hotel for ABA's Fifth Annual Winter Institute, is sold out. Currently, more than 50 booksellers are on a waiting list hoping to book a room. If you have a room and no longer plan to attend, you're urged to contact ABA immediately. Booksellers with room reservations can reduce their costs by sharing their room with another bookseller. |
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Rosato Named BEA Event Director
January 07, 2010 - Steven Rosato has been named event director of BookExpo America. Rosato began working on BEA in 1998 and has served in a number of key sales and strategic positions, most recently as director of industry development and strategic accounts. |
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The 2010 Indie Next List Nominations Calendar
January 07, 2010 - Mark your calendars now with the 2010 Indie Next List nomination deadlines, presented here and always available on BookWeb.org. Booksellers are encouraged to nominate the titles that they are enthusiastically looking forward to handselling, either by using the convenient online nomination form on BookWeb.org or by e-mailing their nominations. |
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BTW News Briefs
January 07, 2010 - S&S Reorganizes Sales Force; Lambda Literary Foundation Names New Executive Director; BISG Appoints New Executive Director; ACTAR Acquires Birkhauser Architecture & Design Titles; Lerner Publishing Group Acquires Darby Creek Publishing |
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January Indie Notables Fliers & Shelf-Talkers Now Available
December 22, 2009 - Booksellers can now download the January Indie Next List Notable title
recommendations in a flier and shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org. Each month, the
Indie Next List Notables showcase outstanding writing -- selections that have
all been recommended by indie booksellers nationwide. |
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ABA Member Store Openings October - December
December 22, 2009 - Ten ABA member storefront locations and one online-only bookstore
opened for business from October through December 2009. |
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Holiday Helpers: ABA Staffers Become Weekend Booksellers
December 22, 2009 - Continuing a holiday tradition, ABA senior staff members recently spent time working at member stores
during the crucial rundown to the New Year. With the intent of helping member
stores in any way they could, and to learn more about the challenges facing
store owners and staff, over the last several weeks ABA staffers drove to stores
within a few hours of the association's Tarrytown, New York, offices or combined
their stints as bookstore helpers with previously planned business trips and
vacations in locales across the country. |
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Sales Tax Revenue Crisis Remains a Hot Media Topic
December 22, 2009 - The issue of sales tax revenue declines has
become a top priority for many states. Just this past week, there were a number
of news articles and editorials about how states are looking to stave off these
declines, as well as a report from California on how out-of-state online retailers'
ability to sell items without collecting sales tax helped put one bookstore
out of business. In addition, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has said that he wants
the 2010 legislature to pass an e-fairness provision, and in Maine, a state
legislator called for e-fairness to be a top priority. |
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Senate Health Care Bill Includes Small Business Provisions
December 22, 2009 - As the Senate gets set to pass its health care reform bill, "The
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," the small business community
remains divided over some aspects of the complex legislation. Early Monday morning,
the Senate voted 60 - 40 for cloture, which clears the way for final passage
of the bill. Most experts believe the Senate bill will pass by Christmas. Once
the Senate bill is passed, it will be reconciled with the House of Representatives
health care reform bill in conference committee. |
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Sign-Up for Select Wi5 Sessions Filling Fast
December 22, 2009 - Winter Institute programming is open to all registered booksellers,
and the majority of sessions do not require sign up. There are nine sessions
where space is limited, however, so ABA is asking interested booksellers to
sign up for these sessions in advance. Spaces, which are being filled on a first-come,
first-served basis, are filling fast. |
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Frank Bruni on Consuming Fusilli and Content
December 22, 2009 - During his five years as the New York Times restaurant critic,
Frank Bruni was the most well-known and religiously followed food writer in
New York City and, possibly, the country. But one detail most didn't know was that he had serious struggles with his weight throughout most of his life. BTW recently spoke to Bruni about his new memoir, Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time
Eater (Penguin Press), and what he thinks, as an author and a journalist, of the changing ways information
is perceived. |
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BTW News Briefs
December 22, 2009 - West Bend Library Receives Intellectual Freedom Award; National Book
Foundation Offers Prizes for Inspiring Reading; Book Sales Up in October, E-Book
Year-to-Date Sales Reach $130 Million; New Owner for North Carolina's City Lights
Books |
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The Indie Healthy Living Bestseller List
December 22, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending December 15, 2009, and based on
sales at hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Important Reminders About the Winter Institute
December 17, 2009 - With the Winter Institute just weeks away, ABA sends some important reminders: what to do if your plans have changed; sessions that require an RSVP; laptops, handouts, wireless connections, and power; and getting to the Doubletree San Jose. |
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35-Plus Authors to Take Part in Wi5 Reception
December 17, 2009 - This week, ABA announced the names of 37 authors and illustrators who
will participate in the publisher-sponsored Author Reception at the Fifth Annual
Winter Institute. Always a highlight of ABA's premier winter education event,
the reception, on Thursday evening, February 4, will provide booksellers with
an opportunity to mingle with the authors and illustrators, who will be there
to autograph new or forthcoming titles. |
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More on Publishers' E-Book Release Date Strategies
December 17, 2009 - Four major U.S. publishers announced plans last week to delay, or consider
delaying, the release of e-book editions until weeks or even months after the
publication of hardcover titles, as the industry attempts to adapt to the accelerating
growth in the sales of digital editions and the widespread sub-$10 pricing of
bestsellers in digital format. This week, Macmillan joined the ranks of those
announcing e-book release plans, while HarperCollins CEO Brian Murray told BTW
that there is a lot more to HarperCollins' e-book strategy than a simple change
in release scheduling. |
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IndieCommerce Introduces Innovative Feature for Online Handselling
December 17, 2009 - ABA IndieCommerce this week launched a new feature that allows stores
to create new orders on their customers' behalf and charge their credit cards automatically
using a secure, encrypted feature called a Customer Information Manager Profile. |
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Report Finds States Will Try to Stop Sales Tax Declines
December 17, 2009 - Faced with budget shortfalls, state governments will be looking
at different ways to increase sales and use tax revenue, according to the white
paper "The Impact of the Loss of State Sales and Use Tax Revenue," which
was recently released by CCH, a provider of tax, accounting, and audit information,
software, and services. Methods for increasing sales and use tax revenue will
run the gambit from sales tax increases to e-fairness legislation, depending on the state. |
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Seize the Moment @ Wi5: Building on the Demand for Graphic Novels
December 17, 2009 - Graphic novels have reached a tipping point, and booksellers can position
themselves to benefit, says Diamond Book Distributors sales manager John Shableski,
a presenter at ABA's upcoming Winter Institute. At the session "Graphic
Novels: An Amazing Marketing Event & Opportunity for Independent Retail,"
Shableski will lead a panel discussion on the current state of the market and
how booksellers can strategically buy, shelve, and promote graphic novels. |
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Patriot Act Reauthorization Delayed Till 2010
December 17, 2009 - Work to reach a final compromise on key provisions of the USA Patriot
Act that are set to expire at the end of this year has been put off until 2010.
The expiring provisions -- including Section 215, which allows the FBI and other
law enforcement agencies to search bookstore and library records -- are being
extended for two to three months to allow time for the House and Senate to reach
a consensus on a final agreement. |
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AMIBA Offers "Buy Indie/Buy Local" Outreach Tools
December 17, 2009 - The American Independent Business Alliance has a free holiday gift for
local communities -- new outreach tools aimed at ramping up "Buy Indie/Buy
Local" campaigns for the holidays -- or anytime. Among the offerings are
a bag stuffer template and two posters/fliers spreading the pro-independent
message. Each is ready to print on standard 8-1/2" x 11" paper. |
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More IndieCommerce Sites Move to Drupal Platform
December 17, 2009 - Eighteen ABA member stores have migrated from the old BookSense.com
legacy system to IndieCommerce's Drupal-based platform in the last month, bringing
the total number of stores on the new system to more than 120. |
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Bookseller's Memoir Details Grassroots Efforts in Support of Obama
December 17, 2009 - John and Michelle Presta got their start in bookselling in 1991 as the
founders of a small bookstore, Reading on Walden, in Chicago. They got their
start in politics about a decade later working on the campaign of then-congressional
hopeful Barack Obama. In Mr. and Mrs. Grassroots: How Barack Obama, Two Bookstore
Owners, and 300 Volunteers Did It (Elevator Group Publishing), John Presta
shares his involvement in Obama's political campaigns from 2000 to 2008, and
details how he helped build a grassroots network of hundreds of volunteers. |
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Around Indies
December 17, 2009 - Little Shop of Stories Claims Its Prize: Neil Gaiman; Eagle Eye Book
Shop Honored as "Best of Atlanta"; Rainbow Bookstore Cooperative
Celebrates 20 Years; Aaron's Books Launches "Book Buying for a Cause" |
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BTW News Briefs
December 17, 2009 - Above the Treeline in New Partnership to Provide Digital Galleys; SBA,
Dell Launch Video Series to Help Small Businesses Grow, Create Jobs; Rights
to Backlist Books in E-book Format in the News |
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BTW's Holiday Schedule
December 17, 2009 - To get a jump on the Christmas holiday, next week's edition of Bookselling
This Week will arrive in your inbox on Tuesday, December 22. There will
be no BTW the following week (the week of New Year's Day). However, the
Indie Bestseller Lists will be produced and e-mailed as usual on Tuesday, December
22, and Tuesday, December 29; they will also be posted to BookWeb late Tuesday
afternoon. The Bestseller reporting period for both weeks remains unchanged. |
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BookExpo America Secures Manhattan Hotel for ABA Members
December 10, 2009 - Officials at BookExpo America today announced that they have secured
a room block and favorable rates at the Park Central Hotel in Manhattan, located
just north of Times Square, for ABA bookseller members. The Park Central, the official "ABA Hotel" for 2010, provides easy access to BEA via taxi, bus, or subway.
BEA 2010 will take place from Tuesday through Thursday, May 25 - 27. |
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Announcing the 2009 Indie Bestsellers: Now in Attractive, Downloadable Fliers
December 10, 2009 - This week, ABA unveils the 2009 Indie Bestsellers, the year's top-selling
titles at hundreds of independent bookstores across the country in the categories
of Hardcover Fiction and Nonfiction, Trade Paperback Fiction and Nonfiction,
and Children's Interest, Illustrated, and Fiction Series. |
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New Wi5 Publisher Partner, New Scholarship Recipient
December 10, 2009 - This week, ABA welcomed HarperCollins Children's Books as the newest
Winter Institute Publisher Partner. |
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S&S, Hachette, HarperCollins Establish New E-book Publishing Schedules
December 10, 2009 - Three major publishers have taken steps to establish new release schedules
for books in digital format. Simon & Schuster announced on Wednesday, December
9, its plan to publish the e-book editions of 35 new releases four months after
their hardcover release. Hachette Book Group and HarperCollins have similar plans, according to
the Wall Street Journal, which characterized their actions as "a
dramatic stand against the cut-rate $9.99 pricing of e-book bestsellers." |
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Elliott Bay to Move to New Location in Spring
December 10, 2009 - On December 9, owner Peter Aaron announced that Elliott Bay Book Company
would be moving to a location on Seattle's Capitol Hill in the spring of 2010.
In a letter on the Elliott Bay website, Aaron expressed some sadness about relocating the store from Pioneer Square, where it has been for 36 years, but
said that the move to the vital new neighborhood "will boost our business
to the level necessary to maintain our commercial viability." |
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Senators, Small Business Majority Seek to Rally Support for Health Care Reform for Small Business
December 10, 2009 - On Wednesday, December 9, Senators Mary Landrieu, Blanche Lincoln, and Debbie Stabenow joined Terry Gardiner of the Small Business
Majority (SBM) and Mike Brey, a small business owner from Maryland, at a press conference
to unveil a package of amendments to the Senate health care reform bill that
would benefit small businesses. SBM is also urging small businesses, including independent booksellers,
in key states to reach out to their legislators and write letters to the editors
of local newspapers to share their stories about how the current health care
crisis has hurt their businesses. |
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Sales Tax Revenue Decline Spurs Media Support for E-Fairness
December 09, 2009 - With states across the country facing bleak economic forecasts and budget
shortfalls, media outlets across the country are speaking out in support of
e-fairness. Over the past week, newspapers from Maine to California have published
editorials, op-eds, and articles about the effects on a state's small businesses,
as well as on its ability to fund essential services, when online retailers
are not required to collect sales taxes already mandated by law. |
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Book Trailers Featured in New Interactive Gallery
December 09, 2009 - Since IndieBound.org first added videos back in August, the
collection of fun, colorful book trailers has been growing rapidly, and there are now more than 300 videos in the collection. This week, IndieBound
added an interactive book trailers gallery. |
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Lake Forest Book Store Celebrates 60 Years
December 09, 2009 - In 1949, 12 women founded Lake Forest Book Store in Lake Forest, Illinois,
and though the business has changed hands several times, women have run the
store throughout its long history in the Chicago suburb. On Sunday, December
6, current owner Sue Boucher threw a party to mark Lake Forest Book Store's
60th anniversary. |
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Lambda Rising's Maccubbin Reflects on a Successful 35-Year Run
December 09, 2009 - This week, Lambda Rising owners Deacon Maccubbin and Jim Bennett announced
plans to close their remaining two stores, located in Washington, D.C., and
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, by the end of the year. Maccubbin, who founded Lambda's first, 300-square-foot store catering to the gay and lesbian community in D.C.
in 1974, considers the store's 35-year run a success. |
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Around Indies
December 09, 2009 - Anderson's Opens a Gift Shop; Copperfield's in Santa Rosa Plans Move;
Magers & Quinn Weathers Snowstorm With Skype Author Event; Boulder
Book Store Donates Thousands of Books to Local Schools; Village Books Owner
Explains E-Book Offerings to TV Audience; Mystery Lovers Bookshop to Receive MWA Raven Award; Good Dog Carl Shops at Third Place
Books; Happy Anniversary to... |
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BTW News Briefs
December 09, 2009 - Five Magazine Publishers to Create Online Storefront; Fensterman and Muller Promoted by Reed Expositions; Books Are Great Gifts Campaign Gears Up
for Second Year; Baker & Taylor Acquires Blackwell North America and James
Bennett; Final Large-Scale Disbursement of Visa/Mastercard Antitrust Settlement
Underway |
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The Indie Holiday Entertaining & Cooking Bestseller List
December 09, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending December 8, 2009, and based on sales
in hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Obituary: Joel C. Turner
December 09, 2009 - Joel C. Turner, co-founder with his family of the former Under Cover
Books in Shaker Heights, Ohio, died suddenly this past weekend. He was 58 years
old. |
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Indies Meet the Holidays Head-On With Shop Local Promos, Regional Handsells & More
December 03, 2009 - Independent booksellers across the country are using an array of Shop
Local promotions, social media outlets, holiday catalogs, IndieBound marketing
materials, and unique handsells to face another challenging holiday retail season.
And, though the Black Friday weekend often draws shoppers from Main Street to
big box stores and malls, booksellers who spoke to BTW this week were
generally pleased with their November sales and optimistic about the weeks to
come. |
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Wi5 Booked to Capacity -- Waiting List Now Forming
December 03, 2009 - Registration for ABA's Fifth Annual Winter Institute is booked to capacity. ABA bookstore and provisional members can now add their names to a waiting list. Registered booksellers who no longer plan to attend are asked to notify ABA as soon as possible, so that waiting booksellers can fill their places. |
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Joseph-Beth Opens Shops at Cleveland Clinic
December 03, 2009 - Joseph-Beth Booksellers, with locations in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
and North Carolina, recently opened a new store on the main campus of the Cleveland
Clinic in Ohio. This week, a second, satellite store, is set to open at one
of the Cleveland Clinic health centers. Co-owner Neil Van Uum described the
arrangement as a way to "go after more predictive sales, instead of waiting
for people to walk in the door." |
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Plans for Sony eReaders at Indie Bookstores Delayed
December 03, 2009 - Plans to make Sony eReaders available for purchase from independent
bookstores in time for this holiday season will not come to fruition despite
the best efforts of the American Booksellers Association and others in the book
industry. Work is ongoing, however, to provide indie booksellers with the ability
to sell eReaders sometime in the future. |
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Promoting E-Books: Let the Indie Next List Help
December 03, 2009 - With consumer
interest in e-reading on the rise, it's important to let customers know that
they can buy e-books from you, through your store's ABA IndieCommerce website.
Now, a time-tested selling tool -- the Indie Next List -- has been tapped to
help in the effort. |
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Bookseller-to-Bookseller: ABFFE Board Urges ABA Members to Join
December 03, 2009 - The bookseller members of the Board of
Directors of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression are encouraging
their fellow booksellers to take a minute during the holiday selling season
to join ABFFE, the bookseller's voice in the fight against censorship. In a
letter sent to ABA members, the ABFFE board members noted that a majority of
booksellers renew their ABA dues in December and urged them to use the space
provided on the ABA renewal form to join ABFFE. |
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Around Indies
December 03, 2009 - Owners Mark 30 Years at The Bennington Bookshop; Everyone's Books Celebrates
25th Anniversary in Brattleboro; Elliott Bay's Aaron Contemplates Move; Sam
Weller's Continues Search for New Location |
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BTW News Briefs
December 03, 2009 - Judge Rejects Amazon Request to Reconsider Google Settlement; Senate
Health Care Debate Kicks Off With Partisan Bickering; Ingram Launches Ingram
Wire; Random House Expands Books = Gifts Program; BEA Global Market
Forum to Focus on Spanish Publishing; Legislation Introduced to Make Small Business
Tax Deduction Permanent; Books Among Most Popular Purchases on Black Friday
Weekend |
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The January 2010 Indie Next List
December 03, 2009 - Here's a preview of the titles on the January Indie Next List flier, now on its way to ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement. A downloadable PDF version of the list will also be available beginning January 1 on BookWeb.org and IndieBound.org. |
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New York Times Urges More States to Pass E-Fairness Legislation
December 02, 2009 - On Friday, November 27, the New York Times' lead editorial urged
other states that collect sales tax to follow New York's example and pass e-fairness
legislation. The Times said that legislators made the "right decision"
when they clarified sales tax laws to require remote online retailers with affiliates
in New York to collect and remit sales tax in the state, and added that
"other states would be wise to look to New York as a model." |
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PartnerShip: Sign Up Now, Get Discount Shipping From Wi5
December 02, 2009 - Booksellers who enroll with PartnerShip, ABA's Discount Shipping Program
provider, between now and the Fifth Annual Winter Institute, this February,
will be able to ship books and other packages from the host hotel, the Doubletree
San Jose, at significant savings. |
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Vote Clears Way for Senate Health Care Bill Debate
November 24, 2009 - On Saturday, November 21, the U.S. Senate voted 60 - 39, along
party lines, to open debate on the Senate health care reform bill, "Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
(D-NV) said debate would begin on the bill on Monday, November 30. |
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Booksellers Urged to Call for Bookstore Protections in Patriot Act Bill
November 24, 2009 - With the U.S. Justice Department expressing support for Senate legislation
that would extend three key provisions of the Patriot Act slated to
expire at the end of the year, now is the time for supporters of the Campaign
for Reader Privacy to call on their senators to ensure that reader privacy protections
included in the act are extended to bookstores. |
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Now Available: December Indie Next List Notables Flier & Shelf-Talkers
November 24, 2009 - Booksellers can now download the December Indie Next List Notable title
recommendations in a flier and shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org. Each month, the
Indie Next List Notables showcase outstanding writing -- selections that have
all been recommended by indie booksellers nationwide. |
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ABA Governance Review Committee Issues Report
November 24, 2009 - The ABA's Governance Review Committee has completed its most recent
report, which is now available to ABA bookstore members on BookWeb.org. The committee
had previously solicited member input, which was synthesized (but made anonymous)
and shared with the ABA Board of Directors. |
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Holiday Catalogs Available to IndieCommerce Drupal Sites
November 24, 2009 - Holiday catalogs from the New England, Northern California, and Southern
California independent booksellers associations are now available through Drupal-based
ABA IndieCommerce websites. |
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Tips for Stress-Free Gift Card Processing
November 24, 2009 - You have ABA Gift Card processing down pat, and your staff is fully
trained. But, here are few important reminders about what to do if the unexpected
happens. |
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Obama Administration to Launch Main Street Tour
November 23, 2009 - Last week, the Obama Administration announced plans for a "White
House to Main Street" tour that will take the president to cities and towns
across the country over the next few months to speak with workers and share
ideas for the nation's continued economic recovery. The president will kick
off the tour in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Friday, December 4. |
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Treasury Department & SBA Host Small Business Financing Forum
November 23, 2009 - Addressing the credit needs of small business was the focus of
a recent forum hosted by the Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration.
The Small Business Financing Forum, on Wednesday, November 18, featured Treasury
Secretary Timothy Geithner, SBA Administrator Karen Mills, U.S. Senate Committee
on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), as well
as small business owners and others. |
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A Cappella Celebrates 20 Years
November 23, 2009 - When Atlanta's A Cappella Books opened in 1989, it was exclusively a
used, out-of-print, and collectible bookstore in less than 750 square feet,
with fewer than 1,000 books, no employees, no cash register, no computer, and
almost no money. Twenty years later, said owner Frank Reiss, the shop is still small, but it now features an inventory of most "interesting" new titles and carefully selected used and out-of-print books. |
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From Jingles to Dreidels ... Fountain Bookstore Has Richmond Covered
November 23, 2009 - Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia, which is no stranger to innovative
marketing campaigns, recently launched two new promotional tools -- one is possibly
the first-ever independent bookstore jingle; the other, an IndieBound Hanukkah poster, is a collaborative
effort between Fountain and its local Jewish Community Center. |
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Searching for Gifts, Toys & More? Check Out the Booksellers Resource Directory
November 23, 2009 - As the holiday selling season moves into full swing, ABA sends a reminder
to booksellers that BookWeb's Booksellers Resource Directory offers information
on vendors of gift and other non-book product, toys, office supplies, business
services, and more. |
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Around Indies
November 23, 2009 - Palin Appearance
at Joseph-Beth Draws 1,000-Plus; Bookshop Santa Cruz Offers Sarah Palin's Just Plain Nutz; Griffin Bay Bookstore Celebrates 30th Anniversary;
Congratulations Also Go to... |
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BTW News Briefs
November 23, 2009 - Studies Find Online Presence Is Key This Holiday Season; Retailers
Increase Cyber Monday Promotions; Discounts in Demand on Black Friday; Judge Sets Hearing Date for Amended Google Settlement |
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The Indie Comics & Graphic Works Bestseller List
November 23, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending November 17, 2009, and based on sales
at independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Correction
November 23, 2009 - The Winter 2009/2010 Kids' Indie Next List flier, on its way to stores
in the IndieBound movement, misidentifies the name of the bookstore for the
bookseller's quote for the title I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I
Want to Be Your Class President. |
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U.K. Booksellers Association to Adopt IndieBound
November 19, 2009 - The Booksellers Association of the United Kingdom & Ireland (BA)
will be launching an IndieBound marketing campaign for members of its Independent
Booksellers Forum in early 2010. In its November magazine, Bookselling Essentials,
the BA gave members a sneak preview of IndieBound and said, "We are thrilled
to be working with the American Booksellers Association to facilitate the IndieBound
campaign into the U.K." |
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Emerging Leaders Announce Wi5 Scholarship Winners
November 19, 2009 - The Emerging Leaders Council has announced the winners of its scholarships
for ABA's Fifth Annual Winter Institute. The scholarships, sponsored by Ingram, were awarded to a bookseller from each of the regional trade associations, except the host region, Northern California. |
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Two New Wi5 Publisher Partners, Two New Scholarship Winners
November 19, 2009 - This week, ABA welcomed two new Winter Institute Publisher Partners:
Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Other Press. Thanks to their generosity
two more ABA member booksellers will be able to attend Wi5 in San Jose, California,
on a scholarship. |
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National Book Awards Ceremony Highlights
November 19, 2009 - Here's a look, in words and
photos, at some of the highlights of last night's National Book Awards Ceremony
and Benefit Dinner at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. |
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Presenting 2009 Indie Next List Great Reads... Now in Paperback
November 19, 2009 - Twenty titles chosen by booksellers for the 2009 Indie Next Lists in
hardcover and now available in paperback format are featured in "Presenting
Paperbacks," an attractive, two-page downloadable flier, ideal for display
and for use as a handout or bag stuffer. |
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Just Expanded: New Holiday Designs
November 19, 2009 - The latest additions to the IndieBound Bookseller DIY -- new holiday
designs emphasizing books as gifts -- have just been expanded. New posters especially
for Hanukkah will inspire your customers to get ready for the Festival of Lights, starting December 11. |
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White House Hosts Small Business Call on Health Care Reform
November 19, 2009 - On Thursday, November 12, the White House and the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services hosted an hour-long conference call with small business
owners from around the country to discuss health care reform. Administration
officials participating in the briefing included Ann Widger of the White House
Office of Public Engagement and Dr. Meena Seshamani, author of a recent report on health insurance reform. |
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Report Finds Amazon's Arguments Against E-Fairness Do Not Withstand Scrutiny
November 19, 2009 - This week, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a report
that calls into question Amazon.com's justifications for opposing e-fairness
legislation that has been passed or introduced in a number of states. The report
by the center, which works at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy
and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals,
found that Amazon.com's opposition to sales tax collection is "simply a
desire to maximize the significant competitive advantage it gains over its rivals
when they must add the typical five percent to 10 percent to their prices but
Amazon does not." |
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Top Indie Recommendations for Kids & Young Adults: Winter 2001 - 2009
November 19, 2009 - The number-one indie title recommendations for kids for winter 2001
through 2009 are now featured in an attractive downloadable flier. The color
flier is perfect for displays and for use as a bag stuffer and is a great way
to promote a unique collection of backlist titles. |
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Wholesaler Holiday Hours
November 19, 2009 - With the holiday season upon us, most wholesalers will be extending
their hours. Here's a rundown of the holiday hours as provided by major wholesalers. |
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Little Shop of Stories Wins Graveyard Book Halloween Contest
November 19, 2009 - This week, Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, Georgia, and McNally Robinson
Booksellers in Winnipeg, Canada, were named the grand prize winners of Neil
Gaiman's The Graveyard Book Halloween Party Contest, sponsored by HarperCollins
Children's Books. Five first prize winners and four second prize winners were
also named. |
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Wanted: Booksellers' Digital Success Stories
November 19, 2009 - The Fifth Annual Winter Institute is fast approaching, and ABA staff
is busy putting together an outstanding educational program. But your help is
needed: If you've had success selling digital content, or if the way you handsell,
promote, or otherwise interact with customers has been influenced by mobile technology,
ABA's Education Department would like to hear from you. |
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Important Announcements From IndieCommerce
November 19, 2009 - ABA has made several announcements regarding
its IndieCommerce and BookSense.com products. |
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Bookstore Sales Increase in September
November 19, 2009 - Buoyed by a strong fall list, including the release of Dan Brown's latest
bestseller, retail sales at bookstores continued to significantly outpace overall
retail and food service sales in September. Sales at bookstores were up by 7
percent in September 2009 as compared to September 2008, according to preliminary
figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census. |
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IndieBound Brings eBooks to the iPhone
November 18, 2009 - i's and e's collide in the new, 2.0 version of IndieBound
for iPhone. Consumers can now search for and purchase eBooks from independent
booksellers across the U.S. The Indie Bestsellers, the Indie Next List, and
other book lists now feature an "also available as an eBook" sticker
where appropriate. The Book Search has also been upgraded with a choice of three
searches: all results, books only, or eBooks only. |
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Amended Google Settlement Submitted to Court
November 18, 2009 - Seeking to address concerns raised by the Justice Department, on Friday,
November 13, the parties in the Google Settlement submitted an Amended Settlement
Agreement to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Among the changes, the new agreement is now limited to works registered with
the U.S. Copyright Office or published in the United Kingdom, Australia, and
Canada. |
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BTW: A Change in Next Week's Schedule
November 17, 2009 - Due to
the Thanksgiving holiday, next week's edition of Bookselling This Week
will arrive in your inbox on Tuesday, November 24. However, the deadlines for
reporting sales to the Indie Bestseller List remain unchanged next week. |
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ABA Announces Winter Institute Scholarship Winners
November 12, 2009 - Twenty-two booksellers have been named the recipients of publisher-sponsored
scholarships to ABA's Fifth Annual Winter Institute. The association also announced
the winner of its inaugural Avin Mark Domnitz Scholarship. |
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The Winter Children's Indie Next List Preview
November 12, 2009 - The Winter 2009/2010 Kids' Indie Next List can now be seen in preview
online. The four-page, full-color flier will be arriving at indie bookstores
in the upcoming quarterly Children's White Box. |
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Eye-catching Holiday Designs Promote Books as Gifts
November 12, 2009 - The IndieBound Bookseller DIY now features a range of new holiday designs
and some of last year's favorites -- all emphasizing community and the great
value of books as gifts. The designs for posters, gift labels, bookmarks, newsletters,
bag stuffers, and more can be downloaded and used as is, or they can be customized
with the store name, logo, or other information. |
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A Holiday Prep Checklist
November 12, 2009 - For busy booksellers who are making their holiday to-do lists, Bookselling This Week provides some quick reminders about
in-store merchandising, promoting via social media, and having the right supplies
on hand. |
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Adding Magazines to the Mix at Wi5
November 12, 2009 - Among the 30-plus Winter Institute education sessions focused squarely
on helping booksellers boost their bottom line will be the Friday, February
5, program "Creating & Maintaining a Profitable Magazine Section," led by Dan Sheehan, vice president of sales for Ingram Content Group, general
manager of Ingram Periodicals. With the help of a panel of booksellers from
Vroman's, Copperfield's, and Carmichael's, Sheehan will break down the how-tos
and benefits of magazines for booksellers at all levels of experience. |
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Former Harvard Book Store Owner Calls for E-Fairness
November 12, 2009 - On Thursday, November 5, Frank Kramer, owner emeritus of Harvard Book
Store and co-chair of Cambridge Local First, spoke in favor of e-fairness at
a public meeting on tax policy held in Cambridge by the Massachusetts Joint
Committee on Revenue. The meeting, which was part of the Joint Committee's "Listening
Tour," focused on tax policy and working families. |
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Small Business Groups Weigh In on Health Care Reform Bill
November 12, 2009 - On Saturday, November 7, the U.S. House of Representatives passed
the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) by a margin of 220 to
215. The vote on the complex legislation was
split along party lines, with only one Republican voting in favor of the legislation
and 39 Democrats voting against it. Groups representing the interests of small
business owners are also split over the bill's merits. Some are hailing its
passage, while others are claiming it will force small businesses to cut jobs. |
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Week Dedicated to Indie Bookstores Kicks Off in NYC
November 12, 2009 - IBNYC, an alliance of independent booksellers in New York City, launched
its first Independent Bookstore Week last night at powerHouse Arena, in Brooklyn.
The party kicked off a citywide celebration from November 15 to November 21
that will highlight the diverse cultural contributions made by indie bookshops.
Plans include a scavenger hunt, author appearances, special events, promotions,
and in-store displays. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
November 12, 2009 - Flyleaf Books Set to Open; Andover Bookstore Turns 200;
Anderson's Bookshop Celebrates 45th Anniversary; North Carolina Bookstores
Merge |
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BTW News Briefs
November 12, 2009 - Small Business Owners Invited to Health Care Call With White House Tonight;
Net Operating Loss Carryback Extension Signed Into Law; International Digital
Publishing Forum Partners With BEA; Erik Engstrom Appointed Reed Elsevier CEO
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Campaign for Reader Privacy Urges Support for House Patriot Act Reform Bill
November 11, 2009 - The American Booksellers Association and its partners in the Campaign for Reader
Privacy are urging supporters to contact members of the U.S. House of Representatives
in support of a bill that would effectively ban the government from using the
USA Patriot Act to engage in fishing expeditions to identify the books that
people borrow or purchase. |
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The Indie Politics & Current Events Bestseller List
November 11, 2009 - Based on sales at hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide, for
the eight-week period ending November 10, 2009. |
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NPR & ABA Partner to Share Book Coverage, Indie Bestsellers
November 04, 2009 - NPR and ABA
have partnered to provide thoughtful bestsellers and unique book coverage to
readers, both on NPR.org and IndieBound.org. Starting November 13, NPR Books
will publish four bestseller lists weekly, using the Indie Bestseller List feeds.
