Senate Vote on Patriot Act Report Expected Leader, Is Currently Considering Options If the Cloture Motion Fails

December 15, 2005 adjourn next week. TABLE OF CONTENTS: According to published reports, Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN), the majority • Senate Vote on Patriot Act Report Expected leader, is currently considering options if the cloture motion fails. Tomorrow ...... 1 The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that Frist "was • Book Sense Announces 2005's Best of the preparing to bring up his own legislation to extend the current Patriot Act for a year, according to a senior Frist aide who spoke on Best ...... 2 condition of anonymity." According to the Washington Post , the • Enhancement Allows Uploading of Files to vote for cloture is too close to predict an outcome. Opponents of BookWeb's Education Forum ...... 2 the conference report are supporting a three-month extension. • Hotel ABA Rooms in D.C. Nearly Sold Out ...... 3 The American Booksellers Association and its partners in the • BTW News Briefs ...... 3 Campaign for Reader Privacy (CRP) -- the American Library • Page & Palette Owner Continues the Fight Association, the Association of American Publishers and PEN American Center -- are asking supporters to contact their senators Against Wal-Mart ...... 4 today to urge them to support Feingold's and Sununu's efforts to • Winter Institute Registration Continues ...... 4 ensure the appropriate changes are made to the USA Patriot Act. • Visa Check/MasterMoney Claims Deadline (For contact information for your elected representatives, go to the Approaches ...... 4 Senate website 2 .) • Bookstore Sales Decline in October ...... 5 "We understand that this is the busiest time of the year for our • Friend's Dream Will Live On ...... 5 members," said ABA COO Oren Teicher. "But we cannot express • Bookstore Tourism Goes Nonprofit in January strongly enough how important we believe it is that each of our members take just a moment to contact their senators to ask them to ...... 6 support Feingold's and Sununu's efforts. If there was ever a time to • Making Booksellers TitleSmart ...... 7 get involved, this is it." While the conference report does contain a number of hard-fought BOOK SENSE THIS WEEK compromises (such as four-year sunsets for Sections 215 and 206 • The Book Sense "Beach Book" (Mass Market and the "lone wolf" provision), it does not limit bookstore and library searches to the records of people who are suspected of Binding) Bestseller List ...... 7 terrorism. As a result, the FBI would continue to have the power to • Correction ...... 8 search the records of anyone, even individuals not suspected of a crime, if it asserts the records are "relevant" to a terrorism MARKETPLACE investigation. • Classifieds ...... 8 "If we enact the bill as written, a little bit of the liberty tree will • Other Advertising ...... 9 have died," Rep. James McGovern (D-MA) told AP . As it currently stands, the conference report does not include the Senate provision limiting searches to the records of suspected terrorists. The conference bill outlines a new procedure that would Senate Vote on Patriot Act Report allow recipients of Section 215 orders to challenge them in the Expected Tomorrow secret FISA court, but the rules for filing an appeal have been left to the FISA court to determine. December 15, 2005 -- Campaign for Reader Privacy Calls Supporters to Action CRP is urging its supporters to call the Washington offices of both their senators today. In particular, CRP is particularly anxious to The U.S. House of Representatives approved the USA Patriot Act generate calls to the following senators who have not indicated how conference committee report on Wednesday by a vote of 251 to they will vote: 174 1 . However, the fate of the measure remains uncertain because • Alaska: Ted Stevens (R) (202) 224-3004 a bipartisan group of senators -- including Russell Feingold (D-WI) • Arkansas: Blanche Lincoln (D) (202) 224-4843 and Mark Pryor and John Sununu (R-NH) -- has promised to block a final vote on (D) (202) 224-2353 the measure with a filibuster. The Senate leadership, which • Connecticut: Joseph Lieberman (D) (202) 224-4041 supports the conference report, will attempt to prevent a filibuster • Delaware: Thomas Carper (D) (202) 224-2441 by passing a cloture motion tomorrow morning. If the cloture • Florida: Bill Nelson (D) (202) 224-5274 motion does not receive the votes of 60 senators, advocates of the • Idaho: Mike Crapo (R) (202) 224-6142 conference report will have to agree to a temporary extension of the • Indiana: Evan Bayh (D) (202) 224-5623 and Richard Lugar (R) provisions of the Patriot Act or allow Section 215 and other (202) 224-4814 provisions to expire on December 31. Congress is scheduled to • Kansas: Sam Brownback (R) (202) 224-6521

