Barnes & Noble, Inc. : Barnes & Noble Announces January is “No Name-Calling Month”

Mary Ellen Keating
Corporate Communications
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
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Carolyn J. Brown
Corporate Communications
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
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Paul Crichton
Simon & Schuster
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New York, New York - January 4, 2012 - Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today announced plans to once again recognize January as "No Name-Calling Month" in its stores and online at Barnes & Noble.com.  Now in its second year, the month-long campaign is aimed at bringing attention to the national problem of name-calling and bullying of all kinds.  Barnes & Noble stores across the country will bring awareness to "No Name-Calling Month" by placing "No Name-Calling" signage in various locations, and hosting a national Storytime event and other activities. Barnes & Noble.com will feature exclusive video content from bestselling children's, young adult and adult authors discussing their thoughts and experiences on bullying.  Barnes & Noble has partnered with Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), creators of No Name-Calling Week in schools, in this effort to stop bullying.

"Barnes & Noble is pleased to be partnering with Simon & Schuster and GLSEN in this important effort to bring awareness to the seriousness of name-calling, teasing, bullying and cyberbullying," said Mary Amicucci, vice president of Children's Books for Barnes & Noble.  "Barnes & Noble has always provided parents, teachers and children with books, magazines and other materials, as well as in-store activities, that engage people in on-going dialogues and inspire ways to communicate with one another.  This campaign is just one more way we can help."

"GLSEN is honored that Barnes & Noble is a returning partner for No Name-Calling Week," said GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard. "Barnes & Noble has been a tremendous supporter for this annual event that aims to address name-calling and bullying in our schools. We are thankful for their commitment to share the message of respect for difference to students, parents and educators across the country."

"We are extremely proud to have co-founded No Name-Calling Week with GLSEN eight years ago and we are delighted that Barnes & Noble has joined us once again to help spread the ever important message of acceptance and respect to thousands of students, parents, and educators across the country," said Michelle Fadlalla, Director of Marketing, Education & Library for Simon & Schuster.

First launched in March 2004, No Name-Calling Week was developed in a partnership between GLSEN and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. The campaign was inspired by the young adult novel, The Misfits by James Howe, which tells the story of four best friends who, tired of the constant teasing in their middle school, decide to run for student government on a No Name-Calling platform.

During No Name-Calling Month, stores will host Barnes & Noble Educator Appreciation Week from January 14 through January 22. Stores will have No Name-Calling materials available for teachers and educators including book recommendations, tip sheets for organizing No Name-Calling events, lesson plans for elementary and middle school students, bracelets, classroom posters and buttons for educators to use in their classrooms.

Barnes & Noble.com will feature:

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• Exclusive video content from bestselling children's, teen and adult authors including Hilary Duff, Richard Paul Evans, Lisa McMann, Laurie Halse Anderson, Ellen Hopkins, Margaret Peterson Haddix and Sarah Pekkanen.  The authors will discuss their thoughts on and experiences with bullying.
• B&N Kids Expert Circle articles with tips and advice on how to deal with bullying ().
• E-mails regarding No Name-Calling events and special savings offers.

As part of this campaign, GLSEN will also produce a National No Name-Calling Creative Expression Exhibit, in which students can submit any type of artistic expression that relates to their experiences with or ideas of bullying.  Over the years, thousands of students nationwide have submitted a variety of poems, stories, essays, drawings, collages, sculptures and songs.  More information about past submissions, as well as about the No Name-Calling Week campaign, can be found at and in Barnes & Noble stores.

Simon & Schuster has created a No-Name Calling page for parents, teachers, and librarians featuring recommended books, discussion guides, anti-bullying videos from bestselling authors, and a chat board.