And NPR is making its presence known on IndieBound.org. The book info pages
on IndieBound.org now feature audio content from NPR's extensive book coverage.
In addition, NPR.org is now a member of the IndieBound Affiliate Program. |
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ABA & NACS Announce Joint Membership Offer
November 04, 2009 - The American Booksellers Association and the National Association of
College Stores have announced a new joint promotion that will offer increased
benefits and services to members of both associations. |
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Small Businesses Go to Capitol Hill in Support of Health Care Reform
November 04, 2009 - On November 3, in Washington, D.C., more than 130 small business owners
from 25 states, gathered on Capitol Hill and at the White House to urge that
Congress reform health care. Three ABA member booksellers -- Betsy Burton of
The King's English Bookshop, Joanne Drake of Tea Party Bookshop, and Cathy
Anderson of The Briar Patch -- participated in the lobbying effort at the
invitation of the event's organizers. ABA CEO Oren Teicher also took part in
the day's activities. |
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ComicsPRO Asks DOJ to Look Into Predatory Practices
November 04, 2009 - On November 2, the trade association ComicsPRO wrote to the U.S. Department
of Justice to join in the American Booksellers Association's request that the
department investigate practices by Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, and Target that "may
constitute illegal predatory pricing." |
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Winter Institute Registration Nearing Capacity
November 04, 2009 - The American Booksellers Association is encouraging booksellers who
wish to participate in the Fifth Winter Institute to register as soon
as possible. The members-only education event (from Wednesday through Friday,
February 3 - 5, 2010, in San Jose, California) is approaching its limit of 500
participants, and the remaining spaces are being filled on a first-come, first-served
basis. |
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The December 2009 Indie Next List
November 04, 2009 - Here's a preview of the titles on the December Indie Next List flier,
now on its way to ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement. A downloadable
PDF version of the list will also be available beginning December 1 on BookWeb.org
and IndieBound.org. |
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Great Gifts & Other Non-Book Products ... Just Don't Call Them Sidelines
November 04, 2009 - As price wars dip into already slim profits, offering an array of gifts
and other non-book products with impulse purchase appeal can make a significant
difference in a bookstore's bottom line this holiday season. Here's a look at
some popular items selling well at three indies, whose owners take serious advantage
of the excellent margins offered by non-book products. |
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Why ABA IndieCommerce? One Bookseller's Thoughts
November 04, 2009 - Lars Townsend, who oversaw the launch of the Politics & Prose website
on ABA IndieCommerce's Drupal platform, recently shared some thoughts on the
benefits of having an e-commerce site in general and the advantages of the new
Drupal platform specifically. |
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ABC's "Best Books for Children" to Arrive in Kids' White Box
November 04, 2009 - In a strategic move that will increase its 2009 catalog circulation
by 75 percent, the Association of Booksellers for Children is distributing a
quantity of its 2009 Best Books for Children catalog to all ABA member
stores receiving the Winter Children's White Box mailing this month. |
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Nominations Sought for 2010 Pannell Awards
November 04, 2009 - The Women's National Book Association is seeking nominations for the
2010 Pannell Awards, honoring bookstores in the U.S. that excel at inspiring
interest in reading and creatively bringing books and young people together. |
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FAQ Addresses ABA Gift Card Program Wind Down
November 04, 2009 - To help answer booksellers' questions and concerns about the phase out
of the ABA Gift Card Program to individual store programs, the American Booksellers
Association has created an extensive FAQ, which will be revised and expanded
as more details become available. The initial list of questions and answers
covers general issues surrounding Givex (ABA's gift card transaction processor
and partner). |
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National Bookstore Day Set for Saturday
November 04, 2009 - This Saturday, November 7, is the first annual National Bookstore Day,
an event launched by Publishers Weekly to celebrate bookselling and the "vibrant
culture of bookstores." To mark the day, booksellers in more than 35 states
and the District of Columbia have been developing plans for everything from
raffles to special author events. |
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The Graveyard Book Halloween Parties a Smash for Indies
November 04, 2009 - At BookExpo America 2009, Neil Gaiman -- whose The Graveyard Book (HarperCollins)
was honored by ABA members with the Indies Choice Book Award for Best Indie
Young Adult Buzz Book -- challenged indie booksellers to create the best possible
Graveyard Book-themed Halloween party. By all accounts, booksellers eagerly
took up Gaiman's challenge, with stores across the country hosting frighteningly
creative and ever-so-ghoulish events in an effort to win a visit from the author
himself. |
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Left Bank Books Anchors Thriving St. Louis Bookselling Scene
November 04, 2009 - Left Bank Books, which will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this
weekend with a reading by store co-founder Anita Diamant (Day After
Night, Scribner), has helped pave the way for other indie bookstores
in the area. "With Left Bank's beautiful new location
downtown, a new store called Pudd'nhead Books in Webster Groves, a thriving
Subterranean in the Delmar Loop, and a recently opened Main Street Books in
St. Charles, there is much to be excited about for the booklover in this city!" said PGW rep Jen Reynolds. |
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Expanding Book Data for Indie Bookstores
November 04, 2009 - Major updates have come to the book info pages on IndieBound.org and
on IndieCommerce sites this week. New features include greatly expanded book data, and NPR
audio content on IndieBound.org. |
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ABA Member Store Openings July - September
November 04, 2009 - Eleven ABA member stores opened for business from July through September
2009. |
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Obituary: Dike Blair
November 04, 2009 - Former bookseller, author, and publisher Robert Dike Blair died on Saturday,
October 31, 2009. In 1949, he founded The Vermont Book Shop in Middlebury, Vermont. |
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BTW News Briefs
November 04, 2009 - S&S Launches Galley Grab; ABFFE Names Book of the Month: American
Privacy; Elisabeth Dyssegaard Joins Hyperion as Editor-in-Chief; New CFO
at Columbia University Press |
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IndieBound Launches New Holiday Designs
October 29, 2009 - IndieBound holiday designs are back this year. Last year's favorites
are still around, along with new images and slogans -- all emphasizing community
and the great value of books as gifts. |
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Daniel Pink to Speak at ABA Winter Institute
October 29, 2009 - Bestselling author Daniel Pink will be the Friday luncheon speaker at
the American Booksellers Association's Fifth Winter Institute, sponsored by
Ingram Book Company/Ingram Publisher Services. Pink's new book, Drive: The
Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us,will be published in January by Riverhead.
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Reaction to ABA's Letter to Justice Department Abounds
October 29, 2009 - Last week's letter from the ABA Board of Directors to the U.S. Department
of Justice requesting that it investigate predatory pricing practices by Amazon.com,
Wal-Mart, and Target has drawn widespread media coverage. Here's a sampling
from the New York Times, Time magazine, the Boston Globe,
CNBC, and others. |
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November Indie Notables Fliers & Shelf-Talkers Now Available
October 29, 2009 - Booksellers can download the November Indie Next List Notable title
recommendations in a flier and shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org. The titles -- including
fiction, nonfiction, and mystery/suspense -- expand the opportunities for variety
in creating a November Indie Next Great Reads display. |
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New Flier Promotes 10 Years of Great November Reads
October 29, 2009 - The top November indie handselling recommendations of the last 10 years
are now featured in an attractive downloadable PDF flier, suitable for displays.
The list showcases the number-one indie recommendations for November, spanning
from the 1999 Book Sense Picks to the 2009 Indie Next List. |
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Not a Simple Price War -- It's a Fight Over What You Get to Read
October 29, 2009 - Author, attorney, and bookseller
William Petrocelli, co-owner of Book Passage in San Francisco and Corte Madera,
California, shares his thoughts about what the price wars between Amazon, Target,
and Wal-Mart mean for the literary life of America in this column, which originally
appeared on the Huffington Post. |
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ABA Calls on Alabama to Introduce E-Fairness Legislation
October 29, 2009 - Faced with significant education and general budget shortfalls,
officials in Alabama are examining the possibility of bringing the state into
compliance with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement to recoup an estimated
$104 million that could be lost in 2009 to remote online retailers. This week,
ABA wrote to Alabama's revenue commissioner to thank the state for pursuing
e-fairness and to urge Alabama to model its e-fairness efforts on recent laws
passed by New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island. |
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Jersey Bookseller Plans Happy 75th Anniversary
October 29, 2009 - Anne Laird, the sixth owner of The Town Book Store in Westfield, New
Jersey, will be hosting a month-long celebration featuring raffles, giveaways,
and author signings this November to mark the store's 75th anniversary and to
thank the community for its continuing support. Laird bought the bookstore in
2007 to save it. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
October 29, 2009 - Literary Book Post Celebrates Grand Reopening in New, Expanded Space; Greenlight
Bookstore Hosts Grand Opening; Black Oak Books to Reopen; The Bookstore in Dillon
Celebrates Major Milestones; Congratulations Also Go To...; BYU Bookstore Garners Great Press for Midnight Release of The Gathering
Storm |
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New Distribution Arrangements & Changing Terms
October 29, 2009 - Ingram Publisher Services Adds Three New Clients; Consortium Announces New Distribution
Clients; Special Promo From HarperCollins Expands Newsletter Co-op; Chronicle Books
Names New Publishing Director |
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BTW News Briefs
October 29, 2009 - SCIBA Brings Fall Trade Show Season to an End; SIBA Forgoes Dues for
One Year; Gift Cards Expected to Regain Popularity; Small Businesses May Face
Significant Increase in Health Insurance Premiums; Senators Reid and Baucus
Look to Expand Carryback |
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ABA Asks Department of Justice to Investigate Bestseller Price Wars
October 22, 2009 - The Board of Directors of the American Booksellers Association today
sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice requesting that it investigate
practices by Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, and Target that it believes constitute illegal
predatory pricing that is damaging to the book industry and harmful to consumers.
As reported in the consumer and trade press this past week, Amazon.com, WalMart.com,
and Target.com have engaged in a price war in the pre-sale of new hardcover
bestsellers, including books from John Grisham, Stephen King, Barbara Kingsolver,
Sarah Palin, and James Patterson.
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A Report on the October 2009 ABA Board Meeting
October 22, 2009 - The ABA Board of Directors held its 2009 fall meeting in Tarrytown,
New York, from Sunday, October 11, through Tuesday, October 13. Among its activities
over the course of the two and a half days of meetings, the Board approved a
short-term, as-is budget; reviewed and accepted a report from the Governance
Review Committee; and met with senior members of the Random House sales department. |
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Not Knowing Credit Card Best Practices Will Cost You
October 22, 2009 - No bookseller has to be reminded that a successful bookstore's profit
margin is, more often than not, slim, and -- in the current economic climate
-- possibly non-existent. It's for that very reason, said Michael Barnard of
Rakestraw Books in Danville, California, that booksellers must be pro-active
in how they handle credit cards and card transactions, to minimize the associated
costs and risks. |
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My Website Has E-books, Now What Do I Do?
October 22, 2009 - Letting customers know loud and clear that your indie bookstore sells
e-books is crucial. ABA COO Len Vlahos offers several simple marketing ideas
to help stores participating in the IndieCommerce program get started on the
road to e-book sales. |
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Indie Next List Great Reads -- Now in E-books
October 22, 2009 - E-book sales are rising rapidly, revolutionizing the publishing industry,
and creating new opportunities for independent bookstores. Stores with ABA IndieCommerce
sites are now fully equipped to sell more than 220,000 titles on their websites --
the key is getting the message out there. To help, a special collection of 20
popular Indie Next List titles available as e-books has been assembled on IndieBound.org. |
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Campaign for Reader Privacy Voices Support for House Patriot Act Bill
October 22, 2009 - ABA and its partners in the Campaign for Reader Privacy today voiced
support for a new House bill that would restore important reader privacy protections
eliminated eight years ago by the USA Patriot Act. |
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Needs of Small Business Take Center Stage at Health Care Hearing
October 22, 2009 - On October 20, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), chair of the U.S. Senate
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and ranking member Sen. Olympia
J. Snowe (R-ME), held a hearing to better understand the needs of small businesses
regarding health care reform and to examine whether the current proposals meet
those needs. |
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Wellington Square Bookshop Fills New Space With an Eclectic Selection
October 22, 2009 - Sam Hankin launched his bookselling career in 2005 when he took his
outsize library, which was crowding him at home, and opened Wellington Square
Bookshop in an 800-square-foot space in the town center of Eagleview in Exton,
Pennsylvania. The rare, collectible, and used bookstore did so well that Hankin
soon ran out of room there, too. On August 1, the bookshop moved two doors down
to a 3,700-square-foot storefront, where sales have doubled monthly and the space
is nearly filled to capacity with an expanded inventory, including new books,
book paraphernalia, and ephemera, as well as other exotic and unusual retail
items. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
October 22, 2009 - Philly Liars Club to Help Womrath's Celebrate 60 Years; Blue Manatee
Children's Bookstore Turns 20; Powell's Celebrates 15 Years of Online Bookselling;
Powell's, Tattered Cover, Harvard Bookstore at Top of Twitter |
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BTW News Briefs
October 22, 2009 - Ohio Supreme Court Hears Free Speech Case; IBNYC to Celebrate First-Ever
Indie Bookstore Week; Sen. Landrieu to Introduce Bill Increasing Loan Limits
for Small Businesses; Online Retailers to Emphasize Free Shipping, Social
Media This Holiday Season; Economy to Impact Two-Thirds of Families' Holiday
Shopping |
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ABA Board Nomination Deadline October 30
October 22, 2009 - Nominations of qualified candidates to serve on the American Booksellers
Association's Board of Directors must be received by the Nominating Committee,
chaired by Ken White of the SFSU Bookstore, by Friday, October 30. Any ABA member
may submit nominations for board directors. |
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IndieBound Logo Now a Registered Trademark
October 22, 2009 - ABA recently received registered trademark protection for the IndieBound
logo. To help preserve IndieBound's trademark rights, ABA is asking all members
to use new versions of the IndieBound and IndieBound.org logos bearing the registered
trademark symbol, now available in the Bookseller DIY. |
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The Indie Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bestseller List
October 21, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending October 20, 2009, and based on sales
at independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Groups Call for Meaningful Reader Privacy Protection in Patriot Act Reauthorization
October 15, 2009 - ABA today joined with its partners in the Campaign for Reader Privacy
in urging Congress to expand proposed protections for library records in a Patriot
Act reauthorization bill to encompass all books -- whether borrowed or purchased.
The groups are urging their supporters to contact members of Congress
in both the House and the Senate to ensure that proposed protections for library
records will also apply to bookstore records. |
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Preparing Your Business for Flu Season
October 15, 2009 - With the prospect for a harsher than normal flu season, business
owners -- most especially retailers, who will have any number of people walk
in and out of their stores -- have some very real concerns. These include how to mitigate the spread of the virus in the bookstore;
how to keep their employees healthy; and how just the threat of a pandemic
will affect business. |
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SBA Webinar Presents Ways Small Businesses Can Innovate & Thrive
October 15, 2009 - This week, the U.S. Small Business Administration, in conjunction
with Dun & Bradstreet, presented a 30-minute webinar on how small businesses
can succeed through innovation. Suggestions from a panel of experts during the
live, interactive session included reaching out to friends and mentors for guidance;
always searching for new ideas and products to keep an edge above the competition; and being honest and upfront with employees about the financial state of your business. |
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Giving Authors & Publishers an Easy Indie Affiliate Option
October 15, 2009 - Participation in IndieBound.org's Affiliate Program, which pays generous
commissions on sales referred to ABA IndieCommerce sites, has been growing steadily.
Last week, in fact, the Huffington Post became one of the newest IndieBound.org
affiliates ... but not without encouragement from a number of indie booksellers
as well as ABA. |
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Do You Know the Way to San Jose?...
October 15, 2009 - Now is an ideal time for booksellers who haven't booked a flight to
San Jose, California, for ABA's Fifth Annual Winter Institute to shop around
for the best prices. Both Southwest Airlines and Jet Blue are offering great
web deals. |
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Final Two Weeks for ABA Board Nominations
October 15, 2009 - Nominations of qualified candidates to serve on the American Booksellers
Association's Board of Directors must be received by the Nominating Committee,
chaired by Ken White of the SFSU Bookstore, by October 30. Any ABA member may
submit nominations for board directors. |
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ABA Information Department Survey: A Note of Thanks
October 15, 2009 - The input of hundreds of booksellers who took part in last month's ABA
Information Department Survey will help guide the future of Bookselling This
Week, the Book Buyer's Handbook, Bookweb.org, and ABA's other information
vehicles over the coming months. |
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Bugs, Scraps, and Fetch Toys: More Notes From the Sidelines
October 15, 2009 - Whether it's a jumping bug, a chalkboard T-shirt, or a Lucha Libre Thumb
Wrestling Mask, sidelines sell, lend themselves to displays, and have healthy
margins. The trick is separating the dross from what thou sellest well. Here
BTW presents a quick list of gifts culled by regional director Wanda
Jewell and booksellers Christine Onorati from WORD in Brooklyn and Aeri Swendson
from Green Apple Books in San Francisco. |
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A Happy 25th Anniversary for Quail Ridge Books & Music
October 15, 2009 - Quail Ridge Books & Music celebrated its silver anniversary on Sunday,
October 11, with a huge neighborhood party. Festivities included live music,
storytelling, and an event featuring Mike Farrell (aka BJ Honeycutt from M*A*S*H), author of Of Mule and Man (Akashic). |
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Around Indies
October 15, 2009 - Greenlight Bookstore Readies for Opening; Books Inc. Opens New Store
in Berkeley; Vroman's Purchases Book Soup |
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BTW News Briefs
October 15, 2009 - Seen on the NCIBA Trade Show Floor; New England Children's Bookselling
Advisory Council Publishes Fall Reviews; GLIBA Installs New President &
Directors; Senate Committee Approves Health Care Bill (Hear It for Yourself);
SBA Launches Online Training Course for Women Entrepreneurs; Library of Congress
& Ad Council Create New PSAs to Promote Reading; U of Nebraska Press Pairs
With Lightning Source on Title by Nobel Winner; Lonely Planet Names New Leadership
in U.S.; David Unowsky Leaves Magers & Quinn |
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Member Input Sought on Red & White Box Mailings
October 15, 2009 - As part of its continuing efforts to improve member services, ABA is
asking booksellers to complete a short online survey regarding the monthly IndieBound
Red Box and White Box mailings. A link to the survey was e-mailed to member
stores by ABA Chief Marketing Officer Meg Smith on Tuesday, October 13, and is
accessible here with a BookWeb user name and password. |
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ABA Hopes to See You at the SCIBA Show
October 15, 2009 - ABA COO Len Vlahos will be on hand for the Southern California Independent
Booksellers Association Authors Feast & Trade Show at the Millennium Biltmore
Hotel in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 24. Vlahos will present the education
session "Going Digital: The Case for E-Books" and will be available
to meet with booksellers at an ABA table on the show floor. |
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2009 National Book Awards Finalists Announced
October 14, 2009 - The finalists for the 2009 National Book Awards in four categories -- fiction,
nonfiction, poetry, and young people's literature -- were announced by the National
Book Foundation on Wednesday, October 14. |
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Bookstore Sales Rise Slightly in August
October 14, 2009 - Retail sales at bookstores were up by 0.4 percent in August 2009 as
compared to August 2008, according to preliminary figures recently released
by the Bureau of the Census. |
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Publisher Partners, Ingram Sponsor Winter Institute Scholarships
October 08, 2009 - More than two-dozen scholarships to ABA's Fifth Annual
Winter Institute will be awarded to booksellers at the end of this month thanks
to the generous support of 21 Publisher Partners. In addition, this week the
Emerging Leaders Project announced that it has begun accepting applications
for eight Wi5 scholarships sponsored by Ingram. |
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Supreme Court Hears Arguments in First Amendment Case
October 08, 2009 - In what many consider to be one of the most important free
speech cases to be argued in 25 years, the U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing a
ban on depictions of animal cruelty that critics argue could be applied broadly
to encompass everything from popular movies and documentary films to books and
images posted by animal welfare groups. "If this law
were upheld, a bookstore owner could face five years in prison for selling
Hemingway's Death in the Afternoon, any travel books about Spain that
included pictures of bull fights, or many hunting magazines and books,"
said David Horowitz of Media Coalition. |
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Small Business Groups Aim to Make a Difference in Health Care Reform
October 08, 2009 - As the debate over heath care reform continues to unfold and Congress works
at crafting a final health care reform bill, groups representing a wide-range
of interests and causes are fighting to be heard. Two such organizations giving
voice to the concerns of small businesses are the Main Street Alliance and the
Small Business Majority. |
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New Deadline Set in Google Settlement
October 08, 2009 - On Wednesday, October 7, at a hearing in U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of New York, a deadline of November 9 was set for organizations involved in the Google Settlement to provide the court with
a revised agreement. |
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By Popular Demand: The Indie Next List in PDF Format
October 08, 2009 - The Indie Next List now also comes in a two-page, 8-1/2" x 11"
PDF format for in-store and at home printing. |
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Awards: The Nobel, Man Booker, Thurber & "5 Under 35"
October 08, 2009 - This past week included announcements of the winners of the 2009 Nobel
Prize for Literature, the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, and the Thurber Prize
for American Humor, as well as the five young fiction writers to be recognized
by the National Book Foundation at its November "5 Under 35" celebration. |
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BTW News Briefs
October 08, 2009 - Credit Card Companies Seek to Increase Swipe Fees; Frankfurt Survey
Finds No Publisher Consensus on E-Book Pricing; One Percent Decline Forecasted
in Holiday Sales |
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Becoming "Unchained" on November 21
October 08, 2009 - The American Independent Business Alliance is urging consumers
in communities across the country to "unchain themselves" and to shop
at local independent businesses on Saturday, November 21, the sixth annual
celebration of America Unchained! Day. To help retailers, business alliances,
and trade associations promote the campaign,
AMIBA offers a range of resources. |
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95 ABA IndieCommerce Sites Now on Drupal
October 08, 2009 - In the past two weeks, 11 more ABA IndieCommerce sites have gone live
on the program's new Drupal platform, which is earning high marks from booksellers
and bringing an overall increase in traffic to ABA member sites. |
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ABA Board Nomination Deadline October 30
October 08, 2009 - Nominations of qualified candidates to serve on the ABA Board of Directors
must be received by the Nominating Committee, chaired by Ken White of the SFSU
Bookstore in San Francisco, by October 30. Any ABA member may submit nominations
for board directors. |
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Nominations Needed for Strong Winter Kids' Next List
October 07, 2009 - This Friday, October 9, is the deadline for the upcoming Winter Children's
Indie Next List, which will be arriving in stores just as holiday shoppers are
poised to make their purchases. |
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Seen Around Last Weekend's Regional Shows
October 07, 2009 - The fall trade show season continued last weekend with events hosted
by the New England, Great Lakes, and New Atlantic booksellers associations.
Each featured an array of engaging educational programming, special authors
events, and plenty of networking opportunities. Here's a glimpse of some of
the people, and fun, at last weekend's shows. |
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The Indie October Baseball Bestseller List
October 07, 2009 - With the Major League Baseball post-season now underway, we present
the Indie October Baseball Bestseller List, based on sales in independent bookstores
nationwide for the eight-week period ending October 6, 2009. |
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Celebrating 20 Years of Service to the Whole Community ... Even the Dogs
October 07, 2009 - Tricia and Alan Lightweis founded The Booksmith in Seneca, South Carolina,
in October 1989 with the intention of serving both the book needs of their family
and the greater Seneca community. During the past 20 years, the store has catered to customers with a large regional section, an
active events calendar emphasizing local authors, and an espresso bar. But Booksmith's
service to the community doesn't stop there. |
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So Little Time, So Many Memories: The Book Industry Tour to China
October 07, 2009 - Barbara Theroux of Fact & Fiction in
Missoula, Montana, writes about the Book Industry Tour, which she recently led
to Beijing and Xi'an, China. Booksellers from seven ABA member stores took part
in the People to People Ambassador Program, which included visits to bookstores,
a book wholesale market, and a village school library to learn about the nature
of bookselling and publishing in China. |
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Children's Books That Changed the Way Booksellers See the World
October 07, 2009 - Anita Silvey, the editor of Everything I Need to Know I Learned From
a Children's Book, coming this month from Roaring Brook Press, recently
asked booksellers across the country to the answer the question, what children's
book changed the way you see the world? Here, she shares some of their responses,
as well as personal insights about some of the best-loved children's books. |
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Banned Books Week Displays Generate Important Conversations
October 07, 2009 - From September 26 through October 3, indies around the country celebrated
Banned Books Week with everything from in-store displays to special events.
|
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New Orleans Study Finds Local Retailers Have Four Times the Economic Impact as Chains
October 01, 2009 - A recently released study of 15 locally owned New Orleans merchants in the
Magazine Street area found that local retailers generate twice the annual sales,
recirculate revenues within the local economy at twice the rate, and on a per-square-foot
basis have four times the economic impact. The Urban Conservancy, a New Orleans
nonprofit group founded in 2001 that looks to inform the public on land-use
decisions and promote sustainability, commissioned the report, Thinking Outside
the Box: A Report on Independent Merchants and the Local Economy, which
was conducted by Civic Economics. |
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The November 2009 Indie Next List
October 01, 2009 - Here's a preview of the November Indie Next List, now on its way to
ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement, and a reminder that October Notable
titles are now featured in a downloadable flier and shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org. |
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Wi5: Membership Has Its Benefits
October 01, 2009 - The American Booksellers Association's Fifth Winter Institute (Wi5),
to be held from Wednesday through Friday, February 3 - 5, 2010, in San Jose,
California, will offer many benefits for attending bookstore and provisional
members. Registration is currently open and is being filled on a first-come,
first-served basis, and will be capped at 500. The focus of this year's event
is on technology. |
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Trade Show Season Continues at MBA, MPIBA & SIBA
October 01, 2009 - The fall trade show season continued with shows hosted by the Midwest Booksellers Association, Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association, and Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance. ABA staff were at each to celebrate independent bookselling, visit with booksellers, and to share some updated and innovative education sessions |
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Public Option Takes Center Stage in Healthcare Debate
October 01, 2009 - On Tuesday, September 29, the Senate Committee on Finance voted against
creating a government-run public option as part of healthcare reform. However,
despite the committee vote, proponents of the public option said they would
continue to work to make sure it is included in the final draft of healthcare
legislation. |
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Espresso Book Machine 2.0 Makes an Impressive Debut
September 30, 2009 - Last winter, Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vermont, launched
its in-store Print-on-Demand publishing service with the Espresso Book Machine
(EBM), an on-site fully integrated book-making machine that can produce a high-quality,
trade-size paperback book in minutes. A year later, the next generation of EBM
is available, and not only will Northshire upgrade, but several other bookstores
are also offering their customers the advantages of POD service. |
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Posman Books Second Location Off to Busy Start
September 30, 2009 - Posman Books, which opened its location at New York's Grand Central
Terminal in September 1999, launched a new location at the Chelsea Market in
New York City on September 3. Near the entrance of the bustling new High Line,
a former elevated railroad repurposed as a greenway, the 800-square-foot general
bookstore will have an extensive food and wine section and room for an events
space. Store manager Logan Fox reported that business is growing busier every
week and is attracting both locals and tourists. |
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O'Reilly Tools of Change Online Conference Discount for ABA Members
September 30, 2009 - O'Reilly Media, Inc., is offering ABA members a 25 percent discount
on its upcoming, online Tools of Change for Publishing Conference. The conference
will be held on Thursday, October 8. |
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ABA Education & Much More at NCIBA
September 30, 2009 - The American Booksellers Association is looking forward to seeing booksellers
at next week's trade show hosted by the Northern California Independent Booksellers
Association. The show will be held from Thursday, October 8, through
Saturday, October 10, at the Oakland Convention Center and City Center Marriott.
ABA staff will be on hand to celebrate independent bookselling, visit with booksellers,
and share some updated and innovative education sessions. In addition, at the show, attendees will be able to get a first-hand look at Edelweiss, the interactive online catalog platform. |
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Philly's Liars Club Goes on Truth Tour of Indies
September 30, 2009 - "The Philly Liars Club" is a Philadelphia-based group of professional
writers who, as the group notes on its website, "lie for a living."
Since May 2009, the 13 authors who belong to PLC have been on a Truth Tour of
independent bookstore parties, with signings, giveaways, games, and general
mayhem. Paige Poe, ABA IndieBound outreach liaison, recently interviewed members
of PLC for IndieBound.org. The following is an excerpt of Poe's article. |
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BTW News Briefs
September 30, 2009 - PW Launches National Bookstore Day; National Reading Group Month
Announces the 2009 Great Group Reads; SBA Extends Gulf Opportunity Pilot Loan
Program Through September 2010; NRF: Tax "Carryback" Legislation Would Help
Struggling Retailers; S&S Announces Creation of New Imprint to Join Existing Pocket Books; Linda Gregg Receives the Lenore Marshall Prize; The Before Columbus Foundation Announces American Book Awards Winners |
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Indie Next List Reminder
September 30, 2009 - Here's a quick Indie Next List deadline reminder as the fall season picks up steam. Booksellers will have two opportunities in October 2009 to help create Indie Next Lists. |
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ABA to Arizona: Require Amazon to Collect Sales Tax
September 24, 2009 - On September 24, ABA wrote to the Arizona Department of Revenue to point
out, once again, that Amazon.com's distribution facilities in Phoenix and Goodyear,
Arizona, constitute a physical presence in the state and require the online
giant to collect and remit sales tax for purchases made by Arizona residents.
ABA's letter urged the state "in the strongest terms possible to enforce
existing sales tax laws and require Amazon.com to collect and remit sales tax
on purchases made by Arizona residents." The communication came on the
heels of a recent New York Times article touting the two Arizona facilities. |
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Booksellers Urged to Contact Lawmakers About Health Care Reform
September 24, 2009 - As the debate over health care reform heats up, this week, in an e-mail
from CEO Oren Teicher, the American Booksellers Association called on member
booksellers to contact their elected representatives to let them know that they
support health care reform. |
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Another Chance to Change the Patriot Act
September 24, 2009 - With the introduction of the JUSTICE Act in the Senate and the Obama
administration expressing its willingness to consider changes, "now is
a strategic -- and auspicious -- time for booksellers, librarians, publishers,
and writers to tell their elected officials about the importance of restoring
the safeguards for reader privacy that were eliminated by the Patriot Act,"
writes ABFFE President Chris Finan, in this column on the latest developments
in the Campaign for Reader Privacy.
|
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The Fall '09/Winter '10 Indie Next List for Reading Groups
September 24, 2009 - Here's a full preview of the Fall '09/Winter '10 Indie Next List for Reading
Groups, which ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement will be receiving
in the October Red Box. |
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October Indie Notables Fliers & Shelf-Talkers Online
September 24, 2009 - Booksellers can now download the October Indie Next List Notable title
recommendations in a flier and shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org. The titles, including
fiction, nonfiction, and mystery/suspense, offer additional ways to create an
October Indie Next Great Reads display. |
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Survey Seeks Bookseller Input on ABA's Information Resources
September 24, 2009 - As part of its continuing efforts to improve member services, ABA is
seeking bookseller input regarding its information resources. On Tuesday, September
22, booksellers at ABA member stores were e-mailed a link to a short survey
about Bookselling This Week, BookWeb.org, and other information resources. |
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80-Plus IndieCommerce Sites Now Benefit From New Drupal Platform
September 24, 2009 - Since migrating to the new, open-source Drupal platform, 84 ABA IndieCommerce
sites are experiencing greater stability and better performance, and the overall
result has been an increase in both traffic and sales. At
McLean & Eakin Booksellers, staff is "overjoyed with its wealth of features," said Matt Norcross. |
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What Booksellers Want to Know About Edelweiss & eCatalogs
September 24, 2009 - In response to the input of hundreds of indie booksellers who completed ABA's recent survey on the use of e-catalogs,
and Edelweiss interactive publisher catalogs in particular, the Edelweiss team
has prepared an FAQ. It addresses booksellers' questions on everything
from the benefits of e-catalogs (many), to the cost (free); from what e-catalogs
will do to the store's relationship with sales reps (enhances it), to how many
staff members can access e-catalogs (the full staff); and much, much more. |
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Symtio: A Novel Way to Sell Digital Content
September 24, 2009 - A number of indie booksellers will soon be participating in Symtio,
an innovative platform that allows customers to purchase e-books and audiobooks
in stores and then download them anywhere there's an Internet connection. |
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Founders Celebrate 25 Years of Politics and Prose
September 24, 2009 - This month, Carla Cohen and Barbara Meade kicked off the Politics and
Prose Bookstore and Coffeehouse 25th anniversary celebration with a calendar
of 25 events that extend through the beginning of December. "Our entire
autumn author schedule is full of history and connection," said Cohen.
