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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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Healthcare Debate Rages in Washington
June 18, 2009 - With President Obama pressing Congress to draft viable and fiscally
prudent healthcare reform legislation by October, the debate over how to reform healthcare has intensified. At present, the only real consensus on
healthcare is that some kind of reform is needed. From one side
of the political aisle to the other, healthcare reform fixes run the gamut from
free-market solutions to government-run healthcare. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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." |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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 |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
BTW News Briefs
January 14, 2009 - National Jewish Book Award Winners Announced; NRF: Holiday Sales Down by 2.8 Percent; New Distribution
Arrangements |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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 |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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." |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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 |
|
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. |
|
Around Indies
December 22, 2008 - Schuler Books & Music Featured on WLNS-TV Holiday Shopping Report; DIESEL
Brentwood Throws a Grand Opening Party |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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 |
|
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. |
|
Announcing the 2008 Indie Bestsellers
December 11, 2008 - This week, ABA unveils the 2008 Indie Bestsellers, the year's top-selling
titles at independent bookstores across the country, in the categories of Hardcover
Fiction, Hardcover Nonfiction, Trade Paperback Fiction, Trade Paperback Nonfiction,
and Children's and Young Adult. |
|
ABA Names Winter Institute Presenters
December 11, 2008 - An impressive roster of veteran business professionals will be offering
booksellers at every level of experience invaluable insights on everything from
book clubs, book fairs, and marketing graphic novels, to reimagining the bookstore,
remainder buying, surviving tough times, and more at ABA's Fourth Annual Winter
Institute. |
|
Three Stores Go Live on New ABA E-Commerce Platform
December 11, 2008 - The ABA E-Commerce Solution has announced that three beta-testing stores
are now live on the new Drupal platform, and the migration of all participating
members will begin sometime in January 2009. |
|
Wi4 Speaker to Share Insights From Indies Coast to Coast
December 11, 2008 - Robert Spector, author of The Nordstrom Way, Category Killers,
and other business titles, recently traveled the country interviewing thriving
independent business owners, including three ABA member stores, to glean their
strategies for success. He'll be discussing these core strategies, to be covered
in his upcoming book, tentatively titled The Mom and Pop Store (Walker,
September 2009), during the Saturday Lunch at ABA's Fourth Annual Winter Institute. |
|
BTW News Briefs
December 11, 2008 - Random House Makes Free Digital Titles Available Via iPhone;
Penguin Launches New Digital Program; BISG Releases BookDROP Technical Specification;
Further Cuts and Freezes at Publishing Houses |
|
Indie Holiday Picks on NPR's Morning Edition
December 11, 2008 - One welcome mid-December tradition is Susan Stamberg's interview with several
independent booksellers about their favorite holiday picks, which aired today on
National Public Radio's Morning Edition. The three booksellers interviewed were Rona Brinlee of The Book Mark in Atlantic Beach, Florida;
Lucia Silva of Portrait of a Bookstore in Studio City, California; and Chris
Livingston of The Book Shelf in Winona, Minnesota. |
|
Winter Institute "Sold Out," Waiting List Forming
December 11, 2008 - ABA's Fourth Annual Winter Institute is now booked to capacity, and
a waiting list is forming. ABA bookstore and provisional members who would like
to add their names to the waiting list for the free education event should fill
out BookWeb's Wi4 registration form. |
|
TV Spots Highlight Importance of Buying Local
December 10, 2008 - In a further indication of how far the "Shop Local"
message has come, this week the International Council of Shopping Centers launched
a print and television campaign "Give Your Community a Lift ... Shop Locally
for Your Gifts!" The ads seek to drive home to consumers the importance
of shopping locally this holiday season because it keeps sales tax revenue in
the community. |
|
Malaprop's Partners With Bike Shop for Holiday Promotion
December 10, 2008 - Taking a cue from the San Francisco Locally Owned Merchants Association's
holiday marketing promotion between book and hardware stores, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe
in Asheville, North Carolina, has partnered with a local bike shop, Liberty
Bicycles, for a new cooperative marketing campaign. For a limited time, Malaprop's
is offering its customers an added incentive to shop at Liberty Bicycles, and
the bike shop is doing the same to drive business to Malaprop's. |
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Study Finds Out-of-Date Sales Tax Laws Provide Windfalls for Chains
December 10, 2008 - According to a new study by the nonprofit research center Good
Jobs First, little-known sales tax laws in 26 states that allow retailers to legally skim
a percentage of sales tax revenue to pay for the administrative costs of collecting
and remitting sales tax are providing big box retailers with an enormous
advantage over their smaller competitors.
The study, Skimming the Sales Tax, also noted that these out-of-date sales tax laws are costing the
public sector more than $1 billion a year. |
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ABFFE's Finan Elected Chair of Media Coalition
December 10, 2008 - Chris Finan, president of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free
Expression, has been elected to serve as the 2009 chair of Media Coalition,
the trade association dedicated to defending the First Amendment rights of publishers,
booksellers, librarians, and recording, motion picture, and video game producers,
and recording, video, and video game retailers in the U.S. |
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October/November 2008 Bookstore Openings
December 10, 2008 - Fifteen ABA member stores opened over the course of October and November.
Included among them are four new stores in Texas and two in California. An additional
store, which previously sold only stationery items, added books to its mix. |
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Flocking to Twitter
December 10, 2008 - One of the fastest growing services on the Web is a paragon of pith,
and is playing an increasingly important role for businesses of all sizes. On
the free, microblogging platform Twitter, users share a wide range of thoughts,
resources, and questions -- provided each posted update is no longer than 140
characters. Booksellers are using Twitter to announce upcoming events or new
blog posts, to handsell a favorite title (with a link to the store website),
or to brainstorm new ideas with peers, among other things. Twitter is easy to
use, but for those who want a little additional help, ABA has created a concise
introduction to Twitter. |
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Mark Your Calendars: Deadlines for 2009 Indie Next List Nominations
December 10, 2008 - The complete schedule of 2009 bookseller nomination deadlines for the Indie
Next Lists is now available on BookWeb.org. The next deadline is Friday, December
12, for the Valentine's Day list. Following that, Friday, January 2, 2009, is
the deadline for the March Indie Next List. |
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Bookseller's Radio Spots Spread the Indie Message
December 10, 2008 - This week, Riverwalk Books of Chelan, Washington, began running a series
of four radio ads, featuring some of IndieBound's memorable tag lines, to promote the store, as well as books as great holiday gifts. Riverwalk's Libby Manthey has provided
an audio version and a transcript of each ad that booksellers can adapt to their
own markets. |
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"Shop Local" Resonates With Politicians
December 10, 2008 - If anyone doubts that now is the time to focus the spotlight on the
importance of shopping locally and the unique contributions of independent businesses,
they need look no further than the support the Shop Local movement recently
garnered from local politicians in different parts of the country. |
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Black Friday Better Than Expected
December 04, 2008 - The National Retail Federation's good news of a three-percent bump in
this year's Black Friday sales was tempered, since many retailers had slashed
prices so deeply to reap modest results. Some indie booksellers contacted by
BTW enjoyed the upside of an increase in business without the downside
of gouging profits with a fire sale, while others were just relieved to stay
flat in the midst of a recession. In addition, high traffic was often attributed
to strong localism campaigns and the recognition of the value of books. |
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Indie Booksellers Play to Strengths During Hard Times
December 04, 2008 - In mid-November, ABA began an extensive outreach program to members
via e-mails and phone calls both to learn more about business conditions and
to provide information and support during this challenging economic downturn.
Despite the glum economic news, the outreach initiative revealed that indie
booksellers had not panicked regarding the holiday season, nor were their heads
in the sand. Nationwide, booksellers were making adjustments in inventory levels,
payroll costs, and product mix, all with the primary goal of maintaining control
of cash flow. |
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Showcase Indie Bestsellers With New Display
December 04, 2008 - IndieBound has created a special, holiday-themed Indie Bestsellers display
PDF, which features 30 titles -- fiction and nonfiction, some with jacket images
-- in three categories: "great gifts under $5," "affordable,
memorable gifts for kids," and "great gifts under $30." |
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BTW News Briefs
December 04, 2008 - Books=Gifts Video Now Available; European Booksellers Federation
Slams Google Book Settlement; Indie & Small Press Book Fair to Be Held This
Weekend |
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A Grim Week for U.S. Publishers
December 04, 2008 - This week has been a tough one for U.S. publishers. Among the changes announced
over the last several days are a major restructuring at Random House; jobs cuts
at Simon & Schuster, Thomas Nelson, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and R.R.
Bowker; and salary freezes at HarperCollins and Penguin. |
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An Indie Booksellers Indie Film Contest
December 04, 2008 - Participating in ABA's Fourth Annual Winter Institute, and aspiring to
be an indie filmmaker, too? Well, ABA has a contest for you ... something in
the vein of Sundance, the ultimate indie film festival ... maybe. |
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Embedded in Your Community
December 04, 2008 - Carla Cohen, co-owner of Washington, D.C.'s Politics and Prose Bookstore
and Coffeehouse, writes about marketing the store through the activities that
it offers. "Every bookstore in every community has to do some of this,
or something like this, if it is to compete," said Cohen. |
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The January 2009 Indie Next List & Notables Preview
December 04, 2008 - Here's a preview of the first Indie Next List of 2009, now on its way
to ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement, and a reminder that December
Notable titles are now featured in a downloadable flier and shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org. |
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The Indie Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bestseller List
December 03, 2008 - For the eight-week period ending December 2, 2008, and based on sales
at independent bookstores nationwide. |
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New Orleans Indies Launch "Positive" Campaign in the Face of Borders Opening
December 03, 2008 - More than a year ago, when Borders announced plans to renovate an historic
funeral home for a location in The Big Easy, Tom Lowenburg of Octavia Books
and Garden District Book Shop's Britton Trice rallied fellow indie booksellers
-- all members of the New Orleans Gulf-South Booksellers Association -- to develop
a strategic response. |
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A New Source for IndieBound Posters
December 03, 2008 - ABA has set up shop with the independent company RedBubble.com to create
an online store where ABA member bookstores without a viable local vendor can
purchase high-quality, durable posters of 17 IndieBound eye-catching designs. |
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How Three Booksellers Are Using IndieBound to Connect With Local Businesses
December 03, 2008 - Key to the IndieBound movement is the involvement of not only indie
bookstores, but all types of indie retailers, local business alliances, and
community-minded citizens. So, taking that to heart, R.J. Julia Booksellers
in Madison, Connecticut; Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton, Montana; and Anderson's
Bookshop in Naperville, Illinois, recently reached out to other local businesses
in their respective communities, each in different ways, but all with the common
goal of creating a groundswell of community support for the Local First movement. |
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Chicago Indie Featured in Bank of America Ads
December 02, 2008 - Ulrich Sandmeyer of Sandmeyer's Bookstore heeded well the old retail
adage "location, location, location," when he founded his business more than 20 years ago. Now he has parlayed that location
-- in a quaint, old loft district of Chicago -- into the store's appearance in a national
ad campaign for Bank of America. |
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FedEx and UPS to Raise Rates
December 01, 2008 - FedEx and UPS have both announced rate increases, effective January
5, 2009. |
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Bookstores & Hardware Stores Unite for Indie Marketing Initiative
November 26, 2008 - On December 1, nine indie bookstores and eight indie hardware stores,
all members of the San Francisco Locally Owned Merchants Association, will join
in a cooperative marketing initiative designed both to appeal to indie retail
customers and to promote the value of shopping at other independent businesses.
|
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Winter Institute Nearly Booked to Capacity
November 26, 2008 - ABA is encouraging bookstore
and provisional members who are interested in attending the Fourth Annual Winter
Institute to register as soon as possible as the event is now almost booked
to capacity. Once Wi4 registration reaches its limit of 500 participants, a
waiting list will be started. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
November 26, 2008 - Powell's to Harness Solar Energy; Prairie Lights Helps Iowa City Become "World's
Third City of Literature"; Once Upon a Time Celebrates 42nd Birthday;
Illinois Prairie Book Sellers Helping to Revitalize Downtown |
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BTW News Briefs
November 26, 2008 - Borders No Longer for Sale; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Puts Freeze on New Titles; Random
House to Expand E-Books Program; Candlewick Press Announces Templar Books Imprint |
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Independent Business Alliance Takes Wing in Fayetteville
November 26, 2008 - Though Arkansas' Fayetteville Independent Business Alliance launched
only about a month ago, it has managed to garner a great deal of attention in
the local community and in the media. In its short existence, FIBA, which was
founded by Lisa Sharp of Nightbird Books and Liz Slape, whose family owns Penguin
Ed's Barbeque, has been featured on the local television station and in a number
of newspapers. And already the IBA has 20 paid members. |
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New Counter Card Trumpets Trustworthiness of ABA Gift Cards
November 26, 2008 - In addition to issuing reminders about some gift cards' hidden fees
and declining values, this year consumer groups and retail experts are warning
holiday shoppers to be mindful that the struggling economy is going to push
more retailers into bankruptcy, and when a company declares bankruptcy it doesn't
have to redeem gift cards. To help stores participating in the ABA Gift Card
Program promote sales of their gift cards and allay customers' possible concerns,
a new editable counter card highlighting the value and trustworthiness of ABA Gift Cards is now available on BookWeb.org. |
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Facebook Fan Drive Spreads the IndieBound Message
November 26, 2008 - The IndieBound movement is growing ... in bookstores and other independent
retailers nationwide, online at IndieBound.org, and now on the social networking
site Facebook. The IndieBound Facebook profile provides free and easy marketing
to a demographic that's typically hard to reach. And now you can help spread
the indie message on Facebook by becoming a fan, and sharing IndieBound with
others. |
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SharedBook Offers Personalized Children's Classics
November 25, 2008 - SharedBook, a custom publishing platform provider, is partnering with
booksellers to offer customers a variety of customized classic children's books
featuring personalized photos and a greeting. |
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Canadian Booksellers Association Launches Indie Campaign
November 25, 2008 - The Canadian Booksellers Association has rolled out a new marketing
campaign -- Independents Matter -- that invites consumers to "Think Independent.
Read Independent. Buy Independent." The program, which was influenced by
the American Booksellers Association's IndieBound movement, was launched on
November 15, CBA's Independents' Day, and will tap into the growing localism
movement in Canada. |
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Tough Times Resources Available From ABA
November 25, 2008 - To help booksellers meet the challenges of the current economic downturn,
ABA is offering members a number of free resources, including a one-on-one financial
consultation, an online seminar, Bookselling This Week's Tough Times
series, education program materials, and more. |
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Special Discount Available on Custom ChicoBags
November 24, 2008 - ChicoBag Company, the creator of unique, reusable, brightly colored bags that
compact easily into an attached pouch, is now offering special volume discount
pricing for custom bags to ABA members participating in the IndieBound program.
ChicoBags come in two varieties -- "The ChicoBag Original," which
carries up to 25 lbs., and "The ChicoBag Vita," which carries up to
40 lbs. |
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IndieBound.org Introduces Holiday E-Cards
November 20, 2008 - Just in time
for the busy holiday season, IndieBound.org has introduced a new E-Card feature.
