Free Expression

Chris Finan, president of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, explains why this week's filing of an amicus brief in a case that will be heard by the Supreme Court in April is a particularly appropriate moment to consider the important role that booksellers play in defending free speech.

A broad range of booksellers, librarians, publishers, and organizations, including the American Booksellers Association and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, have submitted a friend-of-the-court brief in the case of Susan B. Anthony List v. Driehaus, which will be argued before the Supreme Court on April 22.

More than 30 works by leading artists will be up for auction in the lobby outside the Wi9 Author Reception on Thursday evening, January 23. The auction will include pieces by Ruth Lercher Bornstein, Ricardo Cortes, David McPhail, Tracey Campbell Pearson, Beth Peck, and Adam Rex.

The Kids’ Right to Read Project has been confronting an unusually high number of challenges to titles in libraries and classrooms around the country in 2013. In November alone, KRRP investigated three times the average number of incidents.

The school district superintendent in Driggs, Idaho, has apologized for banning Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima from the 10th grade English curriculum.

The Holiday Children’s Book Art Auction, sponsored by ABFFE and the ABC Children’s Group at ABA, closed on Tuesday afternoon, but not before hitting a new high and raising more than $10,000 to help defend the free speech rights of kids.

In response to what ABFFE President Chris Finan called “one of the most egregious cases of book banning in many years,” ABFFE joined  the Freedom to Read Foundation, the American Library Association, and several literacy and free speech organizations in filing an amicus brief in a case involving the removal of books that were used in the Mexican American Studies program in Tucson schools.

ABFFE’s Holiday Children’s Book Art Auction on eBay will end on Tuesday afternoon, December 3. Buyers are competing for more than 80 pieces of art created for children’s books,

An auction of more than 70 pieces of art created for children’s books launched on eBay at noon EST today, November 26. The Holiday Children’s Book Art Auction features many original works and high-quality prints by leading artists and illustrators.

NCAC honors Sherman Alexie; Miami Book Fair International’s 30th anniversary celebration underway; U.S. Postal Service moves into Staples stores; The Everything Store named Business Book of the Year; University Press of New England launches ForeEdge; U.S. Department of Labor asks for book recommendations; Hachette U.K. joins with NetGalley; Staff changes at Penguin Random House; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt signs with Ingram’s MyiLibrary; HarperCollins teams with Midwest Tape for on-demand audio; Book industry remains strong in Argentina

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression is urging booksellers, artists, and other supporters of the free speech rights of kids to help promote its latest auction of children’s book art.

Judge dismisses Google e-book scanning case; PEN report shows authors self-censoring due to surveillance; World Book Night donates to Operation Gratitude; Survey shows early holiday shopping among Americans; SCBWI creates The Spark Award; Gaiman’s Neverwhere returned to classrooms; Frommer’s returns due to Wiley by December 15; Ingram Publisher Services to distribute for Indiana University Press

 On Wednesday, the Campaign for Reader Privacy urged Congress to pass the USA Freedom Act to restore privacy protections that were eliminated by the Patriot Act. CRP is a joint initiative of ABA, ALA, AAP, and PEN American Center.

Artists and illustrators have until this Friday, November 15, to submit original children’s book art for the ABFFE holiday auction, which launches on eBay on November 26.

ABFFE will launch its holiday auction of original children’s book art on November 26.  The week-long eBay auction will feature works from leading artists and illustrators working in book publishing today.