• Louisiana: Mary Landrieu (D) (202) 224-5824 director of Book Sense marketing. "Or, a store can choose to • Maine: Susan Collins (R) (202) 224-2523 and Olympia Snowe separate out the children's lists. It's up to the bookseller." (R) (202) 224-5344 Considering the list represents what have been the year's top-selling • Montana: Conrad Burns (R) (202) 224-2644 and Max Baucus titles in independent bookstores, Smith noted that Book Sense (D) (202) 224-2651 wanted to provide booksellers with not only a list of great titles, but • Nebraska: Ben Nelson (D) (202) 224-6551 "a versatile marketing tool that can help booksellers drive sales." • New York: Charles Schumer (D) (202) 224-6542 and Hillary Clinton (D) (202) 224-4451 Smith explained, "The stores know how much their customers love • North Dakota: Kent Conrad (D) (202) 224-2043 and Byron lists, and year-end lists are great for finding those books with 'legs.' Dorgan (D) (202) 224-2551 There are myriad ways to use the Book Sense 2005 Bestsellers list • Ohio: Michael DeWine (R) (202) 224-2315 and George in the store. In addition to grouping the pages into a poster form, Voinovich (R) (202) 224-3353 another idea is to make copies of one or more of the fliers and • Oklahoma: Tom Coburn (R) (202) 224-5754 make them available at the cash wrap, or to use a particular list as a • Oregon: Gordon Smith (R) (202) 224-3753 bag-stuffer." • Rhode Island: Lincoln Chafee (R) (202) 224-2921 Furthermore, a store could display the year's bestsellers in a • South Dakota: Tim Johnson (D) (202) 224-5842 prominent location in the store, using the colorful PDFs as a • Virginia: George Allen (R) (202) 224-4024 backdrop to the display. This would also work well as a window • West Virginia: Robert Byrd (D) (202) 224-3954 display, Smith noted. "Plus, year-end lists are great hooks for local media, and are equally effective when they are included in the Finally, CRP is asking participants to make calls to the leaders of store's printed or e-mail newsletter." the Senate fight against the conference report to indicate strong support for their position and to express thanks for their leadership For the Book Sense 2005 Bestsellers List in both PDF and text in the fight to restore reader privacy: format, click here 10 . • Alaska: Lisa Murkowski (R) (202) 224-6665 To use the PDFs to create a large poster-effect, booksellers should • California: Dianne Feinstein (D) (202) 224-3841 place the Hardcover Fiction, top left; Hardcover Nonfiction, top • Colorado: Ken Salazar (D) (202) 224-5852 right; Paperback Fiction, middle left; Paperback Nonfiction, middle • Florida: Mel Martinez (R) (202) 224-3041 right; Children's Fiction, bottom left; and Children's Illustrated, • Idaho: Larry Craig (R) (202) 224-2752 bottom right. • Illinois: Dick Durbin (D) (202) 224-2152 and Barack Obama (D) (202) 224-2854 Questions or inquiries regarding the Book Sense 2005 Bestsellers 11 • Massachusetts: Edward Kennedy (D) (202) 224-4543 and John list should be addressed to Smith at [email protected] . 12 F. Kerry (D) (202) 224-2742 --David Grogan • Michigan: Carl Levin (D) (202) 224-6221 • Nebraska: Chuck Hagel (R) (202) 224-4224 Enhancement Allows Uploading of Files • Nevada: Harry Reid (D) (202) 224-3542 • New Hampshire: John Sununu (R) (202) 224-2841 to BookWeb's Education Forum • Vermont: Patrick Leahy (D) (202) 224-4242 December 14, 2005 -- ABA member booksellers may now share • West Virginia: Jay Rockefeller (D) (202) 224-6472 Word files, PDFs, and other documents relating to professional • Wisconsin: Russ Feingold (D) (202) 224-5323 development through a simple upload process on BookWeb's Idea Exchange Education Forum 13 . ABA has enabled this function to For contact information for your elected representatives, go to the allow booksellers to share ideas, best business practices, forms, Senate website. lists, and other resource materials that may exist in different http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm formats. 3 "ABA developed this file upload feature as part of its ongoing commitment to find as many ways as possible to bring education Book Sense Announces 2005's Best of and professional development content to our members," said the the Best head of ABA's education program, Len Vlahos. December 15, 2005 -- This week, Book Sense is debuting the The idea for the file upload originated with ABA's Education Task "Book Sense 2005 Bestsellers," a special listing of the year's Force, a group of booksellers that meets periodically to advise the bestsellers in six categories, based on sales at independent staff on matters related to the Association's education program. The bookstores with Book Sense nationwide. The list provides the task force recognized the benefits to member booksellers of having year's top 15 titles in Hardcover Fiction 4 , Hardcover Nonfiction 5 , a place to easily share documents, such as business forms, staff Paperback Fiction 6 , Paperback Nonfiction 7 , Children's Fiction 8 , training manuals, and event planning guides. 9 and Children's Illustrated . When appropriate, ABA staff will also post information of an Making it easy for booksellers to market the year-end lists in their educational nature through the forum upload feature. stores, Book Sense has made the 2005 Bestsellers available via six Attaching documents 14 to an Education Forum posting is simple: A downloadable PDFs. The 8-1/2" x 11" PDFs are unique and bookseller creates a posting in the usual manner, but now below the exciting marketing tools that can be used individually or placed text box is an option to attach a file. When this is clicked off, and together to create one large Book Sense 2005 Bestsellers poster. the bookseller clicks on "Post a New Thread" or "Reply to This "The 2005 bestsellers were designed as a visual grouping of six Thread," he or she will then be presented with a screen that allows individual pages meant to work together, as a sort of a poster, for a the attachment of a file in just a few easy steps. really dynamic visual statement," said Meg Smith, associate

