Industry News

This is the final in a series of four articles looking at the results of the recently released 2002 Consumer Research Study on Book Purchasing, conducted by Ipsos BookTrends and published by the Book Industry Study Group (BISG). This week's focus is the used book market.

In April 2002, Ipsos began to track more consumer data on the purchases of used books. Though the study notes that this is data is insufficient to establish any specific trends, it does provide some insight into what may be future consumer patterns.

At press time, it was expected that on Thursday, October 2, Senators Larry Craig (R-ID) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) would introduce the Security and Freedom Ensured Act (SAFE) of 2003 in the Senate. The legislation would amend parts of the USA Patriot Act, including Section 215, which gives law enforcement officials broad authority to demand that libraries or bookstores turn over books, records, papers, and documents.

On Wednesday, October 1, retail organizations and Colorado Governor Bill Owens testified before a House subcommittee at an oversight hearing regarding The Streamlined Sales Tax Agreement (H.R. 3184), a bill that would allow states to simplify sales tax, with equal tax treatment between local merchants and remote sellers. Congressmen Ernest Istook (R-OK) and William Delahunt (D-MA) introduced the legislation last Thursday.

Booksellers who were among the first to sign up for the Book Sense Gift Card program are now receiving their card orders from Givex. Training manuals are being sent in PDF format to booksellers via e-mail from Givex, and ABA is sending a folder to participants that includes a window decal, counter card, and shelf-talkers to help promote the gift cards in the store.

Banned Books Week, observed this year from September 22 - 27, resonated profoundly with booksellers and others concerned about our civil liberties.

The October 6 issue of The New Yorker -- on sale now -- features the latest Book Sense insert, "Just Kidding -- Great Books for Children and Young Adults." The five-page special feature presents the handselling favorites of 12 independent booksellers -- all titles drawn from the fall 2003 Children's Book Sense 76. (To view the full 76, click here.)

Bookseller Pat Kirby Sado, age 56, died suddenly in New York on September 19. Sado spent most of her bookselling career as a buyer at the old Coliseum Books, at 57th and Broadway, from 1974 until 2001, when the store closed.

People often want a sound bite explanation of why the store is closing, said Mary Ellen Kavanaugh, owner of My Sisters' Words -- The Next Wave in Syracuse, New York. "But there's never one simple answer," she said. "It's a whole mix of culture, economics, the times we're in, all kinds of things.

Monday, October 6, is the deadline for receipt of nominations of candidates to serve on the ABA Board of Directors. Any ABA member may submit nominations to the Nominating Committee, chaired by Neal Coonerty of Bookshop Santa Cruz.

The Allerton Crowne Plaza on Chicago's Magnificent Mile is the exclusive host hotel for ABA bookseller members at BookExpo America 2004 (BEA). Most rooms at the Allerton, which has been dubbed the Hotel ABA/Chicago, have been reserved for ABA booksellers at a special low price and include a special complimentary package of benefits.

The second pick of the revived Oprah's Book Club is Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (Scribner). The announcement was made on Monday, September 29.