Booksellers, Publishers, and Other Book Industry Groups Asked to Sign Statement Supporting Legislation to Protect Customer Privacy

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) is asking all ABA bookstore members to add their store names to the list of 84 bookstores from across the country that have already endorsed the Book and Library Community Statement Supporting The Freedom to Read Protection Act (H.R. 1157); The Library and Bookseller Protection Act (S. 1158); and The Library, Bookseller, and Personal Data Privacy Act (S. 1507). The statement will be used to garner further Congressional support for the bills, which seek to protect the privacy of bookstore and library patrons' records jeopardized by Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act.

The statement and current signatories are posted at www.bookweb.org/read/6565. A password-protected form, accessed by a click-through at the bottom of the statement, enables booksellers to submit their store's endorsement. Store names, arranged by state, will be added to the online statement. Booksellers who do not already have a BookWeb.org User Name and Password can create one by clicking here. (An ABA ID number is required.)

ABFFE is also asking publishers and other industry groups to add their company names to the statement. Forty-seven organizations -- including the American Booksellers Association, American Library Association, Association of American Publishers, Ingram Book Group, and Random House -- have already signed the statement.

Industry groups wishing to endorse the statement should contact ABFFE at (212) 587-4025 or send an e-mail to ABFFE President Chris Finan at [email protected].