Ask Candice Anything!

In this column, members can ask Candice anything, and they will provide an answer if they know! If you want to ask Candice something that may be in a future column, email candice@sibaweb.com.

This month’s question is: What exactly does the SIBA Board do?

As a previous Board member, I can answer this one! The Board are your representatives, and they guide the direction of the SIBA organization as a whole. They regularly review SIBA’s by-laws and governance policies and evaluate SIBA's performance. The Board also acts as advocates for SIBA's members.

Board terms are three years, and they do not get paid for service, but expenses incurred are generally covered by SIBA. Being on the Board requires attendance at board meetings plus a Carver training session, as SIBA functions under The Carver Method. Adequate preparation for all meetings is also required. The Board acts as representatives of SIBA at events and hears member questions and concerns as it relates to the organization as a whole.

The current Board has worked on updating SIBA's by-laws, expanding the definition of a "core bookstore member" to be more inclusive, and expanding the size of the Board to better respond to the changing industry. The Board has also responded to the book banning issues many of our members face.

As you can see, the Board works for you! It’s up to our members to volunteer for and nominate folks for the Board so we can ensure diversity among identities and states. If your state is not currently represented, think about nominating someone (even yourself!) during the next call for nominations.

And congratulations to our two new Board members, Krystle Dandridge of RVA Book Bar in Richmond, VA, and Bunnie Hilliard of Brave + Kind Bookshop in Decatur, GA!