SIBA celebrates a significant milestone this year: 2025 marks the organization's 50th anniversary. The SIBA of today has come a long way from its beginning in 1975, when a group of southern booksellers and publisher reps came together to form an organization to advocate for Southern booksellers and bookselling. 50 years later, SIBA's membership has grown, the organization has expanded its programming and advocacy efforts, increased its board and staff, and created a shared network of industry partnerships to bring its member bookstores solid, cost-effective benefits for their stores such as the Regional Association Marketing Program (RAMP) which creates gift catalogs, and New Voices New Room (NVNR) which has transformed the old "fall trade show" into one of the premier bookselling conferences in the country.

SIBA sees a bright future for Southern bookselling. SIBA Bookstore membership has been growing at the phenomenal rate of 20% per year since the end of the pandemic. There are more bookstores, more new bookstores, more different kinds of bookstores, and more interest in opening a bookstore. 

As SIBA turns 50, it is looking not to the past but to the future, and taking steps to be the organization its bookstore members will need in a growing and constantly evolving industry. 

The Steps in SIBA's "A Bright Future" Plan

1. Rebranding (July and August)
   
   SIBA is working on updating its current logo to better reflect the kind of organization it is becoming: forward-looking, diverse, optimistic, and energetic in its advocacy for Southern booksellers. 
   
   
2. Member Database Enhancement (August - October)
   
   With the adoption in 2024 of an expanded definition of "Core Bookstore Member" in its Bylaws, SIBA is now in the enviable position of having membership levels at an all-time high, and a membership filled with a wide range of creative and innovative business models. SIBA is in the process of refining its member database to better serve all its member bookstores, including those that operate beyond the traditional brick-and-mortar model.
   
   
3. Website Redesign / Upgrade (October - December)
   
   SIBA is redesigning and reorganizing its website to make it easier for members to use, easier for booksellers to participate in the SIBA community, and to better reflect the goals and priorities of our member stores.

Progress Report: See updates here.