America's national marine sanctuaries played a starring role at the BLUE Ocean Film Festival held August 24-29 in Monterey, California. The 14 federally designated marine protected areas were featured in many of the 80+ films screened during the festival, including the winner for Best Ocean Exploration and Adventure Film, "Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures: America's Underwater Treasures," a feature produced by Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society.

During the BLUE Carpet Awards Ceremony, Cousteau, a trustee emeritus of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and his family, including son Fabien and daughter Celine, were honored with a "Making Waves Award" for their outstanding accomplishments in environmental stewardship. A special tribute was made to family patriarch and pioneering ocean explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society also announced the release of a new, four-book series, "Explore the National Marine Sanctuaries with Jean-Michel Cousteau," which focuses on the four different regions of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The series is based on the Ocean Future Society's award-winning, limited edition book "America's Underwater Treasures" and the PBS film series "Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures." The first book, available in stores January 2011, will highlight the sanctuaries of the Southeastern United States.

"We applaud the great work of our trustee emeritus, Jean-Michel Cousteau, in helping increase public awareness about national marine sanctuaries and encourage ocean stewardship," said Jason Patlis, president and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, a sponsor for the BLUE Ocean Film Festival. "Continuing in his father's tradition, Jean-Michel has made it his life's work to celebrate our most treasured ocean places; he is a true ocean hero."

About the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and national marine sanctuaries:

The National Marine Sanctuary System is a network of 13 sanctuaries and one marine national monument encompassing 150,000 square miles in U.S. waters. The Foundation was created to help foster conservation-based research, education, and outreach programs designed to connect the American public with these unique marine environments. For more information, visit www.NMSFocean.org.

For more information on BLUE, visit www.bluefilmfest.com.

SOURCE National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.nmsfocean.org
http://www.bluefilmfest.com

This Fall, students in classrooms across the country are once again being challenged to read to help kids in need. By participating in Scholastic Book Clubs' ClassroomsCare program, a philanthropy-based literacy campaign designed to teach children about the joys and importance of reading and giving, students are helping others while they help themselves – and learning how important it is to read everyday to lead a better life.

This school year, the ClassroomsCare theme is "United States of Reading." With the help of teachers nationwide, Scholastic Book Clubs is challenging students to read 10 books per student per classroom triggering a donation of one million books to kids in need from Scholastic Book Clubs. To get the books to children who need them, ClassroomsCare partners with major charities that play a key role. Reach Out and Read^® provides books to the nation's youngest children via pediatricians who work at clinics and in hospitals, and helps parents make books part of their children's daily lives. Save the Children^® reaches children in rural areas who may not have the resources or access to books they need. And this year ClassroomsCare is adding a new partner, The Pajama Program, a non-profit that helps distribute books and pajamas to children in more than thirty states, from preschool through teen. With each program Scholastic carefully selects books that are age-appropriate and engaging for the recipient.

Since 2001, Scholastic Book Clubs' ClassroomsCare literacy program has put more than 10 million books in the hands of kids who might otherwise not have access to books. Resources on the ClassroomsCare website, along with posts on the Scholastic Book Clubs Facebook page and Book Talk blog, will provide teachers with news, tips, activities, quizzes and chance to engage with peers in every state.

"I smile every time I hear about a school where, through their generosity and hard work, students are making a difference and improving the lives of others by participating in ClassroomsCare," said Judy Newman, President of Scholastic Book Clubs. "In order to better prepare the children of the 21^st Century to live complete and successful lives, we need to energize them to read more books, and read everyday.  And showing children that their hard work pays off and they can make a difference in the lives of others is motivating and important as they grow up. Through ClassroomsCare, students aren't just reading, they're reading to give."

Classrooms keep track of books read on a poster, student bookmarks and online, and then tell Scholastic when they've finished. Any books kids read in the classroom, with their parents or on their own count toward the goal. Teachers also can use lesson plans and activities available at http://classroomscare.scholastic.com to incorporate this program into their curriculum.