Attached files will not automatically appear in the forum, as ABA guarantee for the room reservation. Booksellers whose plans have staff must review and approve documents before they are uploaded. changed will need to cancel room reservations prior to February 15, Attachments will be reviewed by staff to make sure that they 2006, to avoid this charge. comply with BookWeb's "Website Statement, Policies, and Forum 15 For more information about the Hotel ABA/Washington, D.C., visit Agreement." www.bookweb.org/read/8230 20 or contact Petrie at "The Idea Exchange forums were created to give booksellers a [email protected] 21 . --Nomi Schwartz 22 place to share information that would help them create and maintain a well-run business," said Vlahos. "With the launch of this BTW News Briefs new feature, we hope even more of our members will recognize the educational opportunities the forum dialogues provide." December 13, 2005 -- --Rosemary Hawkins 16 Powell's Recognized as Among the Web's Elite Hotel ABA Rooms in D.C. Nearly Sold In its December 2005 edition, Internet Retailer magazine named Out Oregon-based Powell's Books as one of the 50 best retailers online. "Powells.com 23 presents a wealth of material designed to bring December 14, 2005 -- In just five short months, the 2005 Christmas customers back to the site," noted the annual Best of the Web season will be mostly forgotten and booksellers will head for report, pointing to in-depth author interviews, original essays, daily Washington, D.C., and BookExpo America 2006, to be held from book reviews, and 12-minute podcasts, starring such luminaries as May 17 to 21 at the Washington Convention Center. Those ABA Salman Rushdie and the rock band Queens of the Stone Age. member booksellers who haven't already made reservations for Powells.com now draws 70,000 unique visitors to the site each day. Hotel ABA -- the Doubletree Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia -- should put down the giftwrap and tape immediately, and book Though Powell's does not operate physical stores beyond the rooms either online or by phone (see instructions below) as rooms greater Portland market, more than 90 percent of its online orders are nearly sold out. ship to customers outside the state. Founder Michael Powell said, "We want to capture the sense that we are passionate about what All Hotel ABA rooms, at the special rate of $129 per night we do. We want people to sense they are in a real bookstore buying available only to member booksellers, are reserved on a first-come, books from real people." first-served basis, and most have already been booked. Booksellers staying at Hotel ABA will receive an exclusive package of Internet Retailer wrote that Powell's excels alongside billion-dollar amenities including complimentary coffee and pastries each competitors thanks to its clear mission. "No one will ever confuse morning; a series of publisher-sponsored receptions each evening; a Powells.com with Amazon.com or other sites that peddle books member hospitality suite; a special concierge table in the hotel alongside clothing, electronics, toys, and other merchandise," the lobby; a dedicated shuttle bus service between the hotel and magazine's editors explain. "From the personal recommendations convention center; and ARCs for booksellers each night. of staff members to the ongoing tales of Fup the store cat, Powells.com has the feel of a neighborhood bookstore staffed by The special hotel room rate was initially offered for the nights of avid readers." Monday, May 15, through Monday, May 22, 2006. If a desired room type is no longer available, booksellers are advised to contact ABA's Margaret Petrie at (800) 637-0037, ext. 6614 or via e-mail Books to Watch Out For Partners With Women & Children at [email protected] 17 . Alternate accommodations may be First available, including a "Junior Suite" for an additional $20. ABA Books To Watch Out For, which publishes two subscription-based will also be creating a waiting list for an overflow hotel to be review publications -- the Lesbian Edition and the Gay Men's announced as soon as the Doubletree Crystal City is sold out. Edition -- in print or e-newsletter formats, has announced the There are two ways for ABA member booksellers to book rooms: launch of a new edition. • Book Online: Booksellers will need a special code that is More Books for Women highlights 25 to 30 titles selected and accessible by clicking here 18 . (A BookWeb user name and succinctly reviewed by the owners and staff of Women & Children password is required to access this page.) ABA member First bookstore in Chicago. "We're thrilled to be partnering with booksellers who do not already have a user name and password Women & Children First to publish More Books for Women," said can create one by clicking on "Register for BookWeb 19 " on the publisher Carol Seajay in a press release. The e-newsletter's titles site's homepage. (An ABA ID number is required to register for will include links to Women & Children First to order books BookWeb.) online. For more information, or to preview of the first issue, visit www.BooksToWatchOutFor.com 24 . • Call-In Reservations: Booksellers can also book a room by calling ABA's Margaret Petrie at (800) 637-0037, ext. 6614. She Gift Cards Called "the New Sweaters" will verify ABA membership and book the room. According to recent articles in both USA Today and the New York Booksellers planning to participate in the special "ABA Legislative Times , gift cards continue to grow in popularity this holiday Day" on May 17 (from noon to 6:00 p.m.) and ABA's full day of season, with the Times quoting a Wall Street analyst who claimed free educational programming on May 18 should plan on arriving that cards are replacing the sweaters as the one-size-fits-all gift for in Washington by Tuesday evening, May 16, or by Wednesday Christmas. Moreover, the National Retail Federation (NRF) ranked morning. gift cards third among the most-requested gift items this season, As in past years, one night's room rate will be charged to behind media (books, DVDs, video games, etc.) and apparel. booksellers' credit cards on February 15, 2006, as a non-refundable The Times noted that it used to be that the "bulky, loose-fitting

