If you are a librarian (or a patron!) who recalls the 'culture wars' over Candy, let us know! Your library may be eligible to receive a free copy of Candy. Please contact us with your story, and tell us the name and location of your library.

NEW YORK – Groups representing booksellers, librarians and writers today launched a nationwide effort to obtain one million signatures in support of legislation to amend Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act.  The groups hope to persuade Congress to restore safeguards for the privacy of bookstore and library records that were eliminated by the Act.

The Campaign for Reader Privacy – sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association and PEN American Center – will gather signatures in bookstores, libraries and on a new Web site, www.readerprivacy.org.  Over the last year, Republicans, Democrats and Independents have joined to sponsor a number of bills to amend Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, including the Freedom to Read Protection Act (H.R. 1157) and the Security and Freedom Ensured (SAFE) Act, S. 1709.

“Booksellers are deeply concerned about the chilling effect of Section 215 and President Bush’s stated intent to seek blanket reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act,” said ABA Chief Operating Officer Oren Teicher.