The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and the American Booksellers Association announced Thursday that they have agreed to integrate ABFFE’s operations with ABA’s. in order to expand free speech programming for independent booksellers.
In many respects the merger will work like the integration of the Association of Booksellers for Children into the ABA, which was approved in November 2010.
“As was the case with ABC and ABA, the integration of ABFFE and ABA will make it possible to devote more resources to programming by consolidating administrative functions and reducing the need for fundraising,” said ABA CEO Oren Teicher.
Unlike ABC though, ABFFE was originally organized by ABA in 1990 to respond to growing threats to the First Amendment rights of booksellers and their customers.
Beginning January 1, ABFFE will become a distinct group within ABA, and ABFFE president Chris Finan will become its director. The ABFFE board will assume the role of advisory council.
For now, ABFFE staff will continue to work out of their office in New York City. On January 1 the ABFFE Group at ABA will relocate to ABA’s office in White Plains.
As part of the integration, ABA members will receive a free expression sticker for the front window of their store and a subscription to a new monthly Free Speech newsletter.
