BTW News Briefs

Publishers and Authors File Suit Against Treasury Department

On September 27, a coalition that includes leading publishers' and authors' associations and a publisher filed suit against the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in federal court in New York. The plaintiffs contend that OFAC's continued attempts to exert control over publishing activities involving information and literature from countries under U.S. trade embargo are a violation of the essential right of all Americans to learn about the world.

The Association of American Publishers Professional and Scholarly Publishing division (AAP/PSP), the Association of American University Presses (AAUP), PEN American Center (PEN), and Arcade Publishing are asking the court to strike down OFAC regulations. These regulations require publishers and authors to seek a license from the U.S. government to perform the routine activities necessary to publish in this country foreign literature from such embargoed countries as Iran, Cuba, and Sudan. Representatives of the plaintiffs' organizations expressed frustration over a series of OFAC rulings that have created uncertainty and confusion among publishers fearful of incurring prison sentences of up to 10 years or fines of up to a million dollars per violation. For links to the relevant OFAC rulings and additional materials, visit http://aaupnet.org/ofac.

Bookseller One of 23 MacArthur Fellows for 2004

On September 28, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation named 23 new MacArthur Fellows for 2004. One of the winners was bookseller Rueben Martinez of Libreria Martinez Books & Art Gallery in Santa Ana, California. Each recipient will receive $500,000 in support over the next five years.

In choosing Martinez as one of its Fellows for 2004, the foundation noted that he "has elevated bookselling from a business to a campaign in support of underserved populations in California and throughout America. His … bookstore … was originally a barbershop and is now among the largest commercial sellers of Spanish-language books in the country, serving as the cornerstone of cultural events and community activities that promote the benefits of reading to Hispanic Americans and Spanish-speaking immigrants. A co-founder of the Latino Book Festival (which now tours nationally), Martinez motivates Spanish-speaking people to value literature, to read for themselves, and to read to their children…. Acclaimed by educators and librarians throughout the country, Martinez' unique brand of entrepreneurship and advocacy is an important complement to institutional and program efforts to enrich and anchor the lives of a large and growing population in America."