BTW News Briefs

Prospective Booksellers Graduate From "Opening a Bookstore" Workshop

Thirteen prospective booksellers from as far away as Trinidad and Athens, Greece, gathered during the week of September 14 on Amelia Island, Florida, for an "Opening a Bookstore" workshop, run by the Bookstore Training & Consulting Group of Paz & Associates. The recent graduates are pictured here with trainers Donna Paz Kaufman and Mark Kaufman.

The workshop is sponsored twice a year by Paz & Associates in partnership with the American Booksellers Association. The next workshop is scheduled for March 15 - 19, 2010 on Amelia Island.

AAP Releases July E-Book Stats

The Association of American Publishers (AAP), in conjunction with the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF), recently released e-book sales statistics for July 2009. Trade e-book sales for July were $16,200,000 -- a 213.5 percent increase over July 2008 ($5,200,000). Calendar year sales to date are up 173.9 percent.

July 2009 represents the highest single month thus far for wholesale trade electronic book sales. The statistics, historical data, and information about the numbers can be found at idpf.org.

New York State Holds Hearing on Retail Diversity & Neighborhood Health

On September 18, New York State Senator Daniel Squadron (D - 25), chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Cities, and the Assembly Standing Committee on Cities hosted a Public Hearing on Retail Diversity and Neighborhood Health. Panel members gathered in New York City to hear testimony from retailers, representatives from nonprofit business groups, and others interested in supporting, preserving, and revitalizing the retail landscape in urban neighborhoods.

New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Executive Director Eileen Dengler, who attended the session, said, "I thought everyone who was in that room wanted to see diverse downtowns."

Also among the attendees were Jeremy Waldrup, assistant commissioner of NYC Department of Small Business Services, Andrew Schwartz, deputy commissioner of NYC Department of Small Business Services, Mark Ryckman, city manager of Corning, and Amy Kedron, executive director of Buffalo First.

Several independent retailers in attendance took issue with tax abatements that are only available to big box stores, said Dengler. Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, a panel member, spoke out against the abatements, because, he said, many big box stores are not vested in the community. Other issues discussed included lack of financial assistance and incentives to small business owners, leverage of heavy taxes and fees, high commercial rents in New York City, and the inundation of chain stores. Sen. Squadron said it was the state's goal to create legislation that would address some of the leading problems.

Dengler also reported that a comment was offered about how Business Improvement Districts can play a more active role in their communities and can offer evaluations on retail operations. She noted to BTW that NAIBA offers that service through the Book Buddies program in conjunction with Bookazine, and ABA does with its ABACUS resource.

Paul Auster, Winner of Legacy Award, to Appear at NAIBA Conference

The New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association will honor Paul Auster with the Legacy Award at its Fall Conference Awards Banquet on Sunday, October 4, in Baltimore, Maryland.

Auster is the bestselling author of Man in the Dark, Travels in the Scriptorium, The Brooklyn Follies, and The Book of Illusions, among other titles. His new novel, Invisible, will be published as A Frances Coady Book/Henry Holt & Co. on November 2.