Hello SIBA friends!

Turning Page Bookshop first opened its doors in the small town of Seneca, SC in June 2014 and has since relocated to Goose Creek, SC. The shop offers a welcoming space for literary and communal gatherings and prides itself on promoting local interest and diversity, featuring a wide range of books and gift items suitable for all ages. Additionally, the shop offers a variety of programming to cater to the needs of its diverse clientele. From book clubs and author signings to children's storytime sessions, there is always something happening to engage and inspire visitors of all ages.

According to owner VaLinda Miller, recent experiences in South Carolina over the past couple of years have caused significant challenges for the bookstore. Several socioeconomic factors contribute to the challenges: economic difficulties, including inflation and low wages, and limited discretionary spending make it difficult for families to prioritize book purchases. There is also an ongoing struggle to acknowledge and teach Black history, which affects the diversity and inclusivity of educational content. Efforts to remove books have ramped up, as they have in other places in the South, and just last week, the state’s Board of Education voted to remove several books from the state’s public schools. Bookstores across the South, and the country, are dealing with similar struggles.

While the situation in South Carolina is challenging, Miller said it also presents an opportunity to reassess and explore new avenues for promoting literacy and community engagement. For now, Miller had to close the physical location of Turning Page when their lease ended last year, and they’re operating online and pop-ups until they can find a new location. But they aren’t giving up. Miller said, “I have been fighting all my life as a Black woman, so this is not new, it's just another battle that I will win, again.”

You can follow Turning Page Bookshop at @turningpagebookshop to keep up with their journey and visit their website at https://turningpagebookshop.com/ to support.