Visitors to IndieBound.org can now send electronic greetings featuring one of
four animations based on IndieBound Holiday designs. Anyone can create and send
an E-Card, but community members can also include a link to their Wish List
-- a nice hint for the holidays! Each card can include a custom greeting as
well as a personal message. |
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ABA Member Outreach Aims to Lend Support in Tough Times
November 20, 2008 - The American Booksellers Association has undertaken an aggressive outreach
program to provide members with information and support to help them cope with
the current economic downturn and its effect on retail sales this holiday season.
To spread the word about this education effort, ABA has sent an e-mail communication
to every member bookstore with the offer of a follow-up call from an association
staff member who can provide details about a variety of Tough Times resources
that are available free from ABA. |
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Booksellers Ramp Up Strategic Marketing Plans: Part Two
November 20, 2008 - With retailers sharply competing for fewer consumer dollars, holiday
bargains are being trumpeted early and everywhere. While many booksellers are
adding discounts to the marketing mix, they're also emphasizing creative and
community-minded campaigns. Among those who have developed the latter are Northshire
Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vermont; Nightbird Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas;
and Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore in Salt Lake City, Utah. |
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National Book Awards Ceremony Reflects Hope for the Future
November 20, 2008 - This year's National Book Awards were presented last night at a ceremony
at Cipriani Wall Street, where despite another day of bad economic news, the
mood was upbeat and winners talked of a new era of possibility. |
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Emerging Leaders Council Announces Ingram Scholarship Winners
November 20, 2008 - As BTW went to press, the Emerging Leaders Council announced
the recipients of six Winter Institute scholarships sponsored by Ingram Book
Company/Ingram Publisher Services. |
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Winter Institute Almost "Sold Out"
November 19, 2008 - ABA's Fourth Annual Winter Institute, which will be held in Salt Lake
City from Thursday, January 29, to Sunday, February 1, is now almost booked
to capacity. The free education event is open exclusively to ABA bookstore and
provisional members. |
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Need IndieBound Holiday Inspiration? See What Other Booksellers Have Done
November 19, 2008 - Booksellers from coast to coast are taking IndieBound's holiday marketing
materials and are making them their own. Here's a look at some of the things
they're doing to impress upon customers the value of the book as a holiday gift
and the importance of shopping locally. |
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Santa Gets Caught Reading
November 19, 2008 - The Association of American Publishers Get Caught Reading campaign's
newest poster features Santa Claus. Stores in the IndieBound program will be
receiving a copy in the December Red Box. |
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The E-Fairness Effort Needs You
November 19, 2008 - ABA is calling on booksellers in 44 states that collect sales tax to
write to their governors today to urge that online retailers with in-state affiliates
be required to collect and remit sales tax in accordance with existing laws.
Though it's the busiest time of the year for booksellers, in view of the economic
climate and the many states projecting significant budget shortfalls, ABA believes
it is crucial for booksellers to write their governors about e-fairness now.
A template letter is available. |
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Talking Localism on the West Coast
November 19, 2008 - This week, Stacy Mitchell, author of Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses (Beacon) and senior researcher with the Institute for Local Self Reliance, told an audience in Chico, California, "As time goes on, there is more evidence of the hidden cost of big-box stores -- that they eliminate more jobs than they create." During her presentation, she also cited a report by a UC Irvine professor who studied the economic impact of 3,000 Wal-Marts and found that on average each takes 150 jobs away from the community, as reported by Chico News & Review. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
November 19, 2008 - Village Books Named Outstanding Philanthropic
Small Business; Brookline Booksmith Chosen Best of Boston; Children's Booksellers
Open Store for Adults; Oregon Parents Name Baby After Powell's Books |
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BTW News Briefs
November 19, 2008 - NRF Holiday Study: Books to Be a Hot Item This Year; Online Retailers
to Continue Free Shipping Promotions; NEIBA Names Grant Recipients; Former Olsson's
Events Team Launches Offsitebooks; PNBA Announces Book Awards Short List |
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The Indie Mystery Bestseller List
November 19, 2008 - For the eight-week period ending November 18, 2008, and based on sales at independent
bookstores throughout the U.S. |
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Kalamazoo Businesses Bring the Indie Message Home to Kids
November 19, 2008 - Nicole Butz and Joanna Parzakonis, co-owners of Bookbug in Kalamazoo, Michigan, have launched a promotion that unites a group of independent, locally owned businesses under the name "Indie Kids Kalamazoo." The program offers families a passport "to help them shop responsibly and save money at some of Kalamazoo's kid-friendliest businesses," the group said. |
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Happy Anniversary ...
November 19, 2008 - With so much bad economic news clogging the airwaves, it's easy sometimes
to forget the good. We're happy to report, however, that over the past few weeks
a number of indie bookstores across the country have reached significant milestones
that were certainly cause for celebration. |
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A Holiday Sale on IndieBound Bags
November 19, 2008 - From now until December 12, W.G. Ellerkamp
is offering 10 to 15 percent discounts on IndieBound paper bags, reusable totes,
and giftwrap. The sale, which company president Jack Ellerkamp said is their
way of saying thanks to ABA members for their business, includes merchandise
bags, handled shopping bags, and the very popular Peace. Love. Books. reusable
tote. Three specialty giftwrap designs are also on sale. |
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Sales at Bookstores Decline in September
November 18, 2008 - After a rise inAugust, retail sales at bookstores fell again in September.
Preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census show bookstore
sales in September 2008 declined by 4.5 percent compared to September 2007. |
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Bestseller Reporting Deadlines Remain Unchanged
November 18, 2008 - Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Indie Bestseller List for the
week ending November 23 will be published, along with our next edition of Bookselling This Week,
on Wednesday, November 26. Bestseller reporting deadlines are as usual. |
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LIBRIS Is Local
November 18, 2008 - Booksellers searching for affordable, comprehensive business
insurance who want to stay true to the IndieBound movement need look no further
than LIBRIS, the property, liability, and workers' compensation insurance, developed
by the American Booksellers Association to address the specific needs of independent
bookstores. |
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ABA Announces Wi4 Keynote Speakers
November 13, 2008 - This week, ABA announces the participants in the Winter Institute's
keynote event -- a discussion about the state of the book industry featuring
some of the smartest minds in the industry. |
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The Winter '08/'09 Children's Indie Next List Preview
November 13, 2008 - Here's a preview of the Winter '08/'09 Kids' Indie Next List, which is now featured on IndieBound.org
in a user-friendly, interactive format that lets consumers peruse these insightful
indie recommendations and purchase titles. |
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Booksellers' Sales Tax Letter-Writing Campaign "All Part of Shop Local"
November 13, 2008 - ABA is calling on booksellers in 44 states that collect sales tax to
write to their governors today to urge that online retailers with in-state affiliates
be required to collect and remit sales tax in accordance with existing laws.
Booksellers who have heeded the call say that, given the current budgetary plight
of most states, it's important for their colleagues to take a few minutes from
their busy schedules to send out the letter that ABA has provided. |
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Bookselling in Tough Times: Loss Control
November 13, 2008 - Booksellers who think loss control is not a store's top priority,
especially when times are tough and profits are harder to come by, should talk
to David Bolduc of Boulder Book Store in Colorado. If it weren't for the steps
he started taking some 25 years ago to secure his bookstore, Bolduc's store
could be losing around $80,000 per year in shrinkage. This week, BTW
talked to Bolduc, Allison Hill of Vroman's, and Dale Sczeblowski of Porter Square
Books about their strategies for thwarting would-be thieves. |
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Meeting the Struggling Economy Head-On: Booksellers Ramp Up Strategic Marketing Plans
November 13, 2008 - In light of a significant decline in consumer spending in the weeks leading up to the holiday season, retailers nationwide are creating proactive and strategic
marketing promotions to ramp up their sales, cash flow, and visibility. Last
week, a report in the New York Times noted that "seven weeks before
Christmas, stores are offering eye-catching bargains as they struggle to move
merchandise." Many booksellers, too, have adjusted their holiday plans,
implementing such steps as one-day storewide sales, discounts on volume sales
of gift cards, and e-mail blasts with subscriber-only coupons, all in the hope
of creating a detour that goes from Big Box to Main Street. |
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Bookselling in Tough Times: A Roundup
November 13, 2008 - In case you missed any of Bookselling This Week's previous coverage
of Bookselling in Tough Times, here's a look at the resources available to help
ABA member stores weather this season's economic challenges. |
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Customizable Counter Card Promotes IndieBound.org Wish List to Customers
November 13, 2008 - Last week, IndieBound.org introduced a new Wish List feature that allows
members of the Indie Community to build a list of books and e-mail it to friends
and family, along with a list of their favorite bookstores. Now, there's a new
flier in the Bookseller DIY to help stores promote the Wish List to their customers.
The editable, 8-1/2" x 11" design can be used as a counter card, a
handout at the store cash wrap, or as a bag stuffer. It can be hung in the bookstore
and around town. |
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Wanted: Your Knowledge & Experience
November 13, 2008 - The ABA education team is busy working on Winter Institute session materials
and is interested in talking with booksellers who have experience with book
clubs, book fairs, or co-op. |
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Random House to Launch "Books=Gifts" Campaign
November 13, 2008 - Against a backdrop of a significant economic downturn -- and recent
projections of flat to falling holiday retail sales -- Random House, Inc., has
developed a new promotional campaign to help spur both in-store and online book
sales. Launching on November 24, the campaign will trumpet that "Books=Gifts."
The initiative about the value of books as holiday gifts will not be Random
House-title specific in its message to consumers, and it will include print
ads, online video, online outreach from Random House, and a number of marketing
tools for booksellers. |
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Correction
November 13, 2008 - The author's name was incorrectly printed in the December Indie Next
List flier for Blindspot: A Novel, by Jane Kamensky and Jill Lepore (Spiegel
& Grau). The online version of the December Indie Next List is correct.
IndieBound apologizes for this error. |
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Alternative Weeklies Launch Campaign to Promote Shopping Locally
November 13, 2008 - More than 70 alternative newspapers are encouraging their readers to
spend at least $100 of their holiday money at locally owned businesses in their communities this fall
-- a move that could pump more than $2.9 billion into local economies strapped for cash, according to the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. |
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New York College Towns Welcome Indie Bookstores
November 13, 2008 - Two upstate New York college towns have welcomed the openings of new
independent general bookstores with a steady stream of appreciation and business. The Green Toad
Bookstore launched on November 1 in Oneonta, and a month earlier RiverRead Books opened in Binghamton. |
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Wi4 Merchandising Tours: Filled and Going Fast
November 12, 2008 - Among the special features of the upcoming ABA Winter Institute are
store merchandising tours led by Calvin Crosby of San Francisco's Books Inc.
and of the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association's "Peer
Eye Review." The tour to The King's English Bookshop for booksellers at
small to mid-size stores is already booked to capacity, however, and a waiting
list is now forming. The tour to Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore, which will concentrate
on merchandising issues especially relevant to larger stores, is filling fast. |
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Updated Wholesaler Holiday Hours & Cut-Off Times
November 12, 2008 - It's a very busy time of year, and not every wholesaler was able
to provide us with their extended holiday hours in time for last week's issue.
Here's an updated and expanded list of wholesalers' extended holiday hours ...
and, after checking our list twice, for good measure, we've added wholesalers'
cut-off times for holiday ordering. |
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Share Your Banned Books Week Experience With ABFFE
November 12, 2008 - The American Booksellers
Foundation for Free Expression is asking booksellers to complete a short, online
survey about Banned Books Week activities and information. The survey's 10 questions
take just a few minutes to complete, and the responses will help improve the
resources available for the annual event. |
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Winter Institute Scholarship Winners Announced
November 06, 2008 - Twenty-seven booksellers
have been named the recipients of publisher-sponsored scholarships to ABA's
Fourth Annual Winter Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah. ABA also awarded one
Emerging Leaders scholarship and one scholarship to a bookseller chosen at random
from among those who dropped off a business card at the association's booth at
the fall regional trade shows. The Northern California Independent Booksellers
Association named the recipient of a Winter Institute scholarship sponsored
by Random House in memory of longtime sales rep Susan
Reiheld. |
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IndieBound.org Debuts Book Wish Lists, Book Search
November 06, 2008 - Just in time for the holiday retail season, IndieBound.org has introduced
a new Wish List feature for members of the Indie Community. This feature allows
anyone to build a list of books and e-mail it to friends and family, along with
a list of their favorite bookstores. The Wish List feature builds on the new
IndieBound.org Book Search, also introduced this week. |
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Bookselling in Tough Times: Cash Flow
November 06, 2008 - While the results of the presidential election have removed at least
some of the uncertainty that has been hounding retailers in the ramp up to the
holiday shopping season, there are, unfortunately, still plenty of questions
about the economy that won't be resolved anytime soon. Having control of cash
flow will be key to determining whether your business is able to handle what
lies ahead. This week, Roxanne Coady of R.J. Julia Booksellers, Dan Chartrand
of Water Street Bookstore, Casey Coonerty Protti of Bookshop Santa Cruz, and
Neil Strandberg of Tattered Cover Book Store share some cash flow best
practices. |
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Booksellers Hope for Positive Jolt From Obama Win
November 06, 2008 - In the wake of Tuesday's elections, there was consensus among several
indie booksellers who spoke to BTW that daily newspaper sales were through
the roof, Dems were deliriously happy, and we all have no easy road ahead of
us. At President-elect Barack Obama's local bookstore, 57th Street Books/Seminary
Co-op, the mood was "beyond excited," while at Changing Hands in Sen.
John McCain's home state of Arizona the atmosphere was more mixed. |
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Trade Associations Call on Governors to Ensure Sales Tax Equity
November 06, 2008 - Eleven independent trade groups joined this week to urge the governors
in 44 states that collect sales tax to equitably enforce existing tax laws.
The groups stressed that, given the budget shortfalls that most states are facing,
now more than ever, it's a state's obligation to ensure sales tax equity by
requiring out-of-state retailers with nexus in the state to collect and remit
sales tax. As an example, the groups pointed to New York State's Internet Sales
Tax provision, which became law on June 1 and is expected to garner $73 million
in lost sales tax revenue for the cash-strapped state in fiscal year 2009. |
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Former Booksellers Plan Opening in L.A.'s Echo Park
November 06, 2008 - Although Claudia Colodro and Liz Garo had left bookselling for other careers,
neither could stay away for good. Colodro was a bookseller at Dutton's North
Hollywood before leaving to get her master's in social work, and Garo, a former
Book Soup staffer, became a talent booker at an L.A. music venue. Now the friends
have pooled their collective experience to open STORIES, a new and used general
bookstore with an outdoor patio and cafe in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los
Angeles. The store will hold its opening kickoff party on Saturday, November
15. |
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BTW News Briefs
November 06, 2008 - Sales Rep Group Changes; AAP Reports Decrease in September Sales;
Online Retailers "Not Immune" to Challenging Holiday Season |
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The December 2008 Indie Next List & Notables Preview
November 06, 2008 - Here's a preview of the December Indie Next List now on its way to ABA
member stores in the IndieBound movement. |
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Bookselling in an Uncertain World
November 06, 2008 - Kristen McLean, executive director of the Association of Booksellers
for Children, offers lots of insight and resources for booksellers facing
a tough economy in this column, which first appeared in the October issue of
Toolbox, an e-newsletter for frontline children's booksellers. |
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Wholesalers Extend Holiday Hours
November 06, 2008 - It's that time of the year when book orders take on a much greater
sense of urgency, and to accommodate the holiday rush most wholesalers will
be extending their hours. Here's a rundown of the holiday hours as provided
by several major wholesalers. |
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Winter Institute Filling Up
November 05, 2008 - Registration for the American Booksellers Association's Fourth Annual
Winter Institute, a free two-day education symposium exclusively for ABA bookstore
and provisional members, is now almost booked to capacity. Event registration
is capped at 500 participants. |
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Holiday Prep: Don't Forget...