On Sunday, September 20, the bookstore hosted a "marvelous community celebration"
-- a party and picnic with live music for 500 fans. |
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It's Not About the Burrito; Or, How a Son, a Town & Social Media Saved a Bookstore
September 24, 2009 - Here's a true story in which a bookseller faces the possibility of losing
her business, her predicament is made uncomfortably public on her son's blog
without her permission, and, though initially mortified, she decides to accept
his gift in the spirit that it was given. The son's heartfelt appeal to help
his mother goes viral, and the bookstore enjoys record sales ever since. |
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Around Indies
September 24, 2009 - New Owners Take Over The Book Nook & Java Shop; Longs' Cards
and Books and Maria's Bookshop to Celebrate Big Anniversaries; Aaron's Bookstore
to Host "Kid Lit" Festival |
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BTW News Briefs
September 24, 2009 - Prospective Booksellers Graduate From "Opening a Bookstore"
Workshop; AAP Releases July E-Book Stats; New York State Holds Hearing on Retail
Diversity & Neighborhood Health; Paul Auster, Winner of Legacy Award, to
Appear at NAIBA Conference |
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Voting Opens for Best of the National Book Awards Fiction
September 23, 2009 - This week, the National Book Foundation opened voting to the public
to choose the Best of the National Books Awards Fiction. The ballot includes
six finalists, as chosen by writers associated with NBF, from a list of 77 past
National Book Award Fiction winners. |
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San Francisco Chronicle to Feature Indie Bestsellers
September 23, 2009 - Beginning this Sunday, the San Francisco Chronicle's Books section
will feature the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association/IndieBound
Bestsellers List. The indie list replaces a bestseller list that was compiled
by the newspaper itself. |
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Bookseller Essays Debut in The Great Lakes Reader
September 23, 2009 - Last fall, Carl Lennertz, vice president for independent retailing at
HarperCollins, put out a call to booksellers and librarians for essays for regional
versions of State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America (edited by
Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey, Ecco). The Great Lakes Reader, the first
of nine planned titles, debuts this October. Here, in Lennertz's own inimitable
style, is a look at how the project, which benefits ABFFE, evolved and what's
planned for the future. |
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The Indie Mystery Bestseller List
September 23, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending September 22, 2009, and based on sales
at hundreds of independent bookstores throughout the U.S. |
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ABA Education & More at NEIBA, GLIBA & NAIBA
September 23, 2009 - ABA is looking forward to seeing booksellers at next weekend's trade
shows hosted by the New England, Great Lakes, and New Atlantic booksellers associations.
ABA staff will be at each to celebrate independent bookselling, visit with booksellers,
and share some updated and innovative education sessions. At all three shows,
there will also be an Edelweiss demo and education session presented by Above
the Treeline. |
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Authors Guild, AAP Request Postponement in Google Settlement Hearing
September 23, 2009 - The Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers
have asked for a postponement of the Final Fairness Hearing on the Google Settlement,
which was scheduled to take place on October 7 in U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York. |
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Nominations Sought for ABA Board of Directors
September 23, 2009 - The Nominating Committee, chaired by Ken White of the SFSU Bookstore
in San Francisco, is searching for qualified candidates to serve on the ABA
Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit nominations for board directors. |
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10 Great October Indie Recommendations From 10 Great Years
September 17, 2009 - Ten years of the top October indie picks are now featured in an attractive
downloadable PDF flier, suitable for displays. |
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Campaign for Reader Privacy Seeks Changes to Expiring Patriot Act Provisions
September 17, 2009 - Work began in earnest this week on reauthorization of three provisions
of the USA Patriot Act, which are set to expire at the end of this year. ABFFE and other members of the Campaign for Reader Privacy
were in Washington to drum up support for a bill, expected to be introduced in the Senate today, that seeks to reform the Patriot
Act and other laws to protect constitutional rights. |
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Adding to the Bottom Line With Self-Published Titles
September 17, 2009 - Although "growth market" may not apply to much these days,
one area of burgeoning sales for some indie booksellers is self-published titles.
According to Bowker, from 2007 to 2008 there was a 132-percent jump in the
number of new books published by print-on-demand companies. While dealing with
the increasing number of self-published authors may present a challenge for
some time-strapped booksellers, others have found that with clearly established policies and procedures in place self-published titles are a way to generate
revenue, good PR, and store exposure. |
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E-Fairness Cut From Connecticut Budget
September 17, 2009 - Connecticut has finally resolved its budget battles two months after
the start of the state's fiscal year, but, unfortunately for the state's bricks-and-mortar
businesses, e-fairness legislation was left on the cutting room floor. ABA is
urging Connecticut booksellers to express their disappointment with the decision
to Gov. Jodi Rell and their state legislators. |
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Wi5 Registration Continues
September 17, 2009 - Bookstore and provisional members are now registering for the American
Booksellers Association's Fifth Winter Institute, to be held from Wednesday
through Friday, February 3 - 5, 2010, in San Jose, California. Registration,
which opened on September 3, is capped at 500 and is being filled on a first-come,
first-served basis. |
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Video Chronicles Square Books' 30 Years
September 17, 2009 - A fun, new 17-minute video by Joe York, a documentary filmmaker at the
University of Mississippi's Center for Documentary Projects, chronicles the
30-year history of Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi. |
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Spellbound Children's Bookshop Thrives in Unique Arrangement
September 17, 2009 - Just a year ago, Spellbound Children's Bookshop in Asheville, North
Carolina, was in danger of closing. The economic downturn had taken its toll,
and owner Leslie Hawkins was faced with the need to do something drastic in
order to survive. Serendipity, and a little help from her friends, led Hawkins to
a creative solution. Now, she's busy planning a month-long celebration to mark
the store's fifth anniversary and enjoying a healthy stream of customers. |
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BTW News Briefs
September 17, 2009 - Trade Show Season Starts; Virginia Prison Book Ban Reversed; Free Speech
Groups Protest Yale Censorship of Scholarly Treatise; S&S to Handle Andrews
McMeel Book Sales to the Trade; Earl Martin Phalen Named New CEO of Reach Out
and Read; NAIBA Announces Books of the Year; Rona Jaffe Foundation to Celebrate
15 Years of Writers' Awards |
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The Amanda Project Makes the Invisible Interactive
September 16, 2009 - Fourth Story Media mixes traditional children's book publishing with
online and digital media in The Amanda Project, a new interactive book series
and website, developed in collaboration with HarperTeen. The first book in the
series for teen girls, The Amanda Project: Invisible I by Melissa Kantor
and Stella Lennon, is featured on the Fall Children's Indie Next List, in stores
now. |
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ABA Education & More at MBA, MPIBA & SIBA Shows
September 16, 2009 - ABA is looking forward to seeing booksellers
at next week's trade shows hosted by the Midwest, Mountains & Plains, and
Southern booksellers associations. ABA staff will be at each to celebrate independent bookselling, visit with booksellers, and share updated and innovative education
sessions. Demonstrations of Edelweiss, the new free interactive
catalog system, will also be presented at each show by Above the Treeline staff. |
|
Nominations Needed for December & Winter Kids' Next Lists
September 16, 2009 - Here's a quick Indie Next List deadline reminder as the hectic fall
season kicks off. |
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Sales of Reading Glasses Boost ABFFE
September 15, 2009 - Thousands of indie bookstore customers are reading with less eyestrain
and supporting free speech under a partnership between the American Booksellers
Foundation for Free Expression and 2020 Vision USA, which launched in June at
BookExpo America. And, now, to help bookstore customers make the connection
between their purchases of reading glasses and support for free speech, ABFFE
has created fun, point-of-sale signs in the form of "eye charts." |
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Bookstore Sales Dip Slightly in July
September 15, 2009 - Retail sales at bookstores were down by 0.5 percent in July 2009 as
compared to July 2008, according to preliminary figures recently released by
the Bureau of the Census. |
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ABA Seeks Nominations for Board of Directors
September 10, 2009 - The American Booksellers Association's Nominating Committee, chaired
by Ken White of the SFSU Bookstore in San Francisco, is searching for qualified
candidates to serve on the ABA Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit
nominations for board directors via an electronic form or a downloadable PDF. |
|
ABA IndieCommerce Launches E-Book Functionality
September 10, 2009 - ABA member stores with IndieCommerce websites on the Drupal platform
now have the ability to sell more than 220,000 e-books in several formats, including
Adobe, Palm, and Microsoft. The new functionality allows consumers to purchase
e-books and to have those books downloaded from store sites to consumers' computers
and/or handheld devices. |
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Strong Fall List Has Booksellers Feeling Optimistic
September 10, 2009 - The promise of a stellar list of new releases from bestselling
authors has indie booksellers excited and upbeat about the upcoming holiday
season. BTW recently spoke to booksellers around the country about the
new crop of bestsellers and handsells, and their plans for the upcoming season. |
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Fifth Annual Winter Institute Registration Underway
September 10, 2009 - Registration for ABA's Fifth Winter Institute, to be held from Wednesday
through Friday, February 3 - 5, 2010, in San Jose, California, began last week.
The annual education event, exclusively for ABA bookstore and provisional members,
includes 25-plus education sessions on topics such as children's bookselling,
graphic novels, health care reform, gift cards, and technology. |
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ABA to Wind Down Gift Card Program
September 10, 2009 - Due to significant changes in consumer behavior and in ABA Gift Card
Program usage, the American Booksellers Association will be phasing out the
program after the upcoming holiday season. ABA has been reaching out to inform
Gift Card Program participants of the plan over the last several weeks. In an
e-mail to all program participants last week, ABA outlined the reasons for the
change and stressed its commitment to helping members be more profitable. |
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President Obama Urges Congress to Move Forward on Health Care Reform
September 10, 2009 - In an address before a joint session of Congress, on Wednesday, September
9, President Barack Obama urged lawmakers to put aside partisan rancor and come
together to help finalize a bipartisan health care solution. The current health
care system, he said, is plagued by rising costs and a lack of access for those
who are out of work, and takes a special toll on small businesses. |
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The Indie Local First Reading List
September 10, 2009 - ABA's popular list of notable Local First titles has received a makeover.
Updated for 2009, the Indie Local First Reading List has a new design, new titles,
new indie bookseller recommendations, and links to local first resources. All
of the recommended titles are great reads about making and keeping local
communities vibrant. |
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SCIBA Offers Authors and Education for Kids' and General Booksellers
September 10, 2009 - Among the highlights at the Southern California Independent Booksellers
Association's upcoming Authors Feast & Trade Show will be an address by Elizabeth
Kostova, the first-ever Authors Feast keynote speaker; the presentation "Going Digital:
The Case for E-Books" from ABA COO Len Vlahos; an informative session
and demo of Edelweiss, the electronic catalogue product; and two sessions presented
by Kristen McLean, executive director of the Association of Booksellers for
Children. |
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BTW News Briefs
September 10, 2009 - Marketing Association Files Amicus in Support of Amazon E-Fairness Challenge;
Inspired by a Children's Book? Roaring Brook Press Wants to Know; Glenn Goldman
Booksellers Scholarship Deadline Extended; Man Booker Unveils 2009 Shortlist;
GLIBA Announces Book Award Winners |
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Conversation Starters on IndieBound.org
September 10, 2009 - Hundreds of IndieBound.org book information pages now feature "conversation
starter" questions, courtesy of Reading Group Choices. |
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Free Resources Make It Easy to Celebrate Banned Books Week
September 09, 2009 - Here's a look at some of the freely available resources that make it
easy for booksellers to participate in this year's celebration of Banned Books
Week (from September 26 through October 3). |
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The Indie Music Bestseller List
September 09, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending September 9, 2009, and based
on sales at independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Fifth Annual Winter Institute Registration Opens
September 03, 2009 - Registration opens today for ABA's Fifth Annual Winter Institute, to
be held from Wednesday, February 3, through Friday, February 5, 2010, at the
Doubletree San Jose in San Jose, California. The education event, sponsored
by Ingram Book Company/Ingram Publisher Services, is open exclusively to ABA
bookstore and provisional members. |
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ABA Governance Review Committee Requests Input by September 10
September 03, 2009 - The committee charged with reviewing the practices of the American Booksellers
Association's Board and officers to determine whether they are in accordance
with established policies and procedures is seeking member input by Thursday, September
10. |
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Survey Seeks Information on eCatalog Usage
September 03, 2009 - ABA is asking member stores for their input regarding the use of electronic
publisher catalogs in general, and the Edelweiss Interactive Publisher Catalog
platform, developed by Above the Treeline, in particular. |
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Legendary Feminist Bookstores Celebrate Big Anniversaries
September 03, 2009 - Two stalwarts of the feminist bookstore community are celebrating milestone
anniversaries this fall, each with a series of in-store and off-site events,
featuring locally known and nationally recognized authors. Chicago's Women &
Children First is celebrating its 30th anniversary throughout September and
October. And, in Atlanta, Charis Books & More will hold a weeklong party
in November to mark its 35th year. |
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The Troy Book Makers: Betting on the Market for POD
September 03, 2009 - In the three-plus years since Eric Wilska of The Bookloft in Great
Barrington, Massachusetts, and Susan Novotny of The Book House of Stuyvesant
Plaza in Albany, New York, founded The Troy Book Makers, the print-on-demand
service has grown each month, and this year,
for the first time, the business broke even. But more importantly -- and perhaps
most telling about the potential for the POD business -- this summer the two
bestsellers at The Book Loft were both local history books published by The
Troy Book Makers. |
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Videos Create a Stream of Promotion for Indie Stores
September 03, 2009 - Video might have killed the radio star, but it's doing some great things
for bookstores and authors. At Skylight Books and Vroman's Bookstore in Los
Angeles staffers recently collaborated to make a trailer for Dan Chaon's Await
Your Reply (Ballantine); San Francisco's Green Apple pits The Book versus
The Kindle in its latest video series; and The Regulator Bookshop in Durham,
North Carolina, created a hilarious plug for buying local. All of the videos
have attracted both customer and/or media attention. |
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The October 2009 Indie Next List Preview
September 03, 2009 - Here's a preview of the October Indie Next List, now on its way to ABA
member stores in the IndieBound movement, and a reminder that September Notable
titles are now featured in a flier and shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org. |
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ABA Hopes to See You at PNBA
September 02, 2009 - ABA CEO Oren Teicher and
COO Len Vlahos will be at the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Trade
Show (from Thursday, September 10, through Saturday, September 12, in Portland,
Oregon), where they will present three ABA education sessions and meet with
booksellers on the trade show floor. |
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Bestseller Reporting Deadlines Extended Next Week -- Correction to Last Week's Notice
September 02, 2009 - Due to the Labor Day holiday, the reporting deadlines for next week's
Indie Bestseller Lists are being extended. |
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Number of IndieCommerce Sites on Drupal Grows
September 02, 2009 - More than 70 ABA members have now migrated their store websites to Drupal,
the new ABA IndieCommerce platform, with 24 launching since early August. ABA
is continuing the migration process as planned and will be contacting stores
that received training before July 17 and missed their September 1 migration
deadline. |
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Get Ready! Banned Books Week Starts September 26
September 02, 2009 - The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression is urging booksellers
to help publicize the hundreds of attacks on books that occur in the U.S. every
year by participating in Banned Books Week, from September 26 through October
3. ABFFE's Banned Books Week Handbook describes a variety of activities, simple
displays, and easy events that booksellers can adapt to their own needs. |
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Indie Bookstores to Sell eContent, Sony Readers
August 27, 2009 - On Tuesday, August 25, Sony announced plans to create a universe
of reading material in EPUB format, and among those offering the content for sale to consumers will be more than 200 independent
bookstores participating in ABA's IndieCommerce program. Plans are also underway to make Sony Reader devices available for purchase from all independent bookstores in time for this holiday season. |
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September Indie Notables Flier & Shelf-Talkers Available
August 27, 2009 - Booksellers can now download
the September Indie Next List Notable title recommendations in a flier and shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org. The titles, which reflect an intriguing range
of new fiction, nonfiction, and mystery/suspense, make a great addition to a
bookstore's September Indie Next Great Reads display. |
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IndieBound.org's Book Info Pages Are Growing
August 27, 2009 - Recent updates to IndieBound.org have its book info pages bustling
with activity. Visitors can now find more information, reviews, and interactivity
than ever before. |
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Bookseller's "Unchain Yourself" Campaign on the Button
August 27, 2009 - Murrie Zlotziver, owner of Page After Page in downtown Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, isn't sitting idly by waiting for a new Bucknell University Barnes & Noble College Store to impact his business. Zlotziver reacted to the May announcement of plans for a 29,000-square-foot store, scheduled to open in 2010 across the street from Page After Page, by a creating a Red Button marketing campaign, which has now grown to include 22 other local businesses. |
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Handbook Homepage Features Indie Next List
August 27, 2009 - Ordering titles on the Indie Next List just became easier. Beginning
this week, the ABA Book Buyer's Handbook homepage features the upcoming month's
Indie Next List Great Reads linked with the Handbook's keyword search feature. |
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Chronicle IndieBound Promo Offers Chance to Win Framed "Curiosity"
August 27, 2009 - This September, Chronicle Books will launch a consumer promotion and
contest through IndieBound to mark the release of Pictorial Webster's: A
Visual Dictionary of Curiosities, by John Carrera, a compilation of more
than 1,500 original illustrations from 19th-Century Webster's Dictionaries.
Consumers can enter to win one of five framed Pictorial Webster's posters
as well as vote for their favorite bookstore. The bookstore with the most votes
will win a unique piece of wall art designed by Carrera. |
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BTW News Briefs
August 27, 2009 - Oprah to Announce Book Club Pick; Plans Underway for National Reading
Group Month; IBNYC Posts "Upcoming 25" NYC Events; President
Obama's Vacation Book List |
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Maryland Senator Plans to Reintroduce E-Fairness Legislation
August 27, 2009 - When Maryland's next legislative session opens in January 2010, state
senator Richard S. Madaleno (D - District 18) plans to reintroduce an e-fairness
bill that would level the playing field for the state's Main Street retailers
and generate an estimated $7.5 million annually to help plug the state's multimillion-dollar
budget gap. |
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ABA Board Issues Statement on Proposed Google Settlement
August 26, 2009 - In a statement issued this week, the Board of Directors of the American Booksellers
Association said that it neither supports nor opposes the proposed Google Book
Search Settlement but does believe that "there are important, related issues
involved." |
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NAIBA Triple Play: Authors, Education & Networking Opportunities
August 26, 2009 - The New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association, which will hold its
annual trade show from Saturday, October 3, through Monday, October 5, at the
Sheraton City Center in Baltimore, has put together a "phenomenal"
education program, said NAIBA Executive Director Eileen Dengler. An array of other activities, including bookstore tours and special author events,
and a full day of publisher exhibits are planned. |
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Strong Author Lineup, Good Education Mix on Tap for NCIBA Show
August 26, 2009 - The Northern California Independent Booksellers Association Trade
Show, from Thursday, October 8, through Saturday, October 10, at the Oakland
Convention Center and City Center Marriott, will feature much that is new, and
much to look forward to, said the organization's executive director, Hut Landon. |
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Plan Ahead: Bestseller Reporting Deadline Extended for Labor Day Weekend
August 26, 2009 - Due to the Labor Day holiday, Indie Bestseller reporting deadlines for
the September 10 lists will be extended for all reporting methods, until noon EDT, on Tuesday, September 8. |
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New CPSIA Requirements for Children's Products Take Effect
August 26, 2009 - On August 14, several new requirements of the Consumer Product
Safety Improvement Act regarding lead content in children's products went into
effect. On August 18, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reaffirmed that
books printed after 1985 with the modern four-color system with a paper or cardboard
cover and an inaccessible binding would not need testing unless they include
other components that have not received a safety determination. |
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ABA to Produce 2009 ABACUS Study
August 20, 2009 - When the countdown for 2009 ABACUS participation reached zero on Saturday,
August 15, the good news was that enough ABA member bookstores had submitted their
relevant financial numbers to enable the project to continue this year. |
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Ask Indies Launches to Connect Readers With Indie Booksellers
August 20, 2009 - Ask Indies, a collaborative effort by dozens of indie booksellers on
Twitter to promote and utilize their expert knowledge, went live this week.
Any Twitter user can publicly ask a book question by coding a post with the
hashtag #askindies. Indie booksellers can then respond, also using
the hashtag, and linking to specific books through their store websites or via
IndieBound.org. |
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Mapping a Path to the Right to Read
August 20, 2009 - Every year, there are hundreds of attempts to ban books in America.
And now a new map of book challenges and bans provides a stunning visual display
of just how pervasive these threats to First Amendment rights are. |
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Focus Is on the Future at GLIBA Trade Show
August 20, 2009 - The Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association will be celebrating
its 20th anniversary at its annual trade show, to be held from Friday, October
2, through Sunday, October 4, at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel in Cleveland,
Ohio. And, while there will be some looking back at past accomplishments, this
year's show, in the birthplace of rock 'n' roll, will be firmly focused on the
future, and on helping booksellers take advantage of the latest developments
in digital technology and social media. |
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NEIBA's 36th Annual Trade Show Offers Great Lineup
August 20, 2009 - The 36th Annual New England Independent Booksellers Association Trade
Show will be held from Thursday, October 1, through Saturday, October 3, at
the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Connecticut. New this year, the
trade show floor will be open for one day only, on Saturday, though there will
be a sneak preview of the show floor on Friday evening, just prior to the Author
Reception |
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SBA Expands Microloan Program
August 20, 2009 - The U.S. Small Business Administration announced this week that
it is expanding its Microloan program and increasing access to capital for small
businesses across the country. Additional money for the program ($50 million
for loans and $24 million for technical assistance) is being provided under
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. SBA also announced the addition
of eight new lenders to the Microloan program. |
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White House Report Stresses Economic Benefits of Health Care Reform for Small Businesses
August 20, 2009 - Last month, President
Obama's Council of Economic Advisers issued a report on the economic benefits
that health care reform would provide small businesses. "The Economic Effects
of Health Care Reform on Small Businesses and Their Employees" noted that the health care system as currently constituted is "not working
well for small businesses and their workers" and that reform "as envisioned
in the current draft legislation" would reduce their burdens. |
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A Full Calendar for the Indie Next Lists
August 20, 2009 - Though the last weeks of August are full of vacation plans, travel, and R&R,
on the Indie Next List calendar, production is underway on the October Next List and Fall Reading Group List, and will soon begin on the November
list. In the upcoming weeks, there are also three important nominations deadlines: for
the November and December Next lists and for the Winter Children's list. |
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BTW News Briefs
August 20, 2009 - Posman's to Open in Chelsea Market; Book Industry Delegation to Head
to China; Midwest Booksellers' Choice Award Winners Named |
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ABA Member Store Openings March Through June
August 20, 2009 - Here's a list of the 10 ABA member stores that opened for business from March
through June 2009. |
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ABA Adopts Policy on Health Care Reform
August 13, 2009 - This week, the ABA Board adopted a policy statement regarding health
care reform. The decision was made on Monday, August 10, during a regular conference
call meeting. |
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Survey Says: Indie Next List Widely Used; Helps Generate Sales
August 12, 2009 - In a recent survey of ABA member bookstores about the Indie Next List,
90.3 percent of responding booksellers reported that they use the Indie Next
List in their store and 55.8 percent create an in-store Indie Next List
display. Of those who reported creating a display, 71.6 percent reported that
it generates sales. |
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Celebrating 10 Years of Indie Bookseller Recommendations
August 12, 2009 - It's been 10 years since the first Book Sense list came out, full of
indie bookseller-recommended titles that set the stage for what was to come.
Since that time, the Book Sense 76, Book Sense Picks, and now the Indie Next
List have become shorthand for intelligent, interesting, curated books from
a diverse group of indie booksellers across the country. |
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Open Letter From Susan Richmond on Importance of ABACUS Participation
August 12, 2009 - Just two days before the deadline for ABACUS 2009, Susan Richmond of Inklings Bookshop in Yakima, Washington, has written
an open letter to all her fellow booksellers who are not yet ABACUS participants.
|
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ABA President Reminds Booksellers to Take Advantage of ABACUS
August 12, 2009 - With the ABACUS deadline only two days away, this week, ABA President
Michael Tucker of Books Inc. in San Francisco urged booksellers who have yet to participate in this year's survey to do so. The deadline for submissions is August 15. |
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The Fall 2009 Children's Indie Next List Preview
August 12, 2009 - The Fall 2009 Kids' Next List -- an exciting new season of discerning
indie booksellers' recommendations -- can be seen in preview online and will
be arriving soon in bookstores. |
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E-Fairness Official in NC: Budget Signed by Governor
August 12, 2009 - On Friday, August 7, North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue signed the state
budget, officially making North Carolina the second state in 2009, and the third
in the U.S., to enact an e-fairness provision. The law will ensure that online
retailers with affiliates in the state collect tax on sales made to in-state
residents over the Internet. |
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MBA Trade Show Looks to Be a Busy & Productive One
August 12, 2009 - This year's 2009 Midwest Booksellers Association Trade Show will be
held from Friday, September 25, through Saturday, September 26, at the RiverCentre
and nearby venues in St. Paul, Minnesota. Among the many programming highlights
are MBA's "5th Annual Midwest Booksellers' Choice Awards Reception"
and Friday's educational sessions. |
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MPIBA Fall Trade Show Puts Education to the Forefront
August 12, 2009 - This year's Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Fall Trade Show is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, through Saturday,
September 26, at the Crowne Plaza Denver International Airport in Colorado.
|
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SIBA Trade Show Offers Up Great Recipe for Success
August 12, 2009 - The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Trade Show will be held
from Friday, September 25, through Sunday, September 27, at the Carolina
First Center in Greenville,
South Carolina. |
|
The Indie Cooking Bestseller List
August 12, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending August 11, 2009, and based on sales
at hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Preparing for Pat Conroy: Prince of Indies
August 12, 2009 - This summer, as usual, the bulk of the bookstores on Pat Conroy's South
of Broad (Doubleday) tour are indies. Slated stores include A Cappella Books
in Atlanta, Georgia; The Alabama Booksmith in Birmingham, Alabama; Bay Street
Trading Co. in Beaufort, South Carolina; Litchfield Books on Pawleys Island,
South Carolina; and Park Road Books in Charlotte, North Carolina. Booksellers
from several tour stops talked with BTW about both their appreciation
for Conroy's longtime support and the logistics of hosting him. |
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BTW News Briefs
August 12, 2009 - Book Publishing Sales Post Gains in June; Small Business Hearing Focuses
on Access to Credit & Health Care; The Book Report Network Conducts Kids
and Teens Reading Survey; Thurber Prize Finalists Announced; Sony Reader and
OverDrive Sign Library Marketing Agreement |
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Sales at Bookstores Increase in June
August 11, 2009 - After five down months, retail sales at bookstores took a turn for the better in
June. Sales at bookstores increased by 3.4 percent in June 2009 as compared
to June 2008, according to preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau
of the Census. |
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E-Fairness Victory in North Carolina
August 06, 2009 - It took an extra month for North Carolina's $19 billion state budget
to win passage, but it was worth the wait for the state's indie booksellers.
When Gov. Beverly Perdue signs the budget, North Carolina will become the second
state in 2009, and the third in the U.S., to enact an e-fairness provision,
which will ensure that online retailers with affiliates in the state collect
tax on sales made to in-state residents over the Internet. |
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Gaiman, Scieszka Indie Bookstore Contests Take Shape
August 06, 2009 - Details are now available for two indie bookstore contests announced
(to the surprise of their publishers) by bestselling authors Neil Gaiman and
Jon Scieszka at ABA's Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon at BookExpo America. |
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Around Indies
August 06, 2009 - Books Inc. to Open in Berkeley; The Vermont Book Shop Turns 60; A
15th Anniversary for Magers & Quinn |
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BTW News Briefs
August 06, 2009 - Indie Next Author Incorporates Twitter Into Tour; Executive Director
of Lambda Literary Foundation Steps Down; NEIBA Names Gilman Winner; Date Set
for Digital Book World Conference |
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ABACUS in Jeopardy: Deadline Just a Week Away
August 06, 2009 - With the August 15 deadline for participation in the 2009 ABACUS Survey
fast approaching, the future of this crucial business tool exclusively for ABA
member booksellers remains uncertain. A big increase in the number of bookstores
submitting their 2008 financial data is needed to enable ABA to compile a 2009
study. |
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Constant Contact Rebate Checks to Come From ABA
August 06, 2009 - ABA members participating in the Constant Contact affinity program between
April 30, 2008, and April 30, 2009, will soon begin receiving rebate checks.
ABA is providing this rebate as an exclusive member service to stores that have
registered for Constant Contact via BookWeb.org. |
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The September 2009 Indie Next List Preview
August 06, 2009 - Here's a preview of the September Indie Next List, now on its way to
ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement, and a reminder that August Notable
titles are now featured in a flier and shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org. |
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PNBA to Start Fall Trade Show Season
August 05, 2009 - The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Trade Show, the first
of the fall regional show season, will be held from Thursday, September 10,
through Saturday, September 12, at the Airport Holiday Inn in Portland, Oregon.
