Industry News

In this most busy of times for booksellers, Book Sense sends a very short reminder of some key upcoming deadlines for the Book Sense Picks program.

June 4 -- August Book Sense Picks
July 9 -- Banned Books Top Ten
July 9 -- Fall Children's Book Sense Picks

Of special note is the July 9 deadline for the Book Sense Banned Books Top Ten list. This will be the first time we have compiled this list, and it is timed to coincide with the national celebration of Banned Books Week.

At this year's BookExpo America (BEA), the ABA/Book Sense Lounge -- Room 401 at Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center -- will be the place to go for autographed books from some of independent booksellers' favorite authors. (In a break from the past, ABA's presence at this year's BEA will be centralized in the ABA/Book Sense Lounge rather than split between the lounge and a booth on the trade show floor.)

The American Booksellers Association has announced the lineup for the 2004 Book Sense at Five Reading Room, to be held at BookExpo America on Saturday, June 5, from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., in Room 404B/C of Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center. All BEA attendees are welcome to the free event, which has become an ABA Convention tradition.

ABA member booksellers attending this year's BookExpo America (BEA) will be eligible to win some fabulous prizes by picking up their ABA welcome kit at the Hotel ABA Chicago or by visiting the ABA/Book Sense Lounge at the McCormick Place Convention Center.

On Tuesday, May 18, the New England Booksellers Association (NEBA) and New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) held a joint Shop Talk at the Holiday Inn Carrier Circle in East Syracuse, New York, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The event was the brainchild of Rob Stahl of Colgate Bookstore in Hamilton, New York, who approached NEBA and NAIBA about facilitating a meeting for the booksellers of central New York, who often must travel long distances to make it to regional meetings.

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) will have something for everyone at this year's BookExpo America (BEA). Events range from a panel on free expression issues to award-winning comedy to ABFFE's ever-popular silent auction.

According to the Book Industry Study Group's (BISG) recently released Book Industry Trends 2004, annual consumer expenditures for books will reach $44 billion by 2008. Trade, mass market, and professional publishing revenues will increase by roughly 10 percent by 2008, with revenue growth higher for university press and college publishers, but the most significant growth will be in the el-hi and standardized-test segments of the industry, with respective increases of more than 20 and 45 percent.

Book Nook of Warren, Ohio, turned 35 this month, but it's hardly complacent in its middle age.

Owned by Clyde and Jean Bolinger, Book Nook is open 78 hours a week, 362 days a year, and the Bollingers are working hard to succeed, especially since a major chain opened a store five miles away, four years ago. The store, originally 1,900 square feet, has expanded twice to reach its current 7,000 square feet. Adapting and thriving, the store just received the Pendleton Business Award from the Greater Youngstown-Warren Area Chamber of Commerce.

In April, Emma Rodgers and Ashira Tosihwe, owners of Black Images Book Bazaar in Dallas, announced that the bookstore would close in 2005. However, now Black Images is the focus of a widespread effort to keep its doors open, and Rodgers and Tosihwe are reconsidering their plans. Rodgers had cited high rents and the economy as among the reasons the store would not renew its lease, but the pair intentionally announced their plans well in advance.

March bookstore sales continued the generally upward trend of the last 10 months, according to preliminary figures recently released by the Bureau of the Census. March 2004 bookstore sales of $1,076 million were 11.7 percent better than the $963 million for March 2003.

Bookstore sales in March outpaced overall retail sales. Overall retail sales were $336 billion for March 2004, 10.5 percent better than the $304 billion of the previous year.

On Saturday, May 8, Lonely Planet, the independent travel publisher, began a tour of independent bookstores that will end on Thursday, June 3, in Chicago at BookExpo America. BTW reporter Karen Schechner joined Lonely Planet staff on the whirlwind road trip in the eye-catching blue RV as it wended its way to stores in New York and New England.

In a break from the past, ABA's presence at this year's BookExpo America (BEA) will be centralized in the ABA/Book Sense Lounge rather than split between the lounge and a booth on the trade show floor. The ABA/Book Sense Lounge, in Room 401, will feature all the usual information and services provided at ABA's trade floor booth, as well as a place to kick back, relax, and check e-mail. The Lounge is situated close to all of ABA's educational programming.

ABA member booksellers who have registered for BookExpo America (BEA) should be on the lookout for a mailing from the association that includes a letter from ABA President Ann Christophersen, updated information about ABA programming, special invitations, hotel shuttle bus information, special offers from Publishers Weekly and BookSense.com, and much more.

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