New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-14
five P. c. BUY BOOKS
Sellers Will Try to Increase Pro-
portion Among Americans.
CONVENTION MEETS TO-DAY
Gaynor Will Welcome 800 Retail
Book Dealers-Big Dinner
for Literary Folk.

Only per cent OF the people in America
are book buyers by habit was the consen-
sus Of opinion, hacked by statistics cx-
pressed AT the Hotel Aston last evening.
Members of the American Book Sellers A.
ISOLATION, the national organization OF re-
tail dealers I'm books. have gathered there
in annual convention TO devise means to
increase the percentage. Book borrowers
We're not included in the statistics ad-
vanced.
The convention goes into business session
at the Astor this morning Mayor Gaynor
will deliver an address Of welcome, with
perhaps touch Of literary comment on the
side.
A few years ago n scant twenty-five re-
tail booksellers came together in New York.
with the purpose Of cooperating in an en-
deavor to interest the casual reader in bet
ter books. and incidentally in more books.
The publishers were quick to enter into the
campaign of education. The result has been
an increased output each season of books
worth while The demand has kept pace
with the output
Three hundred members OF the associa-
ton will discuss the problems of tho COM
mercial side of literature when the convcn-
ton meets to-day They have come from
most Of the important cities from San
Francisco east.
1t is safe to say that the leading pub
fishers will be within earshot to get what
Colonel Roosevelt would call the spirit CT
the occasion
The convention will be followed by a
aUnninO
for which places for five hundred book peo-
pie and guests have been reserved. Speak
ers at the dinner will be Edward Howard
Griggs. George p. Brett. OF the Macmillan
Company; DR.. Harvey Wiley, Morgan
Shuster and Meredith Nicholson, well
known as n best seller" author. Jeffrey
Farnol, who has achieved his popularity as
an author in record time. was scheduled
for talk but ne was unable to make
steamer connections from England In time
to be present.
The booksellers have planned to tighten
their labors for literary upliit with diNei-
sons between convention sessions. Ihey
will be the guests of Harper IL Bros III
Franklin Square. this afternoon. An IN
spcction OF the bookmaking plant and IN
tcrecting features o. entertainment are on
the programme. Theatre parties and Varl-
Gus iunxets Of sightseeing are scheduled 10
take place before the convention ad)ourhs'
The topics listed for discussion during tho
convention are: Relation Of Bookseller WIN
the Travelling Salesman by ii. f. be'-
lamy. OF Denver: Relation OF Travelling
Salesman with the Bookseller" by Frank
G. Dodd. OF Dodd Mead & Co. New YORK
city: Juvenile Readers as an Asset. by
f. w Mumford. OF Philadelphia; Amer
cana" by David l.. James, OF Cincinnati
Fewer Books and Better by :. A. Ev-
erett. Of Doubleday. Page & Co. New YORK
city: "Co-operatIon with tho Bookseller,
by William Morrow, Of the +. A. Stokes
Company. New York city, Special Feat
urcs." by John II. Wood, Of Cleveland
From Both Sides" By HulIns {. Brown, OF
Little. Brown & Co. Boston; bookseller
and Public" by Frederick G. Mclcher. OF
Boston. and Tho Publishers Advertising
Man" By &. G. Percy. OF Grossett & Dun
lap. New York city