November 05, 2008 - As the country's attention turns from this week's elections to Thanksgiving
and the start of the holiday shopping season, Bookselling This Week presents
a list of deadlines, supply resources, and marketing suggestions to help make
booksellers' lives a bit easier. |
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ChicoBag Offers Special Discount on Custom Bags
November 05, 2008 - ChicoBag Company, the creator of unique, reusable, brightly colored
bags, is now offering special volume discount pricing for custom bags to ABA
members participating in the IndieBound program. ChicoBags come in two varieties
-- "The ChicoBag Original," which carries up to 25 lbs., and "The
ChicoBag Vita," which carries up to 40 lbs. They both compact easily into
an attached pouch that fits in a pocket, backpack, or purse. |
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Peace. Love. Books. Bags to Arrive Soon
November 05, 2008 - ABA member stores that have placed orders for IndieBound reusable bags
bearing the movement's popular "Peace. Love. Books." slogan should
be receiving them soon. W.G. Ellerkamp Inc., the bag's supplier, expects to
begin shipping the tote to stores sometime next week. |
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The Indie Politics & Current Events Bestsellers List
November 05, 2008 - For the eight-week period ending November 4, 2008, and based on sales
in independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Ordering Underway for "Can You See What I See?" Gift Cards
November 05, 2008 - Due to technical difficulties, the launch of the Walter Wick "Can
You See What I See?" ABA Gift Card promotion on Friday, October 31, was
delayed; however, all four gift card designs are now available on the ABA Gift
Card Program order site. |
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Above the Treeline to Test New Online, Interactive Catalog Product
October 30, 2008 - Above the Treeline announced today that on November 1 it would begin
field-testing Edelweiss, a new online, interactive catalog product. The test
will include publishers and booksellers and will last for six months, at which
time the company plans to release the next version of the application for wider
rollout. The product, which was developed with input from ABA, independent retailers, and publishers, provides a revolutionary new way for buyers and sales reps to review and order new titles. |
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Bookselling in Tough Times: Remainders
October 30, 2008 - Effective inventory management can mean the difference between
having a profitable or unprofitable store. And that's why, in both good times
and bad, many booksellers turn to remainders as a way to supplement and complement
their inventory without breaking the bank. The benefits of selling remainders
are simple but significant: They cost less and offer a higher markup. For this
week's Tough Times installment, BTW talked to Arsen Kashkashian of Boulder
Book Store, Bob Sommer of Changing Hands Bookstore, Mitch Gaslin of Food for
Thought Books Collective, and Jay Peterson at Magers & Quinn Booksellers about the ins and outs
of stocking remainders. |
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Booksellers Needed to Test "Tough Times" Webinar
October 30, 2008 - In a holiday season marked by decided economic uncertainty, booksellers
are focused more than ever on meeting their business goals with a proactive
strategy. And the key to that is education. On Monday,
November 3, ABA is launching a test of a new webinar (an online seminar) focusing
on surviving tough times, and it needs a maximum of 15 booksellers who are willing
to participate and provide feedback on the experience. |
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November Indie Next List Notables Fliers & Shelf-Talkers Ready for Download
October 30, 2008 - The November Indie Notables list, featuring an intriguing range of fiction,
nonfiction, and mystery titles, is now featured in flier and shelf-talker formats,
available for download on BookWeb.org. |
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Edelweiss Demo Session Added to Wi4 Program
October 30, 2008 - The American Booksellers Association has announced changes to its Fourth
Annual Winter Institute program schedule to allow for the addition of a new
session: "Above the Treeline Electronic Catalog Solution: A Demonstration." |
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Ring in the Season With Holiday IndieBound
October 30, 2008 - Nurturing community and emphasizing the long-lasting value of the book
are the heart of the new IndieBound holiday marketing materials, launched last
week in the Bookseller DIY. More than 40 different designs for posters, gift
labels, bookmarks, ad slicks, postcards, palm cards, newsletters, bag stuffers,
and more have been created to draw customers into the store; to motivate them
to buy once they're there; and to remind them after they leave of all that
your store has to offer and of the importance of shopping locally. |
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A Day Without Chains
October 30, 2008 - November 22, the Saturday prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, is America
Unchained! Day -- a nationwide community-based initiative to encourage residents
to shop indies for the entire day. Independent retailers, business alliances,
and trade associations are all invited to participate in the fifth annual event,
sponsored by the American Independent Business Alliance. To help communities
get started, AMIBA offers a variety of supporting materials via its website,
www.amiba.net. |
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Politics & Prose Works With Dow Jones to Fill Lubuto Library
October 30, 2008 - When global business news and information services provider Dow Jones
& Co. launched an employee book drive to provide more than 4,000 titles
for a new library that it's funding in Zambia, Jane Meyers, founder of the Lubuto
Library Project, believed strongly that those books should come from an independent
bookstore. The result is a partnership between Dow Jones and Washington, D.C.'s
Politics and Prose Bookstore & Coffeehouse that will fill the indigenously
styled library with titles carefully selected to provide educational opportunities
to Zambia's street kids, orphans, and other at-risk children. |
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August/September ABA Member Store Openings
October 30, 2008 - Fourteen ABA member stores opened for business in August and September,
including one branch store (DIESEL - Brentwood), a non-storefront location (Reading
Chair Books), and a store in Panama (Safari Bookshop). |
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Around Indies
October 30, 2008 - Bunch of Grapes' New Owner to Open Temporary Location; Schuler's Seeks
Liquor License for Downtown Store; Ability to Adapt Key to Kazoo Books' Longevity |
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BTW News Briefs
October 30, 2008 - Obama and McCain Reveal Their Favorite Books; NECBA Launches Interactive
Online Touring Map; NRF Says Online Sales to Grow "Only" 12 Percent,
Asks Congress to Spur Consumer Spending; Study Finds Blogs Influence Purchases More Than Social Sites |
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Network With Your Customers on IndieBound.org
October 30, 2008 - To help ABA member booksellers
make the most of the social networking resources on IndieBound.org, a tutorial
specific to ABA members has been posted on BookWeb. |
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ABFFE Seeks Bookseller Input Via Banned Books Week Survey
October 29, 2008 - The
American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) is asking booksellers
to complete a short,
online survey about Banned Books Week activities and information. The survey's
10 questions will take just a few minutes to complete, and the responses will
help ABFFE and the other sponsors of Banned
Books Week improve the resources available for the annual event. |
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A Lively Look at the Dead
October 29, 2008 - Those whose daily perusal of the news is not complete without a thorough
read of the obituaries know their charms -- a knack for concisely rendering
a life, as well as providing a cultural snapshot. Since 1995, The Economist
has been publishing the obituaries of an unpredictable mix of people, many with
some surprisingly revealing backstories. Now, more than 200 of those obits have
been gathered by editors Ann Wroe and Keith Colquhoun in The Economist Book of Obituaries, published by Bloomberg Press. |
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Authors Guild, AAP, Google Reach Settlement in Copyright Case
October 28, 2008 - On Tuesday, October 28, the Authors Guild, the Association of American
Publishers, and Google announced a settlement agreement in a class-action suit
brought by book authors and the Authors Guild and a separate lawsuit filed by
five publishers representing AAP's membership. The lawsuits, filed in fall 2005,
challenged Google's plan to digitize, search, and show snippets of in-copyright
books and to share digital copies with libraries without the explicit permission
of the copyright owner. |
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The Galaxy Bookshop Read-a-Thon: A Resounding Success
October 28, 2008 - Sandy Scott, events coordinator at The Galaxy Bookshop in Hardwick Center,
Vermont, writes about last weekend's store Read-a-Thon, which exceeded expectations,
raised more than $500 for Hardwick Head Start, and had customers looking forward
to next year's event. |
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Nominations Sought for 2009 Pannell Awards
October 27, 2008 - The Women's National Book Association is seeking nominations for its
2009 Pannell Awards, honoring retail bookstores that excel at inspiring an interest
in reading, as well as creatively bringing books and young people together.
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Last Chance for ABA Board of Directors Nominations
October 27, 2008 - Friday, October 31, is the deadline for nominations of director candidates
to serve on the ABA Board. Nominations may be submitted to the Nominating Committee
by any ABA member via an electronic form or a downloadable PDF on BookWeb.org. |
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A Message From the ABA Board About IndieBound's New Holiday Marketing Materials
October 23, 2008 - The ABA Board of Directors is urging booksellers to make the
most of a new array of targeted holiday marketing materials focusing on the
lasting value of the book as a great gift. More than 40 different designs are
now available in the Bookseller DIY, including posters, bookmarks, postcards,
ad slicks, and more, bearing a variety of spirit lines such as "Books Return
Dividends for Life," "Why a Book? Because a Tie Never Changed Anyone's
Life," and "Books Are a Gift Beyond Measure." |
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The 2008 Indie Next List Highlights Preview
October 23, 2008 - From the hundreds of thousands of books published this year, the indie
bookselling community has gleaned an impressive 2008 Indie Next Highlights List,
featuring great fiction and nonfiction that has garnered especially strong support
from ABA members nationwide. The list includes 51 titles, as well as an additional
eight selections that will be available in paperback in early 2009. |
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Bookselling in Tough Times: Merchandising
October 23, 2008 - At any time of year, in any kind of economy, the importance of
merchandising cannot be overstated. Offering customers a visually enticing and
comfortable spot to shop, with the right product and title mix, can mean the
difference between a profitable season and a poor one. With that in mind, BTW asked John Evans of Diesel, a Bookstore; Wendy Hudson of Nantucket Bookworks;
Anne Holman of The King's English Bookshop; Steve Bercu of BookPeople; and Carole Horne
of Harvard Book Store about their best merchandising practices. |
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The Winter Institute: A Transformative, Do-Not-Miss Experience
October 23, 2008 - Registered for the 2009 Winter Institute in Salt Lake City yet? The
free event, capped at 500 attendees, is packed with tough-times education, networking,
author events, and store tours. Previous years' participants, including Paul
Yamazaki of City Lights Books, Ray Nurmi of Snowbound Books, Andrea Avantaggio
of Maria's Bookshop, and Sue Zumberge of Common Good Books, have found the Winter
Institute a no-risk, high return investment in their businesses. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
October 23, 2008 - Outwrite Provides Transportation for Early Voters; Sausalito's Habitat Books Plans Move to New Downtown Location; Rainy
Day's Vivien Jennings Honored; Legacy Books to Hold Pre-Opening Celebration |
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BTW News Briefs
October 23, 2008 - "Credit-Addicted" Consumers Turning to Cash; Record
Visitors at 60th Frankfurt Book Fair; New Account Manager at Pubnet |
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IndieBound.org Adds More E-Commerce Sites
October 23, 2008 - One of the key features of IndieBound.org
is "Shop Local Online," which directs book buyers to the website of
a bookstore near them. Books featured on the Indie Next List, the Indie Bestseller
Lists, and elsewhere on the site include links for consumers to buy the book.
Click on one of these links, enter your zip code, and you'll be presented with
some online shopping options near you. And if you do it today, you might notice
some new stores on the list. |
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Ordering for Free "Can You See What I See?" Gift Cards Begins October 31
October 23, 2008 - Bookstores participating in the ABA
Gift Card Program can begin ordering free Walter Wick "Can You See What
I See?" gift cards with presenters, courtesy of Scholastic, at noon EDT on Friday, October 31. Scholastic
is covering the cost of the cards, the transaction fee,
and the presenters. Bookstores only need pay for shipping and handling
and to add an imprint, if desired. |
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ABA Board Nominations Due Next Week
October 23, 2008 - Nominations of qualified candidates to serve on the ABA Board of Directors
must be submitted by Friday, October 31, to the Nominating Committee, chaired
by Steve Bercu of BookPeople in Austin, Texas. Any ABA member may submit nominations
via an electronic form or a downloadable PDF on BookWeb.org. Under the association's
bylaws, the terms of three members of the nine-member board expire each year,
and at least one of the three nominated candidates cannot have served on the
current board. Board members are eligible for two three-year terms. |
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Booksellers PTO Publishing Launches Beta Portal
October 22, 2008 - The Booksellers Print-to-Order Publishing Program -- from ABA and Applewood
Books -- has launched a beta version of its participating booksellers' online
portal, the latest development in the initiative's rollout. The program, open
to any ABA member in good standing, gives independent booksellers the ability
to publish any titles in the public domain, or those whose rights have been secured
from the author, and to sell them at margins from 50 to 75 percent. |
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SCIBA Feast & Trade Show Earns Rave Reviews
October 22, 2008 - The 2008 Southern California Independent Booksellers Association Authors
Feast & Trade Show wowed booksellers with a mix of education, authors, and
community. Attendance was up at this year's show, which included six more bookstores
than in 2007. |
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A Plan for the First 100 Days of the 44th President
October 22, 2008 - Released in e-book format this week, St. Martin's Press' The 100
Day Action Plan to Save the Planet by William S. Becker outlines a plan
for the 44th President of the United States to "transform America's energy
supply and economy." It is now available for purchase from bookstores participating
in ABA's E-Commerce Solution as well as from other e-book sellers. |
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Blue Willow Spearheads Hurricane Ike Book Drive
October 22, 2008 - Houston's Blue Willow Bookshop has begun a nationwide book drive to
restock the shelves in three school libraries that lost most of their collections
due to Hurricane Ike. The store is encouraging booksellers, publishers, and
book lovers to join the campaign to provide literature and reference materials
as soon as possible. |
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A Wiz of a Shelf-Talker
October 22, 2008 - Gary Frank's accomplishments during his 30 years building The Booksmith
into a San Francisco Bay Area institution were many. However, last year, when
Frank sold the store and went into semi-retirement, there was still one thing
that he felt he could have done better -- shelf-talkers. Freed up from full-time
retailing, Frank set out to develop a solution. The result is Shelfwiz, an ingenious
and very tidy shelf-talker holder that clips to bookshelves and features a Plexiglass
frame. |
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Meeting the Challenge: A Letter to Booksellers From ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz on the Economy -- Plus Other Resources for Tough Times
October 16, 2008 - This week, ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz addresses the challenges facing
booksellers in a turbulent economic environment and with their most important
selling season on the horizon. Although no one can predict exactly how the economic
downturn will affect sales this fall, Domnitz reminds booksellers that now more
than ever, it's important to hearken back to business fundamentals, especially
relating to controlling inventory and payroll. (Other
Resources for Tough Times.) |
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Bookselling in Tough Times: Staffing
October 16, 2008 - During tough times, it's imperative that booksellers control costs.