The ClassroomsCare literacy campaign is open to classrooms nationwide through Scholastic Book Clubs catalogues and the Scholastic web site. Teachers can log onto the ClassroomsCare website to keep track of their class's progress as well as their state's progress. Students, teachers and parents are invited to go onto the site to see how the reading is making a difference.

For over 60 years, Scholastic Book Clubs have provided monthly catalogues offering top quality books and reading materials from all publishers to teachers in pre-school through junior high. Scholastic Book Clubs reach over one million teachers each month, providing the most sought-after titles at affordable prices for children in classrooms nationwide.  The ClassroomsCare campaign is available to teachers and classrooms who participate in Scholastic Book Clubs:  Firefly Book Club for preschoolers; Seesaw Book Club for kindergarten and grade 1; Lucky Book Club for grades 2-3; Arrow Book Club for grades 4-6; and TAB Book Club for grades 7 and up. Scholastic Book Clubs is a division of Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL), the global children's publishing, education and media company.

For more information about Scholastic or ClassroomsCare, visit our Media Room at http://mediaroom.scholastic.com.

SOURCE Scholastic Corporation

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://classroomscare.scholastic.com

"Parental Controls" chronicles the worst case scenarios and the choices that are available to avoid these pitfalls.  Elder abuse haunts the headlines and Ms. Hollins-Moore is on a mission to help prevent such abuse in our society.  Having been a caregiver herself for an elderly parent and with a background in dementia care (including the public resources available, financial and legal matters), she has written this novel to document what she learned along the way.  She wrote it in fiction novel form because she wanted her readers to have an emotional investment in the story.  Rather than writing it in textbook style quoting facts and statistics, she wanted her reader to follow the story of Martha who is being forced by her children from her home of 31 years and into a world of neglect, abuse, loneliness and humiliation.  And how she finds strength from hearing the same northbound trains she heard at home along with her solitary conversations with her late husband, proving that even the most fragile among us can survive just about anything.

Her readers have reacted with both outrage and admiration (many requesting a sequel).  One in particular states, "After reading your novel, it made me feel good about the choices I made for my elderly parent.  I found your story comforting knowing that I didn't just warehouse my father, I found a way to care for him myself.  Anyone who has a decision to make about their parents should read your story of Martha and the treatment she endured."  

Just take the alternatives into consideration, that's all the author is asking.

From the author of "Secrets in the Sand", a musical tribute to the heroes of 9/11!,  which had its world premiere September 11th, 2009 at the East County Performing Arts Center in El Cajon, California.  Ms. Hollins-Moore has written two books and two plays (one of which was sold to the City of Vista, California for use as a fundraiser).  She has been a freelance writer for twenty-five years, including as an award-winning reporter for McGraw-Hill Publishing and as a weekly columnist for a major San Diego Newspaper.

CONTACT:  Faye Hollins-Moore, 760-207-0573, fayeplace1@aol.com

SOURCE Faye Hollins-Moore

Back to top

Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) today reported results for its second quarter ended July 31, 2010. Highlights include:

• Second quarter sales were $526.1 million, down 11.5% from the same period a year ago, with comparable store sales declining by 6.8%. Borders.com sales increased 56.2% over the prior year, to $15.5 million.
• The company generated a loss from continuing operations in the second quarter of $51.6 million or $0.74 per share compared to a loss of $45.1 million or $0.75 per share for the same period a year ago.
• Debt net of cash decreased compared to the first quarter by 13.7%, or $41.5 million.  It increased by 2.7% compared to the second quarter of last year, to $262.1 million.

"While we continue to succeed in strengthening our financial structure, we are highly focused on driving profitable sales and increasing market share," said Mike Edwards, CEO of Borders. "Based on extensive consumer research, we are doing a number of things to excite our customers going into the critical holiday shopping season, including launching our new Borders Rewards program, which includes the new paid Borders Rewards Plus. Recognizing that online and digital will be a significant part of our business moving forward, we are focused on increasing our share of the eBook market by growing our digital offerings to position Borders as the preferred destination for digital reading.  Yet as we grow our online and digital business, we cannot underestimate the importance of our brick and mortar presence. This will be top of mind as we work on improving the in-store experience by shifting our product mix to include additional non-book products that are both compelling and relevant, and providing an escape for our customers though an inspirational in-store environment and consistent customer service."

