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March Madness at Bookmarks on March 13!

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Monday, January 27, 2020
Updated: Friday, December 20, 2019

Join us for our March Madness event at Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC on March 13 from 10-3PM. Bookmarks is offering the education program: Four Part Harmony: Best tips for Authors in Schools, Tracking Your Data, Subscription Clubs, and Planning Tools.

From 10-Noon: Attendees have a choice of two sessions:

Authors In Schools: A Chocolate and Peanut Butter Combination with Ashley Bryan

Author visits can be a daunting experience. But they can also be one of the most meaningful moments of significance for our young readers. Let's discuss what makes them scary, unique, and, most importantly, a successful combination.

No Math Required: Demystifying Data Tracking with Beth Seufer Buss

If you don't know what you're doing well, how do you know what needs improved? Learn how to help your bottom line by tracking store data and take home sample spreadsheets and formulas that you can use to start analyzing your store data.

Noon-1PM: Author Luncheon. Lunch is free to attendees.

From 1-3PM: Attendees have a choice of two sessions:

Sign Me Up: Cultivating Loyalty Through Subscriptions with Jamie Rogers Southern

In this session, we will discuss how you can increase sales, gain repeat customers, and grow publisher relations through subscription clubs. Focusing on details of Bookmarks' two clubs -- Signed First Editions Club and Young Readers Subscription Club -- Jamie will share tips and challenges on how to get a subscription club started and how to turn members into your brand ambassadors.

Help! My To-Do List is Out of Control with Beth Seufer Buss

Learn how to organize all the moving pieces of your bookstore. In this session we'll talk about how and why to develop planning templates, how checklists can keep you and your store organized, and the best tools for taming your to-do list.

More about our presenters:

Jamie Rogers Southern is the Operations Director at Bookmarks, a literary nonprofit organization based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Before Bookmarks Jamie worked at Alabama Booksmith in Homewood, AL, and for the American Booksellers Association.

Beth Seufer Buss is the General Bookstore Manager at Bookmarks. In between reading romance novels and crunching data, she manages a bookstore team of nine.

Originally a Bookmarks volunteer turned bookseller, Ashley Bryan became Bookmarks' Youth & Schools Coordinator full-time in August. Transitioning into this role full-time has provided more opportunities to expand our youth outreach from Author in Schools to book fairs, Book Build, school book clubs, storytimes, and development of our Teen Advisory Council.

Link to register for this event and other March Madness Bookseller Series events. These events are free to booksellers who are current members of their regional associations.

Tags:  Bookseller education  SITS 

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March Madness at Gottwals on March 12!

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Monday, January 20, 2020
Updated: Friday, December 20, 2019

shane gottwalsJoin us for our March Madness event at Gottwals Books in Byron, GA on March 12, 10-3PM! From 10 AM-noon, owner Shane Gottwals will present: Managing Growth: Think Bigger About Your Business. Session description: How do you grow a business in 2020? What's more, how can you grow a book business in 2020? Join Shane to discuss some principles for maximizing payroll labor, position yourself for long-term rental/real estate benefit, determine the feasibility of warehousing/storage, know when it's time for expansion (or contraction), and a variety of other topics.

Noon-1:00 PM: Author Luncheon. Lunch is free to attendees.

The afternoon will include a store tour and further discussion and networking on bookseller issues.

Shane Gottwals was born and raised in Macon, GA. He earned a B.A. in English from Mercer University, spending a portion of his college years at Oxford University in England. He met his wife, Abbey, at Mercer. They have four children and live in Warner Robins. In 2007, the couple opened Gottwals Books which has become one of the largest used & new bookstore chains in the United States. He is frequently asked to speak at book industry conferences, and he is a notable go-to for bookstore consulting. He currently serves on the boards of Covenant Care Adoption Services, Robins Regional Chamber of Commerce, Central Fellowship Christian Academy, and Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.

Link to register for this event and other March Madness Bookseller Series events. These events are free to booksellers who are current members of their regional associations.

Tags:  Bookseller education  SITS 

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March Madness at Page & Palette on March 10!

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Friday, January 17, 2020
page & palette

Join us for our March Madness event at Page & Palette in Fairhope, Alabama on March 10 from 10-3PM. The day begins with the educational session: 10 Best Secrets to Handselling, Upselling and More. Inspired by the question, "How far are you willing to go to develop a loyal customer base?" booksellers Stephanie Crowe, Leigh Buckley, and Stacy Sheehan-Wilson will share practical tips on how they've done it so successfully at Page & Palette.

From noon to 1PM, booksellers will enjoy lunch with a visiting author, and the afternoon will include a store tour and further discussion and networking on bookseller issues.