© 2005 American Booksellers Association. http://news.bookweb.org/ 3 BOOKSELLING THIS WEEK December 15, 2005 sweater" was the "one size fits all gift solution," but not anymore. application for the permit. Responding to this development, "A Fair According to the Times , a respected Wall Street analyst, Gabrielle Hope" and Wilson are ramping up their efforts. The current plan is Kivitz of Deutsche Bank Securities, "sent a shudder through the for members of "A Fair Hope" to visit the district where the nation's retail stock rooms recently when she theorized that proposed Wal-Mart is to be built, as well as those surrounding it, to consumers were rejecting argyle crew necks and cable-knit obtain enough signatures to require a referendum. cardigans in favor of that other fail-safe option, the gift card." Wilson and others have expressed their thoughts about the community's future development in letters to the editors of local NRF Says Strong November Sales Surpass Expectation s newspapers. In a letter featured on the store's website, Wilson said, According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), retail industry "County officials, please note that another reason this is detrimental sales for November (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and for our community is because when local businesses lose money, so restaurants) rose a strong 7.4 percent unadjusted over last year and does Fairhope . Like I put in every one of my newsletters, local increased 0.5 percent seasonally adjusted from the previous month. businesses support the local economy. Studies have shown, for The increase is in line with NRF's holiday sales forecast of six every $100 spent in their stores, local businesses give back to the local community anywhere between $73 - $88, chains only $20 - percent growth. "Consumers shook off concerns about higher 25 26 energy costs and responded well to the seasonal promotions," said $43." [See Civic Economics' Andersonville Study and "Economic Impact Analysis -- A Case Study: Local Merchants vs. NRF Chief Economist Rosalind Wells. "If November is any 27 indication of what consumers are capable of, retailers can expect a Chain Retailers ."] very happy holiday season." "Nothing's a done deal yet," said Wilson about Wal-Mart's opening. "We only need about 400 signatures [to force the referendum]. Sales at clothing and clothing accessories stores rose 7.6 percent 28 year-over year, and electronics and appliance stores jumped 7.4 We've definitely just begun." --Karen Schechner percent from November 2004. NRF expects retail industry sales to increase 5.6 percent this year over 2004. Holiday sales, which are Winter Institute Registration Continues defined as retail industry sales in the full months of November and December 13, 2005 -- With just six weeks left until the start of the December, are expected to rise six percent to $438.5 billion. American Booksellers Association's inaugural Winter Institute, registration for the event continues, but rooms at California's Long Beach Hilton, the host hotel, are quickly disappearing. Page & Palette Owner Continues the The Winter Institute's comprehensive education program 29 , which Fight Against Wal-Mart is free to all ABA member booksellers, both owners and staff, December 13, 2005 -- Fairhope, Alabama, a city of approximately begins at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 26, and runs through 4:30 12,000 residents, is in the midst of an ongoing fight to keep big box p.m. on Friday, January 27. retailers, including Wal-Mart, out of its surrounding area. This past Rooms at the Hilton at a special rate of $112 per night for Institute August, a group of concerned citizens -- including bookseller Karin participants are currently sold out for Wednesday night, January Wilson of Fairhope's Page & Palette bookstore -- formed "A Fair 25, and they are expected to very soon sell out for Friday night as Hope of Success," to ensure the continued viability of Fairhope's well. All reservations are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. downtown businesses. "A Fair Hope" formed in response to rumors of a Wal-Mart opening in the area. Recently, those rumors became Booksellers whose travel plans necessitate a room for Wednesday evening, the 25th, should contact ABA's Margaret Petrie at fact when Wal-Mart applied for a permit to build a 30 204,000-square-foot supercenter just outside Fairhope's city limits. [email protected] or (800) 637-0037, ext. 6614. ABA will try its best to help out. According to the Mobile Register , Wal-Mart had announced that it had no intentions of opening in Fairhope in the near future. But Discounted room rates at the Long Beach Hilton are made possible Wilson wasn't surprised when the world's largest retailer applied by support from BookExpo America, Baker & Taylor, Ingram for a building permit. She and "A Fair Hope" have been gearing up Book Group, and publisher partners HarperCollins, Hyperion, for just that since the summer. Wilson had already gathered over Penguin Group for Young Readers, Perseus Books Group, Random 2,000 signatures on a petition that cites the many ways in which House, Scholastic, Time Warner Book Group, and Workman. mega-stores adversely affect the community, which she presented A Winter Institute registration form, hotel information, and to Fairhope City Council in October. The council, in turn, had program details can be found at accepted proposed zoning changes that would require developers to www.bookweb.org/education/institute/ 31 . get approval from the County Commission before building anything other than one house per acre on the land in question. The project was then to have moved to the next step -- putting the Visa Check/MasterMoney Claims proposal on the County Commission's next agenda. Deadline Approaches However, responding to other residents who expressed opposition December 13, 2005 -- The deadline for retailers to submit claim to implementing county zoning regulations on land bordering forms in the Visa Check/MasterMoney antitrust class action lawsuit Fairhope's city limits, County Commission Chairman Ed Bishop is Wednesday, December 28, 2005. Class members -- retailers that halted consideration of the plan, according to the Mobile Register . accepted Visa and MasterCard debit cards between October 25, Bishop explained, "I just think there needs to be a little bit more 1992, and July 31, 2003, have until then to return the forms, which time for people to understand that the county is not trying to were mailed to them at the end of September. December 28 is also ramrod this on them," according to the Register . He added, "There the deadline for retailers to challenge the estimated cash payment just needs to be more talk." amount on the claim form. While the zoning process was halted, Wal-Mart submitted its

The suit against Visa USA Inc. and MasterCard International Inc. May 1,071 1,055 (1.5) was first filed in October 1996 by U.S. merchants who argued that Visa and MasterCard's "honor all cards" practice -- requiring June 1,159 1,084 (6.5) retailers to accept both credit cards and the Visa/MasterCard debit cards -- was a violation of federal antitrust law. Plaintiffs in the case included about 20 of the nation's largest retailers, including July 1,128 1,138 0.9 Wal-Mart and Sears, Roebuck & Co. In addition to the named plaintiffs, the lawsuit was a class action representing any merchant August 2,043 2,079 1.8 that had accepted Visa or MasterCard debit cards since October 1992, or approximately five million large and small retailers, September 1,493 1,450 (2.9) including independent booksellers. An extension of the deadline to December 28 was announced in October 1,032 979 (p) (5.1) October in an advisory from Constantine Cannon, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, which informed class members that a judge had YTD 13,091 12,759 (2.5) extended the original deadline by 90 days. (p) Preliminary figure The settlement in the Visa Check/MasterMoney lawsuit provides over $3.38 billion in compensatory relief and an injunction valued Note: Estimates reflect sales of all types of participating bookstore, by the court in the range of $25 billion to $87 billion to merchants including trade, college, religious, chain stores (including and consumers over the next decade, according to a July 20 superstores), and others. A bookstore is defined as any retail Advisory from Constantine to the merchants in the Class. establishment with sales comprised of more than 50 percent new books and periodicals, and estimates include sales of all products in Each merchant will receive a percentage of the damages based on these stores. its volume of debit and credit card transactions between October 25, 1992, and July 31, 2003, meaning larger retailers will receive a Source: Bureau of the Census, Current Retail Trade Branch. larger percentage. The claims administrator can be reached via phone at (888) Friend's Dream Will Live On 641-4437 (toll-free); via e-mail at December 12, 2005 -- Bookseller Kathleen Caldwell pays tribute to [email protected]; or by Debi Echlin, owner of A Great Good Place for Books in Oakland, mail to Visa Check/MasterMoney Antitrust Litigation, Claims California, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Northern Administrator, P.O. Box 9000 #6014, Merrick, NY 11566-9000. California Independent Booksellers Association, who died in her Free help in completing the forms is available by calling the sleep on Thanksgiving Day. In this column, which originally toll-free help-line at (888) 641-4437 or visiting the case website, appeared in The Montclarion newspaper on December 9, Caldwell www.inrevisacheckmastermoneyantitrustlitigation.com/ 32 . meaningfully says Debi Echlin was "the perfect combination of big sister, mentor, and best friend." Copies of this Advisory and the entire Plan of Allocation can be obtained at the case website. Normally at this time of year, I would be writing about the books I think would make the perfect gifts for everyone on your list, but Bookstore Sales Decline in October you have to understand these aren't normal times. You see, one of December 12, 2005 -- Preliminary figures recently released by the my best friends went to bed on Thanksgiving and never woke up. Bureau of the Census, Current Retail Trade Branch indicate that October bookstore sales were 5.1 percent below those for the same Debi Echlin was a force of nature, a vibrant pint-sized dynamo with period in 2004, marking the second worst decline of the year so far. bright red hair, an infectious laugh and a smile that could melt even Year-to-date sales at bookstores are down 2.5 percent. the most somber person's facade. In contrast, overall retail sales continued an upward trend. Overall Debi had two speeds, fast and faster. Trust me, I know, I was retail sales of $345 billion for October 2005 were 5.8 percent ahead always running after her. It was as if she needed to pack as much of the $326 billion reported in October 2004. living into each day as she possibly could.

