Regional Access Due Next Week

Publisher members: The January “Regional Access” is to be emailed next week to the GLBA Listserve. Do you have titles that you’d like to feature? Please email me with your information by Wednesday, January 28. If you have questions about the Regional Access Program, go to “For Publishers” on the GLBA website, www.books-glba.org.

posted by Jim at Thursday, January 22, 2004

PATRIOT ACT PETITION CAMPAIGN UNDER WAY

Two weeks ago, the ABA launched a petition campaign to gather signatures of bookstore customers who support amending Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act, which stripped away protections for customer privacy. The goal is to garner at least one million signatures. The text of the petition reads as follows:

“USA Patriot Act vs. Your FREADOM. Tell Congress to Restore Reader Privacy Today! The USA Patriot Act threatens your privacy in bookstores and librarires. It gives the FBI power to apply to a secret court for an order compelling the surrender of records of the books you purchase or borrow. The government does not have to produce any evidence that you are a terrorist – or even that you are suspected of a crime! The order also gags booksellers and librarians, making it illegal to reveal that your records have been searched. We, the undersigned, urge our representatives in Congress to support legislation that amends Section 215 of the Patriot Act to restore the privacy of our bookstore and library records.”

You may download a copy of the petition at http://www.bookweb.org/graphics/pdfs/abffe_petition.pdf. You can order buttons, bumper stickers, T-shirts and other materials sporting the FREADOM logo from the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. Order throught the ABFFE store at www.abffe.com or 212-587-4025.

posted by Jim at Monday, January 19, 2004