More on our presenters:

Stephanie Crowe: Page and Palette has been my second career. I have worked for 11 years. I began in our Childrens Department and over time became Event Manager and Buyer. I served on the SIBA board from 2016 to 2018.

Leigh Buckley: Being a bookseller at Page & Palette is living out my dream. Beyond being surrounded by books, the best part about my job is meeting the most diverse and wonderful people who come through our doors. They may be locals that visit daily, or those just wandering in, but meeting, hand-selling, and also learning from them is what I enjoy the most.

Stacy Sheehan-Wilson: When not at Page & Palette or reading, I tell people's stories through upcycling their clothing and photos into pillows or quilts and help people work through their grief by doing the same. The vision is to grow my cottage industry into a national movement that improves the lives of seniors and their loved ones.

Link to register for this event and other March Madness Bookseller Series events. These events are free to booksellers who are current members of their regional associations.

Tags:  Bookseller education  March Madness  Page & Palette 

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March Madness on March 10 at Horton’s Books & Gifts!

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Friday, January 17, 2020

horton's booksJoin us for our March Madness event at Horton's Books & Gifts in Carrollton, GA from 10-3PM on March 10. The day begins with the educational session: Pop-ups at Performance Venues. Horton's Dorothy Pittman and Tim Chapman, Director of the Center for the Arts, will discuss how they've been partnering successfully on events.

From noon to 1PM, booksellers will enjoy lunch with a visiting author, and the afternoon will include a store tour and further discussion and networking on bookseller issues.

Georgia's oldest bookstore, Horton's Books & Gifts has been in business since 1891. Founded by a former school teacher, N. A. Horton's offered school song and miscellaneous books as well as Bibles, sheet music, stationery, wrapping paper, and paper bags. He advertised, "I sell for cash, but will take eggs or chicken for school books when parties can't pay the money." Antique shelves and displays showcase new books and gift items while store cats Mayah, Poe, and Dante are always on hand to help customers choose the right book or gift.

Link to register for this event and other March Madness Bookseller Series events. These events are free to booksellers who are current members of their regional associations.

Tags:  Bookseller education  Horton's Books  March Madness 

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Professional Bookselling Certification powered by NAIBA

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Wednesday, January 15, 2020

bookselling certification logoThe New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) has taken on the task of creating a formal certification program for the bookselling industry. "For years, booksellers across the country have been asking for a "career path" in bookselling. I believe that NAIBA's Professional Bookselling Certification will provide an important first step along this path," says Bill Reilly, co-owner, the river's end bookstore, and NAIBA Board President.

This is a nation-wide program, with NAIBA spearheading the creation, execution and oversight. NAIBA will work with the American Booksellers Association and the other regional booksellers' associations on every aspect of the program. The Professional Bookselling Certification program will consist of five modules. The modules include: Basic Bookselling, Staff & Human Resources, Store & Operations Management, Event Management, and Inventory Management. Upon completion of each module, a bookseller will receive certification in that topic. When a bookseller completes all five modules, they will receive the designation of Certified Professional Bookseller.

There is also a stand-alone module, Career Bookseller Fast Track, for seasoned booksellers, which will encompass the information in the individual modules. Upon completion of the Fast Track, a bookseller will receive the designation of Certified Professional Bookseller.

Each course will have a Dean, multiple instructors, assessment tools, exercises and homework, and required online and in-person courses. In-person instruction will take place at existing regional and national conferences. NAIBA plans to roll out the Event Management module in 2020, followed by the Career Bookseller Fast Track module. There will be course fees with each module, along with available scholarships.

"I've been in the industry for almost 40 years, and professionalism and training have always been a

driving force behind national and regional programs," said Eileen Dengler, executive director of NAIBA. "People have been asking for some recognition for bookselling skills, and now NAIBA will make it happen."

Any bookseller interested in becoming an instructor in any of the modules is welcome to email Eileen Dengler at naibaeileen@gmail.com.

Tags:  Bookseller education  naiba 

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March Madness at Oxford Exchange on March 9!

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Monday, January 6, 2020
Updated: Friday, December 20, 2019

Join us for our March Madness event at Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL on March 9 from 10-3PM. From 10 AM-noon, Bookstore & Programming Director Laura Taylor will present “Independent Bookstore Day- and a Bookstore Passport Program.” Session description: The collaboration between Independent Bookstores is our greatest weapon against big box stores. Join other booksellers to brainstorm and put into place an innovative regional bookstore passport program which would engage and inspire our local customers to seek out Independent Bookstores wherever they are. All discussions about Independent Bookstore Day and ways to feed and support your local bookstores will be encouraged!  


From noon to 1PM, booksellers will enjoy lunch with a visiting author, and the afternoon will include a store tour and further discussion and networking on bookseller issues.


