Advocacy at Winter Institute
Will you be at Winter Institute? Stop by the Ask Advocacy desk and learn what we’re working on! Ask us anything about: book censorship, navigating harassment, and customer privacy (Philomena); and swipe fee reform, frivolous lawsuits, and antitrust issues (Dave).
Enter the Banned Books Art Raffle!
Winter Institute attendees have an opportunity to enter the raffle for art by banned illustrators and graphic novelists! You can preview the pieces here and buy tickets after Wi2026 begins.
Check Out ABFE’s Education Sessions
American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE) has an education session and a panel at this year’s Institute:
- Wednesday, February 25, at 9:30 am: Curation Policies for Free Expression
- Wednesday, February 25, at 4:00 pm: Author Events and Censorship
Swipe Fee Victory in Illinois
A federal judge last week upheld Illinois’ ban on swipe fees on sales tax and tips, ruling that the ban is not preempted by federal banking law, largely because the fees are set by Visa and Mastercard, not banks.
This ruling is significant. Not only does this mean Illinois retailers will be able to save on swipe fees on sales taxes and tips, this decision now opens the door for other states to do likewise. The Judge stated clearly that Visa and Mastercard run the swipe fee system, and, as such, states can regulate these anti-competitive fees.
Banks are now lobbying to have Illinois state lawmakers repeal the law, so Illinois booksellers are encouraged to reach out to their state legislatures to let them know how important this law is to their business.