Payroll represents approximately 20 percent of a store's costs, so taking control of staffing is crucial for stores
looking to weather economic turmoil. This week, Bill Reilly of The River's End Bookstore
in Oswego, New York; Dan Chartrand of Water Street Bookstore in Exeter, New
Hampshire; Carla Jimenez of Inkwood Books in Tampa, Florida; and Chuck Robinson
of Village Books in Bellingham, Washington, share their insights on staffing
during economic uncertainty. |
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Books to Spur Impulse Buys at the Cashwrap
October 16, 2008 - Jamie Robinson of Bestsellers Books & Coffee knows that the right "funny or cute books put near the cash counter"
can bump up the bookstore's bottom line. The Mason, Michigan, bookseller recently shared some of her successes and asked fellow booksellers to share theirs in BookWeb's Bookseller-to-Bookseller Forum. Booksellers
from Maine to Montana answered the call with a range of titles that ran from
very low- to very highbrow, with low often taking the lead.
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Peace. Love. Books. Reusable Bags
October 16, 2008 - W.G. Ellerkamp Inc., the official supplier of IndieBound bags to ABA
member bookstores, is now taking orders for new reusable bags bearing the movement's
popular "Peace. Love. Books." slogan. Orders placed now will be filled
in November. |
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BTW News Briefs
October 16, 2008 - South Carolina's Booksmith Subjected to Politically-Charged Verbal Attacks;
NRF Survey Confirms Holiday Shopping Season Will Be Challenging; The White
Tiger Wins the 2008 Man Booker Prize for Fiction; University of Nebraska
Press Goes to Lightning Source for Two Le Clezio Titles |
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Around Indie Bookstores
October 16, 2008 - Former Cody's Manager Founds New Author Events Series; Kepler's Membership
Drive Opens With Paperback Dreams Screening; The BookMark Celebrates
a New Look; Mysterious Galaxy Tallies the Presidential Vote |
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ABFFE Urges Booksellers to Post Free Speech Pledge
October 16, 2008 - With passions growing in the final weeks of the presidential campaign
(as evidenced by reports of attacks on Booksmith in Seneca, South Carolina),
the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression is reminding booksellers
that one way to try to handle complaints about the content of the books they
carry is to post a statement proclaiming their support for free speech. |
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Harper Creates State by State Essay Contest for Booksellers
October 15, 2008 - HarperCollins is soliciting entries exclusively from booksellers for
regional versions of Ecco's State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America.
Booksellers are being encouraged to submit an essay about any state they desire,
and Harper will pick the best and publish all-bookseller regional versions in
paperback in the next year. A percentage of the proceeds from sales of the books
will be donated to the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. |
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RiverRun Hosts Second Annual Read-a-Thon
October 15, 2008 - RiverRun Bookstore
held its second "Great Expectations: A Reading Marathon," a 24-hour,
customer read-a-thon from October 10 through October 11. Local college and high
school students and other volunteers participated at RiverRun's used bookstore,
SecondRun, to benefit a local nonprofit. |
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Bookstore Sales Bounce Back in August
October 15, 2008 - After a two-month downward trend, retail sales at bookstores bounced
back in August. Preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census
show bookstore sales in August 2008 increased 5.4 percent compared to August
2007. |
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Main Street, Not Wall Street Initiative to Launch in Lehigh Valley
October 15, 2008 - Although most pundits are predicting a lackluster holiday shopping season,
there's at least one local business group that's hoping to turn the current
economic situation to its advantage. The Sustainable Business Network of the
Greater Lehigh Valley in southeast Pennsylvania plans to launch a Main Street,
Not Wall Street campaign to highlight to consumers the advantages of spending
their dollars at local independent businesses. |
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The Indie October Baseball Bestseller List
October 15, 2008 - With Major League Baseball's post-season in full-swing, we present the
The Indie October Baseball Bestseller List, based on sales in independent bookstores
nationwide for the eight-week period ending October 14, 2008. |
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Bookstore Gift Cards Near Top of Holiday Lists
October 15, 2008 - During the 2007 holiday shopping season, bookstore gift cards were the
third most popular gift cards purchased, below only those from department stores
and restaurants, and above seven other categories, including electronics, discount,
and clothing store cards, according to the National Retail Federation's "2008
Holiday Survival Kit." To help booksellers meet the growing demand for
gift cards, three new IndieBound-inspired ABA Gift Card designs were
launched in September, along with four new presenters. |
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National Book Award Finalists Announced
October 15, 2008 - On Wednesday, October 15, author Scott Turow announced the 20 finalists
for the 2008 National Book Awards from the stage of the Steppenwolf Theater
in Chicago. |
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Free Classifieds Available to ABA Bookstore Members
October 15, 2008 - All ABA Bookstore Members in good standing are entitled to four free
two-week Classified Ad insertions in Bookselling This Week 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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Wi4 Scholarship Deadline October 17
October 09, 2008 - Booksellers interested in entering the drawing for publisher-sponsored
scholarships to the Fourth Annual Winter Institute have until next Friday, October
17, to submit their names and contact information to the American Booksellers
Association. The scholarships, supported by 25 of ABA's Publisher Partners,
will cover the cost of reasonable transportation and up to a three-night stay
at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown, the host hotel for Wi4. |
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Bookselling in Tough Times: Marketing
October 09, 2008 - This week, Carole Horne of Harvard Book Store, Casey Coonerty
Protti of Bookshop Santa Cruz, and John Hugo of Andover Bookstore share their
tips for marketing when money is tight and the holiday season is fast-approaching.
Key among their recommendations is getting the message out that books are a
great gift value. |
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NCIBA Show Earns Kudos
October 09, 2008 - The Bay Area's bookselling home team was out in force throughout three
days of busy programming at the recent Northern California Independent Booksellers
Association trade show at the Oakland Convention Center and Oakland City Center
Marriott. Booksellers praised both the educational programming and the author-related
events, and, despite a backdrop of sobering financial news, orders were being
written, as stores made final preparations for the holiday season. |
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French Novelist Wins Nobel Prize
October 09, 2008 - On Thursday, October 9, Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, a French novelist,
children's author, and essayist, was named the winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize
for literature. The Swedish Academy described Le Clezio as an "author of
new departures, poetic adventure, and sensual ecstasy, explorer of a humanity
beyond and below the reigning civilization." |
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BEA Forms Conference Advisory Board
October 09, 2008 - On Wednesday, October 8, BookExpo America announced the formation of
a Conference Advisory Board, composed of 12 to 15 executives from all parts
of the book industry, which will meet at the end of the month in New York to
discuss the trade show's past education programs as well as new programs and
formats for 2009. BEA will take place at New York's Jacob K. Javits Convention
Center from Thursday, May 28, through Sunday, May 31. |
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Newtonville Books to Mark 10th Anniversary
October 09, 2008 - This Sunday, Mary Cotton and her husband, Jamie Clarke, along with a majority of their neighbors, will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of Newtonville
Books in Newton, Massachusetts. Authors Anita Diamant, Alice Hoffman, Sue Miller,
Tom Perrotta, Richard Russo, Jim Shepard, and former Newtonville owner Tim Huggins
will be there to mark a decade of "books and brews." |
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Getting Out the Vote
October 09, 2008 - There's less than a month before the U.S. chooses a new commander in chief
(barring any mishaps with butterfly ballots and hanging chads), and indie bookstores are in election overdrive. They're serving as voter registration sites, creating
unique events and promotional materials to drive people to the polls, and even
inviting customers to ascend the soapbox and imagine they have executive privilege. |
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White Papers Offer Guidance on Gift Card Liability & Reconciliation
October 09, 2008 - With the help of an industry consultant, ABA has developed two gift
card accounting white papers that it is encouraging all gift card participants
to download and review in detail. The first paper covers accounting for gift
cards and liability reconciliation; the second looks at accounting and related
circumstances for recognizing unused gift card balances or "breakage." |
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Around Indie Bookstores
October 08, 2008 - The Lizard Arrives at Prince Books; Giovanni's Room Celebrates 35th Anniversary;
King's Books to Be Honored by Tacoma Arts Commission |
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BTW News Briefs
October 08, 2008 - Free Promotional Materials Available to Promote National Book Award
Finalists; New Software to Help Booksellers Claim & Track Co-op; Small Business
Administration Introduces Online Resource for Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs |
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Great Lakes Show Filled With Energy, Optimism
October 08, 2008 - Last week's Great Lakes Booksellers Association trade show earned
an enthusiastic thumbs-up from booksellers. And, despite a troubled economic
outlook, bookstore and bookseller attendance was up, and the energy and purpose
of the participants was high. Big news at the show included the official launch
of the association's new name -- the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association
-- and a new logo. |
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The Indie Mind Body Spirit Bestseller List
October 08, 2008 - For the eight-week period ending October 7, 2008, and based on sales
in independent bookstores nationwide. |
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New Guide Makes Customizing IndieBound Easy
October 08, 2008 - IndieBound has created a handy, new guide for booksellers who have been
longing to take advantage of the wealth of customizable materials in the Bookseller
Do-It-Yourself, but who have been afraid to take the plunge. "Design &
Production 101 (Do-It-Yourself Is Easier Than You Think)" will have store
staff creating customized posters, T-shirts, and more in no time, all with freely
available graphic design software. |
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October 31 Deadline for ABA Board Nominations
October 08, 2008 - ABA's Nominating Committee, chaired by Steve Bercu of BookPeople in
Austin, Texas, is searching for qualified candidates to serve on the association's
Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit nominations for board directors
via an electronic form or a downloadable PDF on BookWeb.org. |
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A Report on ABA's September Board Meeting
October 02, 2008 - The American Booksellers Association's Board of Directors held its 2008
fall meeting in Tarrytown, New York, from Monday, September 22, through Wednesday,
September 24. |
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The November Indie Next List & Notables Preview
October 02, 2008 - Here's a preview of the November Indie Next List now on its way to ABA
member stores in the IndieBound movement. |
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The October Indie Next List Notables Fliers & Shelf-Talkers
October 02, 2008 - The October Indie Next List Notables flier, in PDF format, features
jacket images, bibliographic information, and bookseller quotes for a great
selection of titles to complement the month's Indie Next List selections. Bookseller
quotes are also currently available in an electronic file of Notables shelf-talkers. |
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Bookselling in Tough Times: Inventory Management
October 02, 2008 - BTW's new weekly series aims
to help booksellers survive the economic crunch: Bookselling in Tough Times will share tips and insights from experienced booksellers on a single topic
each week. In our inaugural column, four booksellers share their thoughts about
inventory management in a tough economic climate coupled with the fast-approaching
holiday season. |
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Banned Books Week: Store Says It With Pictures
October 02, 2008 - Banned Books Week is in full swing at stores and libraries around the
country, where events range from First Amendment panel discussions and Banned
Children's Books Storytime to Banned Film Night and readings from banned books.
At Fayetteville, Arkansas' Nightbird Books, the celebration is being documented
in photos on the store's website and in-store displays. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
October 02, 2008 - Three Big Anniversaries: The Learned Owl Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary,
Boulder Bookstore Turns 35, and Annie Bloom's Is 30; Two Best Of: Moe's Books "Best of Berkeley"; Subterranean Books "Best of St. Louis" |
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BTW News Briefs
October 02, 2008 - ForeWord and NetGalley Announce Partnership to Deliver Digital
Galleys; Publishers Cheer House Passage of Libel Tourism Legislation; Scieszka
Awarded First National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Medal |
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International Trade Associations Condemn Recent Attacks on Booksellers & Publishers
October 01, 2008 - On Wednesday, October 1, the International Publishers Association and
the International Booksellers Federation strongly condemned a series of attacks
on publishing houses and bookshops in Greece and the attempted firebombing of
publisher Gibson Square in the U.K. In a joint statement, IPA and IBF said they
"support the freedom to publish without fear of attack or reprisal, and
cannot accept attempts by any individual, group, or government to censor through
violence and intimidation those who write, publish, or sell on any issue, be
it on politics, culture, or faith." |
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New Owner for Harvard Book Store
October 01, 2008 - Jeff Mayersohn and his wife, Linda Seamonson, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, are
the new owners of Cambridge's famed Harvard Book Store, effective Wednesday,
October 1. Frank Kramer, owner and president of the store for the past 46 years,
will act as a consultant for the company, and Carole Horne, who has been with
Harvard Book Store for more than 35 years, will continue as general manager. |
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Needed Now: December Indie Next List Nominations
September 30, 2008 - This Friday is the nomination deadline for the December Indie Next List, a key
selling tool for the upcoming holiday season. |
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Olsson's Closes
September 30, 2008 - On Tuesday, September 30, Olsson's Books & Records closed its remaining
five locations and petitioned the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Maryland,
for conversion of its current Chapter 11 protection to Chapter 7. In petitioning
to convert to Chapter 7, Olsson's cited "stagnant sales, low cash reserves,
and an inability to renegotiate current leases, along with a continuing weak
retail economy and plummeting music sales." |
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MBA Show: A Great Mix of Education, Authors & Events
September 30, 2008 - The 28th Midwest Booksellers Association Trade Show was a "wonderful
mix of education, booksellers, authors, and reps," said MBA President Sarah
Bagby of Watermark Books in Wichita, Kansas. "There were lots of opportunities
for booksellers to meet with colleagues, authors, and sales reps, and to get
excited about fall offerings as they go into the Christmas season. The book
award recipients were inspiring, and the author dinner and children's breakfast
authors gave us a lot to get excited about." |
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SIBA Show Earns Positive Reviews
September 30, 2008 - Though the gas shortage in the South somewhat dampened attendance, the
2008 Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Fall Trade Show, which
was held from Friday, September 26, through Sunday, September 28, at the Marriott
Renaissance and the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center in Mobile, Alabama,
earned high praise from booksellers. Among
the highlights mentioned were the Fire & Brimstone Barbecue, a busy trade
show floor, and ABA's IndieBound session. |
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ABA E-Commerce Solution Extends Beta Test
September 30, 2008 - The ABA E-Commerce Solution's beta test of its new open-source
platform has been extended, and its release is now scheduled for sometime in
early 2009. Drupal, a content management system, will provide more robust administrative
tools, greater system stability, and the ability to roll out new features more
quickly. |
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Harcourt Introduces a New Generation to Jim Copp's "Uncommonly Clever Tales"
September 30, 2008 - When Jim Copp died in 1999, the New York Times called him the
"creator of children's records with loony tunes, literate lyrics, occasional
dark themes, and wacky characters like the Dog That Went to Yale." His
first record, released in 1958, was, the Times noted, praised as "deliciously
fresh and funny'' by the New Yorker; ''fresh, clever, and inventive''
by Time magazine; and ''funny, sophisticated, uncondescending'' by The
Atlantic. Now, Harcourt Children's Books has paired with Playhouse Records
and illustrator Lindsay duPont to bring three of these "uncommonly clever
tales" to life in Jim Copp, Will You Tell Me a Story?, a hardcover
book packaged with a CD of Copp's original recordings.