Among the education program highlights noted by PNBA Executive Director Thom
Chambliss is the session on Edelweiss interactive online publisher catalogs, to be presented
by Above the Treeline founder and CEO John Rubin, and ABA's Social Media panel,
moderated by ABA COO Len Vlahos. |
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Firemen Help Flintridge Bookstore Celebrate Reopening
August 05, 2009 - On August 1, four months after an 18-wheel truck plowed through Flintridge
Bookstore & Coffeehouse in La Canada, California, the bookstore, which had
been operating out of temporary trailers, reopened in its former location, following
a complete renovation. |
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At 80, Bookazine Remains Young at Heart
August 05, 2009 - Indie wholesaler Bookazine is celebrating its 80th anniversary this
year "with a renewed commitment to the basics of bookselling and to our
customers," said Ron Rice, the company's sales manager. Plans include an expansion of Book Buddies, a popular bookseller peer review program run jointly with New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association, and the launch of Bookazine Living Room, a new video series. |
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Sam Weller's to Celebrate 80 Years
August 05, 2009 - Since its founding during the Great Depression, Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore
has weathered several recessions and many changes in the book business. This
past March, owners Tony and Catherine Weller announced plans to leave the bookstore's
current 40,000-square-foot space in downtown Salt Lake City. The search for a new downtown location continues as the bookstore prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary on August 15. |
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Nearly 50 ABA Member Sites Now on Drupal Platform
August 05, 2009 - With the migration of ABA IndieCommerce sites to the Drupal platform
moving full speed ahead, this week BTW presents a list of 49 store sites
already launched and active on Drupal. In the coming weeks, we'll run updates
to the list as more stores migrate over to the new platform, which offers a
wide range of themes and easy redesign. |
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Fall Workshop on Opening a Bookstore
August 04, 2009 - The Bookstore Training Group of Paz & Associates will be conducting
an intensive workshop -- Opening a Bookstore: The Business Essentials -- from
Monday, September 14, through Friday, September 18, on Amelia Island (near Jacksonville,
Florida). The program is aimed at anyone interested in learning about owning and operating a bookstore. |
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ABA Governance Review Committee Requests Input
July 30, 2009 - The time has once again come for ABA to review whether the practices
of the ABA Board and officers are in accordance with the policies and procedures
of the association. To that end, the Governance Review Committee -- composed
of chair and former ABA Board member Suzy Staubach of UConn Co-op, Catherine
Weller of Sam Weller's Books, and Mark LaFramboise of Politics & Prose --
would like to receive member input. |
|
IndieCommerce Adjusts Migration Deadlines, Training
July 30, 2009 - This week, ABA IndieCommerce announced a deadline extension for stores
that have not yet received training on the migration of their sites to the new
Drupal platform. The migration deadline for those stores is now November 1;
however, booksellers who have received training before July 17 will still be
required to migrate their websites to the new platform by September 1. Booksellers
who have already participated in a group training session but need additional
help migrating may request one-on-one online help from ABA in order to get their
new sites up and working. |
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New Survey Seeks Bookseller Comments on Indie Next List
July 30, 2009 - On Wednesday, July 29, ABA e-mailed a survey seeking member input regarding
the Indie Next Lists. The survey, which was created in response to inquiries
and interest from both booksellers and publishers, seeks to gather information
about how stores are using the Indie Next List, the centerpiece of IndieBound's
marketing materials. Data gathered from the survey will help ABA ensure that
the Next Lists remain relevant for booksellers and customers alike. |
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ABA Health Care Legislation Survey Results
July 30, 2009 - Here's a look at some of
the data compiled from last week's survey of ABA member booksellers regarding
health care reform. |
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Bookstores' Summer Camps Offer Fun for Young Readers
July 30, 2009 - This summer, at Harleysville Books and BookPeople, young bibliophiles
get to be the story. Kids responded so positively to events and readings
at these stores that both have developed summer programs that regularly sell out
and raise revenue. Here, BTW talks with Harleysville owner Shelly Plumb
and BookPeople Children's Outreach Coordinator Topher Bradfield to get a primer
on literary summer camp. |
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August Indie Notables Flier & Shelf-Talkers Now Available
July 30, 2009 - The August Indie Next List Notable titles are now featured in a downloadable
flier and in shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org. |
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Policy Center Urges States to Consider E-Fairness Law Similar to NY and RI
July 30, 2009 - The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is recommending that states
collecting sales tax "give serious consideration" to adopting e-fairness
legislation similar to the sales tax laws enacted by New York and Rhode Island. |
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Sen. Landrieu Urges Health Care Reform to Address Needs of Small Business
July 30, 2009 - On Wednesday, July 29, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Chair Mary Landrieu (D-LA) joined Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin
(D-IL) and Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) at a press
conference to discuss the effects skyrocketing health care costs are having
on small businesses. Terry Gardiner of the Small Business Majority and Mark
Derbyshire, owner of Park Moving and Storage in Maryland, also joined the senators
in emphasizing the need to ensure that the concerns of small businesses are
a key focus in health care reform. |
|
California Enforcing Little-Known POS Law
July 30, 2009 - California booksellers should be aware that some local governments are
now enforcing a little-known point-of-sale law, according to the Northern California Independent
Booksellers Association newsletter. |
|
Bringing Authors to Bookstores Via Skype
July 30, 2009 - This past spring, John Wiley & Sons partnered with Joseph Beth Booksellers
in Cincinnati for an in-store appearance by author/editor
Mark D. White (Watchmen and Philosophy:
A Rorschach Test). The catch? White was
nowhere near the bookstore. White's appearance was made possible by the use
of a webcam and Skype, which allows voice calls and video conferencing over
the Internet. |
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Study Provides Crucial Information for Store Expansion
July 30, 2009 - When Brian Sweet was considering an expansion of Trail's End Bookstore
in Winthrop, Washington, a few years ago, he turned to the ABACUS Survey of
independent bookstores' financial operations for help in making the right decision.
"ABACUS has been important in examining where we've come from and where
we need to go, especially when we were thinking about expanding the store,"
Sweet said recently. "With ABACUS, we could determine that we could expand.
We saw that, yes, we'd triple our rent, but it would still be within acceptable
parameters." |
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New Feature Highlights Local Favorites of Indie Booksellers
July 30, 2009 - Indie City, a new feature at IndieBound.org, is
a collaboration between booksellers and independent publisher Kaie Wellman.
In a series of front-page articles, IndieBound.org is featuring a city or region
that's full of independents and highlighting the favorites of booksellers in the area. |
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BTW News Briefs
July 30, 2009 - House Moves Closer to Health Care Reform; Longlist for Man Booker Prize
for Fiction Announced; Barnes & Noble to Offers Free Wi-Fi; Tim Hepp Helmuth
Sales Rep of the Year |
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An Open Letter From ABA President Michael Tucker
July 23, 2009 - ABA President Michael Tucker, of San Francisco's Books Inc., follows
up on the first meeting of the newly elected ABA Board with a report on the
association's current priorities and initiatives. |
|
A Report on the ABA Board's 2009 Summer Meeting
July 23, 2009 - The ABA Board of Directors held its summer meeting in San Jose, California,
from Thursday, July 9, through Saturday, July 11. Over the course of two and
a half days, the Board covered a wide range of issues, including ABA governance,
committee appointments, future educational programming, digital initiatives,
health care legislation, and more. |
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ABA Board Seeks Bookseller Input on Health Care Reform
July 23, 2009 - At its summer meeting, the ABA Board of Directors discussed the ongoing
national debate regarding health care reform, and how ABA might play an advocacy
role on behalf of independent booksellers. Following its discussions, the Board
concluded that it needed more information from member stores. |
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ABA Announces the Avin Mark Domnitz Scholarship
July 23, 2009 - ABA has announced the establishment of the Avin Mark Domnitz Scholarship
to the Fifth Annual Winter Institute to honor the former ABA CEO's wide-ranging
contributions to independent bookselling. As a tribute to Domnitz's work with
the ABACUS Survey, the scholarship is open to the owners and regular employees
of bookstores that have submitted their 2008 financial data to ABACUS before
the August 15 deadline. |
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Book Lists Come to IndieBound for iPhone
July 23, 2009 - Hot on the heels of some great accolades, the IndieBound for
iPhone app received a major update on Tuesday. Two frequently requested features
have been added. |
|
President Addresses Criticism of Health Care Reform Efforts
July 23, 2009 - As his health care reform initiative lost momentum in Congress and saw
an erosion of public support, President Barack Obama held a press conference
last night in hopes of rallying support for health care legislation that he
stressed is central to rebuilding America's economy and making it "stronger
than before." |
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No E-Fairness in California Budget
July 23, 2009 - Earlier this week, the e-fairness provision
was left on the cutting room floor as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
agreed with state legislators on a final budget plan, which did not include
a provision for sales tax equity. ABA, NCIBA, and SCIBA are urging California
booksellers to write the governor to express their disappointment with his decision,
and to send copies of their letters (a template is provided) to their elected
state representatives. |
|
BTW News Briefs
July 23, 2009 - Consortium Announces New Distribution Clients; Times Blog Features
Author's Indie Visits; Free Webinar to Focus on Google Settlement; New Report
Highlights Contributions of Copyright Industries |
|
Securing an Invaluable Resource for New & Experienced Booksellers
July 22, 2009 - What free tool, available exclusively to ABA member stores, shows you
where your bookstore's operating costs are too high and where your budget needs
adjustment, can help you renegotiate your lease, or help secure funding
for a new store or to finance an expansion? Here's the resounding answer from
Candy Pearson of Apple Blossom Books, Amy Thomas of Pegasus and Pendragon Books,
and Allison Hill of Vroman's. |
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Helping You in New Ways: Book Lists & Bookseller DIY
July 22, 2009 - Catch up with the new tools offered
by IndieBound.org and the Bookseller DIY: the latest developments include expanded
book list features, great ways to use those features for book groups, and a
new look for the Bookseller DIY. |
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Author Wins IndieBound Points Contest
July 22, 2009 - To mark its first anniversary, IndieBound has drawn a winner for the
IndieBound.org points contest -- Julie Hahnke of Marblehead, Massachusetts.
Hahnke, the author of The Grey Ghost, a Summer Kids' Indie Next List
pick, who is using her prize to purchase books for a secondary school library
in Ghana, recently sent a note explaining what independents mean to her. |
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Reaching the Stratosphere: Titcomb's 40th Anniversary Celebration
July 22, 2009 - Titcomb's Bookshop is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 40 different
ways throughout this summer and fall. From July 1 to November 1, the bookstore
is hosting a series of author events featuring Richard Russo, Wally Lamb, Mary
Oliver, Jeannette Walls, and others. Also slated are special programs for children,
a shop local event, and a cross-promotion with a local yarn shop featuring author
and knitter Ann Hood. |
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The Indie Travel Literature Bestseller List
July 22, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending July 21, 2009, and based on sales at
independent bookstores nationwide. |
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IndieBound App Makes the Grade for O'Reilly "Best of" Guide
July 16, 2009 - IndieBound's iPhone app has been selected for inclusion in O'Reilly
Media's Best iPhone Apps: A Guide for Discriminating Downloaders. The guide, to be published this month, features 200 apps rated the best from the more than 50,000 apps available. |
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Health Care Reform Bill Introduced in the House
July 16, 2009 - On Tuesday, July 14, Democratic leaders introduced into the U.S. House
of Representatives comprehensive health care reform legislation. The bill, America's
Affordable Health Choices Act, was introduced against a backdrop of ongoing
public and political debate over policy, legislative details, and cost. Meanwhile,
House Republicans announced this week that they would be introducing an alternative
health care reform bill, which, they contend, will be less costly than the legislation
introduced by their Democratic colleagues. |
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Fun, New Video Urges, "Keep It Local, America!"
July 16, 2009 - Tom Campbell and friends of The Regulator Bookshop in Durham, North
Carolina, have created a campy, fun 1940s newsreel-style video with a serious
message: Shopping local is green. The spot, "Just Around the Corner,"
uses archival and newly shot video to dramatize how a book shipped from an Internet retailer rather than bought at a local bookstore ups the
carbon load in the environment significantly. "How much fuel is required
to make up the difference?" asks the video narrator. "Too much, chum!" |
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BTW News Briefs
July 16, 2009 - NACS Aims to Bust Myths About Textbook Purchasing; S&S to Distribute
Boom! Studios; Shop.org Profiles Social Media Users; CNNMoney Says Board Games
Back in Vogue; Thriller Writers Name Literary Award Winners; AAP Reports May
Book Sales; Bookseller Offers to Match Donations to Goldman Scholarship Fund |
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Savvy Booksellers Use Twitter to Draw Crowds, Boost Sales
July 16, 2009 - Web-based chatroom, micro-blog, whatever you want to call Twitter, booksellers
have been using the free platform to generate sales. Beyond plugging upcoming
events, some have created Twitter-themed parties or used the real-time capabilities
to broadcast quotes from readings. Fountain Bookstore has drawn a crowd
by tweeting about free chocolate, Skylight Books uses Twitter to hold tweet-ups
and live-tweet author readings, and Rainy Day Books even hosted a Twitter-based
Best Indie Bookstore contest. |
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A Cool Idea for a Hot Summer Day
July 16, 2009 - With temperatures reaching nearly 115 degrees in Tempe, Arizona, the
staff at Changing Hands Bookstore put their heads together to find a way to
help customers keep their cool. The result is an eye-catching display featuring
a snowman in "Shaq-like" proportions, created by local sculptor Marco
Rosichelli, surrounded by a mix of "wintry" titles. |
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Freedom to Read Foundation Gala Pays Tribute to the Late Judith Krug
July 15, 2009 - Last Sunday's Freedom to Read Foundation 40th Anniversary Gala at the
Art Institute of Chicago was both a celebration and a moving tribute to Judith
F. Krug, director of the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual
Freedom from its founding in 1967 to her death in April of stomach cancer. Krug
was a founder of the Freedom to Read Foundation and one of the creators of Banned
Books Week, celebrated annually by librarians, booksellers, and readers across
the country. |
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IndieBound Bestseller List: A Unique Tool to Spur Sales
July 15, 2009 - Nothing starts a conversation quite like a list, especially a list
of books. And the IndieBound Bestseller List is perfect for doing just that.
A growing number of bloggers and tweeters are referencing the list -- creating
conversations and generating interest and sales for great books. |
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A Callout for Local First Title Recommendations
July 15, 2009 - In the coming weeks, ABA and IndieBound
will be updating the selected reading list of local first titles, a compilation
of informative titles on the importance of building and strengthening a vibrant
local economy. To help ensure that the updated list is as current and informative as
possible, the association is encouraging booksellers to send in their suggestions for titles to
be included. |
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Plans Percolate for Bookstore in Downtown Athens
July 15, 2009 - Janet Geddis plans to open a new
bookstore -- Avid Bookshop -- in Athens, Georgia, by late spring 2010. "The
project was hatched about two years ago, but personal and economic issues caused
me to put it on the back burner for a while," she told BTW. "Now
we're up and running again at a remarkable speed!" |
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ABACUS: Stop. Look. Learn. Benefit.
July 15, 2009 - "ABACUS is an incredibly useful tool for our business," says
Allison Hill, the president and COO of Vroman's Bookshop in Pasadena, California.
"It helps us establish goals, determine areas for potential improvement,
and monitor our progress. It offers us valuable information and a broader context.
We've used ABACUS results to help negotiate with landlords, to set benchmarks
for payroll, and to identify overlooked areas, such as utilities, where we could
improve profitability. In the midst of all the business, ABACUS gives us the
opportunity to stop and look at how we're doing. For the relatively small amount
of effort it takes to participate, it's a big benefit." |
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Bookstore Sales Down Again in May
July 15, 2009 - For the fourth month in a row, retail sales at bookstores were down from the previous year. Bookstore sales decreased by three percent in May 2009 as compared to May 2008,
according to preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census. |
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The Latest on E-Fairness in California, Hawaii, North Carolina, and Rhode Island
July 09, 2009 - The fight for sales tax equity continued in several states this week. National retail giants threatened that they would de-list affiliates if legislation enforcing e-fairness was approved, and state legislators continued the difficult task of negotiating budget settlements. ABA and the regional associations are calling on California booksellers to write to Gov. Schwarzenegger to express their disappointment with his decision to veto the state budget that included an e-fairness provision.
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Landing an SBA Loan: One Bookseller's Experience
July 09, 2009 - Like many other retailers, The Lavender Inkwell Bookshoppe, a GLBT bookstore in Syracuse, New York, was struggling in January 2009 due to the tough economic climate and was on the verge of closing. Then, Lavender Inkwell co-owner John Besaw decided to take a shot at getting a second SBA loan. |
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Dig That New Peace, Love, Books Poster
July 09, 2009 - The summer of love, or the summer of books?... Now you can have both with IndieBound's new tie-dye Peace, Love, Books poster. |
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Campaign Begins to Select the Best of the National Book Awards Fiction
July 09, 2009 - On July 7, the National Book Foundation launched a new campaign celebrating the 60th anniversary of the National Book Awards that will culminate in a vote by the public this fall to choose the Best of the National Book Awards Fiction. To spread the word, and to highlight past winners, NBF has created a book-a-day blog, featuring all of the fiction winners from 1950 to 2008. A poster and other marketing materials will be available to help ABA members promote both the vote and book sales. |
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Indies Host a Week of Celebrations
July 09, 2009 - Whether they hung a Declaration of Independents poster in the store window, sponsored a favorite indie bookstore contest on Twitter, or conducted a shopping challenge encompassing several towns, booksellers reported that this year's celebrations of Independents Week generated both goodwill and sales. |
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A Bookseller's Appeal for ABACUS
July 09, 2009 - Amy Thomas, president of Pandora's Books Inc., which includes Pendragon Books in Oakland and two Pegasus Books in Berkeley, California, explains what ABACUS has meant to the business, which she purchased 13 years ago. In the beginning, she writes, "I sometimes felt that I was relying wholly on rules of thumb dimly remembered from a dozen different sources. My rent seemed like a lot of money. Was it too high? How much money should we spend on advertising and marketing? Should I wean myself off the distributors and try to buy more books directly from the publishers? Years before we had set up non-returnable accounts with the publishers. Was that still the right way to buy?" |
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The August Indie Next List
July 09, 2009 - Here's a preview of the August Indie Next List, now on its way to ABA member
stores in the IndieBound movement, and a reminder that July Notable titles are
now featured in a downloadable flier and shelf-talkers. |
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BTW News Briefs
July 08, 2009 - SIBA Announces 2009 Book Award Winners; NRF Documents Increases in Shoplifting Rates; University of Arkansas Press Announces Winner of Inaugural Poetry Prize; Latest Edition of SBA's "The Small Business Economy" Now Available; St. Martin's Announces Two Staff Promotions |
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The Health Care Beat: This Week's Developments
July 08, 2009 - With Congress scheduled to recess in just a few weeks, lawmakers have continued to focus on health care reform. Here is a look at some of the latest developments. |
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Regional Associations Offer "Eat. Sleep. Read." Calendar
July 08, 2009 - Nine regional booksellers associations have joined to create a page-a-day calendar that promotes the IndieBound movement, launched by ABA at BookExpo America 2008. The regional associations plan to use profits from sales of the calendar, which is available exclusively to independent bookstores, to support member programming. |
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The Indie Business & Economics Bestseller List
July 08, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending July 7, 2009, and based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Justice Department Confirms Investigation of Google Settlement
July 07, 2009 - The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed last week that it has launched
an investigation to determine whether the settlement of copyright infringement
lawsuits brought against Google by the Authors Guild and the Association of
American Publishers violates the Sherman Antitrust Act. |
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Rhode Island Governor Signs E-Fairness Provision Into Law -- Efforts Continue in Four States
July 01, 2009 - On June 30, Rhode Island became the second state to require online retailers
with affiliates in the state to collect tax on sales made to in-state residents
over the Internet. And, at press time, the e-fairness fight appeared close to
a tipping point in California, Connecticut, Hawaii, and North Carolina. |
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SBA Clarifies Debts Eligible Under ARC Loans
July 01, 2009 - The Small Business Administration has recently answered a question regarding
which loans and debts qualify for payment under an American Recovery Capital
(ARC) loan. |
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July Indie Notables Flier & Shelf-Talkers Now Available
July 01, 2009 - The July Indie Next List Notable titles are now featured in a downloadable
flier and in shelf-talkers. The titles, which reflect a wide range of intriguing new
fiction and nonfiction, make a great addition to stores' Next List
displays. |
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Bookseller DIY: Leaner, Meaner, and Cleaner
July 01, 2009 - For its first anniversary, IndieBound's popular Bookseller
DIY has been given a makeover. Among the changes: A collapsible menu
on the left provides convenient, uncluttered access to everything in the DIY
collection, and download links for each item are provided directly beneath the
thumbnail. |
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ABACUS: An Urgent Call Out to Past Participants
July 01, 2009 - "We've participated in ABACUS for a number of years, and every
year we learn something -- tips, shortcuts, changes in accounting, and, most
of all, small ways to save money," Becky Milner of Vintage Books in Vancouver,
Washington, said recently. "We take that two percent seriously. A shaving
here and there really does make a difference to our bottom line." Milner's
comments just about sum up why the ABA Board and former CEO Avin Mark Domnitz
have each undertaken outreach efforts to members to ensure that ABACUS continues. |
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Bookish Travels Down Under
July 01, 2009 - ABA Chief Marketing Officer Meg Smith writes about her experiences and
shares photos from her recent trip to Australia as a guest of the Australian
Booksellers Association. Smith, who was among the keynote speakers at the conference "Selling the Future of the Book" in Manly, was also able to visit a number of
bookshops in Sydney, attended awards banquets and other conference presentations,
and saw how Australians are reacting to e-books. |
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Downtown Santa Fe's New Gathering Place
June 30, 2009 - Booksellers Dorothy Massey and Mary Wolf are off to an auspicious start
in the new location of Collected Works Bookstore in Santa Fe, New Mexico. On
June 12, the same day the 31-year-old business reopened in a new 4,000-square-foot
space, the co-owners were presented with the New Mexico Book Association's Book-in-Hand
Honor. |
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Video Demonstrates New Book List Features
June 30, 2009 - IndieBound.org has a new video teaching tool that demonstrates, in a fun way, all of the recently launched Book List features available to members of the Indie Community. Check it out, and share it with your customers. |
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Cross Promoting Indies: Tattered Cover and Twist & Shout
June 30, 2009 - For Tattered Cover Book Store and indie record store Twist & Shout,
neighbors in Denver's Lowenstein "CulturePlex," cross promotions have
become a regular, and successful, way of doing business. Since their first holiday
promotion in 2003, the businesses have done a joint holiday catalog; advertised
in each other's print and e-mail newsletters; hosted a private shopping party
for a new residential development; held joint Memorial Day weekend sidewalk
sales; and more. |
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BTW News Briefs
June 30, 2009 - NECBA Spring Galley Review Project Online; Carol Seajay Named New NCIBA
Administrator; Magic Tree Bookstore Pairs With Library to Create YA Cafe; S&S
to Handle Kaplan Sales Worldwide |
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Sales Tax Efforts Heat Up in California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island
June 25, 2009 - With state budget deadlines looming at the end of June and legislatures
scrambling to complete their work, the Campaign for E-Fairness is urging booksellers
to ramp up efforts in support of pending state legislation that would level
the playing field for the collection of sales tax on online sales and ensure the
equitable enforcement of existing Internet sales tax laws. Initiatives are underway
in Rhode Island, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, and North Carolina. |
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Gearing Up for Independents Week
June 25, 2009 - Indie bookstores have joined with a growing number of retailers, local independent
business alliances, and community organizations to create Independents Week celebrations, aimed at getting the word out about their unique contributions
to the local economy. |
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Obituary: Sam Weller of Sam Weller's Zion Books
June 25, 2009 - Legendary Salt Lake City
bookseller Sam Weller died on Wednesday, June 24. He was 88. Weller is
being remembered for his passion and the profound influence he had on other
booksellers. |
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The Google Book Search Settlement: An Overview
June 25, 2009 - The negotiated settlement between Google and publishers and authors
regarding the company's program to create a massive online database of digitized
books is a detailed and multifaceted agreement. Here's a primer on the settlement,
with a review of the initial controversy and an overview of the key arguments
for, and against, the agreement. |
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SBA Announces Changes to the 504 Loan Program
June 25, 2009 - Small businesses seeking to expand will be able to refinance
existing loans used to purchase real estate and other fixed assets as a result
of permanent changes to the U.S. Small Business Administration's 504 Certified
Development Company loan program. The changes will allow small businesses to
restructure eligible debt to help improve their cash flow, which, it is expected,
will enhance their viability and support growth and job creation. |
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Health Care Report Reveals Problems With Status Quo
June 25, 2009 - Congress, voters, and the President all continued to focus on the issue
of health care reform this week, and a major player in the political debate
-- the Obama administration -- issued a report on how the escalating costs of
health care adversely affect small businesses. |
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Bookseller Testifies Against Bill Authorizing Civil Suits
June 25, 2009 - Last week, Tom Lowenburg of New Orleans' Octavia Books testified against
a Louisiana Senate Bill that would authorize civil suits against booksellers who are accused of selling a book that depicts nudity to a minor.
ABFFE President Chris Finan warned that the bill was part of
a disturbing new trend in censorship legislation. |
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Using IndieBound.org Book Lists for Your Store's Book Groups
June 25, 2009 - Recent updates to IndieBound.org
in the form of multiple book lists and widgets give customers new ways to shop
indie bookstores. Booksellers can use these new features in interesting
ways, too, even as tools for book group administration. |
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ABACUS in Jeopardy: ABA Board Urges Member Participation
June 25, 2009 - ABACUS, one of ABA's most valuable services to members, has become one
of the most threatened, due to sharp declines in participation in 2007 and 2008.
ABACUS will only continue if enough booksellers submit their financial data
-- via a completely secure and confidential electronic form -- to this year's
project before the August 15 deadline. |
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BTW News Briefs
June 25, 2009 - ABFFE Welcomes New Board Members; Deadline for NEIBA's Rusty Drugan
Scholarship June 29; SCIBA Accepting Applications for Glenn Goldman Scholarships;
Gerhard Weinberg Wins Pritzker Military Library Literature Award |
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An Open Letter to Booksellers From the ABA Board
June 18, 2009 - The ABA Board has written an open letter to all bookseller members urging
them to participate in the ABACUS Financial Survey, "a singular enterprise
that has helped hundreds and hundreds of ABA bookstore members launch, expand,
and sustain profitable businesses." |
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IndieBound.org Introduces New Book Lists, Widgets
June 18, 2009 - This
week, IndieBound.org launched several exciting new features for consumers and
booksellers that focus on indie bookstores and spreading the word about great
books. IndieBound.org's new Book Lists allow each community member to have an
unlimited number of lists, each with its own name and description. |
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Health Care Debate Rages in Washington
June 18, 2009 - With President Obama pressing Congress to draft viable and fiscally
prudent health care reform legislation by October, the debate over how to reform health care has intensified. At present, the only real consensus on
health care is that some kind of reform is needed. From one side
of the political aisle to the other, health care reform fixes run the gamut from
free-market solutions to government-run health care. |
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Internet Sales Tax Campaign Enters Critical Phase in Four States
June 18, 2009 - This week, ABA's Campaign for E-Fairness reached critical legislative crossroads
in four states where Internet sales tax legislation is under consideration.
With fiscal years for many states coming to a close on June 30, the Internet
sales tax campaign takes center stage in California, North Carolina, and Rhode
Island, where Internet sales tax provisions are included in proposed state budgets,
while in Hawaii, Internet sales tax legislation still awaits Gov. Linda Lingle's
signature. |
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Neil Gaiman's Indie Halloween Party Plan
June 18, 2009 - Last Friday, on his blog, Neil Gaiman's Journal, the winner of the 2009
Indies Choice Book Award for Best Indie Young Adult Buzz Book (The Graveyard Book, HarperCollins) offered more details on the contest he announced, to
the surprise of his publisher, at ABA's Celebration of Bookselling. Gaiman came
up with the Halloween Party Plan in response to the many independent booksellers
across the country who would love to host Graveyard Book signings in
their stores. There are so many, he said, he couldn't possibly accommodate them
all. |
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ABA's Smith to Tweet From Conference Down Under
June 18, 2009 - ABA Chief Marketing Officer Meg Smith is on her way to Australia as
a guest of the Australian Booksellers Association. Smith was invited to be a
keynote speaker at the organization's 85th Annual Conference to be held in Sydney
from Sunday, June 21, though Tuesday, June 23. She will be sharing her experiences
via Twitter starting soon. |
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Small Businesses Can Now Apply for ARC Loans
June 17, 2009 - On June 15, the U.S. Small Business Administration began accepting loans
for a temporary new program called America's Recovery Capital. ARC loans of
up to $35,000 are designed to give viable small businesses suffering immediate
financial hardship some temporary financial relief so they can keep their doors
open and get their cash flow back on track. |
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Powell's Rethinks the Newsletter, Saves Cash, Extends Reach
June 17, 2009 - Early this year Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon, reevaluated its
print newsletter. The stores' needs had shifted from promoting the Powell's
website to increasing sales both in-store and online while cutting costs. The
result is The Powell's Books Reader, a full-color eight-pager with a
circulation of nearly 100,000. |
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13-Digit ISBNs Become Unavoidable
June 17, 2009 - This month's announcement by the International ISBN Agency that the
first 979-prefixed ISBN has been assigned to the Paris-based French National
ISBN Agency has important ramifications for the U.S. book trade. "Any systems
remaining in the U.S. book trade that process only the last 10 digits of an
ISBN will have to be updated to avoid the possibility of duplicates of 978- and
979-prefixed ISBNs appearing in our supply chain," said Michael Healy,
executive director of the Book Industry Study Group and former chairman of the
ISO working group that revised the ISBN standard. |
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International Booksellers Accentuate the Positive
June 17, 2009 - Last month, more than 30 booksellers from around the world gathered at
Hotel ABA in Brooklyn for the joint annual conference of the European and International Booksellers federations. Booksellers from 21 countries took the
"Let's Stay Positive" theme of the conference's opening address to
heart at presentations on the most significant trends currently defining the
American book market. |
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Kids' Booksellers Give It Away to Get It Back
June 17, 2009 - Association of Booksellers for Children Executive Director Kristen McLean
encouraged booksellers at the ABA Day of Education session "Give It Away
to Get It Back: Using 'Thought Leadership' Marketing to Build Your Children's
Business" to be themselves, to freely share their knowledge, and to become
ambassadors for children's books in order to create a strategy that "cuts
through the noise" directed at potential customers from innumerable sources. |
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The Art of Handselling
June 17, 2009 - Key customer service strategies, handselling tips, and valuable resources were
the focus of "Handselling: Customer
Service With Results," an ABA Day of Education session
presented by Joe Drabyak of Chester County Book & Music Company in West
Chester, Pennsylvania, and Avin Mark Domnitz, then ABA CEO, at last month's BEA. |
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BTW News Briefs
June 17, 2009 - Ingram Content Group Announces Organizational Structure; Booksellers to Keep Eyes Open for 2020 Vision
USA; Cooperative Bookstore Planned for Milwaukee; S&S Children's Publishing Creates Online Community for Teen Readers; Penguin Launches Network of
Online Programming; Redesigned BookTV.org More User-Friendly |
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Correction
June 16, 2009 - The July Indie Next List flier, on its way to stores in the IndieBound movement,
misidentifies the name of the bookstore for the bookseller's quote for the title
It's Not Me, It's You: Subjective Recollections From a Terminally Optimistic,
Chronically Sarcastic, and Occasionally Inebriated Woman. The title was
nominated by Sam Droke-Dickinson of Aaron's Books in Lititz, Pennsylvania. |
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Len Vlahos Named ABA Chief Operating Officer
June 11, 2009 - Oren Teicher, the American Booksellers Association's new Chief Executive
Officer, today announced the appointment of Len Vlahos to fill the post of Chief
Operating Officer. The position was vacated when the ABA Board promoted Teicher to CEO. |
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SBA Releases ARC Loan Guidelines to Banks & Borrowers
June 11, 2009 - On Monday, June 8, the U.S. Small Business Administration released details
about the America's Recovery Capital (ARC) Loan Program, which is designed to
give "viable" small businesses suffering "immediate financial
hardship" some temporary financial relief so they can keep their doors
open and get their cash flow back on track. ARC loans will be available, and
SBA will begin accepting applications from lenders, beginning June 15. The loans
will be available through SBA-approved lenders as long as funding is available
or through September 30, 2010, whichever comes first. |
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ABA @ NARM: Promoting Greater Cooperation Among Indies
June 11, 2009 - This week, ABA CEO Oren Teicher gave a presentation at the National
Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) convention, where he provided
an introduction to the IndieBound movement and shared examples of how indie
retailers working together could both promote sales and raise the public's awareness
about the importance of independent retailers. Teicher was joined on the panel
by Ron Epstein, the owner of Twist & Shout, an indie record store in Denver,
Colorado -- which is located adjacent to the Tattered Cover Book Store on Colfax
Avenue; Billy Fields of Warner/Electra/Atlantic; and Michael Kurtz, of the Music
Monitor Network. |
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Edelweiss eCatalogs' Many Features on Display
June 11, 2009 - Edelweiss, the interactive, online catalog platform from Above the Treeline,
drew booksellers and other book industry professionals eager for a preview to
Friday and Saturday sessions at BEA and to the company's booth on the trade
show floor. The new platform works across participating publishers, so users
need learn only one system that gives them the ability to manage multiple catalogs
easily in a single online library. For booksellers, publicists, bloggers, agents,
and other catalog end users, access to Edelweiss is free. |
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Spotlight on ABA IndieCommerce at BEA
June 11, 2009 - ABA IndieCommerce's new Drupal platform, recently launched features
such as wholesaler fulfillment, and the upcoming debut of an easy-to-use e-book
functionality all drew the interest of booksellers at BookExpo America. |
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Using Video to Market Your Bookstore: Tips & Examples
June 11, 2009 - Alex Beckstead, the director of Paperback Dreams and owner of
4SP Films, knows just what a homemade video on the web can do to promote an
indie bookstore. The documentary filmmaker recently shared that knowledge with
booksellers at the ABA Day of Education at BEA. Beckstead offered insights on
why bookstores should use video and how they can send the right message (tip:
think storytelling not advertising). The most popular part of the session was
the new crop of bookstore videos, a growing and often very funny genre. |
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Around Indies
June 11, 2009 - Bunch of Grapes to Reopen; Magic Tree to Celebrate 25th Anniversary;
Northshire Plays Host to Kids' Clothing Store and Visitor Information Desk; Village
Square Booksellers Named "People of the Year" |
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BTW News Briefs
June 11, 2009 - Newmarket Announces Special Offer; Scholastic Offers Downloadable
Harry Potter Summer Activity Kits; Two Longtime Bookstores Announce Closings;
Google Book Deal Probe Heating Up; Pritzker Military Library Literature Award
Announcement to Be Webcast |
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Vaynerchuk to Booksellers: Crush It!