Second Quarter Results

All earnings/loss figures reported throughout this news release are on a GAAP basis unless otherwise noted, and exclude the results of discontinued operations. Beginning with this news release, the company will report results as a single segment.  This change is the result of the sale of the company's Paperchase subsidiary during the second quarter of 2010, which constituted the majority of the previously-reported International segment. The company classified the sale and operations of Paperchase as a discontinued operation.

Second quarter sales were $526.1 million, down 11.5% from the same period a year ago, with comparable store sales declining by 6.8%.  Sales were positively impacted by Borders.com, which saw a second quarter increase of 56.2% over the prior year, to $15.5 million.

The company generated a second quarter loss from continuing operations of $51.6 million or $0.74 per share compared to a loss of $45.1 million or $0.75 per share for the same period a year ago, driven primarily by decreased gross margin. As a percent of sales, gross margin decreased from 23.0% to 19.3% in the second quarter, resulting from increased promotional discounts and the de-leveraging of fixed occupancy costs caused by negative comparable store sales.

SG&A expense as a percent of sales improved in the second quarter to 26.5% from 27.3%, and declined in dollars by $22.7 million.  This was due to the company's continuing aggressive expense reduction and store closure efforts, which were partially offset by de-leveraging due to negative sales trends.

Second quarter capital expenditures were $7.7 million compared to $1.2 million for the same period a year ago. Spending in the second quarter of 2010 was focused on the development of the Borders eBook store, which launched during the second quarter, and spending on "Area-e" shops.

Debt net of cash at the end of the quarter totaled $262.1 million compared to $255.3 million last year, a $6.8 million or 2.7% increase. The company was able to reduce the amount outstanding under its $90.0 million term loan by $25.0 million through the sale of its Paperchase subsidiary for $31.2 million in the quarter.

Borders' Focus on the Future

Expanding Digital, Online and Social Media  

The company is leveraging its strong brand recognition among book lovers — particularly its millions of Rewards members —  to position Borders as the preferred destination for both digital content and devices. Borders' recently launched eBook store has been very well received by customers. In line with its vision to be a trusted retailer that provides customers with a variety of eReading devices at prices that fit virtually all budgets, the company is now offering six devices including the Kobo eReader, Aluratek "Libre" eBook Reader Pro, Velocity Micro Cruz™ Reader and Velocity Micro Cruz™ Tablet as well as two Sony devices. Sales of the Kobo as well as pre-orders for the Aluratek and Velocity Micro devices have exceeded expectations. The company expects to announce additional devices in the coming weeks.

The company is taking further steps to make eReading accessible for virtually everyone by lowering the price of the Kobo unit to $129.99 and the Libre Pro to $99.99, which will make it among the most aggressively priced devices in the industry.  Borders will complete its digital initiative with the roll out of its Area-e digital shops, which will conclude in early October. The shops will provide an enjoyable environment where customers can experience a variety of different eReaders, guided by knowledgeable staff, who can demonstrate the devices and answer questions.

"Borders is now an industry authority on digital content and devices," said Edwards. "We offer a large assortment of eReaders at price points that fit with most budgets and we are exploring adding new devices and brands in the fourth quarter as part of our device neutral strategy.  As our newly launched eBook store and mobile apps gain traction, we believe we hold a strong growth position within a digital ecosphere that is rapidly evolving and expanding."

The company is currently executing programs to increase conversion rates and drive increased traffic to Borders.com. It recently introduced its new "Borders Textbook Marketplace," which features more than 1.4 million titles and a textbook buyback option. Borders is also expanding its merchandise mix online to include high growth and higher margin product.

Understanding the importance of connecting with customers where they spend their time, the company is expanding its social media footprint. It recently introduced the "Facebook Like" feature on all title detail pages, allowing customers to share their favorite books and other products with their friends on Facebook.  The company also recently revamped its Facebook page to include rich content around topics and themes important to Borders' customers. In just one week after the launch of the new page, the company grew its fan base by more than 100,000 members.  