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Wanted: Creative Events & Marketing Ideas for Graphic Novels
September 30, 2008 - ABA would like to hear from members who have hosted creative and fun
events to promote graphic novels and comics -- including book clubs, comic slams,
mini comic conventions, or similar events. Booksellers' input will help guide
ABA's Education Department staff as they formulate content for the Fourth Annual
Winter Institute's session "Creative Graphic Novel Events and Marketing." |
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Booksellers Challenged to Tell a Friend
September 29, 2008 - Booksellers who have nominated titles to the Indie Next Lists in the
past are being enlisted to help bring new voices to the chorus of those contributing
recommendations to future lists. When a new nominator writes a blurb for a title
and submits it online at BookWeb.org, both she and the bookseller who encouraged
her to do so will be entered into a random drawing to each win a $150 ABA gift
card. |
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Inaugural Indie Next List for Reading Groups Debuts
September 25, 2008 - The Indie Next List for Reading Groups for Fall '08/Winter '09 will
be arriving in bookstores in the IndieBound movement in the October Red Box
mailing; however, the full list, with bookseller quotes, can be previewed online
now. This list -- the first for reading groups since the launch of IndieBound
-- incorporates a new design, which features fun and engaging illustrations
to accent a superb selection of titles, all selected from enthusiastic nominations
by indie booksellers nationwide. |
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Wi4 Scholarships Increase By Two
September 25, 2008 - This week, Peterson's joined the list of ABA Publisher Partners sponsoring
bookseller scholarships to the Fourth Annual Winter Institute. The highly anticipated
ABA education event, sponsored by Ingram Book Company/Ingram Publisher Services,
will be held from Thursday, January 29, through Sunday, February 1, 2009 in
Salt Lake City, Utah. The scholarships, which will be awarded randomly, are
open to the owners and staff at all ABA member bookstores. Booksellers may enter
their names in the scholarship drawing by sending an e-mail to ABA by Friday,
October 17. |
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New Study Shows 10% Shift to Indies Makes Significant Economic Impact
September 25, 2008 - On September 23, Local First of Grand Rapids, Michigan, unveiled the
results of the new economic study "Local Works: Examining the Impact of Local
Business on the West Michigan Economy." The study revealed that a modest change
in consumer behavior -- a mere 10 percent shift in market share to independent
businesses from chain stores -- would result in 1,600 new jobs, $53 million
in wages, and a $137 million economic impact to the area. "Local Works" was funded
by the Steelcase Foundation and conducted by Civic Economics. |
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Enthusiasm, Energy Ran High at NAIBA Conference
September 25, 2008 - "Upbeat" and "energized" were the prevailing adjectives
among booksellers who told BTW about their impressions of the New Atlantic
Independent Booksellers Association Fall Conference. NAIBA President Joe Drabyak of Chester County Book and Music Company in West Chester, Pennsylvania,
said, "I think the timing and facilities lent themselves to a great deal
of collegiality. It was an energized show -- the educational sessions were very
strong and well-attended, and the author events were spectacular." |
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NEIBA Focuses on New Publishing Models, Marketing Strategies, IndieBound & More
September 25, 2008 - For Janet Hutchinson, owner of The Open Door Bookstore in Schenectady,
New York, the New England Independent Booksellers Association Trade Show is
"a final look at the fall offerings," a chance to make sure she hasn't
forgotten to stock up on any hot titles. Talking to fellow booksellers is Brad
Fox's primary reason for attending the show. "It's validating to know that
some of your ideas are not so off-kilter," said Fox, who manages Ebenezer
Books in Johnson, Vermont. |
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MPIBA Show: New Location, Same Successful Event
September 25, 2008 - This year's Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Trade Show, held from September 17 - 20 in Colorado Springs, earned positive
reviews from booksellers. "This was the second MPIBA show that I've attended,"
said Vicki Burger of Wind City Books in Casper, Wyoming. "The first time,
our bookstore had only been open for two weeks ... and it was overwhelming. This
year it was very helpful and very informative." |
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Have Authors, Will Travel: State by State
September 25, 2008 - State by State: Out of the Book, Volume 3, a film tour of the
U.S. with some of the country's finest and funniest authors as guides, had its
premiere last week in New York City. The newest volume in Powell's Books' Out
of the Book film series includes footage of 19 contributors to the book State
by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America, including Alison Bechdel, Anthony
Bourdain, Susan Choi, and Joshua Ferris. More than 60 independent bookstores
across the country, from Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida, to Village
Books in Bellingham, Washington, are scheduled to screen the film. |
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IndieBound Makes It Easier to DIY
September 25, 2008 - IndieBound is a movement that's dynamic, adaptable,
and growing, and so, too, are its online resources. To make it easier for booksellers
to find everything -- from how to get started to business-to-business tools
for spreading the IndieBound message to other locally owned businesses -- ABA
staff recently reorganized the IndieBound sections on BookWeb.org. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
September 25, 2008 - MashUp Video Features Fountain Bookstore Owner on IndieBound; Bienville
Books Opens Haunted Book Loft; Aaron's Books Partners With Library for Reading
Week; BookStacks: Anchoring Bucksport, Maine's Downtown
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Wi4 Store Merchandising Tours, Roundtables Require Sign-Up
September 25, 2008 - Among the unique programs at ABA's upcoming Winter Institute
will be the opportunity for booksellers to take a merchandising tour of either
Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore (for large-store tactics) or The King's English Bookshop
(for small to mid-size stores). Aimed at bookstore owners and managers, as well as prospective
booksellers, the tours, led by a merchandising professional, will focus on best
practices. Space on the tours, and for Wi4's roundtable discussions for large
stores and for small to mid-size stores, is limited, so interested booksellers
are being asked to sign up. |
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Attendance Steady at Upbeat PNBA Show
September 25, 2008 - Last week's trade show in Portland, Oregon, "felt like a retreat
for booksellers, authors, publishers, and librarians," said Pacific Northwest
Booksellers Association President Paul Hanson of Eagle Harbor Book Company in
Bainbridge Island, Washington. "It was an intensive couple of days, and
we all got to have a meeting of the minds. Everyone seemed to go away jazzed
and inspired." |
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Nominations Needed for Key Holiday Season Lists
September 24, 2008 - Nominations are needed in October for both the December Indie Next List
and the Winter Children's List, which will be in stores during the all-important
holiday selling season. Nominations are also needed for the first Next List
of 2009. |
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"Tell-a-Bookseller-Friend" Indie Next List Challenge Begins
September 24, 2008 - ABA has announced a new initiative to help booksellers encourage their colleagues
to nominate titles for the Indie Next List -- and become eligible to win an ABA gift
card in the process. The "Tell-a-Bookseller-Friend" Indie Next List
Nomination Challenge begins on Thursday, September 25. |
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BTW News Briefs
September 24, 2008 - National Book Foundation Presents Next Generation of Fiction
Writers; Release Date Set for Paperback Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows;
October Is National Reading Group Month |
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The Indie Comics & Graphic Works Bestseller List
September 24, 2008 - For the eight-week period ending September 23, 2008, and based on sales
at independent stores nationwide. |
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Publishers Sponsor 23 Winter Institute Scholarships
September 18, 2008 - The American Booksellers
Association today announced the names of 23 Publisher Partners that are sponsoring
bookseller scholarships to its Fourth Annual Winter Institute. The scholarships
will cover the cost of reasonable transportation and up to a three-night stay at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown, the host hotel for Wi4. Owners and staff at ABA member bookstores
may enter their names in the scholarship drawing via e-mail by Friday, October
17. |
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Ingram Creates Winter Institute Scholarships for Emerging Leaders
September 18, 2008 - Ingram Book Company/Ingram Publisher Services is sponsoring six scholarships
to help send emerging leaders in the independent bookstore community to ABA's
Fourth Annual Winter Institute. In August, members of the Emerging Leaders Council
traveled to LaVergne, Tennessee, at Ingram's invitation to discuss ways to ensure
the future of independent bookselling. |
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Texas Stores in the Wake of Hurricane Ike
September 18, 2008 - Reports on the status of Texas bookstores affected by Hurricane Ike
are still coming in, but with evacuations and severe damage in Galveston, as
well as power outages and spotty communication throughout much of southwestern
Texas, the picture will probably remain incomplete for a while. Galveston booksellers
are unreachable, while some Houston bookstores have reopened. Downtown Houston
was more heavily flooded, but for the majority of the city's residents and businesses
a lack of power presents the greatest challenges. |
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Bookseller Relief Fund Stands Ready to Help
September 18, 2008 - The ABA Bookseller Relief Fund was established in 2005, following Hurricane
Katrina, to help meet the humanitarian needs of booksellers affected by disasters.
The association encourages booksellers who find themselves in need because of
destruction or extended disruption of business in the wake of Hurricanes Gustav
and Ike to contact David Walker, ABA's industry consultant. |
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ABA Pre-Winter Institute Conference to Focus on Local First/Shop Local Initiatives
September 18, 2008 - ABA is inviting booksellers participating in established Local First campaigns and those who want to learn more about these community-focused initiatives to
an important day of independent business alliance education, just prior to the
Fourth Annual Winter Institute. On Thursday, January 29, ABA members will have
an exceptional opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced leaders
in the IBA community who will share their experiences creating and sustaining
successful programs during the ABA Pre-Winter Institute Conference on Local
First/Shop Local Initiatives in Salt Lake City, Utah, home to one of the most well-established and successful Local First efforts in the country. |
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PNBA Begins the Fall Trade Show Season
September 18, 2008 - The fall '08 regional trade show season kicked off in Portland, Oregon,
with the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association show, which ran from Monday, September
15, through Wednesday, September 17, at the Airport Holiday Inn. Monday was "education
day" for PNBA, and vendors this year had the option of exhibiting for either
one or two days. |
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BTW News Briefs
September 18, 2008 - AAP's Book Editors Unscripted Underway; Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers'
Awards Announced; Audiobook Sales Surpass One Billion Dollars; AAP Reports Publishing
Sales for Month of July |
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Back Tax Settlement Between California and B&N Finalized
September 18, 2008 - California's Board of Equalization and Barnes & Noble have finalized
their agreement over sales taxes owed by Barnesandnoble.com. B&N will
be required to pay the state approximately $9 million in back taxes, plus penalties
and interest, for failure to collect and remit sales tax, as previously reported
in Bookselling This Week. The $9 million agreement settles two cases. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
September 18, 2008 - Southern Living Profiles Jake Reiss and The Alabama Booksmith; Westwinds
Owner Pens Column on Banned Books Week; Red Fox Books Owner Off to NEIBA on
Rusty Drugan Scholarship |
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Oxford and Square Books Ready for First Presidential Debate
September 17, 2008 - On Friday, September 26, Oxford, Mississippi, will host the first presidential
debate between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, a nationally televised
event from the campus of the University of Mississippi. "The city is very
excited about the debate," said Mayor Richard Howorth, the owner
of Square Books. "All of us in Mississippi are happy to have the chance
to cast what we believe is a very positive light on Mississippi." At
Square Books, manager Lyn Roberts said the store has long been in full
election mode. |
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SCIBA Feast & Trade Show: A Very Full Plate
September 17, 2008 - The 2008 Southern California Independent Booksellers Association Authors
Feast & Trade Show will be held on Saturday, October 18, at the Millennium
Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Among the day's highlights are a morning of educational
programming, sales rep pick of the lists sessions, and breakfast, lunch, and
dinner author events. ABA will be presenting "Connecting to Your Customers
and Community With IndieBound" at the show. |
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Indies Share Banned Books Week Plans on New Website
September 17, 2008 - A growing number of bookstores and libraries are sharing their plans
for Banned Books Week, which begins next Saturday, September 27, via the new
site www.bannedbooksweek.org. Among indies posting plans are Moravian Book Shop
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; King's Books in Tacoma, Washington; and The
Spotty Dog Books & Ale in Hudson, New York. |
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Wanted: Nominations for ABA Board of Directors
September 17, 2008 - The ABA Nominating Committee, chaired by Steve Bercu of BookPeople in
Austin, Texas, is searching for qualified candidates to serve on the association's
Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit nominations. |
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No Harry Hurts Bookstore Sales
September 16, 2008 - July was the second straight month that retail sales at bookstores failed
to keep pace with 2007. Preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau
of the Census show bookstore sales in July 2008 decreased by 7.4 percent as
compared to July 2007. |
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Book Industry Professionals Discuss Financials, Long Tails, and a New Text Code
September 16, 2008 - More than 150 book industry professionals gathered at the Yale Club
in New York City on Friday, September 12, for the Book Industry Study Group
Annual Meeting of Members, which included the organization's year-end financial
and performance review and an introduction to the new Industry Standard Text
Code. Among the meeting's highlights was a presentation by Anita Elberse, associate
professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, who revisited
Chris Anderson's "long tail theory" and its implications for the book
industry. |
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Winter Institute Registration Opens
September 11, 2008 - Registration for the American Booksellers Association's Fourth Annual
Winter Institute is now open. The highly anticipated, free education event exclusively
for ABA bookstore and provisional members will be held from Thursday, January
29, through Sunday, February 1, 2009, at Utah's Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown. |
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New IndieBound Community Launches
September 11, 2008 - The new "IndieBound Community,"
which began its successful beta test last month, officially launched today.
