A Letter from ABA CEO Allison Hill

Dear Booksellers,

Like all of you, ABA is still processing the fast and furious news from DC in the first two weeks of the new administration. As you know, information is changing daily and checks and balances and challenges haven’t fully kicked in yet, so it remains to be seen how the dust will settle.

Regardless of political views or party affiliation, there are serious concerns about the impact of the announcements thus far on booksellers. We’ve outlined some of them in this report. In light of breaking news, tariffs and free expression are top of mind today.

We also want to specifically acknowledge the harmful impact of the anti-LGBTQIA2S+ executive order on trans, nonbinary, intersex, and gender nonconforming booksellers, and on free expression rights. This is not about political ideology; it’s a matter of human rights, civil rights, and freedom of expression for you, our members. Government erosion of those rights impacts us all.

Here are a few resources we hope are useful to those impacted by anti-LGBTQIA2S+ executive orders, deportation policies, anti-DEI rhetoric, free expression challenges, and harassment.
 

• How to Support Staff Impacted by Recent Anti-LGBTQIA2S+ Actions
• Travel Tips and Resources for LGBTQIA2S+ & Immigrant Wi2025 Attendees
• The ABA Right to Read Toolkit
• Planning a Secure Drag Story Time Event
• 6 Steps to Help Deal with Curation Protests
• Training Staff to Deal with Curation Challenges
• If your free expression is challenged, call the ABFE Hotline at 914-406-7534 for advice or support!

ABA is actively monitoring developments and adjusting our priorities to best support members on issues within the scope of ABA’s mission as your trade association, issues like the labor shortage, book censorship, staff support, healthcare, tariffs, and more. Watch Bookselling This Week for updates and resources and reach out if ABA can offer assistance.

Allison Hill, CEO