Industry News

March marks the 10th annual celebration of National Small Press Month (NSPM), co-sponsored by the Small Press Center; PMA, the Independent Book Publishers Association; and the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP).

What better theme for literature than love? And -- with all due respect to the chocolate, flower, and diamond industries -- what better way to show one's love than the gift of a book?

On Saturday, February 25, in Los Angeles, the Southern California Booksellers Association (SCBA) will hold its third Independent Bookstore Tour. This year, the "I Feel the Need to Read" tour will celebrate the role of independent booksellers in Southern California and in communities nationwide. SCBA is inviting readers to visit "some of the country's most knowledgeable and inspiring bookstores to meet authors and fellow book lovers."

While most booksellers would agree that Advance Reading Copies (ARCs) are a useful and necessary tool for gauging the sales potential for all kinds of books, sometimes galleys can pile up in the stock room in a hurry. Since booksellers can't read them all, nor keep them all, Bookselling This Week decided to ask a few publishers and booksellers for their tips about what to do with ARCs once bookstores are finished with them.

With no fanfare, Barnes & Noble has begun collecting sales tax on online purchases made through its Barnes&Noble.com website in 38 states. The company website currently notes, "In accordance with applicable law, Barnes&Noble.com collects tax in all but the following states: Arizona, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Mexico, Vermont, and the District of Columbia." States that have no sales tax are Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon.

The first annual American Booksellers Association Winter Institute concluded its two days of programming on Friday, January 27, and booksellers and publishers who attended overwhelmingly praised the event, which combined 25 educational sessions with social events and hours of networking and impromptu conversations. A total of 375 Booksellers from 44 states and the District of Columbia, as well as Canada and Bermuda attended the institute.

Booksellers, publishers, and other book industry professionals can now register for BookExpo America 2006 at BEA's website, www.bookexpoamerica.com. This year's show at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center from Thursday, May 18, through Sunday, May 21, will feature over 2,000 exhibitors showcasing thousands of new titles, as well as products and services for the book industry.

Three well-known independent bookstores recently made the news: two with the announcement of a change in ownership and one with a relocation.

The American Booksellers Association's 2006 Booksellers Forum Tour continues with a forum and educational programming held in conjunction with the Third Annual Mountains & Plains Booksellers Association (MPBA) Spring Meeting, to be held from February 23 to 25, at the Marriott Denver Tech Center. All members of MPBA and ABA -- owners and staff -- are welcome to participate in the free program.

The American Booksellers Association is inviting bookstore owners and staff in the Pacific Northwest to a Booksellers Forum on Saturday, February 25, at the McMenamins Kennedy School, in Portland, Oregon. The event, which features an education component, is being held in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA). All members of PNBA and ABA are welcome to participate in the free program.

On Wednesday, February 1, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to extend the USA Patriot Act for five weeks, giving lawmakers until Friday, March 10, to hash out differences over a number of expiring provisions of the Act. This is the second five-week extension of the Patriot Act, resulting from the efforts of a bipartisan group of U.S. senators who are seeking to craft a bill that includes stronger provisions to ensure the privacy of America's readers.

In response to the continuing controversy surrounding the veracity of the memoir A Million Little Pieces, James Frey has written an author's note, now available on the Random House website.

PEN American Center Joins Lawsuit Challenging Patriot Act

Just two weeks ago, the American Booksellers Association announced the opening of registration at the Hilton Crystal City, which offers ABA member booksellers the same room rate and amenities as the sold-out Hotel ABA/D.C., the Doubletree Crystal City.

Retailing, specifically bookselling, is honorable and difficult work. Some might say it is not, however, on a par with saving lives or curing cancer. That's what makes Kathleen Jewell, owner of Wilmington, North Carolina's new store, Pomegranate Books such an intriguing addition to the bookselling community. She has a foot in both worlds.