Website Offers Free Publicity for Banned Books Week Events

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression is encouraging booksellers to spread the word about their Banned Books Week plans via the new website www.bannedbooksweek.org. The site was launched by ABFFE and the American Library Association this summer to help the public learn more about this year's celebration, which will take place from September 27 through October 4. A key feature of the site is a list of events at bookstores and libraries across the country.

"We've gotten a great response so far and currently have more than a hundred Banned Books Week events and displays listed," said ABFFE President Chris Finan. "Now that it's September and bookstores are focusing on the upcoming Banned Books Week, we hope that they'll add their events and displays to the growing list."

Bookstores and libraries that would like to be listed on the new website can submit details of their Banned Books Week celebration directly on the site. After the information is reviewed, it will be posted.

To make it easy for booksellers to participate in Banned Books Week celebrations, ABFFE has created a Banned Books Week Handbook, freely available at abffe.com. The handbook includes lists of banned and challenged books, great display ideas, and easy events, which are inexpensive to put together and sure to draw customer attention. Banned Books Week posters that can be downloaded and reproduced at a local copy shop for a nominal fee are also available.

ABFFE is also having a sale on its popular FREADOM products, including a new FREADOM bookmark (100 for $5) and small FREADOM buttons in three colors that are sold in mixed bags of 100 ($20). FREADOM T-shirts are available in four colors and may be customized for a nominal fee.

For more information about Banned Books Week, visit abffe.com or contact Rebecca Zeidel at (212) 587-4025, ext. 13 or via e-mail to [email protected].