Nine bookstores, eight states, and everyone’s a winner at SIBA’s March Madness! Nine SIBA bookstores will host one-day gatherings throughout March that include bookseller education, meet-the-author luncheons, networking, and idea shares on what’s working at attendee stores. This programming is FREE to SIBA member bookstores, and includes lunch.

Kicking off on March 4 at M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, SC and finishing March 22 at Books & Books in Coral Gables, FL, the March Madness Bookseller series features bookstores across the Southeast sharing their expertise with their fellow booksellers. Topics range from Invoice Management to Institutional Sales, from Building Community Partnerships to Worker-Led Cooperatives and Creating a Nonprofit Arm.

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to connect with your peers and get a lift (and new ideas!).

MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION

What Booksellers said about last year's March Madness series:

“All you have to do is put a group of booksellers in a room and they're going to share best practices!” -- John Cavalier, Cavalier House Books, about Baldwin & Co’s event.

"It was amazing! The folks from Hub City (both the store & the publishing wing) were so helpful. They had us seated in a circle, so it really felt like a conversation not just a presentation. And they do AMAZING work. I was wowed." -- Kendra Gayle Lee, Bookish Atlanta, about Hub City Bookshop's event.

"It was a WONDERFUL opportunity to learn more about children's bookstore offerings and how to manage special events. The hosts were very welcoming and shared so many great ideas. As a new children's bookstore owner, I gained many new ideas, not only from the presentation, but from touring the store." -- Gina Mays, GG's Library, on Little Shop of Stories' event.

"Really fascinating to see all of the inner-workings! Enjoyed lunch with the authors; great book selection too. Went home feeling inspired." -- Avery Leopard, Ernest & Hadley Booksellers, about Square Books' event.

 

DETAILS

All March Madness events run from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM local time and include an author luncheon. The general format for all events is:

• 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Education Session presented by hosting store
• 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Author Luncheon
• 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Bookseller Idea Share

Some stores may have special presentations planned, depending on the location and topic. Updated information will be included below and on the event page.

THE SCHEDULE

March 4: Meet the team at M. Judson, Bookseller in Greenville, SC to hear about their unique approach to book-themed events, like author luncheons, teacher parties, book clubs, book/wine pairings, and offsite conferences and school visits. Their panel will include their Event Manager, Marketing Manager, Educator, and Bulk Order Liaison.

March 5: Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, NC will discuss Institutional Sales, an area where they excel. From their Institutional Sales Manager, Laura Shinn, "You can become an integral part of community events in your area by selling books beyond the walls of your bookstore. We will go in depth about the different types of organizations and events we work with as well as how we provide books in a way that is profitable both in sales and in community goodwill."

March 6: novel. in Memphis, TN will discuss how their Junior Bookseller program came to be and how it's evolved, the bookseller buy-in it requires, and the many ways in which it has driven sales and customer loyalty. Junior Booksellers is a low-commitment, summer-long program hosted by Novel bookstore that is designed to give kids and teens a taste of what it's like to be a bookseller. Cheryl Mesler from Burke’s Book Store will discuss the store’s used and rare book buying as a part of their new and used inventory mix. The discussion will include product pricing, how to choose what used books to purchase, payment options, book research and sources for used books. Also will provide information on cataloging titles and options for listing inventory to online marketplace.

March 12: Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, LA has created a vibrant social media community through an authentic, personality-forward content approach. Over the last 3 years, this strategy has increased their follower count by over 70% and consistently resulted in both online engagement and in-store sales. In the same time period they have expanded their event space with a move to a new location and added a robust selection of engaging events to their calendar. These include book clubs, interactive events, workshops, book fairs and partnerships with community organizations. Join the Blue Cypress staff for a workshop-style overview of their approach, tips and tricks, and tools to help your social media and events work build community among your customers.

March 13: The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, AL specializes in genre-focused bookselling tailored for Gen Z and Millennial readers, offering a unique experience through hyper-categorized genres, engaging staff, and dynamic events. They'll explore their innovative approach to bookselling, highlighting why they thrive alongside giants like Amazon by focusing on experience over transactions, as illustrated in the owner's 'widget vs. experience-seeking shopper' theory.

March 18: Firestorm in Asheville, NC is a collectively-owned radical bookstore and community event space. Since 2008 they’ve supported grassroots movements in Southern Appalachia while developing a workplace on the basis of cooperation, empowerment and equity. Attendees will learn how Firestorm operates without a traditional management structure, as well as what it's like being a team of queer and feminist booksellers in the South. Members of the co-op will share how democratic processes can strengthen a business and build organizational resilience, and why taking a "political" stance that seems risky can also open new avenues for patronage and support. 

March 19: 44th & 3rd Bookseller in Atlanta, GA will present on their Invoice and Statement Management. They will discuss their starter invoice management system (accounts payable) and the recent system being implemented by Batch for Books, a payment system that provides bookstores with an efficient way to manage payments to US vendors. Nathan Halter, the Program Manager of Batch for Books US will also present on Batch,  answer questions, and help folks get started with Batch.

March 20: Bookish in Fort Smith, AR will discuss their approach to building community partnerships, including their successful Stems & Stories and Readers to Leaders programs. In January of 2020, Bookish went from a partnership to a sole ownership. In an effort to feel less isolated while continuing to fulfill their mission, Bookish reached out to others in the community who believed in the power of an independent bookstore. Through partnerships with small business owners, nonprofits, and corporations, they have been able to uncover their unique bookstore personality while meeting community goals and hosting some really fun and lucrative events.

March 22: Books & Books in Coral Gables, FL will discuss their recently launched nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, Books & Books Literary Foundation. Building on the store's 40-year legacy of community programming, The Books & Books Literary Foundation will use the power of literary culture to nurture readers, cultivate community, and promote the free exchange of ideas by standing up for free expression and other issues critical to our literary culture. They will also discuss other passion projects they’re working on that are bringing in sales, increasing community awareness, and engaging staff and customers.