2004-2005 RETAIL SALES for BOOKSTORES (unadjusted) It was almost impossible to be in a bad mood around her, she just wouldn't allow it. She would do everything in her power to make you laugh, or she would tell everyone you both encountered how Period 2004 Final 2005 % Change 2005 crabby you were, or sometimes, she would just mock you until you (Millions of Dollars) (Millions of Dollars) over 2004 were laughing with her and at yourself.

January 2,070 1,969 (4.9) But the most incredible thing about Debi was that if she loved you, you knew it. Because she told you she did whenever she had the February 1,072 1,027 (4.2) opportunity.

March 1,036 1,038 0.2 Debi and I were only friends for a little over a year but now I can't imagine my life without her. April 987 940 (4.8)

We met in October 2004 at [the Northern California Independent A few months ago, I sent her one of those silly chain letter e-mails Booksellers Association's] annual trade show. I wasn't working and about friendship and this was her response --"I don't need to read my unemployment was about to run out. Basically, I needed a job what friendship is, or pass notes on to others. You, my dear friend, -- and I needed one fast. At the suggestion of a few friends, our demonstrate what a friend is to me everyday! Love, Debi." trade organization's executive director, Hut Landon, hired me to report on the workshops for the monthly newsletter. He also said it It's true and absolutely unbelievable, she's gone. You may be would be the perfect opportunity for me to put some feelers out. I asking yourself, What can I do to help? packed my yellow legal pad, a few pens, my tape recorder, and my Simple. Shop at her store and keep her vision of community alive. resume and headed over to the convention. When push came to shove, Debi was a businesswoman and a really fantastic one at that. She loved the book business and loved her I was standing outside of a workshop chatting with a friend telling store. her my situation and I noticed a small redhead listening in. When The staff of GGP has every intention of keeping her dream going. Janet and I were done talking, she grabbed my arm and said, "Give It's true it won't be the same; she won't be there yelling out at the me your resume." She handed me her business card and said, "Let's end of every event -- "Don't just buy yourself a copy, buy 10; give talk Monday." it to all of your friends" -- and she won't be there to ask you how your mother is. But GGP is Debi: She created it, nurtured it, and I spent the rest of the weekend watching her. Whether she was watched it grow. She would want it to be here forever. standing behind a podium or working the information booth, Debi Echlin had the ability to commandeer a room. What I didn't know Last night, I came out of a meeting that was spent primarily then was that she also spent the weekend watching me, and being discussing Debi and how life was never going to be quite the same again without her in it. When I got in my car and turned it on, I the consummate businesswoman she was, she was also checking my references. heard Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" playing. It was perfect, because that's about the only thing I'm feeling right On Monday morning I arrived at A Great Good Place for Books at now. 9:00 a.m. and Debi was waiting for me. Deb, I wish you were here. We walked over to Royal Grounds, ordered a couple of lattes, sat at a table and Debi flipped open her calendar and said, "Can you start Kathleen Caldwell has been a literary events coordinator for 15 tomorrow?" years. She is currently coordinating author events at a Great Good Place for Books in Montclair Village, in Oakland, California. That was the last time she acted like my boss; she always treated This column originally appeared in the December 9 issue of The me as her equal. Actually, when I introduced her to people as "my Monclarion . boss," she would get mad at me and correct me saying, "We're colleagues and friends, Kathleen. I'm not your boss. Give yourself a little credit." Bookstore Tourism Goes Nonprofit in January In the past week, people have told me when they had heard I was December 12, 2005 -- Bookstore Tourism, a grassroots effort to going to work for Debi they had a hard time putting the two of us promote and support independent bookstores by marketing them as together until they saw us together. Then they knew what we did tourist destinations, has continued to grow into a nationwide from that first moment -- we were a perfect fit. campaign. And now its architect, Larry Portzline, a Harrisburg-based writer for the Pennsylvania State Senate, is We became friends. We loved working together. We talked about creating a nonprofit organization to promote the concept: the books, the ones I loved, the ones she loved, the ones we both loved, National Council on Bookstore Tourism (NCBT). The council will and the ones we disagreed on -- always trying to convince the other serve as a free, comprehensive resource for those interested in why she had to give the book a chance. (Deb, I promise I'll read promoting Bookstore Tourism and designing their own bookstore Too Close to the Falls now). We took turns being in the spotlight, tours. "Some ideas were just meant to be given away," Portzline and most important, we began telling each other everything . We told BTW . discussed our pasts, our heartbreaks, our triumphs, our mistakes, "I want the NCBT to serve as a central point of contact for all of our dreams, and our futures. the various folks interested in creating their own Bookstore Tours," Portzline said. "I would like to be a sort of clearinghouse for Because of Debi, I fell in love with the store and began to believe it people interested in pursuing bookstore tourism programs of one really is possible to create an enormous community in a small kind or another. Say, for example, the American Library space. Association wanted to offer a trip to bookstores in the Southwest, the NCBT could provide the resources." We would work together all day and then when we got home spend The council will offer several levels of membership and services, two hours on the phone. Trust me, we drained the batteries on our including marketing and promotional assistance, consulting, phones more than once! We included each other in every aspect of relationship building, newsletters, e-news, and more. Portzline said our lives; a couple of weekends ago we were dancing with each the NCBT will be a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization other at my sister's 20th wedding anniversary party. She was the and will seek grants and donations from a variety of sources. It will perfect combination of big sister, mentor, and best friend. also develop partnerships with the bookselling and travel