June 11, 2009 - Now is the time for independent booksellers to cash in on their
passion, according to YouTube wine guru Gary Vaynerchuk, who coached attendees
on his highly successful method of branding via "sweat equity" at BEA session "Crush It!" Vaynerchuk told those at
the SRO event that independent booksellers are "sitting on ... gold"
regarding their brand-building potential, and solidifying relationships with
customers is the cheapest and simplest strategy for increasing sales. |
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Bookstore Sales Continue Slide in April
June 11, 2009 - For the third month in a row, retail sales at bookstores were down.
Sales at bookstores decreased by 2.5 percent in April 2009 as compared to April
2008, according to preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the
Census. April 2009 bookstore sales are estimated at $969 million, compared to
sales of $994 million for the same period last year. |
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The Indie Parenting Bestseller List
June 10, 2009 - Based on sales in independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week
period ending June 9, 2009. |
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Incoming ABA CEO Begins New Job With Gratitude and Confidence
June 04, 2009 - As he begins his new job, ABA CEO Oren Teicher writes to the bookselling
community with gratitude and a "belief that -- despite the enormous challenges
we face -- together we can create a business and cultural environment where
independent bookstores won't merely survive but will, once again, thrive." |
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BookExpo America: It's a Wrap!
June 04, 2009 - A deep recession, declining sales, and the potential disruption of rapid
technological change combined to create an atmosphere of uncertainty and caution
for the kickoff of this year's BookExpo America. But for indie booksellers --
who attended the show in numbers that equaled their presence at the last New
York City BEA, in 2007 -- the show was an energizing four days that combined
well-attended panels and seminars; updates about an especially strong fall list;
and productive, informal meetings with fellow booksellers and publishing colleagues. |
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Photo Highlights: ABA @ BookExpo America 2009
June 04, 2009 - Here in photos is a look at some highlights of last week's trade show,
including the ABA keynote panel, "Ties That Bind," the reception in
honor of outgoing ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz, the Celebration of Bookselling
Luncheon, the trade show floor, and more. |
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Access to Capital and Healthcare Reform Hot Topics at ABA's Small Biz Session
June 04, 2009 - On Saturday, May 30, at BookExpo America, more than 55 booksellers
attended the ABA session "How SBA and the
Federal Stimulus Package Can Help Your Business" in the hopes of finding
solutions to a wide range of issues currently facing small businesses in tough
economic times, from access to capital to affordable healthcare. |
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Viral Marketing? Think Content
June 04, 2009 - It's no secret that FaceBook, Twitter, and YouTube can provide far-reaching
and free marketing, but the question is, how to use them effectively? Bill Wasik,
senior editor of Harper's Magazine, creator of the Flash Mob, and author
of And Then There's This (Viking, June 2009), presented a primer on creating
content for social media, including tips on what not to do, at the ABA education
session "Viral Marketing in Our Viral Culture" at BookExpo America. |
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The July 2009 Indie Next List
June 04, 2009 - Here's a preview of the July Indie Next List, now on its way to ABA
member stores in the IndieBound movement, and a reminder that June Notable titles
are now featured in a flier and shelf-talkers, downloadable here and from BookWeb.org. |
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A Recap of ABA's Town Hall & Annual Membership Meetings
June 04, 2009 - Here's a look back at BTW's on-site coverage of the ABA Town Hall and Annual Membership
meetings at BEA. Town Hall discussions
included this year's trade show programming and new initiatives, healthcare reform for small businesses, Internet sales tax efforts, the enforcement of publishers' lay-down dates. The Membership Meeting featured reports from both ABA's outgoing president and CEO. |
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Celebration of Bookselling Features Indies Choice Book Awards
June 04, 2009 - Here's a recap of ABA's Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon from BTW's on-site coverage at BEA. Three hundred ABA member booksellers lunched with 50 of their favorite
authors at the Friday event, which featured the presentation of the inaugural Indies Choice Book Awards. |
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Spring Book Awards Season in Bloom
June 03, 2009 - Recent book award announcements encompass children's
books, LGBT books and authors, independent presses, and women writing in English. |
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BTW News Briefs
June 03, 2009 - Media Selects Its Own "Buzz" Books at BEA; Greenlight
Bookstore: Full Speed Ahead; Indie Film Shot at Indie Bookstore Premieres This
Week; Ingram Publisher Services to Distribute Consumers Union; Espresso Book
Machine Available to All Lightning Source Customers |
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The Indie Gardening & Nature Bestseller List
June 03, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending June 2, 2009, and based on sales in
hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Live From BookExpo America -- Day 3
May 29, 2009 - Highlights of ABA's Friday programming at BEA included the Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon, the ABA Town Hall, and the Annual Membership meeting. Here, also, are some of the highlights of Thursday night's reception in honor of ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz. |
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Live From BookExpo America -- Day 2
May 28, 2009 - On Thursday, May 28, ABA's Day of Education programming began
with a thought-provoking and sometimes provocative panel discussion that explored
how the relationship between authors and independent bookstores can continue
to grow and prosper in challenging times. Roxanne Coady, owner of R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, Connecticut,
moderated the panel, which featured a who's who of bestselling writers. |
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Live From BookExpo America -- Day 1
May 27, 2009 - Today, hundreds of ABA member booksellers began arriving at Hotel ABA, the
New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn, for BookExpo
America 2009. As the halls of the Marriott filled with upbeat greetings,
reunions, and smiles, approximately 30 booksellers joined a late afternoon
tour of the Brooklyn Bridge with author and New York City expert Kevin
Baker. |
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Small Business Administration Rolls Out New Loan Program
May 20, 2009 - This week, the Small Business Administration announced that it has launched
a new program to help businesses in this difficult economic climate, the America's
Recovery Capital loan program, which carries a 100-percent guarantee from
the SBA to the lender. Booksellers can find out how to take advantage of ARC loans and other small
business programs in the Recovery Act to garner much needed capital at ABA's session,
"How SBA and the Federal Stimulus Package Can Help Your Business,"
to be held at BookExpo America on Saturday, May 30. |
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Hawaii Internet Sales Tax Bill Passes Legislature; MN Governor Says No to Internet Sales Tax Legislation
May 20, 2009 - While one Internet sales tax provision was left on the cutting room
floor during a contentious legislative session in Minnesota on Monday, there
was better news in Hawaii, as the state's House and Senate passed stand-alone
Internet sales tax legislation, which now awaits Governor Linda Lingle's signature. |
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Get Going With Digital Content at BEA
May 20, 2009 - As part of ABA's Day of Education, at the Javits Convention Center on
Thursday, May 28, a panel of e-content experts will discuss trends in digital
content, including e-books and audio books, and their impact on independent
bookstores in "Going Digital: An Industry Discussion on Selling E-Content." |
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Wholesaler Fulfillment Now Available on IndieCommerce Sites
May 20, 2009 - This week, ABA announced that
wholesaler fulfillment is now available to member sites using the new
IndieCommerce solution. The added functionality means a store can now have a
wholesaler automatically fulfill an order directly to a customer and IndieCommerce
will process the payment. In addition, the association announced that intuitive,
easy-to-use e-Book functionality should be available sometime in June, accommodating
three different e-book formats: Adobe, Microsoft, and the Palm Reader. |
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E-Fairness Op-Ed: Internet tax avoidance hurts jobs, public
May 20, 2009 - In this column, Lenny Goldberg, executive director of the California
Tax Reform Association, and Hut Landon, executive director of the Northern California
Independent Booksellers Association, explain why it is crucial that lawmakers
in California, which is facing an estimated budget deficit of $21.3 billion,
enforce the equitable collection of sales tax. The column originally appeared
in the May 17 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. |
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Indie Bookstore Tours Part of This Year's Day of Education
May 20, 2009 - As part of this year's Day of Education at BookExpo America, booksellers
can check out a few New York City indie bookstores on afternoon tours. Sign-up
is required. |
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Hotel ABA the Place to BEA for Evening Receptions
May 20, 2009 - All ABA members are invited to a welcome reception, sponsored by Random House
and BookExpo America, on Wednesday, May
27, from 9:00 p.m. to midnight, in the Grand Ballroom at Hotel ABA, the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn; and all BEA
badge holders are invited to "An Evening in Honor of Avin Mark Domnitz"
in the Marriott's Legends Ballroom, on Thursday, May 28, also from 9:00 p.m.
to midnight. |
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Paperback Dreams Director Beckstead to Present Multimedia Session at Day of Education
May 20, 2009 - On Thursday, May 28, as part
of ABA's Day of Education at this year's BookExpo America in New York City,
Paperback Dreams director Alex Beckstead will present the education program,
"Using Multimedia to Market Your Store." |
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IBNYC Provides NY Indie Bookstore Guide for Booksellers Attending BookExpo America
May 20, 2009 - The IBNYC (Independent Booksellers of New York City) is profiling New
York City IndieBound bookstores on their blog throughout May. The series, which
also includes bookseller tips for other nearby indie businesses listed on IndieBound.org,
is a guide for visiting NYC booksellers during BookExpo America. |
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Spotlight on Roundtable Discussions at BookExpo America
May 20, 2009 - At ABA's Day of Education, to be held at BookExpo America on Thursday,
May 28, at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City, ABA members will find
roundtable discussions available for all store sizes. In addition, on Saturday,
May 30, ABA members are invited to attend informal roundtable discussions covering
an array of topics. |
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Bestseller List Deadline Unchanged for Memorial Day Holiday
May 20, 2009 - The deadlines for reporting sales to the Indie Bestseller List next
week remain unchanged; the deadlines will not be extended for the Memorial
Day holiday. |
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Former ABA President Joins Peace Corps
May 20, 2009 - Next month, Russ Lawrence and Jean Matthews, soon-to-be former owners
of Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton, Montana,
are leaving the States and starting a two-year Peace Corps assignment in Peru.
|
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ABFFE to Benefit from Sale of Reading Glasses
May 20, 2009 - On May 21, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression announced
that 2020 Vision USA, a Sarasota, Florida, direct importer of reading glasses
and sunglasses, has agreed to contribute $1 to ABFFE for every pair of glasses
it sells to independent bookstores. |
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BTW News Briefs
May 20, 2009 - ABA Members at BEA Invited to Attend Launch of Brooklyn Book Festival;
President Obama: Small Businesses the "Engine of Our Economy"; New
Media Zone at BEA; Librarians "Shout and Share" Their Top BEA Picks |
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Reminder: ABACUS Consultations Available at BookExpo America
May 19, 2009 - Booksellers who would like help completing the 2009 ABACUS Survey can
now set up appointments to meet one-on-one with David Walker, ABA's industry
consultant, at BookExpo America. Walker is available for meetings in the ABA
Booksellers Lounge (Room 1E07/08 of the Javits Convention Center) beginning
Friday, May 29. |
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ABA to Hold Town Hall & Annual Membership Meetings on Friday, May 29
May 19, 2009 - This year's American Booksellers Association Town Hall and Annual Membership
meetings will be held on Friday, May 29, at the Javits Convention Center in
New York City in conjunction with BookExpo America. |
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BEA 2009: Unparalleled Professional Opportunities at a Great Price
May 14, 2009 - Recent cuts in airfares and special registration offers for this year's
trade show, coupled with the networking, education, and professional opportunities
at BEA, add up to an unparalleled bargain. Networking opportunities will abound.
The latest data show that ABA-member bookseller attendance for BEA '09 is matching
that of BEA '07 in NYC, and is running slightly ahead of last year's show in
Los Angeles. |
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ABA Announces 2009 Board Election Results
May 14, 2009 - The results of balloting by the bookstore members of the American Booksellers
Association to elect three Board directors and a new president and vice president
are now official. |
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Recovery Act Spurring Loan Activity to Small Businesses
May 14, 2009 - Small business initiatives included in the Economic Stimulus
Package appear to be opening the credit markets for small businesses, according
to SBA Administrator Karen Mills. Booksellers
can learn how to take advantage of the small business
programs in the Recovery Act at a new ABA session, "How SBA and the Federal
Stimulus Package Can Help Your Business," on Saturday, May 30, at BEA.
The event will feature Ana M. Ma, chief of staff at SBA. |
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ABACUS Consultations Available at BEA
May 14, 2009 - Booksellers who would like help completing the 2009 ABACUS Survey can
now set up appointments to meet one-on-one with David Walker, ABA's industry
consultant, at BookExpo America. Walker is available for meetings in the ABA Booksellers Lounge (Room 1E07/08 of the Javits Convention Center) beginning Friday, May 29. |
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The Summer 2009 Children's Indie Next List Preview
May 14, 2009 - A new season of insightful indie booksellers' recommendations for the
next great reads in children's and young adult titles -- featured in a four-page
list with a bold, bright, and fun design -- will be arriving soon in bookstores
in the Summer 2009 Kids' Next List. |
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Bill Wasik on Our Viral Culture
May 14, 2009 - Bill Wasik, senior editor of Harper's Magazine, creator
of the Flash Mob, author of And Then There's This, and featured
speaker at the ABA Day of Education's "Viral Marketing in Our Viral Culture,"
recently spoke to BTW about how things go viral in the virtual world,
where bookstores fit in, and more. |
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Authors to Autograph in the ABA Booksellers Lounge
May 14, 2009 - This week, ABA announces a two-day schedule of author autographing in
the ABA Booksellers Lounge at the Javits Convention Center during BookExpo America. |
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BEA Names Author Stage & CEO Panel Participants
May 14, 2009 - On Monday, May 11, BookExpo America unveiled much of the programming
for its new show-floor Author Stages. Between 35 and 40 authors are scheduled
to appear on the Author Stages, including John Irving, Pat Conroy, Byron Pitts,
David Small, James Ellroy, Colin Harrison, and Dr. Cornel West. |
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Toy Retailing Association Extends Trade Show Discount to ABA Members
May 13, 2009 - The American
Specialty Toy Retailing Association is offering its trade show member rate of
$149 to ABA bookstore members who would
like to attend the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy, to be held in St. Paul,
Minnesota, from Sunday, June 14, through Wednesday, June 17. |
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Booksellers Connect: Saturday at BEA
May 13, 2009 - Last, but not least, on the ABA program at BookExpo
America is "Booksellers Connect: Topical Discussions,"
open exclusively to booksellers at ABA member stores, on Saturday afternoon, May 30. |
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Making Information Pay Keynote: Buying Local a Growing Trend
May 13, 2009 - Last week's Making Information Pay Conference, sponsored by the Book
Industry Study Group, tackled publishing in a world of shrinking markets and
increasing digitalization. Keynote speaker Leigh Watson Healy, chief analyst
and leader of consulting practice for Outsell, a research and advisory firm
focused on the publishing, information, and education industries, gave her take
on new publishing models and the structural shifts in the industry. Key among
them are a buy local trend that "favors community, contribution, small, conservation,
and living within one's means." |
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Perseus to Create BOOK on BEA Trade Show Floor: First Sentences Wanted
May 13, 2009 - During a 48-hour span at BookExpo America,
Perseus Books Group will publish BOOK: The Sequel, a collection of first
sentences submitted by the public for yet-to-be-written sequels to any book
ever published. The rapid-fire, multi-formatted creation of BOOK will
demonstrate, right on the trade show floor, that publishing is agile and tech-current. All are invited to submit entries for BOOK:
The Sequel online at www.bookthesequel.com. |
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Retail Bookstore Sales Slide in March
May 13, 2009 - Retail sales at bookstores decreased by 1.3 percent in March
2009 as compared to March 2008, according to preliminary figures recently released
by the Bureau of the Census. March 2009 bookstore sales are estimated at $999
million, compared to sales of $1,012 million for the same period last year.
For the year, bookstore sales are down by 4.1 percent in the first quarter of
2009. |
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A Roundup of Resources for ABA Members at BEA
May 13, 2009 - Here's a slew of details about the Hotel ABA Welcome Desk, the Day of
Education session materials, and the ABA booksellers-only Lounge and Bag Check
Room, both at the Javits Convention Center -- all to help make ABA members'
lives easier at BookExpo America. |
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AMIBA's Milchen Spreading the Word on Indie Alliances
May 13, 2009 - Jeff Milchen, co-founder of the American Independent Business Alliance,
is in the middle of a presentation tour, visiting communities and appearing at
trade shows to discuss the benefits that a community garners from nurturing
and supporting local, independent businesses. Among his stops are three in conjunction
with independent bookstores. |
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The Indie Poetry Bestseller List
May 13, 2009 - Based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week
period ending May 12, 2009 (including National Poetry Month). |
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Handmade Products Designed Exclusively for ABA
May 13, 2009 - Graeham Owens, a division of W.G. Ellerkamp, is now offering handmade
paper products designed exclusively for ABA. Products include IndieBound bookmarks
and journals. |
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eCatalogs Are Coming: Learn More at BEA
May 13, 2009 - Interactive, online catalogs are coming this fall, and booksellers and
others will have an opportunity to see how they'll work during BookExpo America. Demonstrations of Edelweiss will be presented by Above the Treeline at
Booth #4130 on the trade show floor, and on Friday and Saturday mornings from
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. in Room 1E02 of the Javits Center. |
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BTW News Briefs
May 13, 2009 - Children's Choice Book Award Winners Announced; Publishing
Triangle Honors 21st Annual Award Winners; Red Wheel/Weiser Adds Hampton Roads
as Distribution Client; Columbia University Press to Move Fulfillment to Perseus |
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SBA Chief of Staff to Speak at New ABA Session at BEA
May 07, 2009 - Ana M. Ma, chief of staff at the U.S. Small Business Administration,
will be one of the featured speakers at a new ABA session, "How SBA and
the Federal Stimulus Package Can Help Your Business," on Saturday, May
30, at BEA. "We're delighted to have someone as knowledgeable about small
business issues as Ana Ma speak at this very important educational session,"
said ABA COO Oren Teicher. "In these difficult economic times, it is crucial
that booksellers are aware of the many ways the Small Business Administration
and the federal stimulus package can provide them with access to capital and
help their bookstores succeed." |
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ABA Annual Meeting to Include Vote to Amend Bylaws
May 07, 2009 - This year's Board of Directors elections was the first in which many ABA member bookstores voted electronically. Before ABA could send bookstores a ballot via electronic means, however, members had to opt in to the process. To allow
for future electronic voting without the need for members to opt in, the Board
of Directors has approved an amendment to the ABA Bylaws that will be put to a
vote by membership at the ABA Annual Membership Meeting at BEA. |
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IndieBound on the Rise!
May 07, 2009 - This has been a banner week for the IndieBound application for iPhone. It's now at #2 in iTunes Free Book Apps list, and was recently featured on the
front page of the iTunes App Store, viewable both in the iTunes program and
in the iPhone's native App Store. |
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Wine Guru Gary Vaynerchuk to Lead Social Media Session at BEA
May 07, 2009 - Booksellers and others who use the social media sites Facebook, Twitter, or
Flickr but want to use them smarter are invited to come hear author Gary Vaynerchuk (Crush It!,
HarperStudio) present "Crush It! Why Now Is the Time for Independent
Booksellers to Cash In on Their Passion" on Saturday at BEA. Vaynerchuk
will share his multifaceted approach to personal branding and business, which
has grown the family company's wine sales to more than $60 million a year. |
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ABA Announces Details of New CEO Contract
May 07, 2009 - This week, ABA President Gayle Shanks and ABA Vice President Michael
Tucker are reporting to members the details concerning the CEO contract for
Oren J. Teicher, who assumes his new role on June 1.
|
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Trade Associations Call on Minnesota Governor to Support E-Fairness Bill
May 07, 2009 - This week, a group of independent trade associations, including ABA,
joined to urge Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty to support Internet sales tax legislation
included in the omnibus tax bills currently being considered in conference committee. |
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North Carolina Latest State to Introduce Internet Sales Tax Provision
May 07, 2009 - ABA is calling on member bookstores in North Carolina to urge their
legislators to support Internet sales tax legislation currently
under consideration in the state Assembly. |
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ABACUS Survey Works to Increase Participation: How Bookstores Benefit
May 07, 2009 - With data gathering for the 2009 ABACUS Survey now underway, BTW
talked to ABA's industry consultant, David Walker, about the value of participating
in the survey, last year's ABACUS results, and the need for a greater number
of stores to participate. |
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BTW Talks With New AAP Head Tom Allen
May 07, 2009 - On May 1, Tom Allen succeeded Pat Schroeder
as president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers. As Allen settles
into his new role as head of AAP, the book industry is facing a number of challenges
and opportunities, among them the growing role of digital technology, the Google
copyright case, the development of standards to reduce publishing's impact on
the environment, and the revival of efforts to repeal Section 215 of the Patriot
Act. |
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Edelweiss to Demo Publisher eCatalogs at BEA
May 07, 2009 - John Rubin, the founder and CEO of Above the Treeline, will hold demonstrations
of Edelweiss, an online, interactive catalog system developed by Above the Treeline,
at BEA. Ongoing Edelweiss demonstrations will be presented at the Above the
Treeline booth on the exhibit floor, with additional demonstrations on Friday
and Saturday at 9:00 a.m. in Room 1E02 of the Javits Center. |
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Spotlight on Children's Programming at BEA
May 07, 2009 - ABC Executive Director Kristen McLean shares some of the highlights
of programming for children's booksellers at BEA. Among the new additions is
Tea With Children's Authors, featuring a long list of bestselling authors who
will share their thoughts about their work, their experiences, and anything
else that pops up over tea and cookies.
|
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International Booksellers Organizations to Convene at Hotel ABA
May 07, 2009 - The European Booksellers Federation and the International Booksellers
Federation will be holding a combined annual conference at Hotel ABA in Brooklyn,
from Monday, May 25, through Thursday, May 28. Booksellers from 21 countries will take part in the program, which will focus on the digitization
of books and its effect on bookshops. |
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Author Kevin Baker to Lead Brooklyn Bridge Walking Tour
May 07, 2009 - On Wednesday, May 27, booksellers at
Hotel ABA will have a unique opportunity to join author and New York City expert
Kevin Baker on a walking tour over the Brooklyn Bridge. (The event is free, but reservations are required.) BTW caught up
with Baker via e-mail to talk about The Bridge, The City, and ... baseball, naturally. |
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BTW News Briefs
May 07, 2009 - Connecticut Bookseller Fatally Shot; San Francisco Bay Guardian Honors Green Apple Books and NCIBA's Hut Landon; J.
Michael Martinez Receives the Walt Whitman Award; Economy Drives Online Retail Companies to Shift Marketing
Focus |
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The June 2009 Indie Next List Preview
May 07, 2009 - Here's a preview of the June Indie Next List, now on its way to ABA
member stores in the IndieBound movement, and a reminder that May Notable titles
are now featured in a downloadable flier and shelf-talkers. |
|
Sign Up Required for Day of Education Bookstore Tours
May 06, 2009 - As part of this year's Day of Education at BookExpo America, booksellers
have the opportunity to go on afternoon bookstore tours. One tour will go to
Soho's McNally Jackson Booksellers and the other will go uptown to Bank Street
Bookstore and Book Culture. |
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A Preview of African-American Programming at BEA
May 06, 2009 - BookExpo America will once again feature free education
and networking opportunities developed specifically for African-American book
industry professionals. The 12th annual program, which begins at 1:00 p.m. on
Thursday, May 28, at the Javits Convention Center, is open to all BEA registered
attendees. |
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Author Sets Out to Visit 100 Independent Bookstores
May 06, 2009 - Marc Fitten, author of the new novel Valeria's Last Stand (Bloomsbury),
is "spicing up" his U.S. book tour by visiting 100 independent bookstores
along the way. On April 29, he started chronicling his journey -- christened the
Indie 100 -- on his WordPress.com weblog, with occasional updates on IndieBound.org, and via Twitter. |
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BALLE Conference to Focus on Economic Models Built on Local Ownership
May 05, 2009 - The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies will hold its seventh
annual conference, Rising to the Challenge: Entrepreneurs Building Living Economies,
from Thursday, May 21, through Saturday, May 23, in Denver, Colorado. As in
years past, the event is expected to draw hundreds of entrepreneurs, business
owners, community investors, economic development experts, and sustainability
leaders, who will share best practices, discover new connections, and set the
course for building local living economies. |
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Llama Llama Gift Cards Celebrate Someone Special
May 05, 2009 - There's still time for ABA Gift Card stores to order a free, limited
edition gift card and matching holder featuring Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama and
Mama Llama (Llama Llama Misses Mama) and proclaiming "You're so special
to me." Penguin Young Readers Group is covering the cost of the card, the
transaction fee, and the holder. |
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Celebration Luncheon Booked to Capacity
May 05, 2009 - The Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon, which is open exclusively to
the owners and staff at ABA member stores, is booked to capacity.
Booksellers can add their names to a waiting list for the Friday, May 29, event
by completing an electronic form on BookWeb.org. |
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WNBA Names 2009 Pannell Winners
May 01, 2009 - The Women's National Book Association has announced the winners of the
2009 WNBA Pannell Awards, given annually since 1983 to two bookstores that excel
in contributing to their communities in ways that bring books and young people
together. |
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50 Authors to Participate in Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon
April 30, 2009 - Here's a look at the 50 authors who will be at this year's
ABA Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon at BookExpo America. The Friday, May
29, event, open exclusively to the owners and staff at ABA member stores, will
feature the presentation of the inaugural Indies Choice Book Awards. |
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Cutoff for Special Hotel ABA Room Rate This Monday!
April 30, 2009 - The special room rate for
ABA member booksellers at this year's Hotel ABA -- the New York Marriott at
the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn -- which was lowered last week from $183 to
$159 per night -- expires this Monday, May 4. ABA members who want to ensure
they receive the special rate and the expanded package of benefits available
to Hotel ABA guests must book by May 4 via the Marriott's dedicated reservation
webpage for ABA members. After that date, names will be added to a waiting list. |
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Tips for Getting the Most Out of BEA
April 30, 2009 - In a very challenging economic year, the task of preparing to get the
most out of Book Expo America is more important than ever for booksellers. In
part, the prep work is unchanged from earlier shows -- including the perennial
reminder to pack comfortable shoes and enough business cards. However, with
some publishers opting to take only meeting rooms off the trade show floor,
getting ready for BEA '09 will also mean putting some new tasks on the bookseller
to-do list. In a climate where every dollar needs to count, it's more paramount
than ever to plan ahead to make the most of the trip to New York. |
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The Indie Next Spring/Summer Reading Group List
April 30, 2009 - Here's a full preview of the Indie Next List Spring/Summer '09 Reading
Group List, which ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement will be receiving
in the May Red Box. |
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California's Internet Sales Tax Legislation Held Over
April 30, 2009 - This week, California Internet Sales Tax legislation (A.B. 178) -- which
would require out-of-state companies that have affiliates in California to collect
and remit sales tax on sales made over the Internet to in-state customers --
was held over for future consideration. Despite the bill's postponement, Lenny
Goldberg of the California Tax Reform Association stressed, "[The Internet
Sales Tax bill] is still a very live issue." |
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Minnesota Internet Sales Tax Legislation Goes to Conference Committee
April 30, 2009 - ABA and the Midwest Booksellers Association are calling on Minnesota
booksellers to contact Governor Tim Pawlenty and their state legislators to urge them
to support Internet sales tax legislation included in the omnibus tax bills
currently being considered in conference committee. |
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BTW News Briefs
April 30, 2009 - Justice Department Launches Inquiry Into Google Book Search Copyright
Settlement; Environmental Council Sets Climate Goals for U.S. Book Industry;
NEIBA Announces Shop Local Grant Recipients; James Tiptree Jr. Award Winners
Announced; IBNYC Receives $1,500 From Bookazine
|
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ABFFE Criticizes Wisconsin Library Board Dismissals
April 29, 2009 - This week, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression joined
with the National Coalition Against Censorship, the Association of American
Publishers, and PEN American Center to send a letter to the West Bend (Wisconsin) Common Council criticizing its dismissal
of four members of the West Bend Library Board who refused to remove
controversial books from the young adult section of the library. |
|
Pass Christian Books Reopens on the Coast
April 29, 2009 - Pass Christian Books, which was leveled in Hurricane Katrina, has finally
moved back to downtown Pass Christian, Mississippi. After the 2005 storm, co-owners
Rich Daley and Scott Naugle operated online and out of their homes, then moved
to a temporary storefront on the outskirts of town. On April 1, the bookstore
reopened near its former location. |
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Join the Movement: Change the World for Ten Bucks
April 29, 2009 - Chronicle Books and We Are What We Do, a U.K.-based nonprofit, have
partnered to bring Change
the World for Ten Bucks: Small Actions x Lots of People = Big Change to the U.S. With colorful graphics, the book features 50 simple actions to effect
change, whether it's registering online as an organ donor, writing to someone
who has inspired you, or buying fair-trade products. |
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Bookseller's Op-Ed: Poems Bear Witness to the World's Horrors
April 29, 2009 - In this column, Lucy Kogler of Talking Leaves Books explains to
readers of The Buffalo News why bookstore staff will be handing out a
"Books of Conscience" flyer to mark Genocide Prevention Month and
poems for Poem in Your Pocket Day. "As Buffalo's oldest independent bookstore,
we take our responsibility to make available the writing that will keep us free
from tyranny very seriously," wrote Kogler. |
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Spotlight on Michael Tucker, Candidate for ABA President
April 29, 2009 - An ABA Board member since 2005 and vice president for the past year,
Michael Tucker of San Francisco's Books Inc. is up for approval by membership
to serve a one-year term as ABA president starting this June. Tucker, who is president/CEO
and co-owner of Books Inc., which has 11 locations in California, recently spoke
about the Board's past accomplishments and the issues he'd like to see the Board
address in the coming year. |
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ABA Announces Lower Hotel ABA Room Rate
April 24, 2009 - The American Booksellers Association today announced a new, lower room
rate for all ABA members reserving accommodations at this year's Hotel ABA --
the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn. The Hotel ABA room
rate has been cut from $183 to $159, a savings of $24 per night. |
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Announcing the Inaugural Inductees to the Indies Choice Picture Book Hall of Fame
April 23, 2009 - After more than four weeks of voting by booksellers at independent bookstores
across the country, ABA today announces the first three inductees to the Indies
Choice Book Awards Picture Book Hall of Fame. |
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IndieBound for iPhone Gets Great Reception
April 23, 2009 - Reaction to the IndieBound application for iPhone
and iPod Touch, released Monday, has been overwhelming, with hundreds of downloads
and many positive reviews. |
|
IndieCommerce: A New Name, A New Logo, A New Platform
April 23, 2009 - This week, the American Booksellers Association
unveils a new name, and a new logo, for the ABA E-Commerce Solution: IndieCommerce. |
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2009 ABACUS Survey Data Gathering Begins
April 23, 2009 - ABA bookstore members can now begin submitting 2008 financial data to
the 2009 ABACUS Survey via a secure and confidential electronic form on BookWeb.org.