Committed to Improving the Retail Experience and Strengthening the Borders Brand

Borders' research has indicated that most customers come to Borders to escape the pressures of everyday life. To promote a relaxed and hassle-free shopping experience, the company is enhancing its stores with new signage that improves navigation and highlights value offerings. Borders is also reorganizing sections to promote discovery and enhance shopability. Recognizing that it must improve store productivity to address the top line, the company is also shifting its merchandising mix to include more non-book products that complement the Borders brand.

The Children's section represents a key growth platform.  To that end, the company is taking steps to provide a retail experience that is both fun and educational for kids and their families by expanding the assortment of educational kids toys and games.  In addition, the company recently launched a partnership with Build-A-Bear Workshop to include several Build-A-Bear craft kits as well as other products in the Children's area. Borders is also continuing to focus on products that increase the average ticket and provide clear margin improvements including growing its Bargain and value book category.  

In addition to growing and expanding into categories that delight customers, the company is also discovering new ways to enhance guest satisfaction. Borders will soon announce a new customer service program that will complement the company's successful — and the industry's only — In-Stock Guarantee, which means that customers always find what they are looking for when they shop with Borders.  

"We are taking steps to transform our retail model, in part through high-impact strategic partnerships, like Build-A-Bear Workshop, that enable us to offer a compelling mix of lifestyle focused products," continued Edwards. "By offering a rich and relevant selection of product – both book and non-book – together with an exceptional customer experience, we will differentiate Borders from others in the marketplace.

"The customer research we have gathered will inform these changes and ultimately redefine the Borders brand going into 2011 and beyond."  

New Loyalty Program with a Focus on Customer Segmentation

As previously announced, today the company launched a new paid customer loyalty program — Borders Rewards Plus with an annual fee of $20 — as well as a free enhanced program. Borders is the only major bookseller to offer both a paid and free program. In addition, the company is using segmentation to drive customer engagement and sales through e-mails that include targeted discounts as well as personalized content such as specific title recommendations and local event notifications. Nearly 40 million people have signed up for the program since it originally launched in 2006.

Conference Call Today, Sept. 1 at 10 a.m. Eastern

Management will hold a conference call today at 10 a.m. Eastern. This call will be webcast by Thomson Financial and can be accessed at www.bordersgroupinc.com. A replay will be accessible on the Web site through Sept. 15. In addition, a replay phone service will be available toll-free at (800) 642-1687, passcode 91309569; or for international calls at (706) 645-9291, passcode 91309569. The phone service will be available through Sept. 15 until 11:59 p.m. Eastern.

About Borders Group

Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) is a leading specialty retailer of books as well as other educational and entertainment items. The company employs approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders® and Waldenbooks® stores. Online shopping is offered through borders.com. Find author interviews and vibrant discussions of the products we and our customers are passionate about online at facebook.com/borders, twitter.com/borders and youtube.com/bordersmedia. For more information about the company, vist http://www.borders.com/investors.

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. One can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "expects," "planning," "preparing," "possibility," "opportunity," "goal," "will," "may," "intend," "anticipates," "working toward" and other words of similar meaning. One can also identify them by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements are likely to address matters such as the company's future financial condition and performance (including earnings per share, liquidity, cash flows, debt levels, market share growth and other sales information, inventory levels and capital expenditures), its strategic initiatives such as the expansion of product categories, including eBook content and eReaders and contemplated strategic partnerships. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and plans to differ materially from those included in the company's forward-looking statements.

These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, consumer demand for the company's products, particularly during the holiday season, which is believed to be related to general economic and geopolitical conditions, competition and other factors; the availability of adequate capital – including vendor credit – to fund the company's operations and to carry out its strategic plans; adverse litigation results or other claims; the performance of the company's information technology systems; with respect to eBook content and eReaders, the availability to the company of anticipated content levels and a variety of competitive devices; and, with respect to strategic partnerships, the ability to identify and reach agreements with acceptable partners.

The company's periodic reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission contain more detailed discussions of these and other risk factors that could cause actual results and plans to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements, and those discussions are incorporated herein by reference. The company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060208/BORDERSGRPLOGO )

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060208/BORDERSGRPLOGO )