The online community is a vibrant gathering place for supporters of indie retail
businesses. Those who register for the community can share information about
indie retailers (including locations and specialties), comment on community
issues, offer book recommendations, and exchange personal communication. Visitors
are encouraged to add stores to the national indie retailer map, to become fans
of stores, and to connect with like-minded indie enthusiasts. |
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Debate Continues to Surround Marketing of Obama Book
September 11, 2008 - This week, Chelsea Green began a new chapter in its marketing efforts to promote
Robert Kuttner's Obama's Challenge, which had a controversial debut in
the days before the Democratic Convention. |
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With Eyes on Ike, Gulf Coast Booksellers Work to Kick-Start Business
September 11, 2008 - While most reports of Hurricane Gustav's track through the Gulf Coast
generally focused on the good news that the storm was not nearly bad as Hurricane
Katrina, early insurance industry estimates put damages at anywhere from $2
billion to $10 billion, and approximately two million Louisiana residents were
forced to evacuate. Power is now widely restored and most evacuees are back
home, but businesses are still dealing with the aftereffects of Gustav, while
warily watching Hurricane Ike, which is expected to hit the coast of Texas this
weekend. |
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ABFFE Urges Congress to Ban "Libel Tourism"
September 11, 2008 - On Wednesday, September 10, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression
joined 18 groups in issuing a statement urging members of the Senate Judiciary
Committee to support the Freedom of Speech Protection Act of 2008 (S. 2977),
legislation that provides that foreign libel judgments cannot be enforced in
the U.S. if the speech is not actionable under U.S. law. The groups are concerned
about the growing threat posed by libel suits that are filed in foreign countries in an effort to intimidate
American writers and publishers. |
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Nominations Sought for ABA Board of Directors
September 11, 2008 - Last week, ABA's Nominating Committee, chaired by Steve Bercu of BookPeople
in Austin, Texas, began a search for qualified candidates to serve on the ABA
Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit nominations for board directors. |
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Taking a Bite Out of Chain Competition: Shop Local Group to Launch in Sandwich
September 11, 2008 - Vicky Uminowicz of Titcomb's Bookshop in East Sandwich, Massachusetts,
freely admits that she wasn't always a big local first advocate. But a few years
back, something changed her mind. |
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Doylestown Bookstore: 10 Years Old & Going Strong
September 11, 2008 - Ten years ago, Patricia Gerney and her husband stepped in to save Doylestown,
Pennsylvania's failing bookstore. They renamed it the Doylestown
Bookshop, ramped up inventory levels, devoted themselves to customer service,
and turned the tide. This past May, the store marked its 10th anniversary, and
Gerney attributes much of the store's success to her staff. "The single
most important thing to get through bad times is to have people with you who
are willing to make sacrifices, while hoping that everything turns around at
some point," she recently explained. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
September 11, 2008 - UConn's Suzy Staubach to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award; Just
Books, Just Grand; Left Bank Books to Open Second Location; Mystery Lovers Bookshop
Named Best of Pittsburgh |
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BTW News Briefs
September 11, 2008 - Library of Congress Launches National Book Festival Online Toolkit;
Man Booker Prize Shortlist Announced; NEIBA Names Book Award Winners; J.K. Rowling
Wins Lawsuit |
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A Change in ABA's Regional Trade Show Programming
September 11, 2008 - ABA's plans to conduct E-Commerce Solution Users Group meetings at each of the fall regional booksellers association trade shows have changed. |
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Wasilla Booksellers Find Themselves in the Spotlight
September 10, 2008 - When Shannon Cullip and her husband, Leonard Cullip, opened Pandemonium
Booksellers in Wasilla, Alaska, with business partner Rex Weltz this past June,
their aim was to create a "community destination." They didn't expect
that their community would become a major focal point for the press or that
a local writer's biography of Alaska's governor, Sarah Palin, would become a
national bestseller. But they're enjoying the attention, and the sales. |
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The Indie Biography and Memoir Bestseller List
September 10, 2008 - For the eight week period ending September 9, 2008, and based on sales
at hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Winter Institute Registration to Open Next Week
September 04, 2008 - Registration for ABA's Fourth Annual Winter Institute will open on Thursday,
September 11. The highly anticipated education event is open to the owners and
staff of all ABA member stores and to provisional members. |
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ABA Calls for Board of Directors Nominations
September 04, 2008 - The American Booksellers Association's Nominating Committee, chaired
by Steve Bercu of BookPeople in Austin, Texas, 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 on BookWeb.org. |
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The October Indie Next List & Notables Preview
September 04, 2008 - Here's a preview of the October Indie Next List now
on its way to ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement. |
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BTW News Briefs
September 03, 2008 - Book Editors Online & Unscripted Webcasts Begin September 16;
GLBA Announces Award Winners; Palin Bio Relaunched in Trade Paper |
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Scholastic's Bold New Multi-Platform Series Is Ready for Launch
September 03, 2008 - For the last three years, much excitement has been afoot in the halls and offices
of Scholastic: staff from several areas of the publishing company have been
working toward the launch of The 39 Clues, a 10-book series for eight- to 12-year-olds
that combines mystery, history, and adventure with online gaming, collectors
cards, and the chance to win prizes. The endeavor was sparked by what David
Levithan, executive editorial director of multimedia publishing at Scholastic,
calls a "chocolate/peanut butter moment." |
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ABA's Bookseller Relief Fund Stands Ready to Help
September 03, 2008 - Hurricane Gustav has not inflicted the catastrophic damage of Hurricane
Katrina, but news accounts make clear that these are again very difficult times
for the Gulf Coast region. ABA's Bookseller Relief Fund stands ready to help
meet the humanitarian needs of booksellers because of destruction or extended
disruption of their businesses. |
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A Great Fall Trade Show Planned for the Great Lakes
September 03, 2008 - The Great Lakes Booksellers Association will hold its 19th Annual Trade
Show from Friday, October 3, through Sunday, October 5, at the Hyatt Regency
in Dearborn, Michigan. The show offers education and author events throughout
the weekend, including the GLBA Book Awards Luncheon and Moveable Feast. New
this year are awards recognizing booksellers' work in their communities. |
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NCIBA Show Offers Up Plenty of Authors, Education, and Cool Picks
September 03, 2008 - Among the highlights of the Northern California Independent Booksellers
Association Trade Show, from Friday, October 3, through Sunday, October 5, at
the Oakland Convention Center, Oakland Marriott City Center, are a full day
of education, a new twist on the traditional Rep Picks sessions, and, of course,
several very interesting author events. |
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New IndieBound-Inspired Gift Cards Are Here!
September 03, 2008 - New IndieBound-inspired ABA gift cards and presenters, which were chosen
with the help of booksellers who voted for their favorites this past spring,
are now available. |
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Contest Challenges ABA Members to Create Brave New Words
September 03, 2008 - Abrams Image, an imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc., is challenging ABA
members to create a few brave new words for the publishing and bookselling industries.
Abrams has partnered with IndieBound to create a contest exclusively for ABA
member booksellers that celebrates the October release of Addictionary: Brave
New Words, compiled by Jim Banister. |
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Revitalized Tecolote Book Shop to Celebrate Grand Reopening
September 03, 2008 - In May 2007, the Tecolote Book Shop, an 82-year-old institution in the
wealthy Santa Barbara, California, community of Montecito, was in jeopardy of
closing, when then-manager Mary Sheldon, who fully understood the indie's value
to local residents, "did something about it," she recently explained.
Now, a little more than a year after becoming one of the store's new owners,
Sheldon will preside over the refurbished Tecolote Book Shop's grand reopening on Friday, September
19. |
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Emma & Kenda's Excellent Bookselling Adventure
September 02, 2008 - When new booksellers Emma Stitt and Kenda Honeycutt were in their junior
year at college and their friends were talking about vague post-college plans,
they had decided on something more concrete -- to eventually open a bookstore
together. "We probably should have gone the whole business school route,
but couldn't bring ourselves to do it," said Honeycutt. So, after graduating
this past May, they launched their big bookstore adventure -- a two-year road
trip to apprentice with independent booksellers across the country. |
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Correction
September 02, 2008 - The author's name was incorrectly printed in the October Indie Next
List flier for American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood,
and the Crime of the Century, by Howard Blum (Crown). The online version
of the October Indie Next List is correct. IndieBound apologizes for this error. |
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ABA Task Force Provides Guidance on Electronic Catalogs
August 28, 2008 - The American Booksellers Association's efforts to ensure that publishers
that are developing electronic catalogs are making them as useful as possible
for independent booksellers continued this past weekend. On Friday and Saturday,
August 22 and 23, ABA's Electronic Catalog Task Force met at the Doubletree
Hotel at the San Francisco Airport to get bookseller input and to fine-tune
recommendations that ABA Board members and staff will discuss with publishers
at a series of meetings in conjunction with the Board's mid-September meeting
in New York. |
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NYC Loses $29 Million in Sales Tax on Internet Purchases in Single Year
August 27, 2008 - From July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, more than $50 million of combined
state and local taxes on Internet sales generated by New York City consumers
went uncollected, including $29 million in lost New York City revenue, according
to the city's Independent Budget Office. The findings are part of the report
"E-Commerce: Eroding City's Sales Tax Revenue," released this month. |
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Successful Beta Test Continues for Online "Indie Community"
August 27, 2008 - With hundreds of users registering during its beta phase, the test of
the new "Indie Community" on IndieBound.org has gotten off to a rousing
start. On August 21, booksellers were asked to create their own Indie Community
account on IndieBound.org and to utilize the site's features, to add favorite
indie stores, and to ask fellow indie retailers to join, too. |
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SIBA Show Promises the Hottest for the Coming Season
August 27, 2008 - This year's Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Fall Trade
Show will be held from Friday, September 26, through Sunday, September 28, at
the Marriott Renaissance and the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center in
Mobile, Alabama. The show features a full day of educational programming and
a day and a half of exhibits, plus an array of author events. Pre-trade show programming
begins on Thursday, September 25, with SIBA's "Bookseller School: Focus
on Children's Books and Buy Local Efforts." |
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Around Indie Bookstores
August 27, 2008 - Skylight Books 1814 Celebrates Grand Opening Saturday; Northern Lights Marks 15th Anniversary; Murder By The Book
Supports Injured Veterans; BYU Bookstore Party Draws Blood; By the Fireside
and Around the World; Neighborhood Organizes to Help Make Bookstore a Reality |
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July ABA Member Store Openings
August 27, 2008 - Six ABA member bookstores opened for business during July.
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BTW News Briefs
August 26, 2008 - Amazon Buys Shelfari; Random House to Begin Shipping Paperback Edition of Biden Memoir;
Our White House to Benefit National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance |
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Save on IndieBound Bags in Special Promotion
August 26, 2008 - From now until September 30, ABA member booksellers will receive a 15
percent discount on both stock and personalized IndieBound bags and on giftwrap
ordered from W.G. Ellerkamp. |
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New Store Shines Light on Islam
August 26, 2008 - On Saturday, August 30, Light of Islam Bookstore, a nonprofit bookstore
and educational center dedicated to furthering the knowledge and understanding
of the religion of Islam, will celebrate its grand opening in Webster, Texas,
just south of the Houston city line. The store is the result of two years of
hard work on the part of its founder and director, Ruth Nasrullah, who moved
to the Houston area from Boston only four-and-a-half years ago. |
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Shipping Soon: FREADOM Gift Cards
August 26, 2008 - Booksellers who have placed orders for this year's FREADOM gift card
and presenter, sponsored by the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression,
will soon receive them. Orders are being shipped during the second week of September
via FedEx Ground, so stores will receive the gift cards and presenters in plenty
of time for Banned Books Week celebrations, from September 27 through October
4. |
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Expediency Versus an Open Marketplace of Ideas
August 21, 2008 - For booksellers, this week there was a new headline issue in the presidential
race: Chelsea Green's decision to restrict the sale of its upcoming title Obama's
Challenge: America's Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency
for its initial weeks of availability to Amazon.com. Here, in an open letter
to her book industry colleagues, ABA President Gayle Shanks addresses Chelsea
Green's decision to limit the book's distribution. |
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NAIBA Fall Conference Features Education, Authors & Food
August 21, 2008 - The New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) will hold
its Fall Conference from Saturday, September 20, through Monday, September 22,
at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The conference, a "unique
annual gathering to help booksellers market books," will feature a plethora
of educational sessions, the annual Movable Feast Luncheon, the Children's Breakfast,
the Awards Banquet, and Saturday's Early Bird Supper & Magic Show. |
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Midwest Connections: MBA's 28th Annual Trade Show Returns to St. Paul
August 21, 2008 - The Midwest Booksellers Association (MBA) will hold its 28th Annual
Trade Show from Thursday, September 25, through Saturday, September 27, at the
Roy Wilkins Auditorium at RiverCentre, and at nearby venues in downtown St. Paul,
Minnesota. The show offers a full day of education on Thursday and lots of
author events throughout the weekend, including the MBA Choice Awards. |
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Important Announcement: BookWeb Users Will Soon Need to Reset Passwords
August 21, 2008 - ABA is now finalizing an upgrade to its new database system. Once the
new system goes live, users with BookWeb login names will have to reset their
passwords. However, BookWeb login names will not be changed. |
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The Indie Community Needs You!
August 21, 2008 - This week, the American Booksellers Association launched the beta test of
the "Indie Community" on IndieBound.org. IndieBound now needs booksellers
to take the next step in the Revolution of Independents and to build their own
Indie Community, so that it grows into a comprehensive and collaborative resource.
Visitors can create their own account on IndieBound.org, explore the site, and
provide comments. |
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Kids' Indie Next List Now Featured on IndieBound.org
August 21, 2008 - The Fall '08 Kids' Next List is now featured on IndieBound.org in a
fun, interactive format that makes it easy for consumers to purchase these insightful
indie recommendations. |
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A Three-City Tour: Independent Booksellers Prepare for Political Conventions
August 20, 2008 - Over the next few weeks, the eyes of the nation will turn first to Denver
and then to Minnesota's Twin Cities for the Democratic National Convention and
Republican National Convention, respectively. As the population swells in each
of the cities -- when delegates, media, and politicos come for some socializing,
caucusing, and, yes, to see their candidate receive the official nomination
of their party -- opportunities abound for local indie booksellers. Here is
a look at what some Denver and Twin Cities bookstores are doing for the upcoming
conventions. |
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GLBT Titles: Not Just For GLBTs Anymore
August 20, 2008 - With the success of Alison Bechdel's Fun Home and just about
every David Sedaris title, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender lit has long
since moved from off- to center-stage at general bookstores. With so many choices
for GLBT books, the tricky part for a bookseller is creating optimal GLBT section
visibility, shelving titles that can span two, three, or more genres, and winnowing
a rich field of contenders for shelf space. |
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What's It All About? R.J. Julia's Great Books Program Tries to Find Out
August 20, 2008 - A funny thing happened when R.J. Julia in Madison, Connecticut, announced
its new, ongoing Great Books Seminar Program -- a monthly seminar designed to
provide people with the opportunity to study and discuss the great works of
literature, philosophy, and history. Very quickly, post-college adults were
showing up in droves to register to study the classics with Yale professors
-- just for the fun of it -- in the intimate setting of their neighborhood bookstore. |
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BTW News Briefs
August 20, 2008 - Herman Wouk Earns Lifetime Achievement Award From Library of Congress;
Finalists for the 2008 Thurber Prize for American Humor Announced; Jonathan
Galassi Named 2008 Winner of Maxwell E. Perkins Award |
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The Indie Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bestseller List
August 20, 2008 - For the eight week period ending August 19, 2008, and based on sales
at independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Emerging Leaders Get a Taste of IndieBound
August 20, 2008 - The "under-fortyish" community of booksellers and publishers
got another taste of IndieBound this week at an event organized by Emerging
Leaders NYC. Booksellers from New York-area bookstores, including McNally Jackson,
Book Culture, Logos Bookstore, Moravian Bookshop, and the Lower East Side Tenement
Museum, met at Flatbush Farm, an independent and locally-focused restaurant in
Brooklyn. Several ABA staff members joined the Emerging Leaders to share the
latest IndieBound news. |
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IndieBound On Tour
August 20, 2008 - Since July, American Booksellers Association staff have been visiting
locations around the country to answer questions, share ideas, and help position
bookstores to take advantage of IndieBound and all that it has to offer. One
such ABA staff member is IndieBound Outreach Liaison Paige Poe, who has traveled
from Cleveland, Ohio, to Elizabeth City, North Carolina -- and points in-between -- to spread the word to booksellers about the IndieBound Movement. Here, she provides us with a look at her travels over the summer. |
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ABA Announces First Children's Indie Next List
August 14, 2008 - The first Children's Indie Next List is now available for preview. The
new list showcases not only a wide range of exemplary titles for young readers,
as chosen by indie booksellers, but also a new, redesigned format. |
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Booksellers Named to ABA Nominating Committee & Advisory Council
August 14, 2008 - At its July meeting, the American Booksellers Association's Board of
Directors unanimously approved appointments to the Nominating Committee
and to the Booksellers Advisory Council, as put forth by ABA President Gayle
Shanks of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona. |
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BookTour Now Featuring Events @ Indie Stores
August 14, 2008 - Readers looking to connect
with authors can now find events at indie bookstores participating in ABA's
E-Commerce Solution on BookTour, the website founded by Chris Anderson, Kevin
Smokler, and Adam Goldstein. |
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Linking Authors & Indies: The IndieBound Affiliate Program
August 14, 2008 - Creating affiliate relationships with authors, publishers, bloggers,
and others is now easier than ever. Through the IndieBound.org Affiliate Program,
book-related websites can link to independent bookstores in just seven easy
steps, featured in a downloadable PDF, with links, that booksellers can hand
to authors and other interested parties. |
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Last Call for ABACUS
August 14, 2008 - Tomorrow (Friday, August 15) is the deadline for ABA member stores to
submit their 2007 financial data to this year's 2008 ABACUS Study, and a significant
increase in bookseller participation is still needed. |
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BTW News Briefs
August 14, 2008 - B&N Not Expected to Make Bid for Borders; The 2008 Midwest Booksellers'
Choice Awards; NAIBA's Book Awards & Rep of the Year; Ingram Publisher Services
Adds Distribution Clients; The 2008 Hugo Award Winners |
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Bookstores Add Paperback Dreams to Fall Lineup
August 14, 2008 - Booksellers seeking to underscore the importance of their stores and other indie businesses to their communities are adding something new
to their events lineup this fall: Paperback Dreams, a documentary film
about the contributions, historical significance, and struggles of Cody's Books
in Berkeley and Kepler's Books in Menlo Park, California. Director/producer
Alex Beckstead is making the film, which will air on PBS stations around the
country this fall, available to independent booksellers who wish to create screening events inside or outside their stores. |
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Local First Arizona: 1,380 Members and Growing
August 13, 2008 - Independent business owner Kimber Lanning knew Phoenix was in need of
a local business alliance, so in 2003 she stepped up and created one. Local
First Arizona, a statewide organization, now has 1,380 members. It has also
launched a statewide NPR campaign, created a map of shopping and eating destinations
in Central Phoenix, and been given the use of office space by the mayor of Phoenix.
