Preparing for Banned Books Week

In the wake of recent events, "building support for First Amendment rights is particularly urgent right now," said American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) President Chris Finan, who in a recent letter to booksellers encouraged their participation in Banned Books Week, which will run this year from Saturday, September 24, through Saturday, October 1.

The recent jailing of a New York Times reporter for refusing to reveal the name of a source, the Bush Administration's efforts to expand the USA Patriot Act to make it even easier for the FBI to obtain business records, and a Congress member's proposal to segregate libraries to protect children from being exposed to homosexual "propaganda," such as the children's book King and King, are indicative of the need for First Amendment activism on everyone's part, according to Finan.

Among the things booksellers can do to promote support for First Amendment rights, ABFFE suggests:

• Order the Banned Books Week Kit. The $35 American Library Association kit includes three posters, a list of titles that have been challenged over the last year, 100 bookmarks, and a Banned Books Week pin. (An order form is available at http://urlsnip.com/554935.)
• Hand out Campaign for Reader Privacy bookmarks and encourage customers to sign the petition urging Congress to restore the safeguards for bookstore and library privacy that were eliminated by the Patriot Act. (The bookmarks can be ordered free from the American Booksellers Association by calling (800) 637-0037, ext. 6635. A downloadable petition form and other information is available at www.bookweb.org/read/7679.)
• Sell ABFFE T-shirts, bumper stickers, and buttons, featuring the popular FREADOM logo. (All items can be ordered from the ABFFE online store at www.abffe.com or by calling (212) 587-4025.)

Look for more details about Banned Books Week in upcoming editions of Bookselling This Week.