Booksellers Urged to Contact Legislators to Demand E-Fairness

Last week, the American Booksellers Association launched the E-Fairness Action Kit (E-FACT) to provide booksellers with crucial, state-specific tools to help them with their e-fairness communications and advocacy efforts. E-FACT provides booksellers in the 42 states that collect sales tax but do not have e-fairness legislation with state-specific template letters calling for e-fairness that can be sent to their state legislators and governor. ABA is urging booksellers in the 42 states to use the available templates to reach out to their state legislators, governor, and revenue departments.

Booksellers can go to E-FACT and navigate to their state, where they will find the relevant documents, which can be adapted and then e-mailed to the appropriate person. Look for E-FACT to continue to grow to include FAQs, relevant articles, and other material.

Very soon, ABA will add to E-FACT both an op-ed template and practical suggestions for advocating on behalf of e-fairness. Booksellers are urged to adapt the editorial and submit it to their local newspapers to help increase public awareness of the importance of e-fairness.

In addition, within the next month, ABA will provide fact sheets that will provide key economic stats, including how much sales tax revenue ABA member bookstores provide to each state. The fact sheets can make a powerful impact in conjunction with letters or as a leave-behind in meetings with state legislators.

Booksellers who have questions, need assistance, or want more information on ABA's e-fairness efforts should contact David Grogan at (800) 637-0037, ext. 6662 or via e-mail at dave@bookweb.org.