"We've been growing by leaps and bounds," said Lanning. |
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Mountains & Plains Show Heads to Colorado Springs
August 13, 2008 - This fall's Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association
Trade Show has a new venue -- the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Colorado Springs
-- but its usual array of great educational offerings, special events, and vendor
exhibits will still be there. |
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NEIBA Show to Offer Enhanced Programming, More Exhibitors
August 13, 2008 - The New England Independent Booksellers Association will hold its 35th Annual Fall
Trade Show from Thursday, September 18, through Saturday, September 20, at the
Hynes Convention Center, in Boston. Among the show's notable events are the
many education sessions, the 2008 NEIBA Book Awards Luncheon, the Children's
Books Author/Illustrator Dinner, and the Friday Night Author Reception. |
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A Celebration of Children's Books in Alexandria
August 13, 2008 - Trish Brown said she "didn't pay a whole
lot of attention to children's books before I had a child." When she did
start paying attention, it had quite an impact on her life: she became a bookseller
at A Likely Story in Alexandria, Virginia, when her daughter was five years
old -- and stayed on for 16 years. A Likely Story closed in November 2007, and
in June of this year, Brown and business partner Ellen Klein became even more
immersed in the world of children's books: they opened a new bookstore, Hooray
for Books!, in the former A Likely Story space. |
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A Report on the July 2008 ABA Board Meeting
August 07, 2008 - The American Booksellers Association's Board of Directors held its summer meeting
in Phoenix, Arizona, from Sunday, July 27, through Tuesday, July 29. The meeting began with an orientation to introduce new Board members Dan Chartrand
of Water Street Bookstore in Exeter, New Hampshire, and Ken White of SFSU Bookstore
in San Francisco to the association's policies and procedures. |
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Booksellers Print-to-Order Publishing Program Agreement, FAQ Now Online
August 07, 2008 - Booksellers interested in participating in, or learning more about,
the Booksellers Print-to-Order Publishing Program, launched by ABA and Applewood
Books in July, can now find answers to frequently asked questions as well as
a letter of agreement on BookWeb.org. Any ABA member bookstore in good standing
may participate in the program, which gives independent booksellers the ability
to publish any titles in the public domain, or whose rights they have secured
from the author, and sell them at margins from 50 to 75 percent. |
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ABACUS Deadline Next Friday
August 07, 2008 - Time is running out for
the 2008 ABACUS Study. Data gathering for this year's survey of independent
bookstores' 2007 financial operations comes to an end on Friday, August 15,
and a significant increase in ABA member participation is still needed in order
to make the study a reality. |
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The September Indie Next List & Notables Preview
August 07, 2008 - Here's a preview of the September Indie Next List now on its way to
ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement. |
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Changes in Store at PNBA Fall Show
August 06, 2008 - Among the highlights of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers
Association's Fall Trade Show are Monday's new Nightcapper Party, Tuesday's
Feast of Authors, and Wednesday's Celebration of Authors. A day-long education
schedule includes four ABA programs: "Connecting to Your Customers and
Community With IndieBound," "ABA's E-Commerce Solution Users' Group,"
"Creating Killer Events," and "Green Retailing." |
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For New & Prospective Booksellers: Opening a Bookstore Workshop
August 06, 2008 - The Bookstore Training Group of Paz & Associates will be conducting
an intensive workshop -- Opening a Bookstore: The Business Essentials -- from
Monday, September 8, through Friday, September 12, on Amelia Island (near Jacksonville,
Florida). The program, which is divided into two sessions, will provide participants
with answers to general questions about the business, as well as detailed information
about the start-up process. |
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Work on E-Commerce Solution Migration Continues
August 06, 2008 - This fall, the ABA E-Commerce Solution will be migrating to the
open-source platform Drupal, which provides users with new and improved administrative
tools, better performance and reliability, and a shorter path to new features
and functionality. For booksellers seeking more information about the new platform,
ABA will be holding E-Commerce Solution Users Group sessions at every regional
trade show this fall. |
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Anderson's Bookshop Has a Blast With IndieBound
August 06, 2008 - Anderson's Bookshop, which has locations in Naperville and Downers Grove,
Illinois, has used IndieBound materials to create a range of signs, posters,
and spirit lines that are featured in in-store displays, in the front windows,
and even on the business' delivery van. Anderson's also recently featured IndieBound
in a cross-promotional event with other local independent businesses. "We're
having a blast and creating a lot of cool things," said Anderson's co-owner
and ABA Board member Becky Anderson. "The beauty of the whole revolution
is, it's out there for other independent businesses and we can all make it our
own." |
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BTW News Briefs
August 06, 2008 - Kathi Kamen Goldmark Honored by Women's National Book Association; Credit
Card Processors to Be Required to Report Total Sales to IRS; Baker & Taylor
Names Chief Financial Officer |
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Website to Promote Banned Books Week to Public
August 05, 2008 - The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and the American
Library Association have launched a new website to help bookstores and libraries
promote Banned Books Week. The website, www.bannedbooksweek.org, is intended
to help the public learn more about this year's celebration, which will be held
from September 27 through October 4, and it suggests ways they can support it.
The key feature of the website will be a list that visitors can use to find
participating bookstores and libraries in their communities. |
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Editors to Present Winter Picks Via Webcasts
July 31, 2008 - The Association of American Publishers has announced a pilot program
featuring some of today's top editors presenting and previewing their Winter
2009 book picks for an online audience of booksellers and members of the media.
Book Editors Online and Unscripted, a series of interactive webcasts, will launch
in September. |
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ABA to Offer Education at Regional Shows
July 31, 2008 - This fall, ABA will be presenting education sessions at each of the
nine regional booksellers association gatherings. At the top of the list
at every show is IndieBound, the new ABA initiative
that celebrates independents and supports localism. Other ABA sessions
vary from show to show, but here's a first look at what's on the agenda at each.
Updates and complete details, including times and presenters, will be provided
in the coming weeks in BTW's fall regional trade show previews. |
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Skylight Books Expands -- With More Than a Little Help From Its Friends
July 31, 2008 - This week, Los Angeles' Skylight Books expanded into a neighboring,
1,400-square-foot space. The 12-year-old store will continue to put finishing
touches on the newly renovated location throughout August and will hold a gala
Grand Opening on Saturday, August 30. "Even though getting the space ready
to open took about two months longer than I had originally figured on, we are
bursting with pride and excitement that it is finally all coming together,"
said Kerry Slattery, Skylight general manager and co-owner. |
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Bookseller Urges ABACUS Participation
July 31, 2008 - In response to last week's report that the 2008 ABACUS Study is in jeopardy,
Amy Thomas, the president of Pandora's Books Inc., which includes Pegasus and
Pendragon Books, wrote to her fellow booksellers urging them to set aside about
an hour to complete the survey form to make sure this year's study becomes
a reality. "[ABACUS] is an excellent tool for honing your systems and concentrating
on areas that can potentially make or break your business," said Thomas. |
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The August Indie Notables Fliers & Shelf-talkers
July 31, 2008 - The August Indie Next List Notables flier, in PDF format, features jacket
images, bibliographic information, and bookseller quotes for a great selection
of titles to augment the month's Indie Next List selections. Bookseller quotes
are also currently available in an electronic file of Notables shelf-talkers. |
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BTW News Briefs
July 31, 2008 - Consortium Offers Free Freight Terms; J.K. Rowling's Children's
Charity to Publish The Tales of Beedle the Bard; MPIBA Announces
2008 Book Award Winners; SCIBA Announces Book Award Finalists |
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Around Indie Bookstores
July 30, 2008 - Valerie Koehler to Be Honored by Literacy Advance of Houston;
C-SPAN's Campaign Bus to Stop at Northshire Bookstore; Chapters Bookstore to
Celebrate Grand Opening |
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Reporters' Program Prompts Congressmen to Act
July 30, 2008 - Two members of the United States Congress from different parties recently
joined in speaking out in favor of legislation to protect the confidentiality
of news sources after participating in a program co-sponsored by Arundel Books
in Seattle, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, and the
MLRC Institute. Following a discussion of the proposed federal shield law, which
took place on Friday, July 18, at the Downtown Seattle Republican Club, Rep.
Jay Inslee (D) and Rep. David G. Reichert (R) both agreed to contact members of their parties in the Senate
to urge passage of the bill, the Free Flow of Information Act (S. 2035). |
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Michigan Independent Business Alliance Quickly Makes a Name for Itself
July 30, 2008 - When Bridget Rothenberger opened Nomad Bookhouse in historic downtown
Jackson, Michigan, in December 2005, the bookstore was the only retail outlet
on the street. But things are changing, Rothenberger said. The downtown area
is starting to grow, and the once manufacturing town is taking a decidedly artistic
turn. "Another coffee shop has opened here now, a couple of retail outlets
have come in," she reported. The changes occurring in Jackson have also
spurred the formation of another organization: Jackson (JXN) Local First, which
Rothenberger was instrumental in launching this year. |
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Twilight Party? Photos Wanted
July 30, 2008 - In next Thursday's edition of Bookselling This Week, we'd like
to feature a montage of photos displaying indie bookstore celebrations for the
release of Breaking Dawn, the last title in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight
series (Little, Brown). All ABA members who would like to contribute to the display are invited to
send photos, along with store name and brief captions, to editorial@bookweb.org. |
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Page & Palette Commemorates 40 Years With Newsletter for the Ages
July 30, 2008 - The town of Fairhope, Alabama, was founded over a century ago
as a utopian village for authors and artists. In 2008, the heart of this thriving
literary and artistic paradise is, not surprisingly, a bookstore -- Page &
Palette, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in August. To commemorate
its anniversary and the diversity of the town's locally owned businesses, Page
& Palette has published an impressive 48-page color newsletter, Forty
Years at The Heart of Fairhope: Special Anniversary Edition. |
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I Know You Like a Book + IndieBound = Great PR
July 30, 2008 - After Mary Beth Nebel of I Know You Like A Book in Peoria Heights, Illinois,
read a column in the Peoria Journal Star that called for support of local
independent restaurants, she wrote a letter to the editor to say that the column
should have stressed support for all locally owned businesses. She got
what she asked for. The next week, using IndieBound information supplied by
Nebel, the business editor cataloged the many benefits of shopping local. |
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Love Your Locals in Larchmont, New York
July 29, 2008 - As part of the American Booksellers Association's summer series of IndieBound
information sessions, ABA COO Oren Teicher recently participated in a gathering
of independent businesses organized by Larchmont, New York's The Voracious Reader. The one-year-old children's bookstore hosted 10 representatives
from other local businesses, including two art galleries, two jewelry stores,
a dog accessories store, and a music store. With many of IndieBound's marketing
materials in hand, the group discussed how to make the most of the Shop Local
movement in their community. |
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E-Fairness Update: NYC Mayor Backs E-Fairness Provision
July 29, 2008 - This month, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg came out in favor
of New York State's Internet Sales Tax provision, which is currently being challenged
in court by Amazon.com and Overstock.com. Bloomberg said it was only fair that
out-of-state online retailers pay the same tax rate as their in-state competitors,
as reported by the New York Sun. The mayor told reporters: "If you
are going to have a tax system, one of the essences of it should be that it
is fair. And it just inherently makes no sense whatsoever to tax you if you
want to buy a book from Amazon differently than if you want to buy a book from
a bookstore." |
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Free Classifieds: An ABA Bookstore Member Benefit
July 28, 2008 - ABA Bookstore Members in good standing may place up to four free
two-week Classified Ad insertions in Bookselling This Week 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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Increased ABACUS Participation Needed by August 15
July 24, 2008 - A significant increase in the number of ABA member stores participating
in the 2008 ABACUS survey is needed to make this year's study a reality. The
deadline for submitting a bookstore's 2007 financial data is midnight on Friday,
August 15, and unless there is a big surge in
bookstore participation in the next three weeks, ABA won't have
enough information to compile this year's study. All data submitted to the ABACUS
study via the easy-to-use online survey form is treated as strictly confidential. |
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IndieBound Info Sessions for August: Atlanta, Durham, Denver
July 24, 2008 - ABA is inviting booksellers to three IndieBound information sessions
this August. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and brainstorm
creative ways to use and customize IndieBound to best fit their bookstores. |
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May/June ABA Member Store Openings
July 23, 2008 - Twelve ABA member bookstores opened over the course of May and June. |
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A New Crop of Green Sidelines
July 23, 2008 - What's better than the high margins of sidelines? The high margins and
driving sales of green sidelines. Here's a shortlist of items that caught our
eye at this spring's Go Green Expo, which filled three floors of the Hilton
New York Hotel. |
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Staycations and Armchair Travel: Trends in Bookstore Travel Sections
July 23, 2008 - Thanks to the rising cost of gas (and everything else) plus the unfavorable
foreign exchange rate, Americans are cutting back on travel plans -- and buying
fewer travel books. Instead of weeks-long jaunts abroad or cross-country road
trips, they're creating domestic or local adventures ... or sticking to reading
about the trips they'd like to take someday. Several ABA members recently spoke
to BTW about how changes in customers' travel plans are impacting their travel sections. |
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Stores Sought to Host Reporters' Talks on Internet Journalism
July 23, 2008 - The American Booksellers
Foundation for Free Expression is co-sponsoring a new program that will bring
reporters to bookstores around the country to discuss how the Internet is changing
the practice of journalism. This third in a series of reporter programs sponsored
by ABFFE and the MLRC Institute will strive to answer the questions: Has the Internet
improved journalism or provided a new forum for disinformation? Are bloggers
really journalists? Should they receive the same legal protections that have
been traditionally reserved for reporters working for newspapers, radio,
and television? |
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The Indie Gardening & Nature Bestseller List
July 23, 2008 - For the eight-week period ending July 22, 2008, and based on sales in
hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
July 23, 2008 - A Room of One's Own Hosts Queer Spelling Bee; Bookin' It Raises $10,000
for ACS Relay for Life; Creekside Books & Coffee Honored; Anderson's Hosts
World-Renowned Pianist |
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BTW News Briefs
July 23, 2008 - McCain & Obama to Get Their Own Graphic Novels; L.A. Times
Editors Protest Demise of Book Review; Appeals Court Upholds Decision Striking
Down COPA |
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If I Only Knew Then ... What Not to Do When Opening a Bookstore
July 22, 2008 - Megan Collins-Hed, whose The Last Wordsmith Shoppe will open on
August 1, recently sought advice from BookWeb's Bookseller-to-Bookseller Forum
participants. "If you were to open your storefront again, what would you
do differently?" she asked. Here are some of their responses along with
insights from several other ABA members who shrugged aside ego to provide sage
-- and hard-earned -- advice on what not to do when starting a bookstore. |
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Keeping the Faith: Sacred Path Books & Art
July 22, 2008 - Sacred Path Books & Art, an approximately 10-year-old bookstore
located in Trinity Commons in Cleveland, is one of three storefronts connected
to the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and is a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese
of Ohio. And, though spiritual and religious books are the key focus of the bookstore,
it's also a fervent advocate for localism and fair trade, according to
store manager Clara Sayre. |
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Rack Up Savings: ABA Business Management Services & Products
July 21, 2008 - As individuals and businesses nationwide look to counter the effects
of the struggling economy, ABA reminds booksellers to check out the dollars-and-cents
savings available to all Regular Bookstore Members through an array of business
management services and products that can help cut the costs of doing business. |
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New ABA Partnership to Provide Booksellers Access to POD
July 17, 2008 - This week, the American Booksellers Association announced a partnership
with Applewood Books that will enable ABA member booksellers to publish out-of-print
books on demand. The new program will provide participating booksellers with
the ability to publish any title that is in the public domain or any book, such
as a local interest title, whose rights have reverted to the author and to sell it at margins from 50 to 75 percent. "This program represents a tremendous
opportunity for independent booksellers to sell high-margin merchandise that
will further tie their stores to local communities," said Len Vlahos, ABA
chief program officer. |
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Four Winter Institute Videos Now on BookWeb
July 17, 2008 - The focus of the ABA Winter Institute is education -- sometimes gained in a panel or a seminar, but, also, through the compelling insights of thoughtful authors and experts. This year's institute featured two memorable keynote speakers and a thought-provoking roundtable discussion on localism that ended in a standing ovation. If you couldn't attend the Winter Institute, or missed any of these insightful speakers, four videos can now be viewed on BookWeb.org. |
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Booksellers Urged to Celebrate Banned Books Week: ABFFE Offers Array of Resources
July 17, 2008 - The American Booksellers Foundation for
Free Expression is urging booksellers to join in the only national celebration
of the freedom to read -- Banned Books Week -- to be held this year from September
27 through October 4. To make it easy for booksellers to participate, ABFFE
has created a Banned Books Week Handbook, freely available at abffe.com. The
handbook features lists of banned and challenged books, great display ideas,
easy events, and more. |
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BTW News Briefs
July 17, 2008 - Kay Ryan Named Poet Laureate; Trafalgar Square Publishing Adds Nine New Publishers; Baker & Taylor Restructures Books Merchandise Buying Area |
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IndieBound Info Sessions Set for July
July 16, 2008 - ABA staff members are taking to the road this summer for a series of
IndieBound information sessions, where they'll answer questions, share ideas,
and help booksellers position their stores to take full advantage of the many
opportunities that this exciting new movement affords. Before the end of July, sessions will be held in the Great Lakes region, Northern California, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. |
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10 Easy Steps to IndieBound
July 16, 2008 - The Literary Liberation Box provided a huge amount of material to help booksellers use IndieBound to promote their stores ... and that may have left some wondering exactly where to start. Stephanie Anderson of Moravian Book Shop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has helped ABA create an easy, 10-step guide, based on her experience introducing IndieBound to her bookstore and to the surrounding community. |
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RiverRun Invites Indies Nationwide to Join Reading Marathon
July 16, 2008 - This October, RiverRun Bookstore will be hosting its second "Great Expectations: A Reading Marathon," a 24-hour, customer read-a-thon. And now the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, bookstore is inviting independent booksellers nationwide to take up the challenge, too.
