Connecting with Information & Colleagues Through ABA's Web Sites

Just the Facts … on Making the Most of the BTW Search Engine

The new online version of Bookselling This Week includes a search engine that enables readers to find previously published stories, to research topics, and to quickly access stories within several key categories.

The BTW home page -- at http://news.bookweb.org -- and every Web page containing BTW stories has a search engine in the left-hand margin below the seven click-through buttons to the various BTW sections. Type in a key word or words (for example, a name, title, or subject) in the search engine box and click "go" to access the BTW files.

The Web site will list articles that have been published since January 7, 2002, when BTW went online, with the most recent first. (If the key words appear on a section homepage, this will also be displayed.) However, earlier articles are still available. At the bottom of the Web page, a sentence notes, "For older news articles, or more information on your topic, search BookWeb.org." When you click that link, the search engine will find all relevant articles published before January 7. These earlier archives are password protected, and member booksellers can access them by using their regular BookWeb.org password. Note, too, that there are links to www.BookWeb.org and www.BookSense.com at the bottom of every page of BTW.

There’s another search option as well. Every BTW story is categorized by relevant topics, for instance "News -- Bookselling," "Awards," or "Book Sense." The topics are displayed at the end of each article. By clicking on any of the topics, you can see a listing of related stories, in order of publication date.

A Bookish Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Questions about bookselling, BookSense.com, ABA, and other key topics can be asked and answered at the "Idea Exchange" on BookWeb.org, the ABA member Web site. This area is only accessible to ABA bookstore members who have registered a login name and password. To register for the online forums and for access to all restricted areas of BookWeb.org, booksellers may simply click here for an online registration form. This form is also accessible by clicking on the "Register for BookWeb" icon at the bottom of the left navigation bar on the BookWeb homepage. Booksellers will be asked to provide a login name, password, and their ABA ID number.

The "Idea Exchange" offers booksellers a choice of four forums. The "Booksellers General Forum" is open to all ABA member bookstores. There, they can post messages to network with other booksellers. The "Booksellers General Forum" is not moderated and ABA staff does not post messages or responses.

At "Ask ABA," booksellers can address questions to ABA staff or Board of Directors. Each question is referred to the most appropriate person at ABA or on the board and a response is posted.

The "Ask BookSense.com" Forum enables participants to network with other BookSense.com users and benefit from each other’s experiences. BookSense.com staff does monitor this forum and does respond to questions posted there. For immediate customer service, e-mail staff@booksense.com or telephone (800) 637-0037, ext. 1234.

The "Inventory Control Systems" forum provides an opportunity to learn and share thoughts about available systems.

Forum users must agree to abide by the "ABA Web Site Statement, Policies, and Forum Agreement" posted on the site. These policies prohibit the posting of any defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, anti-competitive, or illegal statements, information, or materials. To view the complete document, click here.