© 2005 American Booksellers Association. http://news.bookweb.org/ 6 BOOKSELLING THIS WEEK December 15, 2005 industries, libraries, educators, publishers, cultural tourism House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, New York, but, Jones noted, organizations, and economic development agencies at the national, booksellers can find out for themselves how useful a tool state, and local levels. The nonprofit's official launch date is TitleSmart is by taking advantage of a two-week free trial, which is January 1, 2006. offered at www.titlesmart.com/ 36 . To date, the NCBT board includes Jennifer Bigelow, Southern "It's proven to be a pretty handy tool for booksellers and California Booksellers Association executive director; Cindy Dach, librarians," Jones concluded. "It means you don't have to go on a marketing coordinator of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, wild goose chase." Arizona; Len Vlahos, director of BookSense.com; and Donna Paz TitleSmart costs $19.95 per month. Questions about the product of Paz & Associates. Portzline will serve as board chairman and should be addressed to Jones at [email protected] 37 . --Karen executive director. Schechner 38 Portzline's sold-out "bookstore road trips" have become the model for others around the U.S., including the Southern California Booksellers Association, which has led tours of its own for booklovers in Los Angeles and San Diego. More information about bookstore tourism is available at Portzline's website, www.bookstoretourism.com 33 , and in his how-to book on the subject, Bookstore Tourism: The Book Addict's Guide to Planning & Promoting Bookstore Road Trips for The Book Sense "Beach Book" (Mass Bibliophiles & Other Bookshop Junkies ($10, Bookshop Junkie Press). -- Karen Schechner 34 Market Binding) Bestseller List December 14, 2005 -- For the eight-week period ending Making Booksellers TitleSmart December 11, 2005, and based on reporting by hundreds of independent bookstores with Book Sense nationwide. December 12, 2005 -- Former bookseller Hank Jones developed 35 Past Category Bestseller lists are available at TitleSmart, www.titlesmart.com , an informational web tool for 39 booksellers and librarians, to provide a single wide-ranging source www.bookweb.org/read/5677 . for easy access to information about major book reviews and book Attention Media: Please contact Meg Smith at publicity. "From talking with fellow booksellers and from my own [email protected] 40 for reprint guidelines for your newspaper experience, I knew there was a search tool needed that could help or magazine. my store and other stores to more efficiently track down titles for customers," said Jones. The Book Sense "Beach Book" (Mass Market Binding) Bestseller List

Titlesmart.com allows searches by keyword, date, and/or media 1. State of Fear outlet, including information about specific television shows, radio Michael Crichton, Avon, $7.99, 0061015733 programs, or printed publications. So, for example, if a customer is looking for a novel that is partially set in Paris, was reviewed in a 2. Angels & Demons newspaper sometime during the summer, and possibly mentioned Dan Brown, Pocket, $7.99, 0671027360 on NPR's Weekend Edition, booksellers can enter that data, 3. The Broker including a start and end date, and the result is a list of titles with John Grisham, Dell, $7.99, 0440241588 extended descriptions and synopses of reviews. 4. Whiteout In addition, TitleSmart provides short, quick (and, Jones Ken Follett, Signet, $7.99, 0451215710 emphasized, copyright-friendly) excerpts from major newspapers and specialty magazines for booksellers to use to when 5. Night Fall recommending a title or creating a shelf-talker. Books receiving Nelson DeMille, Warner, $7.99, 0446616621 strong media attention are highlighted. 6. Hour Game For 14 years, Jones owned Carmel, New York's Putnam Book David Baldacci, Warner, $7.99, 0446616494 Center, which closed in 2004. He developed TitleSmart in the late 7. London Bridges 1990s, but the product has grown dramatically over the years to James Patterson, Warner, $7.99, 0446613355 keep pace with developments in the book industry, as well as with Web advancements. The goal of TitleSmart has remained constant, 8. The Rule of Four Ian Caldwell, Dustin Thomason, Dell, $7.99, 0440241359 however. "Our mission," said Jones, "is to help booksellers.... Customers are 9. Red Lily Nora Roberts, Jove, $7.99, 0515139408 more demanding than ever, and booksellers must keep up with those demands by providing a higher level of service. TitleSmart 10. The Colorado Kid helps provide that with tools so they can be more knowledgeable Stephen King, Hard Case Crime, $5.99, 0843955848 and informed. I am also intimately aware of the paper-thin margins 11. Dressed for Death and the 'not enough time in a day' world booksellers live in, so Donna Leon, Penguin, $7.99, 0143035843 TitleSmart helps them with their efficiency and preparedness. 12. The Constant Gardener Jones promotes TitleSmart with enthusiastic blurbs from several John le Carre, Pocket, $7.99, 1416503900 independent booksellers, including Roxanne Coady of R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, Connecticut, and Susan Novotny of Book 13. Deception Point

