The last event in the March Madness Bookseller Series was hosted by Inklings Book Shop in Lakeland, Florida, on the topic of "Sustainability Through Trade and Treasure-Hunting."

When bookstores consider including used books in their product mix, it is usually because of the potentially higher profit margin they bring. When the Walker family opened Inklings they took a different approach. For them, carrying used books and vintage items is a sustainability stance in the midst of a throw-away culture. Inklings regards things like their active trade-in program as a way to extend the life of books, and keep them in the hands of readers.

"I really enjoyed sharing about our store and values and we had great discussion on what is means to foster sustainability..... as a business and a bookseller," said Finlay Walker about hosting the event.

Booksellers who attended the Inklings March Madness event were enthusiastic about the bookstore's perspective. "It is always beneficial to hear about a business model that differs from yours and it sparked creativity and new ideas," said one attendee.

Inklings provided a copy of the handout they gave booksellers, outlining their mission and some of the guidelines they use to manage their used book inventory:

Used Books & Sustainability Handout

Find more bookstore-created and bookstore-tested resources at the Peer Bookseller Resource Library.