Stores that participate in the survey will receive a customized report analyzing
their financial results, including comparisons with other stores based on multiple
criteria (such as sales level, store size, and community type) in addition to
year-to-year trending information. |
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Bookseller Scheduled to Testify at California Hearing on Internet Sales Tax
April 23, 2009 - On Monday, April 27, Alzada Knickerbocker of The Avid Reader in Davis,
California, and Hut Landon, the executive director of the Northern California
Independent Booksellers Association, are scheduled to testify at a hearing before
the California State Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation in support of
Internet Sales Tax legislation that would require out-of-state companies that
have affiliates in California to collect and remit sales tax on sales made over
the Internet to in-state customers. |
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Washington Post Columnist Weighs In With "Who Killed the Bookstore?"
April 23, 2009 - Earlier this month, the owners of Vertigo Books in College Park, Maryland,
announced on the store blog that the indie bookstore would be closing. Many
people read Vertigo's "Goodbye" post, including Washington Post
columnist Marc Fisher, whose piece about the closure considered the event from
the perspective of a reader, book buyer, and community resident -- and included
an online readers' poll about customers and indie bookstores. |
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Independents Week Gets a Makeover
April 23, 2009 - The American Independent Business Alliance wants communities across
the country to take its newly redesigned promotional materials for Independents
Week and run with them to create a celebration of indies from Monday, July 1,
through Sunday, July 7. Since its launch in 2003, Independents Week has become
an increasingly popular Main Street event, and now a slew of new graphics, posters,
street banners, and other templates are available for free download at amiba.net. |
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North Carolina Bookstore Turns 20
April 23, 2009 - Keebe Fitch of McIntyre's Fine Books in Pittsboro, North Carolina, this
week invited the community to celebrate two decades of independent bookselling
with cake and an all-day, 20-percent off sale. An open house drew more than 60
friends to the bookstore whose presence at the heart of Fearrington Village
has influenced more than one person to buy a home there. |
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BTW News Briefs
April 23, 2009 - Books & Books Observes Genocide Prevention Month; Anderson's Hosts Packed Freedom Forum; A New, Free E-Newsletter for
Indie Bookstore Entrepreneurs; Unbridled Books and NetGalley Announce Bookseller
Contest; National Retail Federation and Retail Industry Leaders Association
Plan Merger; Audie Finalists for Audiobook of the Year & Achievement in
Production |
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Minnesota Internet Sales Tax Bills Rolled Into Omnibus Tax Bills
April 23, 2009 - This week, companion Internet Sales Tax bills that were introduced in
the Minnesota House of Representatives and the Senate were both included in
their respective branch's omnibus tax bills. This means that the legislation,
which would require out-of-state companies that have affiliates in Minnesota
to collect and remit sales tax on sales made over the Internet to in-state customers,
will be included for a vote with other state tax bills. Minnesota booksellers
are urged to write their legislators now in support of the bills. |
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ABA Board Ballot Deadline April 30
April 23, 2009 - Electronic and print ballots
for the 2009 ABA Board of Directors elections must be sent to the association's
auditors, Marks Paneth & Shron, by Thursday, April 30. |
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Celebration of Indie Record Stores a Huge Hit
April 22, 2009 - On Saturday, April 18, independently owned record stores around the
world took part in Record Store Day, a celebration of the culture of indie record
stores and the unique place that they occupy nationally and in their local communities.
And, by all accounts, the second annual event, sponsored by the National Association
of Recording Merchandisers, was a huge success. |
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The Indie Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bestseller List
April 22, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending April 21, 2009, and based on sales
at independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Day of Education Panelist Among Pulitzer Winners
April 21, 2009 - Jon Meacham, a panelist at
next month's ABA Day of Education keynote event, is among the winners of the 2009 Pulitzer
Prizes announced on Monday, April 20. Meacham was honored in the Biography category
for American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
(Random House). |
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IndieBound for iPhone Brings Independent Bookselling Into Mobile Universe
April 20, 2009 - With the launch
of the IndieBound app for iPhone on Monday, April 20, independent booksellers
are boldly going where they've never gone before: the rapidly growing realm
of mobile applications. IndieBound for iPhone spotlights three of IndieBound.org's
most popular features: bookseller recommendations, book search, and the Indie
Store Finder. |
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Announcing the 2009 Indies Choice Book Award Winners!
April 16, 2009 - ABA today announces the winners of the inaugural Indies Choice Book
Awards. Formerly the Book Sense Book of the Year Awards, the new Indies Choice
Book Awards reflect the spirit of independent bookstores nationwide through
new categories and a broader range of winners and honor books. Winners were
chosen by the owners and staff at ABA member stores during more than four weeks of voting. |
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ABA Unveils Speaker Roster for Keynote & Day of Education Sessions
April 16, 2009 - ABA's Day of Education at BEA offers an impressive
lineup of authors, publishing execs, and booksellers at the forefront of the
industry. The all-day program starts with a
keynote panel discussion focusing on the importance of the relationship between authors and independent bookstores, and exploring how that relationship can continue to grow and prosper in challenging times. Moderated by
Roxanne Coady of R.J. Julia Booksellers, the panel will feature four of today's bestselling authors. |
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Booksellers to Testify at Minnesota Senate Hearing on Internet Sales Tax
April 16, 2009 - On Monday, April 20, Sue Zumberge of Common Good Books is scheduled
to testify in support of Internet Sales Tax legislation at a Minnesota State
Senate Taxes Committee hearing. In addition, a statement from Sally Wizik Wills
of Sister Wolf Books and a joint statement from the Midwest Booksellers Association
and ABA will be entered into the hearing record. |
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California Booksellers Urged to Contact State Legislators on E-Fairness
April 16, 2009 - With a crucial hearing on California's Internet Sales Tax legislation
less than two weeks away, the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association,
the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association, and ABA are strongly
encouraging California booksellers to contact their state legislators to urge
them to support Assembly Bill 178. |
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Turning the Amazon Contretemps Into a Positive for Indies
April 16, 2009 - When news spread this week via Twitter and other social networking sites
that Amazon.com had removed certain titles with LGBT-related content from its
sales rankings and made them harder to find in a site search, it elicited strong
reaction from booksellers, others in the book industry, and the book-buying
public concerned about censorship. And though Amazon has explained the situation
as the result of "an embarrassing and ham-fisted cataloging error,"
a number of indie booksellers have seized the opportunity to promote what sets
them apart from Amazon.com and to promote the IndieBound.org Affiliate Program. |
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Spotlight on ABA Board Candidate Becky Anderson
April 16, 2009 - Becky Anderson of Anderson's Bookshops is up for election to a second
three-year term on the ABA Board of Directors, and she's also on the ballot
(which must be returned by April 30) to serve a one-year term as vice president.
The Illinois native recently spoke to BTW about her family's 134-year-old
business, the importance of IndieBound, and what she'd like to accomplish during
a second term on the Board. |
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BTW News Briefs
April 16, 2009 - Lightning Source Announces Espresso Book Machine Pilot Program; Book Group Members Invited to Participate in Survey; Sirius Radio Expands Book Channel; Yet Another Reason to Have
a Facebook Presence; The Web Expected to Generate
40 Percent of All Retail Sales by 2013 |
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St. Helens Book Shop to Get New Owner
April 16, 2009 - Luanne Kreutzer, the owner of the St.
Helens Book Shop in St. Helens, Oregon, for the past 17 years, has announced
the sale of the business to Lori Cardiff, effective April 27, 2009. Cardiff
has been an employee of the bookstore for several years. |
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IndieBound.org Affiliate Program Grows by Leaps and Bounds
April 15, 2009 - The IndieBound.org Affiliate Program is unique in that it links to not
one, but hundreds of independent bookstore websites. And this week the program,
which pays generous commissions to bloggers, authors, and other website owners
on sales their sites refer to independent bookstores, launched the first of
several planned enhancements. |
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ABA E-Commerce Stores Encouraged to Sign-up for Training
April 15, 2009 - Training sessions to guide booksellers through the migration of their
ABA E-Commerce Solution websites to Drupal, the new, open-source system, are
now underway. Stores that haven't already set up a training session are asked
to contact E-Commerce staff with several possible Monday dates in May, June,
or July. |
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Severely Damaged Flintridge Bookstore Bolstered by Community Support
April 15, 2009 - Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse in La Canada, California, has been
operating out of its back office since an out-of-control 18-wheeler barreled
through a nearby intersection and into the store on April 1. In about 10 days, however, the bookstore, which has experienced a strong show of community support, will
move to a trailer in the shopping center parking lot. |
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Hicklebee's Celebrates 30 Years of Accomplishments
April 15, 2009 - Co-owners (and sisters) Valerie Lewis and Monica Holmes are preparing
for not one, but two parties to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Hicklebee's,
San Jose, California's award-winning children's bookstore. And while they're
busy now, things are going to get even busier with the opening of three Hicklebee's
outposts at the San Jose airport in November. |
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2009 ABACUS Data-Gathering to Begin Soon
April 15, 2009 - ABA has begun work on the next ABACUS report, which will be issued this
year and will be based on the input of bookstores' 2008 operating results. |
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Bookstore Retail Sales Sink in February
April 15, 2009 - Bookstore sales took a precipitous 10.8 percent dive in February 2009
as compared to February 2008, according to preliminary figures recently released
by the Bureau of the Census. February 2009 bookstore sales are estimated at
$1,021 million, compared to sales of $1,144 million for the same period last
year. |
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Bookseller Forum: A Great Opportunity to Seek a Hotel ABA Room-Share
April 14, 2009 - Looking for a room-share at Hotel ABA, or perhaps a ride-share to New
York City, for next month's BookExpo America? BookWeb's Bookseller-to-Bookseller
Forum is great place to reach out to other ABA member booksellers looking for
the same things. The forums are open exclusively to ABA member booksellers,
and are a great tool to communicate and network with other indie booksellers
who are planning to attend BEA. |
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ABA Offers Suggested Guidelines for Appropriate Responses to Amazon Policy
April 14, 2009 - To help guide members in responding to Amazon's recent delisting
of certain titles with adult content, ABA, in consultation with its legal counsel,
has created a statement on appropriate responses. |
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Free Expression Community Loses a Champion: Judith F. Krug
April 13, 2009 - News of the death of Judith F. Krug, the head of
the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, on
Saturday, April 11, has been met with an outpouring of tributes throughout the
book industry and beyond. Krug died at age 69 of stomach cancer. |
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Spring E-Cards Now on IndieBound.org
April 09, 2009 - Whether it's for Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduation, or just to
celebrate the sunshine and fresh air, spring is a great time to send a greeting
to a loved one. IndieBound.org now offers three new e-cards that are
a great way for indie-loving consumers to send a greeting -- and a powerful
reminder to shop local -- to family and friends. |
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ABA Requests Meeting With New SBA Administrator
April 09, 2009 - Late last week, ABA sent congratulations to Karen Gordon Mills on her
confirmation as Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and
requested a meeting to discuss issues specifically affecting independent bookstores.
Mills' appointment was confirmed unanimously by the Senate on Thursday evening,
April 2. |
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Moving Day for Two Indies
April 09, 2009 - Sunday, March 29, was moving day for nearly
40-year-old Rakestraw Books in Danville, California, and three-year-old Nightbird
Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas. With a big assist from customers and friends,
both stores were able to reopen quickly in their new digs. |
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Maryland Booksellers Call on Colleagues to Mobilize for E-Fairness
April 09, 2009 - This week, four booksellers in Maryland strongly encouraged other ABA
members in their state to join the fight for e-fairness. Last week, Maryland
State Sen. Richard Madaleno (D-District 18) introduced S.B. 1071, legislation
modeled after New York State's Internet Sales Tax provision, which would require
out-of-state companies that have affiliates in Maryland to collect and remit
sales tax on sales over the Internet to in-state customers. The Maryland State
Senate held a hearing on the legislation last Thursday. |
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Spotlight on ABA Board Candidate Beth Puffer
April 09, 2009 - Beth Puffer of Bank Street Bookstore is up for election to a second
three-year term on the ABA Board of Directors. The New York native recently
spoke to BTW about her bookselling career; the goals of Bank Street Bookstore,
which serves both Bank Street College and the neighboring community; and what
she would like to achieve on behalf of ABA members if she's re-elected. |
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Congress Urged to Exempt Bookstore Records From Patriot Act
April 09, 2009 - On April 7, the American Booksellers Association, American Library Association,
Association of American Publishers, and PEN American Center sent a memo urging
Congress to exempt bookstores and library records from Section 215 of the USA
Patriot Act. The appeal is the latest phase in the Campaign for Reader Privacy,
the groups' five-year effort to restore reader privacy safeguards stripped away
by the Patriot Act. |
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New Free, Limited Edition Gift Card Available April 22
April 09, 2009 - Penguin Young Readers Group aims to help us celebrate all of our special
relationships -- with a free, limited edition ABA Gift Card and matching holder.
Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama and Mama Llama (Llama Llama Misses Mama) grace
the front of the new card, which proclaims "You're so special to me." |
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Changing Hands Celebrates 35 Years
April 08, 2009 - Last weekend, Tempe, Arizona's Changing Hands Bookstore celebrated its
35th birthday with a party that drew a crowd of loyal customers from different
generations. Seeing people who'd come to Changing Hands when they were kids
now bringing their own children was an emotional experience for store co-owner
and ABA president Gayle Shanks. |
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Lunch With Indie Faves at BEA
April 08, 2009 - Booksellers at all ABA member stores are invited to reserve a spot at this year's Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon at BookExpo America. The free event brings the owners and staff of ABA member stores together with dozens of authors whose books have been past Book Sense Picks or, more recently, Indie Next List Great Reads or Notables. The luncheon will also include the presentation of the 2009 Indies Choice Book Awards. |
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Around Indies
April 08, 2009 - The Next Page and The Open Book to Merge; Pleasantville Bookstore Owners Named Business Persons of the Year; Powell's Partners With Portland
Farmers Market; Doylestown Bookshop to Host the Philly Liars Club |
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BTW News Briefs
April 08, 2009 - Three NAIBAhood Gatherings Upcoming; Candlewick Names Senior
Vice President of Sales & Digital Initiatives; The Griffin Poetry Prize
Announces 2009 Shortlist |
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The Indie Finance & Personal Investing Bestseller List
April 08, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending April 7, 2009, and based on sales at
independent bookstores throughout the U.S. |
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Lisa Scottoline Loves Her Local Indie Bookstores
April 08, 2009 - Bestselling author Lisa Scottoline is showing her support for local
independent booksellers in a big way. This week, the New Atlantic Independent
Booksellers Association announced that Scottoline, who lives in Pennsylvania
and whose books are set in the area, is offering a special promotion for her
new book, Look Again (St. Martin's), to help boost sales at independent
bookstores throughout the NAIBA region. |
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Hotel ABA: Sleep. Read. Network.
April 08, 2009 - This year's Hotel ABA -- the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge
in Brooklyn -- will once again be the center of the universe for ABA member
booksellers during BookExpo America 2009.The hotel will offer parties, food,
great atmosphere, contests, free stuff, and, of course, lots of opportunities
to network with other indie booksellers. |
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Paz & Associates Works With E-Commerce Stores to Claim Co-op
April 08, 2009 - On April 1, ABA transferred co-op management for booksellers participating
in the ABA E-Commerce Solution to Paz & Associates. Mark Kaufman, who currently
serves as co-op administrator for 30 independent booksellers using Paz's newsletter
marketing services, is now working with E-commerce stores to claim publishers'
co-op monies to help offset the cost of maintaining their websites. BTW
recently spoke with Kaufman, via e-mail, about some of the ways in which Paz
& Associates works on behalf of its bookseller clients. |
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Booksellers School @ BEA to Provide Foundations for Success
April 08, 2009 - Paz & Associates will be conducting a two-day workshop for prospective
booksellers, "Retail Bookselling: Creating Foundations for Success,"
in conjunction with BookExpo America. The program is designed for
those who are considering becoming bookstore owners, either through the purchase
of an existing store or with the establishment of a new business. |
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Special Promo Available on Credit Card Processing
April 07, 2009 - ABA affinity partner Bank of America Merchant Services will waive the
$75 application fee for booksellers who sign up for its credit card processing
program from April 10 through August 31, 2009. |
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ABA Board Elections: Still Time to Cast Your Vote
April 07, 2009 - Electronic and print ballots for the 2009 ABA Board of Directors elections
must be winging their way to the association's auditors, Marks Paneth &
Shron, by Thursday, April 30. |
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Oren Teicher to Become ABA's Next CEO
April 02, 2009 - On Wednesday, April 1, ABA President Gayle Shanks e-mailed bookstore members the news
that the Board has offered the position of association CEO to Oren J. Teicher,
ABA's current COO. "[Oren's] encyclopedic knowledge of everything associated with ABA's past and current programs, coupled with his thoughtful and insightful analysis of how ABA can meet our future challenges, combined to make him our clear choice," said Shanks. |
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Viral Marketing & Going Digital Now Part of Day of Education Lineup
April 02, 2009 - This week, ABA announced the addition of two new sessions to its Day
of Education schedule at BookExpo America. "Viral Marketing in Our Viral
Culture" and "Going Digital: An Industry Discussion on Selling E-Content"
have been added to ABA's full day of educational programming on Thursday, May
28, at New York's Javits Convention Center. |
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New Benefits Added to Hotel ABA Guest Package
April 02, 2009 - ABA has announced a number of new benefits available exclusively to
bookstore and provisional members staying at Hotel ABA -- the New York Marriott
at the Brooklyn Bridge -- during BookExpo America 2009. Among the new perks are an additional free BEA badge and a chance to win a scholarship to the Fifth Annual Winter Institute. |
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Boston Globe: Indie Bookstores an "Unchained Success"
April 02, 2009 - In the April 2 article "Unchained Success: Independent bookstores
holding up vs. big rivals," the Boston Globe presents a picture
of independent bookstores that is typically underreported -- how they can compete
effectively with chains. The story focuses on the success of Boston's Brookline
Booksmith, which outlasted a nearby Barnes & Noble, and also reports on
the profitability of other area independent bookstores, including Porter Square
Books and Harvard Book Store, both in Cambridge. |
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ABC Explores Merger With ABA
April 02, 2009 - The Association of Booksellers for Children is exploring a variety of
options "to keep the organization viable." In an e-mail sent to ABC's
bookseller members, the ABC Board explained, "A possible option would include
becoming a division of ABA, a department of ABA, or another configuration that
we haven't determined yet." The ABC Board stressed that a merger with ABA
was just one option that it was exploring in a "period of unprecedented
change" involving shifting consumer patterns, technological innovation,
and changing publisher priorities. |
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ABA Voices Support for Karen Gordon Mills to Head SBA
April 02, 2009 - On Tuesday, March 31, ABA wrote to Sen. Mary Landrieu, chair
of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, in support
of Karen Gordon Mills, President Obama's nominee to head the Small Business
Administration. ABA's letter was sent in advance of Mills' April 1 confirmation
hearing before the Senate committee. |
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Maryland Latest State to Introduce Internet Sales Tax Provision
April 02, 2009 - Legislators in Maryland are the most recent lawmakers to introduce
e-fairness legislation. The state joins California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Minnesota,
and Tennessee in considering legislation that would require out-of-state companies
that have affiliates in their states to collect and remit tax on sales made
to in-state residents over the Internet. Also, Connecticut's Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee
has approved the Connecticut Internet Sales Tax provision and has sent it to the
state senate. |
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Flintridge Bookstore Damaged in Fatal Truck Crash
April 02, 2009 - An out-of-control 18-wheeler barreled through an intersection in La Canada, California, on Wednesday, April 1, and smashed several vehicles before crashing into Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse. Two motorists were killed and at least a dozen people were injured. No one in the bookstore was harmed. |
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BTW News Briefs
April 02, 2009 - Anderson's Ayers Event Canceled Out of Safety Concerns; AAP Reports
Book Sales Estimated at $24.3 Billion in 2008; AAP and NBA Team Up for Get Caught
Reading; BEA to Welcome Captain Sullenberger; GLIBA to Hold IndieNights on April
23; MPIBA Regional Mini-Meeting in Austin; 2009 Orion Book
Award Winner Named; International Congress of Young Booksellers Accepting Applications
for ICYB 2009 |
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The May 2009 Indie Next List Preview
April 02, 2009 - Here's a preview of the May Indie Next List, now on its way to ABA member stores
in the IndieBound movement. |
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IndieBound Wish Lists More Popular Than Ever
April 01, 2009 - A growing legion
of indie bookstore fans are using IndieBound.org's Wish List feature to build
a list of books they want, alongside a list of their favorite bookstores, and to e-mail it to family and friends. Although Wish Lists were introduced on IndieBound.org
for Holiday 2008, this past March saw more lists created than any previous month. |
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Spotlight on ABA Board Candidate Betsy Burton
April 01, 2009 - Betsy Burton of The King's English Bookshop in Salt Lake City is one
of three candidates up for election to serve a three-year term on the ABA Board
of Directors. The Utah native recently spoke to BTW about her store,
her dedication to the Local First movement, her work in support of First Amendment
issues, and what she would like to achieve if elected to serve on the ABA Board. |
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Indie Book & Record Stores: Great Together
April 01, 2009 - Loyal indie record store customers and indie bookstore customers
are cut from the same cloth -- they're usually discerning aficionados seeking
the next big thing before it becomes big, or that hidden gem that can
only be found through a knowledgeable staff and an eclectic selection of product.
So, it's only fitting that this year ABA and IndieBound will be joining
with indie record stores around the globe to mark the second annual celebration
of Record Store Day. |
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Next Chapter & Boswell Book Company Primed for Business
April 01, 2009 - Lanora Hurley worked 12- to 16-hour days in preparation for yesterday's
launch of Next Chapter Bookshop in Harry W. Schwartz's former Mequon location.
Daniel Goldin finds himself feeling dizzy from all the things that have to be done to
prepare for Friday's opening of Boswell Book Company at Schwartz's Downer
Avenue location. And, while both still feel sadness over the Schwartz closings,
each has a renewed sense of energy and tons of plans for their respective bookstores. |
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Paying It Forward: Book Club Mixer Boosts Sales & Goodwill
April 01, 2009 - Susan Richmond of Inklings Bookshop in Yakima, Washington, knows a good
idea when she hears it. At this past Winter Institute in Salt Lake City, Richmond
attended the "Book Club Brainstorming" session, where panelist Debra
Linn of Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida, described the store's popular
book club mixer: customers are matched by reading preferences and are given
ARCs to start their own book club. |
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Don't Miss the Celebration of Bookselling!
April 01, 2009 - There's still time for booksellers at ABA member stores to reserve a
spot at this year's Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon at BookExpo America.
The free event -- open exclusively to the owners and staff of ABA member stores
-- will be held at the Javits Convention Center on Friday, May 29. |
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ABA Town Hall & Annual Membership Meetings on May 29
April 01, 2009 - This year's American Booksellers
Association Town Hall and Annual Membership meetings will be held on Friday,
May 29, at the Javits Convention Center in New York City in conjunction with
BookExpo America. |
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Wanted: Your Independents Week Experiences
March 31, 2009 - If you've created successful Independents Week celebrations in the past,
or have great ideas for future events, ABA wants to hear from you. Bookseller input is needed to make the Day of Education session "Independents
Week: Creating a Community-Wide Local First Celebration at Any Time of the Year" into an invaluable learning experience for the owners, marketing
staff, and events coordinators at ABA member stores. |
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eCatalogs: Sign Up for a Testdrive
March 31, 2009 - Edelweiss, an online, interactive
catalog system developed by Above the Treeline, will be available free to booksellers
and other industry catalog users for the fall selling season. Booksellers interested
in learning more about the system, whose list of participating publishers is
at 13-plus and growing, can sign up now for a WebEx demonstration. |
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Celebrate Spring With New IndieBound DIY Designs
March 26, 2009 - As warmer weather spreads across the country, IndieBound is refreshing
the popular Bookseller DIY with new, spring-themed designs. With consumer awareness
of IndieBound on the rise, DIY materials can help identify your store as a destination
for local, community-conscious shopping. As always, IndieBound materials
can be reshaped, resized, or custom-tailored with additional text, logos, or anything else to best fit your store and your community. |
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Board Ballots Mailing (and E-mailing) on March 27
March 26, 2009 - All ABA regular bookstore members will soon receive -- either via e-mail
or U.S. Postal Service -- a ballot for the 2009 Board of Directors elections,
candidate bios, and letters from ABA President Gayle Shanks and Nominating Committee
Chair Steve Bercu. Bookstore members that opted in to receive this material
via electronic means should watch for two e-mails arriving in their inboxes
on Friday morning, March 27. |
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eCatalogs to Launch via Edelweiss for Fall Season
March 26, 2009 - eCatalogs will soon be a reality that booksellers can't ignore. This
week, HarperCollins announced that it would be dropping its paper
catalogs for the fall 2009 season in favor of digital catalogs. HarperCollins
is also one of 13 publishers working with John Rubin, the founder and
CEO of Above the Treeline, on Edelweiss, an online, interactive catalog system
that will work across participating publishers so that booksellers need learn
only one system. Here, Rubin talks about the current status of Edelweiss and when booksellers
can expect to begin using the free product. |
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The April Indie Next List Notables Flier & Shelf-talkers
March 26, 2009 - Each month, the Indie Next List Notables feature engrossing and provocative
writing -- fiction and nonfiction titles enthusiastically recommended by indie
booksellers nationwide. POP materials for in-store displays -- electronic files
in PDF format of both the April Indie Next List Notables flier and shelf-talkers
-- are now available on BookWeb.org. |
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California Assembly Member Nancy Skinner on Her E-Fairness Legislation
March 26, 2009 - In early February, California Assembly Member Nancy Skinner introduced
Assembly Bill 178, legislation that would clarify the state's existing sales
tax law. Modeled on New York State's Internet Sales Tax provision, the proposed
California legislation would require out-of-state companies that have affiliates
in the state to collect and remit sales tax on sales to in-state customers.
Here, Skinner talks about the misinformation being spread by opponents
of the bill and how her legislation will help California's ailing
independent businesses. |
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Only Six Days Left to Choose the Indie Winners!
March 26, 2009 - Next Tuesday, March 31, is the deadline for booksellers at ABA members
stores to cast their votes for the inaugural Indies Choice Book Awards, reflecting
the spirit of independent bookstores and the IndieBound movement. Owners and
staff are encouraged to choose their own favorites in seven categories via an
easy-to-use electronic form. |
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Senate to Hold Confirmation Hearing for SBA Head
March 25, 2009 - On Wednesday, April 1, the chair of U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business
and Entrepreneurship, Sen. Mary Landrieu, will hold a hearing on President Barack
Obama's nomination of Karen Gordon Mills to be administrator of the Small Business
Administration. Mills is the founding partner and managing director of New York-based
Solera Capital and the chair of Maine's Council on Competitiveness and
the Economy. |
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Be at the Heart of the Indie Community at BEA
March 25, 2009 - ABA bookstore and provisional members planning to attend BookExpo America
2009 should make reservations now for Hotel ABA, the New York Marriott at the
Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn, New York. The Marriott, which hosted ABA members
for the 2007 show, will be the gathering place for indie booksellers
at this year's show. |
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Booksellers School Draws Enthusiastic Crowd
March 25, 2009 - Despite a tough economy, or maybe because of it, more than two-dozen
prospective and current booksellers participated in this month's "Opening
a Bookstore" workshop run by Paz & Associates. Of the 26 attendees representing
20 businesses, most had a business background -- there was also one attorney,
three educators, an advertising professional, and a real estate agent. |
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Going Back to Cali
March 25, 2009 - ABA Chief Program Officer Len Vlahos writes about his recent trip to
California, where, in conjunction with the CAMEX trade show, he was able to
participate in the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association Spring
Meeting. Among the day's events, Vlahos and Vroman's Patrick Brown took the
stage for the maiden voyage of ABA's education session "Social Media and
the Independent Bookseller." |
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Burn This Book: Fanning the Flames Against Oppression
March 25, 2009 - Paul Auster, Nadine Gordimer, Pico Iyer, Francine Prose, Salman Rushdie,
and John Updike are among the contributors to Burn This Book,
a new collection of essays about censorship and literature in response to
oppression, edited by Toni Morrison. Published by HarperStudio in conjunction
with PEN American Center, the book goes on sale May 12. |
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Around Indies
March 25, 2009 - City's Lights Ferlinghetti Turns 90; Collected Works Bookstore to Move
& Grow; Powell's Pairs With Morning News for Tournament of Books;
Mysterious Galaxy Takes Part in Inaugural Tucson Festival of Books |
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BTW News Briefs
March 25, 2009 - ABFFE Calls for End of Ideological Exclusion of Foreigners; Finalists for the 2009 Orion Book Award Announced; Lerner Publishing Group
to Distribute ARC Press |
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The Indie Mystery Bestseller List
March 25, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending March 24, 2009, and based on sales
at independent bookstores throughout the U.S. |
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The Yankee Years, Forever Blue, and Lovin' the World Champion Phillies
March 24, 2009 - 'Tis the season for hot dogs, green grass, baseball ... and BTW's
annual baseball book recommendations. Though the Philadelphia Phillies won last
year's World Series, the New York Yankees appear to be the dominant subject
matter of many of this year's new releases. Or maybe it just seems that way
since the most publicized -- and controversial -- baseball book to be released
this winter was The Yankee Years by Joe Torre, with Tom Verducci (Doubleday). |
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Editors & Titles for BEA "Buzz Forums" Announced
March 24, 2009 - BookExpo America has announced the editors and title selections to be
featured at the trade show's traditional Editor & Bookseller Buzz Forum
on Thursday, May 28, and at a new Young Adult Buzz Forum, added to the lineup
on Friday, May 29. |
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Tennessee Introduces Internet Sales Tax Provision
March 19, 2009 - Legislators in Tennessee recently introduced e-fairness legislation
modeled on New York State's Internet Sales Tax provision. Tennessee joins California,
Connecticut, Hawaii, and Minnesota in introducing legislation that would require
out-of-state companies that have affiliates in their states to collect and remit
tax on sales made to in-state residents over the Internet. |
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New York Recoups $46 Million in Online Sales Tax
March 19, 2009 - New York State's Internet Sales Tax provision, which went into effect
on June 1, 2008, has recouped $46 million in sales tax revenue from the 30-plus
vendors that registered to collect and remit sales tax, according to a spokesperson
for the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. The state expects
to collect about $68 million for the fiscal year 2009 - 2010, which begins April 1. |
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Obama Administration Details Plans to Help Small Businesses
March 19, 2009 - Noting that the economic recovery will be driven in large part by America's
small businesses, President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner this week outlined the U.S. government's strategy to "take immediate action"
to help small businesses. |
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January/February 2009 ABA Member Openings
March 19, 2009 - Three new ABA member businesses opened in January and February 2009,
and a fourth store reopened with a new owner in a new location. |
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Return to the Neighborhood: Book Now for Hotel ABA
March 19, 2009 - ABA bookstore and provisional members planning to attend BEA 2009 should
make reservations now for Hotel ABA, the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge
in Brooklyn, New York. Offering a special room rate and a series of nightly
social events, the Marriott will once again be the gathering place for
indie booksellers. And, as Julie Summerfield of Haverford College Bookstore said, "Brooklyn itself is like an indie
bookstore -- it's a really cool neighborhood with lots of character." |
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Florida Booksellers Call on Colleagues to Join E-Fairness Effort
March 19, 2009 - Carla Jimenez of Inkwood Books in Tampa and Mitchell Kaplan of Books
& Books in Coral Gables, Miami Beach, and Bal Harbour are strongly encouraging
their Florida bookselling colleagues to urge state lawmakers to craft Internet
Sales Tax legislation modeled after the bill adopted by New York State in April
2008. |
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ABACUS Reports Sent
March 19, 2009 - Personalized store reports have now been sent to all ABA bookstore members
that submitted data to the 2008 ABACUS study. |
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SBA Launches Online Community for Small Businesses
March 19, 2009 - On Wednesday, March 18, the Small Business Administration Business
Gateway Program announced the launch of a new Web initiative, Community.Business.gov,
the first government-sponsored online community built specifically for small
businesses. |
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Be a Part of the Celebration!
