Advocacy

Tickets for the annual Children’s Book Art Silent Auction & Reception at BookExpo America are on sale now. In addition to remarkable art from new books, this year’s auction will feature pieces created in honor of Maurice Sendak, who mentored and inspired so many artists and fought vigorously against efforts to censor In the Night Kitchen.

The campaign for sales tax fairness gained tremendous momentum with two major victories in the last few weeks, but now, more than ever, it’s crucial to keep the pressure on federal legislators.

On Thursday, March 28, the New York State Court of Appeals ruled 4-1 in favor of the state’s sales tax fairness law, dismissing arguments made by Amazon.com and Overstock.com that the law was unconstitutional.

New York Times editorial favors sales tax fairness; free bookseller subscription to ForeWord Reviews; European Union to approve Penguin, Random House merger; France budgets for bookstore assistance

ABFFE and the ABC Children’s Group at ABA are seeking donations of original art for the 2013 Children’s Book Art Silent Auction and Reception at BEA.  This year’s event will be on Wednesday evening, May 29, and will be hosted by bestselling authors Jack Gantos and Lauren Myracle.

On Tuesday, March 19, in advance of the Senate’s landslide vote in favor of sales tax fairness, ABA joined with Jewelers of America to meet with key U.S. senators and representatives in Washington, D.C., in support of the Marketplace Fairness Act (S.336/H.R.684).

ABFFE will be receiving an initial gift of $8,000 in special royalties from sales of My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop, thanks to Black Dog & Leventhal and Workman Publishing.

On March 15, ABA joined with the Small Business Majority and other groups in urging the Department of Health and Human Services to reject a rule that would delay critical requirements for small business health insurance exchanges, which are set to open on January 1, 2014, as part of the Affordable Care Act.

On Friday, March 22, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved, by a vote of 75-24, a budget resolution amendment in support of sales tax fairness.

The Affordable Care Act and how it will affect indie bookstores will be the focus of a free healthcare reform webinar hosted by the Small Business Majority and ABA on next Tuesday, March 26, at 2:30 p.m. EDT.  Registration for the webinar is required.