In a letter to Vermont's congressional delegation, Vermont booksellers and librarians contend that the USA Patriot Act contains provisions that "undermine" Americans' constitutionally protected right to read and to access information without government interference. The letter, which is being distributed to Vermont-based bookstore members of the New England Booksellers Association (NEBA) for signature, urges Senators Patrick Leahy and Jim Jeffords and Congressman Bernard Sanders to introduce legislation to eliminate these provisions.

Spurred by reports from regional trade shows regarding an increase in new independent bookstore openings, Bookselling This Week decided to survey each regional booksellers association to see if it was true. Was there an increase in newly opened bookstores joining regional associations in 2002?

High school students in Vermont and Wisconsin are taking the idea of working after school in the local bookstore to a new level. These students are doing more than just stocking bookshelves part-time -- they are helping to open and to manage new bookstores. It's all a part of two separate high school initiatives to teach literacy-loving students the ins and outs of small business administration and the rewards of bookselling.

The 2002 Southern California Booksellers Association (SCBA) Annual Authors Feast and Fall Seminars took place on Saturday, October 26, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Pasadena, California. The day included a full agenda of educational workshops and seminars and was capped by the 10th Annual Authors Feast -- an event that earned rave reviews from attendees. "We had a stellar, stellar list of authors [for the Feast]," said Jennifer Bigelow, executive director for SCBA.

Approximately 1,000 booksellers, publishers, and authors gathered at the Philadelphia Marriott on Sunday and Monday, October 13 - 14, for the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) Fall Trade Show. Included in this figure were owners and staff from 123 stores. "We had a number of stores coming for the first time, and some stores coming back after a brief hiatus," explained NAIBA Executive Director Eileen Dengler.

The Mountains and Plains Booksellers Association (MPBA) 2002 Trade Show was held at the Marriott Denver Tech Center in Denver, from September 19 - 22. This year's show incorporated some scheduling and format changes, which were received well by attendees, said Lisa Knudsen, executive director for MPBA. Overall, the show was "excellent," she said. "I was happy with the turnout of booksellers, and exhibitors were pleased with traffic. It was a vigorous trade show."

"'I'm Rose Pardue, of Rosemont,' Rose had introduced herself as a girl. It had been her open sesame all over the Black Belt of Alabama. She fixed her once-famous eyes on the girl by her bed." So begins the first story of Mary Ward Brown's new collection, It Wasn't All Dancing and Other Stories, published by the University of Alabama Press (UAP) as part of its Deep South Book series.

The 2002 Northern California Independent Booksellers Association (NCIBA) Trade Show was held at the Oakland Convention Center in Oakland, California, from October 4 - 6. Hut Landon, executive director for NCIBA, told BTW that the mood at this year's show was upbeat, and, overall, there was a slight increase in attendance -- even on Sunday, when the Giants, A's, and 49ers were all vying for Bay Area attention.

From September 27 - 29, the New England Booksellers Association (NEBA) returned to Providence, Rhode Island, for its fall trade show, and a combination of stimulating panels, notable author events, a productive trade floor, and a convivial city made for a memorable bookselling weekend.

With an emphasis on the regional and the practical, the Great Lakes Booksellers Association (GLBA) 2002 Fall Trade Show was held on September 27 - 29 at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, Michigan. Both the new venue and new special events more than lived up to organizers' and attendees' expectations.

Jim Dana, executive director of GLBA, described the show as full of energy: "There was a really warm response [to the new venue] and high satisfaction.