March 19, 2009 - The spirit of indie booksellers and the winners of the inaugural Indies Choice Book Awards will be honored at ABA's Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon at BookExpo America. Cast your vote now to choose the winners -- then reserve a space at the celebration. |
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Last Chance to Opt In to Electronic Board Vote
March 19, 2009 - ABA needs to receive a bookstore's permission by midnight on Sunday, March 22, in order to send a Board ballot and official notification of the Annual Membership Meeting via electronic means. |
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IndieBound Wins ReBrand 100 Global Award
March 19, 2009 - IndieBound has been honored as one of the top rebrands of the year by
the 2009 ReBrand 100 Global Awards. This is the second recent accolade for IndieBound,
which in February was named to the 2009 Associations Advance America Honor Roll. |
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BTW News Briefs
March 18, 2009 - Sam Weller's to Leave Main Street Location; Coalition Forms to Help
Shaman Drum Bookshop; B&T to Consolidate Distribution Centers; Lambda Literary
Finalists and Man Booker International Prize Longlist Announced |
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2009 ABA Bookstore Dues Renewal Notices Reflect Discount
March 18, 2009 - ABA bookstore members receiving their 2009 dues renewal notices will
notice a prominent directive to deduct 50 percent off their standard membership
dues. The 50-percent dues reduction applies to the renewal of bookstore memberships
with expiration dates in 2009. |
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Bookstore Reporter Program Honored
March 18, 2009 - A cable TV program about the importance of protecting the confidentiality
of news sources that was produced and moderated by Phil Bevis, the owner of
Arundel Books in Seattle, Washington, has won an award from the Alliance for
Community Media. The program, "Shining the Light on Reporters and the Law,"
is part of a series of reporter talks sponsored by the American Booksellers
Foundation for Free Expression and the MLRC Institute. |
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Jersey Bookseller Uses Facebook to Promote Indies & ABFFE
March 18, 2009 - Since January 2008, Rob Dougherty of Clinton Book Shop in Clinton, New
Jersey, has been promoting the causes of independent bookstores and the American
Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression via the Facebook page "Independent
Book Sellers." Today, Independent Book Sellers membership is approaching
8,000. |
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ABA E-Commerce Solution Migration on Pace
March 18, 2009 - This week, the ABA E-Commerce Solution announced that Drupal training
sessions had begun and some stores have already successfully migrated over to
the new, open-source system, whose features now include the ability to upload
local store inventory; an affiliate link creation tool and reporting functionality
on clicks and commissions; and, for stores with multiple locations, the ability
to allow customers to choose where they want to pick up an order. |
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New Title Puts Poems in Every Pocket
March 18, 2009 - In anticipation of next month's celebrations of National Poetry Month
and Poem in Your Pocket Day, on April 30, the Academy of American Poets and
Abrams Image have partnered to offer an ideal title for poetry lovers of all
stripes: Poem in Your Pocket, a hardcover whose interior pages are a
pad of 200 poems that can be peeled off to go in your pocket or someone
else's. |
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Bookstore Retail Sales Flat in January
March 17, 2009 - Preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census
reflect a 0.04 percent increase in bookstore sales in January 2009 as compared
to January 2008. |
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First Data From 2007 Economic Census Released
March 17, 2009 - On Tuesday, March 17, the U.S. Census Bureau
released preliminary data from its 2007 Economic Census. The report is the first
in a series of industry and geographic area data, including information for
more than 1,000 communities not available from previous censuses. Among its
key findings, the study reported that non-store retail was the second fastest
growth sector, with sales increasing by 69 percent from 2002 to 2007. |
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ABA Unveils 2009 BEA "Day of Education"
March 12, 2009 - Today ABA provides a first look at programming for its seventh annual
Day of Education, to be held on Thursday, May 28, at BookExpo America. Educational
sessions and panels focus on topics ranging from marketing via social media to budgeting and monitoring sales and expenses, from best practices
for handselling to remainder buying, and more. The schedule also includes programming
for children's booksellers developed by the Association of Booksellers for Children
and opportunities to visit NYC indie bookstores. |
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Bylaws Change to Be Put to Vote at ABA Membership Meeting
March 12, 2009 - At its meeting last week, the ABA Board of Directors approved amendments to the Bylaws that
will be presented to the membership for a vote at the Annual Membership Meeting
in conjunction with BookExpo America. The amendments approved by the Board would allow ABA to use electronic
means to notify members about governance issues and for ballot distribution and voting. Currently, bookstore members must opt in to receive electronic notifications about governance issues and to receive an electronic ballot for the 2009 Board elections. |
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A Report on the ABA Board of Directors' March Meeting
March 12, 2009 - The ABA Board of Directors and senior staff met in Naperville, Illinois,
on Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, 2009. Among its activities during the
two days of meetings, the Board spent considerable time reviewing the association's
Ends Policies in view of the current economic climate. |
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Opportunities in the Digital Arena for Independent Bookstores: An Action Plan for the American Booksellers Association
March 12, 2009 - A white paper on the history, trends, and opportunities in the e-book market, presented to the ABA Board of Directors at its March 2009 Meeting. |
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Reservations Open for Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon
March 12, 2009 - Booksellers at ABA member stores are invited to reserve a space at the
Celebration of Bookselling Luncheon, to be held on Friday, May 29, at BookExpo
America. The free event -- open exclusively to the owners and staff of ABA
member stores -- will include the presentation of the 2009 Indies Choice Book Awards. |
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Go Green With New Biodegradable IndieBound Bags
March 12, 2009 - By popular request, W.G. Ellerkamp is now offering environmentally
friendly, biodegradable plastic IndieBound bags. These
plastic bags are made with 10 - 15 percent recycled material and will break
down safely within a few years when buried or composted. The bags feature "Eat,
Sleep, Read" on one side and "Peace, Love, Books" on the other. |
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Carmichael's Wins PW's Bookseller of the Year
March 12, 2009 - Co-owners Carol Besse and Michael Boggs were stunned when
they learned that Carmichael's Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky, had been named
the recipient of this year's Publishers Weekly Bookseller of
the Year Award. PW cited the bookstore's close relationship with its
customers, as well as its tripling profits over the past decade. |
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ABA Member Opt-in Needed for E-mail Board Ballot
March 12, 2009 - In an effort to streamline the voting and tabulation process, reduce costs,
and preserve the environment, ABA is asking all regular member bookstores
to opt in to vote via an e-mail ballot for this year's Board of Directors elections.
|
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State-by-State E-Fairness Campaign Builds
March 11, 2009 - Since early February, less than a month after a judge tossed out a lawsuit
filed by Amazon.com challenging New York State's Internet Sales Tax provision,
ABA bookstore members in the other 44 states that collect sales tax have been
leading the charge in educating state and federal officials on the importance
of e-fairness through ongoing letter-writing campaigns. |
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BEA Online Registration Now Open
March 11, 2009 - This week, BookExpo America announced the opening of online registration
for this year's trade show, at New York's Javits Convention Center. All ABA bookstore and provisional members
planning to attend must register via the BEA website; however, to receive free
admission badges, they must also authorize ABA to share relevant information
with BEA show officials. |
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Promoting Buffalo First
March 11, 2009 - Like so many other towns and cities across the country, Buffalo, New York, has gone through the painful
process of deindustrialization -- jobs disappeared, many indie retailers closed, and chains moved in. While the local economy was certainly hurting, the death of Buffalo has been wildly exaggerated, said Jonathan Welch, owner
of Talking Leaves Bookstore. The challenge was how to let people know about
all that the city already has to offer and to restore the vibrancy
to downtown. |
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Bookseller's Facebook Group Promotes Interests of All Indies
March 11, 2009 - Tattered Cover Media Marketing Coordinator Patty Scott Miller is a pro
at using social networking sites, especially Facebook and Twitter, to promote
the popularity of the legendary Denver bookstore. Now, however, she has taken
on the cause of all indie booksellers. Scott Miller recently launched "Challenge:
Keep Independent Bookstores Around the World Thriving" on Facebook with the goal
of starting "a grassroots effort to get more people to buy their books
online via IndieBound." |
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BTW News Briefs
March 11, 2009 - ABFFE Opposes Bill to Confiscate Blagojevich Book Advance; SBA Upgrades
Podcast Resources for Small Businesses; Publishing Triangle Awards Ceremony
May 7; PNBA Awards Party and Membership Forum March 28 |
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The Indie Travel Guidebooks Bestseller List
March 11, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending March 10, 2009, and based on sales
at independent bookstores nationwide. |
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ABA Board Candidate Petition Deadline March 20
March 11, 2009 - In addition to 2009 Board of Directors candidates approved by the ABA 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 ABA Nominating Committee by March 20. |
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Miami Herald, Orlando Sentinel, and Santa Cruz Sentinel Support E-Fairness
March 11, 2009 - Citing the economic crisis and looming budget deficits, this past week,
three major newspapers featured editorials in support of e-fairness. Editorials
in Florida's Miami Herald and Orland Sentinel and in California's
Santa Cruz Sentinel called on lawmakers in their respective states to
ensure that thousands of tax dollars are not lost unfairly on sales over the
Internet. |
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Colorado Bookstore Moves Into Historic Firehouse
March 10, 2009 - The Book Rack in Fort Collins, Colorado, is going through a complete
makeover -- it's moving, expanding, and changing its name. The bookstore will
close on March 31, move into a historic firehouse in the indie-friendly area
of Old Town in Fort Collins, and will reopen as Old Firehouse Books on April
10. |
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Correction
March 10, 2009 - Last week's announcement of the Indie Next List Poetry Top Ten incorrectly
noted the availability of the list. The new list is available in a full-color
PDF file. It will not be included in the March Red Box in a printed pad. |
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BEA Announces 2009 Special Events Author Lineup
March 05, 2009 - Among the authors to be showcased at BookExpo America's Author Breakfasts, the Saturday Lunch, the Audiobook Tea, or Meet the Bestsellers are Pat Conroy, Richard Russo, Julie Andrews Edwards, Craig Ferguson, Tracy Kidder, Jeanette Walls, Kathie Lee Gifford, Joe Scarborough, and Nicholas Sparks. |
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"Books of Conscience" Raise Awareness of Genocide
March 05, 2009 - The Genocide Prevention Project and ABA have partnered to raise public
awareness that April is Genocide Prevention Month, a commemoration of past genocide
and mass atrocity crimes and a call for a global prevention policy. To mark
the month, they have developed "Books of Conscience," a list of fiction
and nonfiction, memoir, history, and reportage, which presents the historical
realities and human tragedies of genocide. |
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SBA Responds to Concerns Regarding "Goodwill" Financing
March 05, 2009 - The Small Business Administration announced that it is accommodating
concerns raised regarding new limits on "goodwill" financing. "Goodwill" is the difference
between what a buyer pays for an existing business and the book or fair market
value of the assets of the business. |
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Voting Open for 2009 Indies Choice Book Awards
March 05, 2009 - Voting is now open to the owners and staff at all ABA member bookstores for the inaugural
Indies Choice Book Awards, reflecting the spirit of independent bookstores and the IndieBound movement. ABA members will choose the winners in seven categories -- Best Indie Buzz book (fiction), Best Conversation
Starter (nonfiction), Best Author Discovery (debut), Best New Picture Book,
Best YA Buzz Book, Most Engaging Author, and the Picture Book Hall of Fame -- who will be honored in May at BookExpo America. |
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Announcing the Indie Next List Poetry Top Ten
March 04, 2009 - Here is the 2009 Indie Next List Poetry Top Ten, based on the enthusiastic
nominations of independent booksellers nationwide. |
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Publishers Collaborate on Ongoing Edelweiss Field Tests
March 04, 2009 - On Tuesday, March 3, representatives from Above the Treeline,
nine publishers, Ingram Book Group, and ABA met at Random House's New York City
offices for discussions about ongoing field tests of Edelweiss, Treeline's online,
interactive catalog product. About 30 booksellers are currently testing the
product, which was developed with input from ABA, independent retailers, and
publishers. |
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E-Fairness Campaign Launches in Florida
March 04, 2009 - ABA is encouraging Florida booksellers to urge their state lawmakers
to craft Internet Sales Tax legislation modeled after the bill adopted by New
York State in April 2008. ABA's e-mail to Florida bookstores was prompted by
news that State Sen. Evelyn Lynn and State Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda
had introduced legislation to bring Florida into compliance with the national
Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. |
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S&S Children's Publishing Helps Booksellers Celebrate Earth Day
March 04, 2009 - In advance of Earth Day 2009 (April 22), Simon & Schuster Children's
Publishing provided a "green" box in the Spring Children's White Box
mailing, which shipped late last month to bookstores active in the IndieBound
movement. The eco-friendly "recycled and recyclable promotion-in-a-box"
serves to emphasize the green mission of S&S's line of Little Green Books. |
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BTW News Briefs
March 04, 2009 - Tobias Wolff Wins Story Prize; MBA to Hold Spring Meeting on March 14;
SCIBA Spring Meeting on March 15; Thomas Nelson Launches NelsonFree; ACC Publishing
Group to Open U.S. Office; HarperCollins to Launch "It Books"; Marion
Street Press Sold to Acorn Guild Press; Tom Allen to Replace Pat Schroeder at
AAP |
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Seven Ways to Avoid Employee Fraud
March 04, 2009 - In harsh economic times, white collar crime
comes to the fore as thefts that have been going on for a while are exposed,
and desperate circumstances drive an increasing number of previously law-abiding
citizens to break the law. Since bookstores are no exception to this phenomenon,
here, thanks to the National Federation of Independent Businesses,
BTW presents seven tips to help bookstore owners avoid getting stung
by employee fraud. |
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The April 2009 Indie Next List Preview
March 04, 2009 - Here's a preview of the April Indie Next List, now on its way to ABA member
stores in the IndieBound movement. |
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ABFFE Protests Topeka Library Restrictions
March 04, 2009 - The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and other groups
representing booksellers, publishers, writers, and librarians have joined the
National Coalition Against Censorship in urging members of the Topeka, Kansas,
library board to restore four sex education books to the open shelves of the
library. |
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New Possibilities for IndieBound Posters
March 04, 2009 - With the Eat, Sleep, Read poster well on its way to iconic status,
IndieBound is offering some unique variations, and easy ways to obtain them.
A new, editable version of the Eat, Sleep, Read poster provides a creative way
to tailor the IndieBound message to a store's unique character.
|
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ABA Named to Advance America Honor Roll
March 03, 2009 - ABA has been named to the 2009 Associations Advance America Honor Roll,
a national awards competition sponsored by the American Society of Association
Executives and the Center for Association Leadership. ABA was honored for IndieBound. |
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A Note From ABA President Gayle Shanks
February 26, 2009 - ABA President Gayle Shanks writes, "I want to thank you all for
the messages of appreciation that have come into my mailbox, my e-mail box,
and my voicemail in response to recent communications to you regarding the Board's
decision to reduce our ABA membership dues. Those notes have been heartfelt,
warm, and encouraging, and I have shared them with the Board. We so appreciate
you taking the time to be in touch, and I believe this outpouring shows how
connected we are to each other in this country." |
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Virginia Booksellers Urge State Leadership to Enforce Sales Tax Laws
February 26, 2009 - On Thursday, February 26, a group of Virginia-based independent booksellers
wrote to their state leaders to urge them to enforce existing sales tax laws
by requiring Amazon.com to collect and remit sales tax for sales made in Virginia.
Amazon.com operates two facilities, a fulfillment center and data center, in
the state. In the letter, the booksellers stressed that "both federal law
and the Tax Code of Virginia clearly state that any company with a physical
presence in the Commonwealth -- via an office, warehouse, or a sales agent --
is required to collect and remit sales tax." |
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Bookstore Dues Reduction in Effect for 2009
February 26, 2009 - Earlier this month, in a letter from President Gayle Shanks, ABA's Board
of Directors announced cuts to organizational operating expenses and a 50 percent
reduction in 2009 membership dues to help booksellers during these difficult
economic times. The 50 percent dues reduction covers January through December
2009 membership renewals only. |
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SBA Moves Forward on Promise to Help Small Businesses
February 26, 2009 - This week, the Small Business Administration began the process
of providing details to small businesses on the ways they can benefit from provisions
in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed into law by President
Obama on February 17. |
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Paz & Associates to Manage Co-op for ABA E-Commerce Solution
February 26, 2009 - Beginning April 1, Paz & Associates will manage
co-op for booksellers participating in the ABA E-Commerce Solution. ABA E-Commerce
staff currently solicits publisher co-op funds to offset the monthly maintenance
fee paid by booksellers and handles all administration of the program on behalf
of participating stores. |
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The March Indie Next List Notables Flier & Shelf-talkers
February 26, 2009 - The March Indie Next List Notables feature great fiction and nonfiction
titles recommended by indie booksellers nationwide. In addition, POP materials
for in-store displays -- electronic files in PDF format of both the March Indie
Next List Notables flier and shelf-talkers -- are now available on BookWeb.org. |
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Local First Conference Video Now Online
February 25, 2009 - A video of Stacy Mitchell's presentation, "How Shop Local Movements
Are Saving Small Businesses," at the Pre-Winter Institute Conference on
Local First/Shop Local Initiatives is now available via BookWeb.org.
The senior researcher for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and author
of Big Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for American's
Independent Businesses (Beacon) shares insights on the movement's
progress and the how-tos of establishing community-changing independent business
alliances. |
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Share IndieBound Materials With IndieBound To-Go
February 25, 2009 - One of several new features recently introduced on IndieBound.org makes many IndieBound marketing materials freely available to non-ABA-members. ABA member stores are encouraged to share IndieBound To-Go with Independent
Business Alliances, other Local First organizations, and locally owned businesses
in their communities. Reaction to IndieBound To-Go has been enthusiastic. |
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The Indie Love & Romance Bestseller Lists
February 25, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending February 24, 2009, and based on sales
at hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
February 25, 2009 - Changing Hands Offers Series of Hiking Events; Capitola Book Cafe Launches
Membership Program; Tree House Books Draws Media Attention for IBA |
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BTW News Briefs
February 25, 2009 - GLIBA Awards Six Buy Local Grants; Watchung Booksellers to Host NAIBAhood
Gathering; Netherland Wins PEN/Faulkner Award; BEA to Feature Author
Stages on Exhibit Floor; Algonquin Offers Free Mudbound to Book Groups;
Small Press Month Events Calendar Online; Resources for NEA's Read Across America
Day |
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BEA Update: Hotel ABA Filling Up; Action Required for Free Badges
February 24, 2009 - Reservations for Hotel ABA 2009 are capped at 500 and filling fast.
Offering a room rate of $183 per night exclusively to ABA bookstore and provisional
members, the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn will also
be the site of a series of nightly social events during BEA. All ABA bookstore
and provisional members who would like to take advantage of free admission to
this year's trade show must authorize ABA to share relevant information with
BEA officials by completing a simple form on BookWeb.org. |
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Building a Better Cross-Promotion
February 24, 2009 - Over the past holiday season, several independent bookstores paired
with other indie retailers in their communities for holiday coupon promotions.
While the results of these inaugural efforts did not result in a pronounced
sales increase, valuable lessons were learned, the stores garnered positive
PR among customers, and those who participated believe that, with some adjustments,
cross-promotions are initiatives whose time has come.
|
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Remembering John Updike on Books & Bookstores
February 24, 2009 - When John Updike died at the end of January, the book industry lost
not only one of its greatest writers, but also a true devotee of independent
bookstores. In 2006, at a BEA Book & Author Breakfast, Updike paid homage
to the most important influences on his development as a writer and reader, including indie bookstores. He also expressed serious concerns about technology's effect on the print book and the efforts behind its creation. |
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ABA to Launch Indies Choice Book Awards
February 19, 2009 - This spring, ABA will launch a new awards program -- the Indies Choice
Book Awards. Winners will be selected by indie booksellers in seven categories
highlighting the type of books that indie booksellers champion best. The Indies
Choice Book Awards, which supersede the Book Sense Book of the Year Awards,
reflect the spirit of ABA member booksellers in the IndieBound movement and
their dedication to handselling unique, thought-provoking, engaging fiction
and nonfiction, children's and YA titles. |
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IndieBound Announces Five New Features
February 19, 2009 - The IndieBound team has announced the launch of five new features: Improvements that make it easier
for authors, publishers, and bloggers to link to IndieBound; new book information
pages featuring bookseller quotes; IndieBound To-Go, which provides the necessary
tools for non-member retailers, community groups, and others to download, print,
and recreate DIY IndieBound materials; an improved Indie Store
Finder Map; and the addition of thousands of independently owned bicycle shops to IndieBound.org's searchable database of indie businesses. |
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Booksellers in CT & MN Call on Colleagues to Join E-Fairness Effort
February 19, 2009 - This week, three booksellers in Connecticut and four booksellers in
Minnesota strongly encouraged ABA member colleagues in their respective states
to join the fight for e-fairness. Legislators in Connecticut and Minnesota are
among the latest to introduce legislation, modeled on New York State's Internet
Sales Tax provision, which would require out-of-state companies that have affiliates
in their states to collect and remit sales tax. |
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Stimulus Act to Help Small Businesses With Loans
February 19, 2009 - On Tuesday, February 17, in Denver, President Obama signed the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law. Importantly for booksellers,
the bill, which had been approved by Congress on Friday, February 13, includes key
provisions supporting small businesses, including a package of loan fee reductions
and higher guarantees, new and enhanced SBA programs, secondary market incentives,
and tax cuts. |
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Surviving Tough Times: Booksellers' Best Practices
February 19, 2009 - In November 2008, booksellers responding to ABA's member outreach effort
provided valuable insights into their unique ways of countering declining
sales. Many of their tips, presented at the Winter Institute, are now available
to all ABA members in "Surviving Tough Times: Best Practices," a collection
of dozens of concise suggestions covering a range of topics from controlling
inventory and payroll to marketing and outside sales. |
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ABFFE Offers Free Bookseller Training Guide
February 19, 2009 - The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression has released
a new training guide to help booksellers respond to free speech problems frequently
encountered in bookstores. The guide is designed for use in conjunction with
the video Scenes From a Bookstore: Free Speech Vignettes. The training
guide and DVD are available free of charge to members of ABFFE and the American
Booksellers Association. |
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Member Action Required to Claim Free BEA Badges
February 19, 2009 - All ABA regular bookstore
and provisional members who wish to claim free admission badges to this spring's
BookExpo America must authorize the American Booksellers Association to share
relevant information with BEA officials. |
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Show, Don't Tell: Video Marketing for Bookstores
February 18, 2009 - Booksellers who missed the popular ABA Winter Institute program "Using
Multimedia to Market Your Store" can find something of a recap in a downloadable PDF created by the session's
presenter, documentarian Alex Beckstead.
Included are links to several very effective videos, either professionally or
store produced, that illustrate the power of the medium to convey a bookstore's
personality. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
February 18, 2009 - Harvard Book Store Launches New Green Delivery Service; Changing Hands
Welcomes Former President Carter; Reading & Rhythm Launches
In-Store Book Fair; Menomonie's The Bookends Honored; The Next Page Bookstore &
More Expands |
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BTW News Briefs
February 18, 2009 - Kids Heart Authors Day a "Fabulous
Success"; Turner Publishing
in Deal for Cumberland House Press Titles |
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SBA Warns of Economic Stimulus Fraud
February 18, 2009 - The U.S. Small Business Administration has issued a scam alert warning
small businesses not to respond to letters falsely claiming to have been sent
by the SBA that ask for bank account information in order to qualify them for
federal tax rebates. |
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March Workshop to Focus on Opening a Bookstore
February 18, 2009 - The Bookstore Training & Consulting Group of Paz & Associates
is holding its next intensive workshop, "Opening a Bookstore: The Business
Essentials," from Monday through Friday, March 16 - 20, on Amelia Island
(near Jacksonville, Florida). |
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ABA Board Candidate Petition Deadline March 20
February 17, 2009 - In addition to director candidates approved by the Board, ABA's bylaws stipulate that bookstore members can submit petitions to place the names of
additional candidates on the ballot, which will be sent to membership in late
March, 60 days prior to the Annual Membership Meeting at BookExpo America. |
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Economic Stimulus Bill Approved By House and Senate
February 13, 2009 - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate voted to approve the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Most importantly for booksellers,
the final bill maintained key provisions supporting small businesses. At press
time, it was expected that President Obama will sign the bill on President's
Day, Monday, February 16. |
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A Letter From ABA President Gayle Shanks
February 12, 2009 - In a letter sent to booksellers this afternoon,
ABA President Gayle Shanks outlines steps taken by the association to best serve
members in these challenging economic times. Key among them is a 50 percent reduction in regular bookstore member dues for the calendar year 2009. |
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A Report on ABA's 2009 Winter Board Meeting
February 12, 2009 - The ABA Board of Directors and senior staff held meetings on Sunday
and Monday, February 1 and 2, immediately following the Fourth Annual Winter
Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah. Among its activities during the two days
of meetings, the Board approved candidates for ABA's 2009 director elections,
selected a new president and vice president, and instituted a dues reduction
policy. |
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ABA Names 2009 Board Candidates
February 12, 2009 - At its February meeting, the ABA Board of Directors
approved the report of the Nominating Committee, which presented the Board with the names
of three director candidates to serve three-year terms on the Board. Under ABA's bylaws, any bookstore member may submit petitions in support of additional director candidates. |
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Free BEA Badges: Member Authorization Required
February 12, 2009 - A new initiative announced by ABA and BookExpo America last month entitles
all regular ABA bookstore and provisional members to free admission to this
year's trade show. The number of free badges a bookstore will receive is based
on a store's sales volume as well as participation in the recently concluded
Winter Institute. To claim their badges, members must authorize ABA to provide BEA show officials with the number of badges that they're entitled to receive. |
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Free Speech Groups Criticize Court Decision in Book Banning Case
February 12, 2009 - The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression has joined with
the National Coalition Against Censorship and the Freedom to Read Foundation
in criticizing a decision by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the
Miami-Dade County School Board's banning of the children's picture book Vamos
a Cuba. |
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The Spring 2009 Children's Indie Next List Preview
February 12, 2009 - With a fun and vibrant design that reflects the energy, verve, and insight
of its indie bookseller recommendations, the Spring 2009 Kids' Next List has
arrived. The new list can be seen in preview and is now featured on IndieBound.org. |
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Economic Stimulus Package: ABA Urges Booksellers to Write Legislators Now
February 12, 2009 - At press time, the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate were in final
negotiations regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. ABA is urging booksellers to e-mail their legislators
immediately to call for the inclusion of the small business provisions in the
final version of the legislation. |
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Terry Tempest Williams' Wi4 Tribute to Indie Booksellers & Local First Initiatives
February 11, 2009 - A highlight of ABA's January 29 pre-Winter Institute Conference on Local
First/Shop Local Initiatives was the stirring lunchtime speech of author Terry
Tempest Williams, who moved booksellers to tears and elicited rousing ovations.
With Williams' permission, BTW is happy to present the full text of her
address here. |
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Bookstore Sales Drop in December, 2008 Flat Overall
February 11, 2009 - Retail sales at bookstores this past December dropped 4.7 percent
compared to December 2007, according to statistics recently released by the
Bureau of the Census. For the year, bookstore retail sales were down an estimated
0.5 percent. |
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New IndieBound Resources Now Available
February 11, 2009 - ABA staff came out of the Winter Institute with so many requests and
ideas from booksellers that we're brimming with new IndieBound resources for
2009. This week alone, we have three new updates to the IndieBound Bookseller
DIY! Watch for more in the weeks to come. |
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Three States Introduce E-Fairness Legislation
February 11, 2009 - Over the past two weeks, the Campaign for E-Fairness has gained
tremendous momentum as legislators in four states introduced Internet sales
tax legislation. Legislators in Connecticut, Hawaii, and Minnesota are the latest
to introduce legislation that would require out-of-state companies that have
affiliates in their states to collect and remit sales tax. Booksellers are being
urged to contact their respective state legislators to call for their support
of the bills. |
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New Lease Brightens Rainy Day
February 11, 2009 - In most parts of the country the economy has just about sputtered to
a stop, but operations at Rainy Day Books in Fairway, Kansas,
are busier than ever. Co-owners Vivien Jennings and Roger Doeren have
ensured the bookstore stays engaged with customers through a stem-to-stern renovation,
constant communication, and non-stop events. The savvy booksellers renegotiated
their lease for property improvements rather than a rent-decease, and now the
bookstore fairly sparkles. |
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A Big Thank You to Our Winter Institute Sponsors
February 11, 2009 - On behalf of all of the bookseller attendees at this year's Winter Institute,
ABA would like to again thank Event Sponsor Ingram Book Company & Ingram
Publisher Services, and all of the publisher and other sponsors for their generous
support of Wi4. |
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BTW News Briefs
February 11, 2009 - HarperCollins Announces Layoffs; Online Sales Expected to Continue Climb;
Read Across America Day on March 2; 2009 Audie Finalists Announced |
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The Indie Diet, Exercise & Fitness Bestseller List
February 11, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending February 10, 2009, and based on sales
at independent bookstores nationwide. |
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ABA E-Commerce Solution Migration to Drupal Begins
February 11, 2009 - On Wednesday, February 11, the ABA E-Commerce Solution announced the
start of the migration of all store websites to Drupal, an "open-source"
Content Management System. A small number of stores have been beta testing the
new platform over the past several months. |
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Reflections on the Winter Institute
February 10, 2009 - Susan Richmond of Inklings Bookshop in Yakima, Washington, shares some
of her experiences at the Winter Institute and the pre-conference on Local First
initiatives in a Thinklings blog posting. |
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People to People Book Industry Delegation to Head to China
February 10, 2009 - Former ABA President Russ Lawrence will be leading a Book Industry Delegation
to China this September in conjunction with the People to People Citizen Ambassador
Programs. The delegation will depart for China from Los Angeles on September
4 and return on the 14th. |
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Are You Missing Out on Crucial Marketing Materials?
February 10, 2009 - Each month, ABA sends member booksellers Red and White Box mailings,
but who gets what depends on a bookstore's level of participation in the IndieBound
movement. Here's a reminder about what booksellers have to do to ensure that
the White Box (which HarperCollins VP Carl Lennertz notes "is an integral
part of every indie-oriented book's marketing campaign") arrives in stores
each month. |
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BEA Moves 2010 - 2012 Trade Shows to NYC
February 10, 2009 - On Tuesday, February 10, BookExpo America announced that the annual book industry
trade show will be held at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
through 2012. The show was previously scheduled to take place in Washington,
D.C., in 2010 and Las Vegas in 2011. Beginning in 2010, BEA will also feature a shortened, mid-week schedule. |
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ABA President Urges Congress to Support Small Businesses
February 09, 2009 - On Monday, February 9, as Congress worked to quickly pass the
Obama Administration's stimulus package, ABA President
Gayle Shanks, co-owner of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona, urged
the Congressional leadership to continue its support for small businesses in
crafting the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009. ABA is also calling on all member booksellers to contact
their legislators in Washington as soon as possible to urge support for the
bill's small-business provisions. |
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Wi4: A Revitalizing Mix of Education, Inspiration & Fun
February 05, 2009 - This week, BTW begins its coverage of last week's Fourth Annual
Winter Institute in Salt Lake City -- two and a half days of education, peer
interaction, and professional rejuvenation. Today's features look at the Pre-Winter
Institute Local First Conference and Wi4's opening keynote breakfast on the
state of the industry. Here, we also share links to booksellers' "tweets"
about all aspects of Wi4 and our photos of some event highlights. |
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Pre-Winter Institute Local First Conference Wows
February 05, 2009 - More than 200 booksellers who gathered for last Thursday's ABA
Pre-Winter Institute Conference on Local First/Shop Local Initiatives learned
from, and were inspired by, some of the most experienced leaders in the IBA
community. The Local First message "comes at a crucial time," said
Betsy Burton of The King's English. "No one has much discretionary income,
so growing loyalty could be the difference for locally owned businesses." |
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Booksellers Appeal Oregon Censorship Decision
February 05, 2009 - The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and a group
of Oregon booksellers are appealing a recent decision upholding an Oregon law
that could restrict the sale of books, magazines, and other material to minors.
