Final Weeks to Collect Signatures Calling for Patriot Act Amendment

The arrival of September marks the final weeks of the Campaign for Reader Privacy petition drive, and ABA is urging booksellers to make one last push to collect the maximum number of customer signatures. The petitions, calling on Congress to amend Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act and bearing thousands of signatures gathered at hundreds of bookstores and libraries across the country, will be presented to members of Congress by representatives from the campaign's four sponsoring organizations -- ABA, the American Library Association, Association of American Publishers, and PEN American Center -- on September 29, as part of Banned Books Week (September 25 - October 2) celebrations.

"The tens-of-thousands of signatures already collected by bookstores on these petitions were indispensable in making our case to Congress this past July when Rep. Bernie Sanders offered his amendment during the appropriations process," said ABA COO Oren Teicher, "and they will be even more important when the Patriot Act comes up for re-authorization next year. Whatever stores can do to maximize the number of signatures collected over the next few weeks is really critical."

In order for the signatures to be counted, signed petitions should be sent by September 20 to ABA, Restore Reader Privacy, Attn.: Oren Teicher, 828 S. Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591.

Booksellers can order additional petition pads by calling ABA's Information Department at (800) 637-0037, ext. 1292 or 1293, or for a downloadable PDF of the petition, click here.

For more about the Campaign for Reader Privacy, visit www.readerprivacy.com/.

To learn more about Banned Books Week, order products, and download the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression Banned Books Week campaign plan, click here.