Laura Taylor is going on her 7th year at Oxford Exchange and her 6th year running the buying and programming of the Bookstore.  She has a varied background as a retail small business owner in Asia, as well as several years as a Chef. Oxford Exchange is a unique owner operated Restaurant, Shop, Bookstore, Private Event Space and Design Studio.    


Link to register for this event and other March Madness Bookseller Series events. These events are free to booksellers who are current members of their regional associations.

Tags:  Bookseller education  SITS 

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Would you like to host a gathering during our March Madness Bookseller Series?

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Tuesday, October 29, 2019

In 2020, we're transforming our SIBA in the Springtime (SITS) into the March Madness Bookseller Series (MMBS). Might we add another acronym, CYOA, as booksellers may decide to attend multiple events, depending on programming and proximity to host stores.

 

SIBA’s goal is to have gatherings within 2-3 hours driving distance of all member stores. These one-day gatherings will take place between March 9-20, and run from 10am-3pm with an author luncheon. Morning and afternoon programming will focus on education. 


Would you like your store to be considered as a host store? If so, what kind of educational programming would you want to present to visiting booksellers? What is your store doing really well that you'd like to show off to inspire others? We’d love to hear from you!


Please email lindamarie@sibaweb.com  if you’re interested and we'll see what we can work out!

Tags:  bookseller education  MMBS  SITS 

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Recap and Resources from the B3! Webinar “Bringing Used Books into the Mix for Higher Sales and Profit."

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Last week SIBA hosted the B3! webinar "Bringing Used Books into the Mix for Higher Sales and Profit." Megan Bell and Josh Niesse from Underground Books in Carrollton, GA and Hills & Hamlets in Serenbe, GA , Cathy Graham from Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, FL, Frank Reiss of A Cappella Books in Atlanta, GA, and Shane Gottwal's from Gottwals Books (franchising nationwide as "Walls of Books") of Macon, GA and beyond presented their best tips. Because all the presenters began as used booksellers adding in new books, stores transitioning in a similar way will also find this webinar quite informative.

Josh noted the "incredible variety of approach to including used books" among the panelists. He and Megan prefer to buy book collections from private homes rather than allowing folks to bring boxes of books to the store. These bulk purchases help the unit price go down. Although he and Megan emphasize being selective, when they find aesthetically interesting but damaged books, like children's books, they may take them off the owner's hands for free, and then use what they can from these books to create journals, buttons, and more for sale in their stores. They hold a quarterly sidewalk sale to clear out inventory, and these days are often record sales days.

Although Cathy's store is moving towards 70% new and 30% used, they do quite well with used books in genres like mystery and romance, and have a separate antiquarian book section. They are quite selective about what they bring in, Cathy emphasizing that "more isn't better" and they only buy "gently-used" books. She loves the "cool factor" of beautiful and retro antiquarian books, and mentioned a growing trend in younger customers appreciating and purchasing antiquarian books.

Frank cautioned that "it's a challenge to do both (new & used books) well." He noted that they are very different from each other. The aesthetics and price margins for used books appeal to him, but he's always considering the allocation of labor costs, as well has how to best merchandise them. He advised booksellers looking to add used books to "respect how much time used books can take...if you're going to do both, then have a lot of focus." He agreed with Cathy's comment about younger customers being drawn to used books, saying, "Young people do seem to be getting into old books in a way that surprises me, and is gratifying."

Shane's buying philosophy is one of bringing in as much product as you can in categories that do well for you. His buyers are serving multiple stores and selling online, with the ability to store overstock in a warehouse, which is different from the other presenters. He suggested keeping used books separate from new books in the store, at least initially. He also believes online sales of college textbooks is a lucrative market for new stores wanting to start selling used.

Questions from attendees including paying for used books with credit and/or cash, charging for shipping, online sales and pricing, and whether adding used books undermines new book sales.

View the webinar.
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Additional resources are Cathy Graham's tips and pitfalls when adding used books to your new book inventory, Josh and Megan's Used Book Sorting Chart, and tipsheet on evaluating used book values, and Shane's 2017 Winter Institute presentation on bringing used books into your inventory. All are available in our Peer Brain Trust under Working with Business Resources.

Tags:  b3! webinars  Bookseller education  Used books 

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New for 2020: Resource Roundtables on Zoom!

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Wednesday, October 16, 2019

SIBA booksellers share that talking shop with other booksellers, discussing what’s going well, or not, at their stores, makes a big, positive, difference. Conversations can spark a new approach to author events, the creation of a press kit, a reexamination of training practices, the decision to switch to another POS system, or maybe a road trip to visit other bookstores and be inspired.

 

Beginning in 2020, we’re extending the resource roundtable experience we offer at our Discovery Show into a monthly event on zoom. These zoom events will offer a face-to-face opportunity to discuss areas in your business, peer-to-peer, that you’d like some feedback on, or wish to share success stories about, with your colleagues. 