Dan Brown, Pocket, $7.99, 0671027387 Steve Berry, Fawcett, $6.99, 0345460065

14. The Winds of Change 40. R Is for Ricochet Martha Grimes, Signet, $7.99, 0451216962 Sue Grafton, Berkley, $7.99, 0425203867

15. Northern Lights 41. Green River, Running Red Nora Roberts, Jove, $9.99, 0515139742 Ann Rule, Pocket, $9.95, 0743460502

16. Melancholy Baby 42. Tell No One Robert B. Parker, Berkley, $7.99, 0425204219 Harlan Coben, Dell, $7.99, 0440236703

17. Digital Fortress 43. A Clash of Kings Dan Brown, St. Martin's, $7.99, 0312995423 George R.R. Martin, Spectra, $7.99, 0553579908

18. Twisted 44. Blood Memory Jonathan Kellerman, Ballantine, $7.99, 0345465261 Greg Iles, Pocket, $9.95, 0743454154

19. One for the Money 45. Three to Get Deadly Janet Evanovich, St. Martin's, $7.99, 0312990456 Janet Evanovich, St. Martin's, $7.99, 0312966091

20. Trace 46. A Storm of Swords (Song of Ice and Fire, Book Three) Patricia D. Cornwell, Berkley, $7.99, 0425204200 George R.R. Martin, Spectra, $7.99, 055357342X

21. 1984 47. Death in a Strange Country George Orwell, Signet, $7.95, 0451524934 Donna Leon, Penguin, $7.99, 0143034820

22. Going Postal 48. The Narrows Terry Pratchett, HarperTorch, $7.99, 0060502932 Michael Connelly, Warner, $7.99, 0446611646

23. Fahrenheit 451 49. Black Rose Ray Bradbury, Ballantine, $6.99, 0345342968 Nora Roberts, Jove, $7.99, 0515138657

24. Life Expectancy 50. Dragonfly in Amber Dean R. Koontz, Bantam, $7.99, 0553588249 Diana Gabaldon, Dell, $7.99, 0440215625

25. A Game of Thrones George R.R. Martin, Bantam, $3.99, 0553588486 Correction 26. Ender's Game December 12, 2005 -- The Winter 2005/2006 Book Sense Orson Scott Card, Tor, $6.99, 0812550706 Children's Picks 41 list incorrectly attributed the bookstore in the 27. Double Shot quote recommending The Breezes of Inspire by Nick Ruth. It Diane Mott Davidson, HarperTorch, $7.99, 0060527307 should have noted that Bob Spear's store is The Book Barn in Leavenworth, Kansas. Book Sense apologizes for the error. 28. Memorial Day Vince Flynn, Pocket, $9.95, 0743453980

29. Two Dollar Bill Stuart Woods, Signet, $9.99, 045121319X

30. Metro Girl Janet Evanovich, HarperTorch, $7.99, 0060584025

31. Conviction Richard North Patterson, Ballantine, $7.99, 0345450205 Classifieds

32. Outlander BOOKSTORE FOR SALE Diana Gabaldon, Dell, $7.99, 0440212561 Bookshop for Sale 30-year-old bookshop in the northern 33. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Shenandoah Valley 60 miles west of Washington, D.C. with 75% Alexander McCall Smith, Anchor, $6.99, 140009688X used books plus new and sale books. Established Internet business. Average gross annual receipts of $267,270 the last five years. See 34. Ten Big Ones www.RoyalOakBookshop.com 48 for more information. Contact Janet Evanovich, St. Martin's, $7.99, 0312936222 only (540) 683-1774 or [email protected] 49 . 35. Winter House Carol O'Connell, Berkley, $7.99, 0425204650 FIXTURES

36. Two for the Dough Available for Sale, 4 gray flared bottom double sided bookcases Janet Evanovich, Pocket, $7.99, 0671001795 (48" l x 31: w x 60" h). Please call (973) 562-5844 or e-mail [email protected] 50 for details. 37. The Surrogate Thief Archer Mayor, Warner, $6.99, 0446616605 POSITIONS AVAILABLE 38. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Douglas Adams, Del Rey, $7.99, 0345391802 ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The New England Booksellers Association seeks an Assistant 39. The Romanov Prophecy Executive Director who will have primary responsibility for

