BTW News Briefs

Anderson's Ayers Event Canceled Out of Safety Concerns

Today the Naperville Sun reported that Anderson's Bookshops was canceling the April 8 appearance by 1960s radical William Ayers, now a University of Chicago professor and activist, not "because of who he is," but rather out of safety concerns.

In a message on its homepage, Anderson's explained: "Anderson's Bookshops host hundreds of authors and newsmakers each year and will continue to do so. The hysterical and ugly comments about the appearance multiplied each day, and we feared our customers and staff might be in physical jeopardy if we held the scheduled program.

"We are not happy about having to make this decision. Bookstores play an integral part in the process by which ideas are disseminated and debated. Debate is essential in our society, and we take seriously our responsibility to promote ideas, including those that we personally do not endorse or condone."

In response to the community's reaction, the bookstore plans to host a town meeting-style freedom of speech forum to provide "an outlet for examining how respectful discourse can enrich our lives and our community." Details will be forthcoming.

AAP Reports Book Sales Estimated at $24.3 Billion in 2008

On March 31, the Association of American Publishers (AAP) released its annual estimate of total book sales in the U.S. The report, which uses data from the Bureau of the Census, as well as sales data from 81 publishers inclusive of all major book publishing media market holders, estimates that U.S. publishers had net sales of $24.3 billion in 2008, down from $25.0 billion in 2007, representing a 2.8 percent decrease. In the last six years the industry had a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.6 percent.

Trade sales of adult and juvenile books fell 5.2 percent from 2007, to $8.1 billion, CAGR fell to 2.1 percent. Growth was found in paperbound books for children and adults, with growth rates of 6.4 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively. Sales in hardcover fell 12.4 percent in children's hardcover and 13 percent in adult hardcover. Over the period covered by the estimated data, the CAGR for hardbound books was 0.4 percent for adult books and 1.5 percent for juvenile. Paperbound books grew 3.9 percent and 2.8 percent over the six years. Mass Market paperbacks decreased 3.0 percent and brought the category CAGR to -1.9 percent. Total sales were $1.1 billion in 2008. Book clubs and mail-order fell for the sixth year, to $600 million, a fall of 3.4 percent.

The complete list of the preliminary estimated book publishing industry net sales for 2008 prepared by Management Practice, Inc. is available on the AAP web site at www.publishers.org.

AAP and NBA Team Up for Get Caught Reading

To mark the 10th Birthday of Get Caught Reading, in May 2009, the Association of American Publishers is teaming up with the National Basketball Association and Reach Out and Read to carry the campaign -- which celebrates the pleasures of leisure-time reading -- to a new level. This year, the groups plan to distribute thousands of posters at select NBA events and through Reach Out and Read pediatric centers in 50 states. The posters feature NBA and WNBA stars "caught reading" their favorite books.

WNBA and NBA stars featured during Get Caught Reading's 10th Birthday year include: Jerryd Bayless (Portland Trail Blazers); Greg Oden (Portland Trailblazers); Joe Alexander (Milwaukee Bucks); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); Candice Wiggins (Minnesota Lynx); Lindsay Whalen (Connecticut Sun); Taj McWilliams-Franklin (Detroit Shock); and Roy Hibbert (Indiana Pacers). A full listing of posters currently available free of charge can be found at www.getcaughtreading.org. The NBA/WNBA posters will be available this year.

BEA to Welcome Captain Sullenberger

BookExpo America (BEA) has announced that Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger, III, will appear at the convention as a Guest of Honor on Saturday, May 30, at 3:00 p.m. Captain Sullenberger, who will be appearing on behalf of William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, will address attendees and will, according to his publisher, be available to sign a promotional piece about the book following his speech. Captain Sullenberger will appear on one of BEA's two new Author Stages that will be located on the north and south ends of the convention floor at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.

On January 15, 2009, Captain Sullenberger and his crew safely landed their crippled aircraft in the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 people on board US Airways Flight 1549. Morrow announced in March that it would be publishing two books by Captain Sullenberger.

GLIBA to Hold IndieNights on April 23

The Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association has announced that it will be holding "IndieNights" on Thursday, April 23 -- six simultaneous meetings of indie booksellers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. In the GLIBA newsletter, Jill Miner, GLIBA president and owner of Saturn Booksellers in Gaylord, Michigan, explained that IndieNights are "social gatherings that will get booksellers together to spread some GLIBA info, but, more importantly, give us a chance to talk the biz with our fellow booksellers in an open, everyone-welcome atmosphere."

Details and locations are available on the GLBA website.

MPIBA Regional Mini-Meeting in Austin, Texas

The Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association is inviting members to a MPIBA Regional Mini-Meeting, at BookPeople in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, April 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Booksellers planning to attend are asked to RSVP to Meghan Dietsche Goel via e-mail: kids_buyer@bookpeople.com no later than Friday, April 10. Questions may be addressed to Dietsche Goel at (512) 472-4288, ext. 201.

2009 Orion Book Award Winner Named

Trespass: Living at the Edge of the Promised Land by Amy Irvine (North Point Press) has been selected to receive the 2008 Orion Book Award, which is conferred annually to a book that deepens our connection to the natural world, presents new ideas about our relationship with nature, and achieves excellence in writing.

The author will be presented with a prize of $3,000 at a celebration on April 15 at Cynthia-Reeves gallery, 535 West 24th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York, from 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. The event is open to the public.

International Congress of Young Booksellers Accepting Applications for ICYB 2009

The 52nd International Congress of Young Booksellers (ICYB), a subdivision of the International Booksellers Federation (IBF), is now accepting applications for ICYB 2009. The congress will take place from May 24 - May 30 at the German Booksellers School in Frankfurt. Details and an application are available on ICYB website.