Jamie Chosak, Program Director

ABFFE
275 Seventh Avenue
Suite 1504
New York, NY 10001
Phone: (212) 587-4025
Fax: (212) 587-2436
 

ABFFE spearheaded the creation of a statement signed by 19 organizations calling on Congress to pass the Free Speech Protection Act of 2008 (S. 2977).  S. 2977 would help end “libel tourism,” the effort to intimidate American authors and publishers by filing libel suits in foreign countries that do not offer the same protections for free speech as the United States.
 

ABFFE successfully challenged an Indiana law that would have forced booksellers and other retailers who sell a single “sexually explicit” item to register as an “adult” business and pay a $200 license fee.
 

The Kids’ Right to Read Project, a joint initiative of ABFFE and the National Coalition Against Censorship, continued to fight book censorship at the local level.  There are hundreds of challenges to books in America’s schools every year, threatening the removal of the books that kids want to read the most. Booksellers frequently take the lead in opposing book censorship by organizing events or petition drives in their stores, by writing letters to local school boards, and by speaking to reporters. In-store events and displays often generate a forum for discussion of a controversial issue. ABFFE provides advice and assistance to booksellers and others opposing book-banning, education materials to promote awareness about the right to read, and other support for local activism on free speech issues. Since its launch in 2007, the Project has opposed challenges to 97 titles in 26 states.
 

ABFFE continued to challenge efforts to censor the Internet. It is a plaintiff in the lawsuit against the the Child Online Protection Act (COPA), which was declared unconstitutional by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in July.
 

More than 20 bookstores around the country hosted events at which reporters discussed the importance of protecting confidential news sources and issues relating to the growth of online journalism. The reporters talks were co-sponsored by ABFFE and MLRC Institute, a media education group. The McCormick Foundation provided the funding.
 

ABFFE is a leader in the fight to protect reader privacy.  In December, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit established important restrictions on the power of the federal government to impose gag orders on recipients of National Security Letters (NSLs).  ABFFE joined the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers, the American Association of University Professors, the Freedom to Read Foundation and PEN American Center in filing an amicus brief in the case.
 

ABFFE is a sponsor of Banned Books Week, the only national celebration of the freedom to read. To promote Banned Books Week, ABFFE joined the American Library Association in launching a new Web site, www.bannedbooksweek.org, that provided a list of bookstores and libraries that are participating in the event by mounting displays and hosting events.  ABFFE continued to expand the online resource manual it created to make it easier for booksellers to participate. Resources are available here.
 

ABFFE provides resources on free expression for booksellers, including a model statement to help booksellers proclaim their support for free speech and reader privacy. The statement entitled “To Our Customers” explains why booksellers believe it is important to carry a wide diversity of books, including works that some people may find offensive. It also promises customers that the bookstore will protect the privacy of their book purchases. “To Our Customers” is available in two versions here.           

ABFFE is prepared to assist you and your staff whenever you confront a First Amendment emergency, whether it is the result of a customer complaint or a police demand.  We operate a First Amendment hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  If you ever need an experienced First Amendment lawyer, we can help you find one.

ABFFE is the bookseller’s voice in all free speech controversies involving books and other written material.  We alerted booksellers to the dangers posed by the USA Patriot Act and helped them communicate their concerns to Congress.  We are also active on the local level. ABFFE opposes efforts to ban books in public schools and libraries and files amicus briefs in cases challenging school censorship.

ABFFE helps booksellers communicate the importance of free speech to their customers, building support for First Amendment rights that will be critically important when censorship controversies arise.  ABFFE is a sponsor of Banned Books Week, the only national celebration of the freedom to read.

ABFFE helps booksellers book speakers on important First Amendment issues.  More than 40 bookstores around the country have hosted prominent reporters who have discussed the importance of passing legislation to protect the confidentiality of news sources.

ABFFE also acts as the bookseller’s voice on important First Amendment issues that do not directly affect bookstores but involve defending the free speech rights of all Americans.  It recently filed an amicus brief in a Supreme Court case that could significantly restrict the free speech rights of students.
 

A ready-to-frame statement, “To Our Customers,” that booksellers can display in their stores, declaring their commitment to protect the First Amendment and privacy rights of their customers.

A FREADOM membership decal for a bookstore’s front window as well as a FREADOM pin.

The ABFFE handbook, Censorship and First Amendment Rights: A Primer, and our latest pamphlet, Protecting Customer Privacy in Bookstores.

ABFFE UPDATE, our monthly e-mail newsletter.