© 2005 American Booksellers Association. http://news.bookweb.org/ 8 BOOKSELLING THIS WEEK December 15, 2005 publications such as the holiday catalog, quarterly newsletter, trade Place your orders now for this delicious holiday treat! show program, and membership directory. Other duties include but "It's a yummy book!" are not limited to office management, maintenance of database, -- Daniel Pinkwater on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday assistance in event and convention planning. Knowledge of book industry preferred, general office skills essential, and facility with The Bake Shop Ghost Filemaker, Pagemaker, Quark, and Word (for Mac) highly By Jacqueline K. Ogburn, Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman desirable. Five years prior work experience minimum. Requires ISBN 0-618-44557-9 * $16.00 self-motivated, detail-oriented person for small (two to three Starred Booklist * Starred Kirkus Reviews person) office setting. Full-time position with health insurance and pension plan. Please FAX resume and salary requirements to To order contact your Houghton Mifflin sales representative Executive Director Rusty Drugan, (617) 576-3091 (fax), or e-mail or Houghton Mifflin Customer Service (800) 225-3362. [email protected] 51 by December 9th. No phone calls, please. http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/titledetail.cfm?titleNumber=592445 Hiring: Head, Cataloger/Bibliographer . Better World Books 56 seeks to hire an enthusiastic bookseller with extensive experience ______cataloguing out of print books. Position is located in our South Bend, IN fulfillment center. For more information, please visit Great Stocking Stuffer Ideas! www.betterworldbooks.com. To apply, please send a cover letter 52 "Just in time for holiday gift-giving, and perfect for long-haul truck and resume to [email protected] . trips and tiresome rides to grandmother's house, from HarperAudio come three new spoken word CD's by WordTheatre The performers ... give voice to stories ... which are painful and All Regular ABA Member Bookstores in good standing may hilarious in turn." -- Nomi Schwartz, Bookselling This Week have up to four 2-week insertions of a Classified Ad in Bookselling This Week at no charge (50-word limit). For more WordTheatre presents Love Hurts , Family Affairs and The Wild information on booking a classified ad, click here 53 . West featuring great writing and superb performances by Arthur Miller, Mona Simpson, John Jakes, Donald Hall, Amy Madigan, Juliana Margulies, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Schiff, Bill Nighy, Other Advertising Marcia Gay Harden and many, many more. Find them at www.Wordtheatre.com 57 or www.HarperCollins.com 58 . ______

There's still time to order The Mayor of Lexington Avenue -- We're Back ... just in time for the Holidays! December Book Sense Pick! Call (800) 257-8481 and get in on our generous "Welcome Back" "James Sheehan observes the conventions and boldly expands them offer. in his assured first novel ... which gets the blood up...." -- The New York Times Book Review Our Holiday hours through 12/22 are 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM EST Mon - Fri and 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Sat and Sun. "... A terrific novel, a genuine literary achievement." -- Booklist (*Starred review) Koen-Levy Book Wholesalers LLC www.koenlevy.com 59 "... Powerful debut legal thriller" -- Chicago Tribune ______Available from Yorkville Press (contact: [email protected] 54 ) or from Ingram, B&T, Partners & The perfect history gift, now in paperback! Bookazine The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story 097674421X The Mayor of Lexington Avenue of World War II's Most Decorated Platoon by James Sheehan #1 Pick **Booksense History Top Ten list [Spring 2005]** Trade paperback $12.95 **Da Capo Press** ISBN: 0306814404 ** Yorkville Press www.yorkvillepress.com 55 "Heroic, inspiring..." -- Washington Post ______"A moving story of uncommon valor." -- James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is pleased to announce a variety of For more, check out Winter 2006 frontlist and Fall 2005 backlist promotional 60 opportunities. www.thelongestwinterbook.com ______For a complete list of current promotions and our Winter 2006 eligible titles, please contact your sales representative or our Inside Sales department at (800) 847-5515. ______

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Links in this document: 1. See http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll627.xml#Y 2. See http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

3. See http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm 4. See http://www.bookweb.org/graphics/lists/YEBSBL1.pdf 5. See http://www.bookweb.org/graphics/lists/YEBSBL2.pdf 6. See http://www.bookweb.org/graphics/lists/YEBSBL3.pdf 7. See http://www.bookweb.org/graphics/lists/YEBSBL4.pdf 8. See http://www.bookweb.org/graphics/lists/YEBSBL5.pdf 9. See http://www.bookweb.org/graphics/lists/YEBSBL6.pdf 10. See http://www.bookweb.org/read/8341 11. See mailto:[email protected] 12. See mailto:[email protected] 13. See http://www.bookweb.org/ideaexchange/mvnforum/index 14. See http://www.bookweb.org/aba/8334.html 15. See http://www.bookweb.org/aba/1274.html 16. See mailto:[email protected] 17. See mailto:[email protected] 18. See http://www.bookweb.org/docs/bookstores/BEA2006/Hotel_passwd.html 19. See http://www.bookweb.org/members/createAccount.do 20. See http://www.bookweb.org/read/8230 21. See mailto:[email protected] 22. See mailto:[email protected] 23. See http://powells.com 24. See http://www.BooksToWatchOutFor.com 25. See http://civiceconomics.com/Andersonville/AndersonvilleStudy.pdf 26. See http://civiceconomics.com/Andersonville/AndersonvilleStudy.pdf 27. See http://www.bookweb.org/graphics/pdfs/lamar.pdf 28. See mailto:[email protected] 29. See http://www.bookweb.org/graphics/pdfs/ABAWinterInstitute.pdf 30. See mailto:[email protected] 31. See http://www.bookweb.org/education/institute/ 32. See http://www.inrevisacheckmastermoneyantitrustlitigation.com/ 33. See http://www.bookstoretourism.com/ 34. See mailto:[email protected] 35. See http://www.titlesmart.com 36. See http://www.titlesmart.com/ 37. See mailto:[email protected] 38. See mailto:[email protected] 39. See http://www.bookweb.org/read/5677 40. See mailto:[email protected] 41. See http://news.bookweb.org/read/3964 42. See http://www.RoyalOakBookshop.com 43. See mailto:[email protected] 44. See mailto:[email protected] 45. See mailto:[email protected] 46. See mailto:[email protected] 47. See http://www.bookweb.org/read/2901 48. See http://www.RoyalOakBookshop.com 49. See mailto:[email protected] 50. See mailto:[email protected] 51. See mailto:[email protected] 52. See mailto:[email protected] 53. See http://www.bookweb.org/read/2901 54. See mailto:[email protected] 55. See http://www.yorkvillepress.com 56. See http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/titledetail.cfm?titleNumber=592445 57. See http://www.Wordtheatre.com 58. See http://www.HarperCollins.com 59. See http://www.koenlevy.com 60. See http://www.thelongestwinterbook.com