Bookseller Op-Eds in Support of Swipe Fee Reform
Over the past year, with the help of ABA and the Merchants Payments Coalition, a number of ABA member booksellers have published op-eds in support of the Credit Card Competition Act and swipe fee reform in major newspapers. The most recent example was an opinion piece by Michelle Tuplin of Serendipity Books published in The Detroit News on October 8. Any booksellers interested in having an op-ed regarding swipe fee reform placed in a local newspaper should contact Advocacy at [email protected].
Register: Small Business Rising Briefing on How Big Retailers Get Illegal Pricing Deals
Booksellers are invited to join Small Business Rising for a virtual briefing detailing how mega retailers use their market power to extract illegal pricing, access, and promotions from suppliers — advantages that are denied to their smaller competitors. This illegal practice has been largely unpoliced, but there is a groundswell movement to fight back. By reviving the federal Robinson-Patman Act and similar state laws, we can safeguard the ability of Main Street businesses to compete. Join independent business associations to see how your business can stand up to big corporate power and level the playing field. You can register now.
Alabama Public Library Service Considers Anti-Trans Book Policy
The Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) held a hearing yesterday considering policy changes censoring books with positive depictions of transgender people in the state’s public libraries. Under the proposed policy, books with a positive portrayal of “gender ideology” (undefined in the proposal) would be considered age-inappropriate by default. The APLS Board will vote on the measure during their November meeting. ABFE condemns this brazen attempt at viewpoint censorship and directs concerned Alabamans to Read Freely Alabama for more information about how to push back.