"We continue to believe the law does not give booksellers clear guidelines for
determining what they can legally sell to a minor," said ABFFE President Chris
Finan. |
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California Booksellers Urged to Contact State Lawmakers on E-Fairness
February 05, 2009 - Today, in a joint effort, the Northern California Independent
Booksellers Association, the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association (SCIBA), and the American Booksellers Association began e-mailing California booksellers to urge them
to contact their state assemblymembers in support of Assembly Bill 178, legislation
that would clarify California sales tax law. Modeled on New York State's
Internet Sales Tax provision, the proposed California legislation would require
out-of-state companies that have affiliates in the state to collect and remit
sales tax. |
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Wi4: Publishing Leaders on the State of the Industry
February 04, 2009 - ABA's Fourth Annual Winter
Institute kicked off last Friday with a stimulating, thought-provoking discussion
on the state of the book industry, moderated by Roxanne Coady of R.J. Julia
Booksellers and featuring Nan Graham, vice president and editor-in-chief of
Scribner; Morgan Entrekin, president and publisher of Grove/Atlantic; and Bob Miller,
president and publisher of HarperStudio. |
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Call to Action: Urge Support for Small Businesses in the Economic Stimulus Plan
February 04, 2009 - As the Senate debates President Obama's economic stimulus plan,
ABA is calling on booksellers to contact their legislators in Washington as
soon as possible to urge support for the bill's small-business provisions. The
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which passed the House of Representatives
last week, contained a number of provisions that support small businesses. It's
likely, however, that in order to gain bipartisan support the Senate version
of the bill will be a different, and possibly pared down, version. |
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CPSC Grants Stay on Lead Certification
February 04, 2009 - On Friday, January 30, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced
that it had issued a one-year stay of enforcement for certain testing and certification
requirements for manufacturers and importers of regulated products, including
books, intended for children 12-years-old and younger. |
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Easy Options Connect Authors to Indies
February 04, 2009 - Many an independent bookseller has been frustrated by authors and publishers
who direct readers solely to Amazon.com or a chain retailer to purchase their
books. But a growing number are now responding by directing those very same
authors and publishers to the IndieBound Affiliate Program or one of several
other simple methods designed for those not interested in receiving a commission
on sales. |
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Chehalis Bookstore Weathers Well
February 04, 2009 - Beverly and David Hartz, husband-and-wife co-owners of
Book 'n' Brush in Chehalis, Washington, already have much to be thankful for this year. The store, located
in the western part of the state, narrowly escaped last month's flooding, which wiped out
many area homes and businesses. This is the second time that the soon-to-be
40-year-old bookstore was impacted by severe flooding since the couple bought
the store; the first came in 2007. |
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Around Indies
February 04, 2009 - Vroman's to Provide Text Message Alerts for In-store Events; Market
Street Books Named Small Business of the Year; Page After Page Owner Looks Back
on First Anniversary |
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BTW News Briefs
February 04, 2009 - Academy of American Poets Unveils 2009 Poster; Ingram to Launch
Marketing Group; 2008 Mystery Award Nominees Announced; Oscar Wilde Bookshop
to Close; Reed Exhibitions Closes BookExpo Canada |
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Free Tickets to New Broadway Musical Still Available
February 04, 2009 - There's still time for ABA members to request two free tickets to The
Story of My Life, the first new Broadway musical of 2009. |
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The March Indie Next List & Notables Preview
February 04, 2009 - Here's a preview of the March Indie Next List now on its way to ABA
member stores in the IndieBound movement. |
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ABA's Winter Institute Begins in Salt Lake City
January 29, 2009 - As Bookselling
This Week arrives in your inbox this Thursday, ABA members and Local First
advocates have convened at the pre-Winter Institute Conference on Local First/Shop
Local Initiatives and hundreds more booksellers are checking-in at the Salt
Lake Marriott Downtown for the main event, the Fourth Annual Winter Institute,
which kicks off tonight with a reception at Sam Weller's Books. |
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The February Indie Next List Notables Flier & Shelf-talkers
January 29, 2009 - POP materials for in-store displays -- electronic
files in PDF format of both the February Indie Next List Notables flier and
shelf-talkers -- are now available on BookWeb.org. |
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Tough Times: Renegotiating a Lease, Finding a Better Utility Rate
January 29, 2009 - To stay afloat in a recession that shows no sign of abatement,
savvy indies are cutting costs through careful planning and well-thought-out
business decisions. For some, this includes renegotiating a lease or signing on with a lower-cost
utility provider. Here, two booksellers who had success in lowering their lease
payments and another who found a better electric rate share their insights about
effecting change. |
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Free Tickets to New Broadway Musical Available to ABA Members
January 29, 2009 - The Story of My Life, the first new Broadway musical of the year,
opens at the Booth theatre in New York next month, and the producers of the
show, which includes a bookstore storyline, have made 100 free tickets to a
Sunday matinee performance available to ABA members. |
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BTW News Briefs
January 29, 2009 - Washington Post to Cease Printing Book World; SCIBA Accepting
Donations to Glenn Goldman Scholarship Fund; AAP Launches Pilot Educational
Series for Independent Presses; NRF Forecasts 0.5 Percent Decline in 2009 Retail
Sales; IBNYC Creates Events Webpage |
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Bookstore Poetry Contest Gives Voice to At-Risk Youth
January 28, 2009 - Booksellers looking for inspiration for National Poetry Month
(April) celebrations can find a shining example in the efforts of Boulder, Colorado's
Troubadour Books. This March, in partnership with a local youth outreach organization,
the bookstore will host the Second Annual Sage Community Partnership/Troubadour
Bookstore Boulder County Youth Poetry Competition. |
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Terry Tempest Williams on the Power of Community, the Need for Diversity, and Local First Initiatives
January 28, 2009 - Terry Tempest Williams, the lunchtime speaker at ABA's pre-Winter Conference
on Local First/Shop Local initiatives, talks to BTW about her writing,
localism efforts, and creating an "ethic of place." |
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Consumer Product Safety Commission, Publishers Meet to Clarify New Law
January 28, 2009 - Efforts to clarify the Consumer Product Safety Improvement
Act, which goes into effect on February 10, continued last week. On Thursday,
January 22, the Consumer Product Safety Commission met with professionals representing
a wide spectrum of the book industry, including paper and book manufacturers,
ink makers, and representatives from the Association of American Publishers,
Random House, Simon & Schuster, Penguin, and Scholastic. |
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Booksellers Urged to Contact State Legislators on E-Fairness
January 28, 2009 - The American Booksellers Association is encouraging booksellers
in 44 states that collect sales tax to write to their state legislators to urge
them to follow New York's lead and introduce legislation to clarify
their state's existing tax laws. |
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The Indie Biography & Memoir Bestseller List
January 28, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending January 27, 2009, and based on sales
at hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide. |
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LIBRIS Phones Down
January 28, 2009 - The phone lines for LIBRIS, the business insurance program for booksellers
offered by ABA, are temporarily out of service. The company has set up a temporary
phone number and e-mail address for policyholders who need to contact LIBRIS
staff. |
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Nominations Needed for April, Easter/Passover, and Poetry Lists
January 27, 2009 - There will be
three opportunities in February for independent booksellers to help create upcoming Indie
Next Lists. |
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It's in the Bag: IndieBound Merchandise Bags, Shopping Bags & Reusable Totes
January 27, 2009 - W.G. Ellerkamp, which offers ABA members IndieBound paper merchandise and shopping bags, reusable totes, and a variety of giftwrap designs, has lowered the prices on Natural Kraft recycled shopping bags for all of 2009. ChicoBag Company, creator of unique, reusable, brightly colored bags that compact easily into an attached pouch, has extended special volume discount pricing on custom bags until March 31. |
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More Good News
January 27, 2009 - Last week's story about independent bookstore openings in 2008 reported
that 69 new ABA member stores opened for business last year, as well as two online-only
booksellers. What we neglected to include were the openings of four new branches of existing stores. |
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2009 Caldecott & Newbery Award Winners Announced
January 26, 2009 - On Monday, January 26, the American
Library Association announced the winners of its Caldecott and Newbery medals
and other awards for the best children's and young adult literature at its Midwinter
Meeting in Denver. |
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An Open Letter to Members From ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz
January 22, 2009 - In an economic environment that has Americans reducing their spending
on everything but the bare necessities, ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz reminds members
about some key ABA services and advocacy initiatives that can help them meet the challenges ahead. |
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Indie Bookstores Open Across the Country in 2008
January 22, 2009 - Despite the bleak economic landscape, the American Booksellers Association
welcomed the openings of 69 new indie bookstores, four branch stores, and two online-only booksellers
in 2008. The bookstores launched in 28 states, ranging from Florida to Alaska,
and the District of Columbia. |
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Wi4: Some Last-Minute Reminders
January 22, 2009 - Just about a week from now, hundreds of ABA members will be gathering
in Salt Lake City for the kickoff of the Fourth Annual Winter Institute. Here are
some last minute reminders about next Thursday's shop local pre-conference,
getting to the hotel, the opening night receptions, the ABA Welcome Desk, the
event schedule, and more. |
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California Commission Member Open to NY Internet Sales Tax Model
January 22, 2009 - A member of a new California commission that is looking to stabilize
the state's budget cycles by modernizing revenue laws said he is open to pursuing
an Internet Sales Tax provision similar to the one passed in April 2008 by New
York State and recently affirmed in court with the dismissal of a lawsuit brought
by Amazon.com. |
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Two New Bookstores to Emerge From Schwartz Bookshops Closure
January 22, 2009 - This week, 82-year-old Milwaukee institution Harry W. Schwartz
Bookshop announced that it would be shutting down its four stores as of
March 31. At the same time, two Schwartz locations are being acquired separately
by Schwartz's employees and will open under new names and new ownership. Daniel
Goldin and Lanora Hurley will be bringing plenty of new ideas as well as the best from the Schwartz model to Boswell Book Company and the Next Chapter Bookshop, respectively. |
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar Gets an ABA Gift Card
January 22, 2009 - This spring, Eric Carle's classic character The Very Hungry Caterpillar
turns 40, and to commemorate the occasion Penguin Young Readers Group is sponsoring
a special "Are you very hungry for books?" ABA gift card. |
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A Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act Update
January 21, 2009 - The American Library Association's Association for Library Service to
Children this week reported that a public meeting regarding the Consumer Product
Safety Improvement Act was scheduled to take place at the Consumer Product Safety
Commission on Thursday, January 22, at 1:00 p.m. The meeting was requested by the Association of
American Publishers. |
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Salt Lake County Mayor to Speak About Local First Efforts
January 21, 2009 - Among the leaders in the Local First community who will share their
experiences during the ABA Pre-Winter Institute Conference on Local First/Shop
Local Initiatives is Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon. BTW recently
had the opportunity to ask Mayor Corroon about the ways indie businesses contribute
to Salt Lake County, what local government has done to support their growth,
and what he plans to discuss at the conference. |
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An Invitation to Wi4's Opening Reception
January 21, 2009 - Tony and Catherine
Weller are inviting all participants in next week's Winter Institute to an opening
reception at Sam Weller's Books. There will be fun activities, food and drink,
plenty of opportunities to converse with fellow booksellers, and a chance to
explore the bookstore's three floors. |
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ABFFE Celebrates Supreme Court Decision on Internet Censorship
January 21, 2009 - After years of legal wrangling, on Tuesday, January 20, the U.S. Supreme Court
announced that it would not review a decision by a federal court in Philadelphia
striking down the Child Online Protection Act. The American Booksellers
Foundation for Free Expression, Powell's Books, and A Different Light Bookstores
were among the plaintiffs that challenged the constitutionality of the law in
a case filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. |
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Booksellers Urged to Contact State Legislators About E-Fairness
January 21, 2009 - ABA is calling on booksellers in 44 states that collect sales
tax to write to their state legislators today to urge them to follow New York's
lead and introduce legislation that would clarify their state's existing tax
laws. |
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BTW News Briefs
January 21, 2009 - Co-optimize and Co-op Advertising Solutions Merge; GLIBA Offers Grants for
Buy Local Programs; Real Estate Company Wants Indie Bookstore Tenant; Finalists
Announced for the Story Prize and the Edgars; BookStream Closing |
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Wi4 Panel to Shed Light on E-Fairness Initiatives & How to Lobby State Government
January 21, 2009 - Following the recent New York State court decision that dismissed Amazon.com's
challenge to New York's Internet Sale Tax provision -- which ensures that online
retailers collect mandated sales tax -- the Winter Institute session focusing
on how booksellers can work to effect important legislative and political change
is even more timely. |
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WNBA Pannell Award Finalists Announced
January 21, 2009 - The Women's National Book Association has announced the nominees for
its 2009 Pannell Awards to be presented to two bookstores -- one general and
one children's specialty store -- that excel at inspiring young people's interest
in books and reading. |
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Three Indie Next List Deadlines Upcoming in February
January 20, 2009 - Booksellers will have the opportunity to help create three Indie Next
Lists in February. Nominations are needed for the April Indie Next List, the
Easter/Passover Recommendations, and the Poetry Month Recommendations lists. |
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ABA CEO to Step Down in July; Search Committee Established
January 15, 2009 - ABA President Gayle Shanks today e-mailed ABA bookstore members the
news that ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz will be stepping down when his contract ends
in July. In addition, her letter provided important details on the search process
for a new ABA CEO and announced the members of a CEO Search Committee. |
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Independent Retailers Outperform Chains This Holiday Season, National Survey Finds
January 15, 2009 - In an extremely challenging economic climate, independent retailers
are outperforming many chains, a national survey has found. The survey of 1,142
independent retailers in a wide range of categories (books, toys, clothing,
etc.) and across all 50 states found that holiday sales at independent stores
declined an average of 5.0% from the same time period in 2007. That compares
favorably to the results of stores open at least a year of most competing chains. |
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Bookstores to Host Inauguration Celebrations
January 15, 2009 - To mark the historic occasion of Barack Obama's presidential inauguration
on January 20, indie booksellers are creating unique ways to celebrate and educate.
Events run the gamut from "homey" gatherings to an inaugural ball,
from stimulating panel discussions to advocacy efforts in support of local community
organizations. |
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Efforts to Clarify Children's Product Safety Law Continue
January 15, 2009 - Efforts to clarify what a new consumer product safety law limiting the
content of lead in children's products means for booksellers and publishers
continued this week. ABA sent an e-mail to more than 20 children's publishers
to ascertain what they will be doing to comply with CPSIA, and the Children's
Book Council sent members a legislative update highlighting clarifications from
the Consumer Product Safety Commission. |
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Incoming Administration Signals Strong Support for Small Businesses
January 15, 2009 - This week President-elect Barack Obama's director-designate of
the National Economic Council gave a strong signal of the incoming administration's
commitment to channeling federal economic recovery efforts to small businesses. |
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38 Authors to Autograph at Wi4 Reception
January 15, 2009 - The first full day of educational programming at ABA's Fourth Annual
Winter Institute will culminate in a celebratory reception featuring 38 authors,
including both well-known indie favorites and exciting new voices. |
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BookSoup to Host a Celebration of Glenn Goldman
January 15, 2009 - BookSoup is inviting everyone to a celebration of the life
of Glenn Goldman on Friday, January 16, at 7:00 p.m. |
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New York Court Tosses Out Amazon Sales Tax Challenge
January 14, 2009 - In a significant victory for the state's independent retailers,
this week a New York judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Amazon.com challenging
the state's Internet Sales Tax provision, which requires online retailers with
certain selling activities in the state to collect and remit sales tax on sales
made in New York State. |
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BEA to Feature Limited Free Admission for ABA Members
January 14, 2009 - Key among the 2009 trade show innovations announced last week by BEA
and ABA is limited free convention attendance for ABA bookstore members. Under
the new initiative, all regular ABA bookstore members will be entitled to at
least one free admission to the 2009 trade show, with additional badges available
to stores with a sales volume that puts them in an ABA dues category of two
or higher. |
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ABA Asks Congress to Add E-Fairness Bill to Economic Stimulus Package
January 14, 2009 - This week, in a letter addressed to Democratic and Republican leaders
in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, ABA joined the E-Fairness Coalition
in calling on Congress to include the provisions of the Sales Tax Fairness and
Simplification Act in any economic stimulus legislation under consideration. |
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Emerging Leaders Invited to Wi4 Cocktail Reception
January 14, 2009 - Booksellers 40 and under are invited to an Emerging Leaders Cocktail
Reception sponsored by Unbridled Books on Friday night, January 30, at ABA's
Winter Institute. |
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Virginia Bookseller Makes News for E-Fairness Efforts
January 14, 2009 - On Wednesday, January 14, Sarah Pishko of Prince Books in Norfolk, Virginia,
was the focus of a front-page news story in The Virginian-Pilot regarding
her e-fairness efforts. |
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A Salt Lake Walking Tour, Restaurant Tips & More
January 14, 2009 - Booksellers arriving in Salt Lake City for this month's Winter Institute
can look forward to an abundance of information from the Salt Lake Convention
& Visitors Bureau on local activities, attractions, restaurants, ski resorts,
and more. But to help those who want to get a jump on things, here's information
about the "Salt Lake Visitors Guide," restaurant
recommendations, details about a self-guided walking tour, and more. |
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BTW News Briefs
January 14, 2009 - National Jewish Book Award Winners Announced; NRF: Holiday Sales Down by 2.8 Percent; New Distribution
Arrangements |
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Sales at Bookstores Drop Drastically in November
January 14, 2009 - Retail sales at bookstores during November 2008 are estimated at $1,054
million, a drop of 13.0 percent from the $1,211 million in bookstore sales for
the same period last year, according to statistics recently released by the
Bureau of the Census. |
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New NEA Report Shows Literary Reading on the Rise
January 14, 2009 - Literary reading among American adults is on the rise for the first
time in more than 25 years, according to new report released this week by National
Endowment for the Arts. "Reading on the Rise: A New Chapter in American
Literacy" presents evidence that "there has been a decisive and unambiguous
increase among virtually every group measured," said NEA Chairman Dana
Gioia. |
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The Indie Mind Body Spirit Bestseller List
January 14, 2009 - For the eight-week period ending January 13, 2009, and based on
sales at independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Ellerkamp Offers Expanded Line of Wrapping Papers, Lower Prices on Shopping Bags
January 13, 2009 - W.G. Ellerkamp, the supplier of ABA's IndieBound paper and cloth bags,
is now offering member stores an expanded line of giftwrap, as well as lower
prices on handled paper shopping bags. |
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New Year Brings a New Look for IndieBound.org
January 13, 2009 - IndieBound.org's homepage sports a fresh look, including new features
and opportunities for fans and indie booksellers alike to get more involved. |
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BEA & ABA Announce 2009 Trade Show Innovations
January 08, 2009 - BEA and ABA
have announced a significant program of joint initiatives intended to help ease the economic challenges
facing booksellers who wish to attend the 2009 trade show; to invigorate the
convention; and to give booksellers and other industry professionals more networking opportunities. Chief among the new initiatives, BEA will offer limited free
convention attendance to ABA bookstore members. Additionally, ABA will bring
its annual Day of Education back to the convention facility in 2009, and BEA will offer
a concurrent retailer education track to encourage "cross over" attendance. |
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Registration Opens for 2009 Hotel ABA
January 08, 2009 - Today, the American Booksellers Association opens registration for Hotel
ABA, accommodations exclusively for ABA bookstore and provisional members attending
BookExpo America 2009. This year, Hotel ABA returns to the New York Marriott
at the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn, the popular home to ABA members during BEA
2007. |
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ABA Asks Booksellers to Participate in Holiday Sales Survey
January 08, 2009 - ABA, in conjunction with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, is asking
bookstore members to take a few moments now to complete an Independent Business
Holiday Sales Trends Survey. Information compiled from responses to the survey's
six simple questions will help ABA and the other participating organizations
(all representing the interests of independent businesses) to better serve members'
needs and plan future joint initiatives. |
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Indie Holiday Sales Mirror the Struggling Economy
January 08, 2009 - Early forecasts for a dismal holiday retail season were generally met, according
to preliminary figures released by MasterCard Inc.'s SpendingPulse unit, which indicate that retail sales, excluding automobiles, fell 5.5 percent in November and 8 percent for December
through Christmas Eve, and today the New York Times reported that sales at mall retailers fell by double digits this holiday season. Most indie booksellers who spoke to BTW also reported a significant
drop in sales, although for some, things didn't turn out to be as bad as initially
expected. |
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New Children's Product Safety Law Creates Confusion and Concern
January 08, 2009 - A new consumer product safety law limiting the content of lead in children's
products, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which will go
into effect on February 10, has become a source of major concern for booksellers,
publishers, and toy manufacturers, as well as for a number of other businesses
that manufacture or sell children's products. CPSIA -- which was signed into
law on August 14, 2008, in response to last year's recalls of products containing
lead -- limits the amount of lead in children's products to 600 parts-per-million
(ppm) as of February 10, and 300 ppm as of August 2009. |
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BTW News Briefs
January 08, 2009 - Stacey's Bookstore to Close; Page and Palette Bookkeeper Accused of
Embezzling; NEIBA Seeks Nominations for Isaac Epstein Scholarship; Kaplan
Publishing Announces Arrangement With Cleveland Clinic Press; VanderWyk &
Burnham Switches Distribution to Partners |
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The February 2009 Indie Next List
January 08, 2009 - Here's a preview of the February Indie Next List now on its way to ABA
member stores in the IndieBound movement. |
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A Holiday Sojourn to Anderson's Bookshop
January 07, 2009 - ABA COO Oren Teicher writes about his annual holiday tradition of working
at a member store -- this season, Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, Illinois.
From Thursday through Sunday, December 18 - 21, Teicher worked on the floor
alongside co-owner Becky Anderson and her staff handselling some of his favorite
titles, sharing great conversations, and learning more than a few things that will help his work at ABA. |
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In Memory: Glenn Goldman and Karen Spengler
January 07, 2009 - In the first week of the new year, the bookselling community lost two
of its own: Glenn Goldman, owner of Book Soup, a landmark on Sunset
Boulevard in Los Angeles, and Karen Spengler, owner of specialty store I Love A Mystery in Mission,
Kansas. |
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ABFFE Concerned About Oregon Censorship Decision
January 07, 2009 - The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression has expressed
concern about a federal judge's recent decision upholding an Oregon law that
could restrict the sale of books, magazines, and other material to minors. |
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State by State Contest Deadline Extended
January 06, 2009 - HarperCollins has extended the deadline for booksellers and librarians
who wish to submit entries for regional versions of Ecco's State by State:
A Panoramic Portrait of America (edited by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey).
The new deadline is March 1. |
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Next Indie Kids' List Needs Your Nominations
January 06, 2009 - Friday, January 9, is the deadline for the Spring Indie Kids' List,
and ABA is hoping that many more booksellers will submit nominations to ensure
the list's strong foundation. |
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PW Seeks Nominations for Bookseller & Rep of the Year
January 06, 2009 - Publishers Weekly is seeking nominations for its Bookseller and
Sales Rep of the Year to be honored in May at BookExpo America in New York City. |
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ChicoBag Company Extends Special Pricing
January 06, 2009 - ChicoBag Company has extended its special volume discount pricing on custom
bags for ABA members until March 31, 2009. |
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The Next Bubble to Burst?
January 05, 2009 - In this opinion column from the January 4 edition of the San Francisco
Chronicle, Jeff Milchen, co-founder of the American Independent Business
Alliance, notes that it's too late for the retail bubble of the last two decades
to deflate without damage. But, he explains, now is the time for states and
communities to act promptly to reverse some of the conditions that encouraged
the bubble and to build a more sustainable economy. |
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BTW Takes a Holiday -- Bestseller List as Usual
December 23, 2008 - Bookselling This Week will be taking a holiday between Christmas
and New Year's Day, but the Indie Bestseller List will be compiled and sent
to booksellers, as usual, on Tuesday, December 30. Reporting deadlines for the
Indie Bestseller List remain the same. |
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ABA President to President-elect: Make Small Business Survival a Priority
December 23, 2008 - ABA President Gayle Shanks has written President-elect
Barack Obama and his transition team urging them "to ensure that the survival
and long-range health of ... independent, locally owned businesses are a prominent
part of [their] economic stimulus package." |
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2009 - 2010 New York State Budget Expands Affiliate Nexus Definition
December 23, 2008 - A provision in the proposed
2009 - 2010 New York State budget, unveiled by Gov. David Paterson on December
16, would significantly expand the definition of affiliate nexus for online
purchases. The affiliate nexus statute is one of the ways in which Gov. Paterson
is looking to close an estimated $15.4 billion budget deficit. If approved,
the provision is expected to garner about $9 million in revenue for 2009 - 2010
and $12 million the following year. |
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The January Indie Next List Notables Flier & Shelf-talkers
December 23, 2008 - Each month, the Indie Next List Notables presents an intriguing range
of titles recommended by indie booksellers nationwide. Great POP materials for
in-store displays -- electronic files in PDF format of both the January Indie
Next List Notables flier and shelf-talkers -- are now available. |
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BTW News Briefs
December 23, 2008 - NRF Asks President-elect for National Sales Tax Holidays; Former Quail Ridge Bookkeeper Charged With Embezzlement; E-Reader Awareness
Growing; Online Holiday Shopping Drops Less Than One Percent |
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Two January Indie Next List Nomination Deadlines
December 22, 2008 - Booksellers will have two opportunities in January 2009 to help create
Indie Next Lists: Friday, January 2, is the deadline for nominations for the
March Indie Next List, and Friday, January 9, is the deadline for the Spring
Indie Kids' List. |
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Around Indies
December 22, 2008 - Schuler Books & Music Featured on WLNS-TV Holiday Shopping Report; DIESEL
Brentwood Throws a Grand Opening Party |
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Williams' Book Store to Celebrate a Century of Bookselling
December 22, 2008 - There
was hardly a time in Anne Gusha's life when she wasn't either a customer or a bookseller at Williams' Book Store in San Pedro, California. She first
walked into the bookstore in 1928, when she was eight years old, and never really
left, graduating from customer, to staff, to co-owner. Next month, Anne and
her son, Jerry Gusha, who bought the business together in 1980, will celebrate
Williams' Book Store's centennial with a weekend-long party, snacks, and author
readings. |
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Institute for Local Self-Reliance Rebuts Study on Wal-Mart's Impact
December 22, 2008 - This month, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance announced that it had
found "fatal flaws" in the study Has Wal-Mart Buried Mom and Pop?, which asserts that Wal-Mart has had no significant impact on the size, growth, or
profitability of small businesses. |
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A Change in Your Wi4 Plans? ABA Needs to Know
December 22, 2008 - ABA is asking members who no longer need their Winter Institute registration to let the education team know as soon as possible. As cancellations are received,
booksellers on the Wi4 waiting list will be contacted in the order in which
their names were added. |
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Free Classifieds for ABA Bookstore Members
December 22, 2008 - With the new year right around the corner, Bookselling This Week
wants to remind readers that all ABA Bookstore Members in good standing are
entitled to four free two-week Classified Ad insertions each year. BTW
Classifieds are the perfect place for booksellers to place help wanted ads,
advertise fixtures or stores for sale, and more. |
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Toadstool Weathers the Ice Storm
December 18, 2008 - Last week's destructive ice storm in New England and upstate New York
left The Toadstool Bookshop
in Peterborough, New Hampshire, without electricity for several days, but owner
Willard Williams and staff kept the store humming all weekend long despite the
lack of electricity. |
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Women & Children First Partners With Toy Store for Holiday Promo
December 18, 2008 - Women & Children First in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago
has partnered with a local toy store, toys et cetera, for its own version of
the cooperative holiday marketing campaign launched by the San Francisco Locally
Owned Merchants Association at the beginning of December. Up until December
24, Women & Children First is offering its customers an added incentive
to shop at toys et cetera, and the toy shop is doing the same to drive business
to Women & Children First. |
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Wi4 Transportation Tips
December 18, 2008 - Here's information about airfares (which are at their lowest point in
nearly a decade), Salt Lake ground transportation, and more for booksellers
heading to Salt Lake City for ABA's Fourth Annual Winter Institute. |
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Around Indies
December 18, 2008 - Fremont Place Books Featured in MSNBC Series on the Recession; The Galaxy Bookshop Celebrates 20 Years; Allegory Books & Music
Turns 30 |
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BTW News Briefs
December 18, 2008 - Poet to Read at Obama Inauguration; Twitter Message Launches Kids ♥ Authors Day; Roy Blount Jr. Shop Local Message
on New York Times Blog; Holiday Shoppers Procrastinate; Google Seeks
an Internet Fast Lane; Macmillan Announces Restructuring and Layoffs |
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MPIBA to Host Wi4 Hospitality Suite
December 18, 2008 - Booksellers from all regions of the country are invited to visit the
Hospitality Suite hosted by the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers
Association at the Winter Institute host hotel, the Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown. |
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Say Thanks With IndieBound Postcards & Gift Labels
December 18, 2008 - Let customers know how much you appreciate their business this holiday
season with an IndieBound thank-you postcard or bag stuffer. You can also express
your appreciation, and set your indie business apart from the chains, by giving
customers a free gift label with each purchase. |
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breathe books Owner to Lead Yoga Class at Wi4
December 18, 2008 - Susan Weis, owner of breathe books in Baltimore, Maryland, will lead
"Sunrise With Susan," a gentle yoga, breathing, and meditation class
at ABA's Fourth Annual Winter Institute. Early risers are invited to participate
in the class beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, January 30 and 31, at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown. |
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Indie Next List Deadline Reminder
December 17, 2008 - Booksellers will have two opportunities in January to help create Indie
Next Lists: Friday, January 2, is the deadline for nominations for the March Indie Next List,
and Friday, January 9, is the deadline for the Spring Indie Kids' List. |
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Take the Anxiety Out of Gift Giving
December 17, 2008 - Want to be a hero to customers hoping to get just the right books as holiday gifts? Just point them to IndieBound.org's Wish List. Anyone
who joins the Indie Community can build a wish list of books and e-mail it to
friends and family, along with a list of their favorite bookstores. |
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Today Show Features Indie Bookseller Picks
December 17, 2008 - Last Friday, NBC's Today Show included two segments featuring
indie bookseller picks for great holiday gifts. Booksellers presenting their
favorites in both segments were Roxanne Coady of R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison,
Connecticut; Marva Allen of Hue-Man Bookstore in New York City; Vivien Jennings
of Rainy Day Books in Fairway, Kansas; and Kristine Abramowitz of Storyopolis in Los Angeles, California. |
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Sales at Bookstores Down Again in October
December 16, 2008 - Retail sales at bookstores during October 2008 are estimated
at $1,060 million, a drop of 5.6 percent from the $1,123 million in bookstore
sales for the same period last year, according to statistics recently released
by the Bureau of the Census |
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IndieBound Posters Available From Online Store
December 16, 2008 - Seventeen of IndieBound's eye-catching poster designs are now available
for purchase via a new online store at RedBubble.com. ABA recently set up shop
with RedBubble to allow members without a viable local vendor to purchase high-quality,
durable posters. |
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