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Nominations Needed for Banned Books Top Ten
July 16, 2008 - There is still time to nominate titles for the 2008 Banned Books Top Ten, which is timed so that booksellers can use these titles and the list in conjunction with Banned Books Week displays and related events. |
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SCIBA & IndieBound on the Road
July 16, 2008 - Guinevere Platt, POS assistant manager/periodicals buyer at Vroman's and communications manager for the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association, writes about the regional's first annual series of Summer Quencher Meetings, which took place last week. Seventy-five booksellers from more than 25 stores learned and shared ideas about IndieBound and SCIBA's Holiday Catalog, Mentor Program, and more. |
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Linden Tree Children's Recordings and Books: A Community Treasure
July 16, 2008 - This past May, Linden Tree Children's Recordings and Books, which grew out of a children's music business that owners Linda and Dennis Ronberg launched in 1981, was honored as the California 11th Senate District's Small Business of the Year. The store was recognized for bringing the joys of reading and art to children, as well as for serving as a community gathering place and for the Ronberg's work in Los Altos and the Bay Area. |
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Bookstore Sales Up Again in May
July 15, 2008 - Preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census
reflect an increase in bookstore sales in May 2008 of 2.6 percent, compared
to May 2007. May 2008 bookstore sales are estimated at $1,154 million, compared
to sales of $1,125 million for the same period last year. |
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Olsson's Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
July 15, 2008 - On June 15, Olsson's Books & Records announced that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in an effort to reorganize and return to profitability. Olsson's controller, Terence McCann, said the reorganization plan "involves raising working capital, seeking investors, reducing overhead costs, adding new merchandise, refurbishing stores, retaining leases where achievable, or relocating to communities that will support the concept of an independent bookstore." |
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Obama Countdown Clock: Another Sizzlin' Sideline?
July 15, 2008 - Two years ago, Bookshop Santa Cruz unveiled the George Bush Countdown Clock, which became a top-selling sideline for the bookstore in the liberal-leaning Santa Cruz community, and for other indie bookstores across the country. Now, Bookshop Santa Cruz has created a spin-off -- the Countdown to President Obama Hope Clock. |
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Workshop for New & Prospective Booksellers in September
July 14, 2008 - The Bookstore Training Group of Paz & Associates will be conducting
an intensive workshop -- Opening a Bookstore: The Business Essentials -- from
Monday, September 8, through Friday, September 12, on Amelia Island (near Jacksonville,
Florida). The program, which is divided into two sessions, will answer participants'
general questions about the business, as well as detailed questions about the
start-up process. |
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Mark Your Calendars: The Fall Regional Trade Shows
July 14, 2008 - Here's a look at this year's fall regional trade show schedule, which
begins in the Pacific Northwest on Monday, September 15, and ends on Saturday,
October 18, in Southern California. |
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Booksellers on ABACUS: "Powerful," "Effective," "Indispensable"
July 10, 2008 - Sue Boucher used her ABACUS report to make a decision about moving her Lake Forest Book Store. Peggy Bieber of Little Professor Book Center calls
ABACUS "the most effective tool available to judge how [her] business is doing
compared to other bookstores of a similar size and location." And Peter
Schertz at Maria's reported, "We are able to determine areas in which we
are performing well, and those which need improvement. It's kind of like getting
a report card to see how we are performing among our peers. It helps us to set
our sights higher." To ensure the reliability of the 2008 ABACUS study's
overall results, as well as ABA's ability to provide individual store reports,
increased participation in this year's study is needed. The deadline is August
15. |
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The August 2008 Indie Next List & Notables Preview
July 10, 2008 - Here's a preview of the August Indie Next List now on its way to ABA
member stores in the IndieBound movement. |
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Fire-Damaged Bunch of Grapes Closed for Foreseeable Future
July 10, 2008 - Bunch of Grapes bookstore on Martha's Vineyard, which was severely damaged
by a fire on July 4, will be rebuilt, according to a July 10 account in the
Martha's Vineyard Times. As of Monday, Jon Nelson, the store's owner,
had yet to see the damage in person, due to a recent move to Texas, but the
newspaper reported that he had asked Steve Fischer, executive director of the
New England Independent Booksellers Association, to express his intentions to
rebuild at a meeting of Tisbury selectmen and local business owners. |
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BTW News Briefs
July 10, 2008 - Scholastic Offers Downloadable "Harry Potter Birthday Kit;" Entrekin Named Recipient of NAIBA Legacy Award; NYC Indies Roll Into
NJ; Applications for NEIBA Grants Now Being Accepted; New York City Booksellers
Name Alliance; 2008 SIBA Book Award Winners Announced; The Children's Africana
Book Award Winners |
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Kids' Indie Next List to Debut This Fall: Nominations Needed Now
July 09, 2008 - This Friday, July 11, is the deadline for nominations for the debut
Children's Indie Next List, which, with solid bookseller participation, will
highlight a wealth of intriguing and fun titles for the fall. Friday is also
the deadline for nominations for the Banned Books Top Ten, which is timed so
booksellers will be able to incorporate featured titles in Banned Books Week displays and
at store events. |
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Around Indie Bookstores
July 09, 2008 - NYC's McNally Robinson to Celebrate Name Change; BookStacks
Unites With Bucksport Businesses to Boost Downtown; Powell's Announces Plans
for Breaking Dawn Midnight Release Party |
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A Wild and IndieBound Independence Day at Titcomb's
July 09, 2008 - When Vicky Uminowicz of Titcomb's Bookshop in East Sandwich, Massachusetts,
received her store's IndieBound "Eat Sleep Read" poster, she immediately
knew it would be too big for the store's multi-paned colonial windows. However,
Uminowicz did have the perfect place for the big red poster: on the back of
the bookstore's red, white, and blue Fourth of July parade float. |
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Indie Bestsellers: Independent Retailing-Focused Business Books
July 09, 2008 - Based on sales at hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide for
the 12-week period ending July 8, 2008. |
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Bookbug Takes Hold in Kalamazoo
July 09, 2008 - Kalamazoo, Michigan's Bookbug, opened by friends Nicole Butz and Joanna
Parzakonis, and Joanna's husband, Derek Molitor, in February 2008, is a 900-square-foot
children's bookstore featuring about 15,000 titles and a full line-up of free
events -- author readings, daily story time, biweekly tales told by professional
storyteller, regular performances by local musicians, and a children's cooking
class. The store, located in a residential shopping center occupied primarily
by independent businesses, is a community hub, committed to promoting literacy
in Kalamazoo and to serving as a gathering place for kids and parents. |
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IndieBound on PC Magazine's "Cool Web Site" List
July 08, 2008 - PC Magazine's AppScout, which "scour[s] the world in search
of the best software, sites, and Web apps," recently named IndieBound.org
to its list of "Cool Web Sites." |
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WiFi Hotspots Draw Right Demographic to Independent Bookstores
July 08, 2008 - The Pew Internet & American Life Project reports that 62 percent
of American adults have either accessed the Internet wirelessly or have used
hand-held devices for such applications as texting and e-mail. And this week,
the Nielsen Company noted that the average American is spending more than
26 hours a month on the Internet, a nine percent increase over 2007. If they're
not spending some of that time in your bookstore, perhaps you're not offering
customers an experience they have come to expect. Here's a piece from the BTW
archives on how -- and why -- booksellers are offering WiFi access to customers,
and the successes they have seen in building store traffic and satisfying customers. |
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IndieBound.org Launches Innovative Features
July 02, 2008 - The
summer reading season is kicking into high gear, and so is IndieBound.org. A
number of innovative features have recently been added to help consumers find great titles
... and nearby indie bookstores. Here's a look at what's new: |
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Creating a Legacy in Texas: New Bookstore Prepares to Open This Fall
July 02, 2008 - Teri Tanner believes the timing is right to open a 24,000-square-foot
indie bookstore in Plano, Texas. The managing partner of Legacy Books, scheduled to open in the northern suburb of Dallas at the end of October, told
BTW, "It's a whopper, but the timing is great. With the economy
the way it is, people are really focused on local businesses. They want to spend
their money someplace where it will stay in the community." |
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July Indie Notables Fliers & Shelf-Talkers Debut
July 02, 2008 - The July 2008 Indie Next List Notables flier is now available in a downloadable
PDF on BookWeb.org. The flier features jacket images, bibliographic information,
and bookseller quotes, and, in addition, all Notables titles are featured in
an electronic file of shelf-talkers for in-store use. |
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Breaking Dawn Party Plans Percolate
July 01, 2008 - In the three years since the launch of The Twilight Saga, Stephenie
Meyer's vampire-fantasy-romance-horror series has quietly garnered a large and
devoted legion of readers. Now, with buzz building for the August 2 release
of Breaking Dawn, the fourth and final installment, many indie booksellers
are busy putting together plans for midnight release parties sure to please
excited fans. Here's a look at some of the ghoulish party ideas that ABA members
have been sharing on BookWeb.org's Bookseller-to-Bookseller Forum. |
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All in the Family: The Sly Fox Turns 10
July 01, 2008 - The Sly Fox Mystery & Children's Bookstore in Virden, Illinois,
which celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, boasts some 86 years of family
history. The building once housed a dress and hat shop, opened in 1922 by George
Rishel's great-aunt and later run by his mother. In 1998, Rishel opened The Sly
Fox, while continuing his day job as the staff attorney for the State of Illinois'
Legislative Research Unit. After retiring in 2002, he became a full-time bookseller. |
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Two Sisters Bookery: New Owner, Same Name
July 01, 2008 - When Cathy Stanley e-mailed friends and neighbors to advertise the sale
of her bookstore, Two Sisters Bookery in Wilmington, North Carolina, Angela
Carr wasted no time in responding. Carr learned of the sale on June 2, and by
June 20 she owned the bookstore. |
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ABACUS Deadline Is August 15
July 01, 2008 - Data-gathering for the 2008 ABACUS Survey, which opened in February,
will end on Friday, August 15. Completing the easy-to-use ABACUS Survey form
takes about an hour, and in return participants receive a customized analysis
of their business' financial results and a $50 rebate. The reliability of the
study's overall results and ABA's ability to provide in-depth analyses depend
on greater participation by member stores. |
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Tough Times Demand Smart Action
July 01, 2008 - In this insightful and relevant column from the BTW archives, former
ABA President Neal Coonerty offers suggestions about preparing a business to weather tough times. During 30-plus years in bookselling,
Coonerty brought Bookshop Santa Cruz through hard economic times and the complete
destruction of its physical location in a 1989 earthquake, through clear-headed
leadership, a tightening of inventory, a reduction of costs, and more. |
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BTW News Briefs
July 01, 2008 - Olsson's to File Chapter 11; GABBS 2008 to Include IndieBound; NAIBA
Trunk Show Set for July 15; Washington SSUTA Participation Kicks Off |
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