Quarterly Advocacy Updates Reports for the previous quarter are now available for American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE) and for all other advocacy! Summary of ABFE’s free expression advocacy: Our focus this quarter was on launching our first book, The ABA Right to Read Handbook: Fighting Book Bans and Why It Matters; 16 in-person or virtual appearances; growing social media; coordinating Banned Books Week for booksellers; and launching the Set Books Free Project. As always, we continued offering direct support to stores experiencing challenges or needing guidance. Summary of all other advocacy: After the judge in the Federal Trade Commission/Amazon case rejected ABA’s attempt to intervene, ABA filed an appeal and is still awaiting an appellate court judge’s decision as to whether ABA can intervene in the case. ABA also continued to work on a legislative solution regarding ADA website compliance, as well as advocacy in support of the Credit Card Competition Act. Signal Your Support for the Credit Card Competition Act The Merchants Payments Coalition (MPC), of which the American Booksellers Association is a member, is asking booksellers to sign on to a letter in support of the Credit Card Competition Act. The simple process of signing your store’s name on this letter can help move the issue forward, as the coalition works toward getting a vote on the legislation prior to the end of this year’s congressional session. Sign the letter now! |
