Conversations about censorship and First Amendment rights filled indie bookstores across the country during last week’s celebration of the 31st annual Banned Books Week.

Bill to limit Amazon’s advantage moves forward in France; Reading Group Choices’ 2014 guide out now; National survey details reading habits; NRF predicts modest growth during holidays; Consumers use smartphones, tablets to shop; California Bookstore Day website live; NCAC in New York Times Sunday Dialogue; Thurber Prize goes to Dan Zevin; Penguin Random House merges audio; HarperCollins joins Scribd’s e-book subscription service; Chronicle Books goes green; BISG announces new mission statement, industry award winners, F+W Media partnership

The Association of American University Presses and its members are inviting independent booksellers to join in celebrating the second annual University Press Week, to be held from November 10 through 16.

As the Health Insurance Marketplaces opened for business this week, ABA made available on BookWeb the PowerPoint presentation “The Affordable Care Act: What the Healthcare Law Means for Your Small Business,” an overview that is being presented at ABA’s education session at each of the fall regional trade shows.

ABA expects that Winter Institute 2014 will reach its capacity registration in the next few days. Once registration is full, ABA will add names to an event waiting list. ABA is currently adding names to a hotel waiting list.

Last Thursday, Amazon affiliates in Maine began receiving notices informing them of the termination of their affiliate relationships as of October 6.

World Book Night U.S. is partnering with Shindig to announce the titles for next year’s celebration via video chat on October 23, 2013, as well as to conduct a month-long WBN countdown in March/April 2014.

Five e-book promotions were recently added to the IndieCommerce Publisher Promotions page. Categories include gardening, food and cooking, and titles by Robert Morgan.  

Baker & Taylor’s Indie Next Promotion in a Box simplifies the process of promoting the month’s most anticipated titles.

NetGalley has launched a new feature that enables ABA member booksellers to nominate titles to the Indie Next Lists via its galley review program.