ABA to Booksellers: Watch the Mail for Board and Book of the Year Ballots

ABA bookstore members should be on the lookout for an envelope containing ballots to vote for the 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Awards and to approve officers and elect directors to the ABA Board.

By early next week, stores will receive the mailing, which also includes a cover letter from ABA Nominating Committee Chair Neal Coonerty of Bookshop Santa Cruz, biographical data on the Board candidates, information on ABA programming at this year's BookExpo America, and a special postage-paid envelope for return of the ballots to ABA's accountant, KPMG.

The Board ballot includes the names of Mitchell Kaplan of Books & Books in Coral Gables and Miami, Florida, for President and Suzanne Staubach of the UConn Co-op in Storrs, Connecticut, for Vice-President/Secretary. The director candidates are Carla Jimenez of Inkwood Books in Tampa, Florida; Cathy Langer of Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver, Colorado; and Linda Ramsdell of Galaxy Bookshop in Hardwick, Vermont. Space is also provided on the ballot (as per ABA's bylaws) to include write-in candidates.

The ballot for the 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Awards includes the finalists in five categories -- Adult Fiction, Adult Nonfiction, Children's Literature, Children's Illustrated, and Paperback -- nominated by ABA bookstore members from titles appearing on the Book Sense 76 lists during the past year. (For a complete list of the finalists, click here; to download a Book of the Year ballot in PDF format, click here.)

Board ballots must be postmarked by Wednesday, April 28, and returned in the postage-paid envelope addressed to KPMG. They must be received at KPMG by May 5.

Book Sense Book of the Year ballots must be postmarked by May 5 and may be returned to KPMG in the postage-paid envelope. The Book of the Year ballot may also be returned in a separate envelope, addressed to KPMG, 345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154, Attn: Charlene Laniewski, with the words "BSBY Ballot Enclosed" printed on the outside. In addition, the Book Sense Book of the Year ballot may be faxed to the attention of Laniewski at (212) 954-7080. The fax deadline is May 12.

In case of multiple Book of the Year ballots from the same store, the first one received will be the store's official ballot. The winners will be announced at the Celebration of Bookselling during BookExpo America on Friday, June 4.