What subjects would you like to see as topics for roundtable discussion? Would you like to be one of the hosts for a particular discussion? Please email lindamarie@sibaweb.com and let’s talk!

Tags:  Bookseller education 

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Friday's Education Sessions at #SIBA19

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Friday, September 6, 2019

One of the highlights for many booksellers at our Discovery Show is the Education Track. Booksellers and industry experts share their best practices, with room for Q & A to address individual store concerns. This year offers a rich variety of sessions of interest to buyers, owners and managers, and frontline booksellers. Because you can’t be everywhere at the same time, we’re recording many of them for later viewing. Handouts will be available through our Peer Brain Trust after the show.


Here are Education Sessions on Friday to attend or check out later:


9AM: Ingram Insights

Join Ingram as they take a deep dive into their exclusive indie programs, like Booklove and Indie Vault, and explore their latest ipage features. Learn more about the hottest titles from their distribution partners, and also learn how to self-publish like a pro from the Ingram Spark team. 


9AM: Are you working "on" your business or just working "in" it? 

(For owners and managers/Advanced session). 

Whether you have employees or not, the only way to reliably grow your business is to develop systems that let you slowly free up your time from working "in" your business to working "on" it. Systems range from simple documentation so you can delegate work to productivity tools to automation technologies. Led by Shane Gottwals, owner of Gottwals Books, and Jill Hendrix, owner of Fiction Addiction


10AM:  Independent Bookstore Day: Celebrate with Success

(IBD) has grown from a handful of bookstores in California to a national celebration involving over 575 stores and, in some cases, city wide celebrations. Participating bookstores see an increase in sales, increased foot traffic and increased brand awareness. This session will offer attendees an overview of the program and tips from booksellers who have figured out how to make the most of IBD. Panelists will offer information on how to order and make the most of the IBD exclusive merchandise; how to organize and publicize your store's party to bring people into your store; and how to use social media strategically to increase sales and community participation. Join ABA staff and IBD superstars for this not to be missed conversation.


11AM:  Rewarding Returns

Keep your inventory fresh, your shipping costs down, and your credits flowing with best practices in your returns department. Learn from two veteran booksellers on their successful approaches, and from a publisher rep who will discuss returns from the publisher perspective. Panelists are Doug Robinson, co-owner of Eagle Eye Book Shop, Donna Paz Kaufman, partner of The Bookstore Training Group of Paz & Associates, and co-owner of Story and Song Bookstore, and Leslie Jobson, Manager of Field Sales at the Ingram Content Group


4PM: The Art of the Pitch – Handselling Books to Customers

Listening to customers, discerning their needs, and suggesting the best match is an art form that, when mastered, results in bigger and better sales. As we head into the biggest retail season of the year, what better time to listen to these veterans share their tips and tricks to profitably connect with your customers? This session is for new booksellers learning the ropes, and veterans who seek a fresh look at handselling. Panelists are Doni Kay, sales representative at Penguin Young Readers, Angie Tally, children’s buyer at The Country Bookshop, and Pete Mock, book buyer at McIntyre’s Books.


4PM: Romancing the Indie Bookstore

Panelists will discuss how independent bookstores can bring in new readers and engage current readers in a new way through new or expanded romance sections. The growing diversity of romance novels and the way they are packaged in trade paperback format and marketed to appeal to both a younger and broader audience creates an opportunity for independent bookstores. Panelists are Cindy Hwang, Vice President and Editorial Director (PRH), Kelly Justice, Fountain Bookstore, and Erin Galloway, Deputy Publicity Director (PRH).

Tags:  #si  Bookseller education 

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Publisher Picks: Fall Fiction

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Monday, April 29, 2019

 

On Wednesday, June 26 at 2PM EST, SIBA is hosting “Fall Fiction” as part of our Publisher Picks: Best Bets for SIBA Booksellers series.  In this bi-monthly series, publishers, editors, marketing directors, and reps present their favorite frontlist titles via Zoom to booksellers. Besides forging important connections with publishers and their reps, attending booksellers will discover new titles to add to their store shelves and earn 10 B3! points. The following industry folks will present: Eric Svenson, sales representative for HarperCollins, Bob Werber, sales representative for IPS, Gavin Grant, publisher of Small Beer Press, and Doni Kay, sales representative for Penguin Young Readers. Please rsvp lindamarie@sibaweb.com to attend. 

 

More info on our presenters:

Eric Svenson is the Southeast regional field sales representative for HarperCollins Publishers. He is the son of independent bookseller parents, a second generation publishers rep, and has traveled the South promoting books & reading for 30 years. He became a legend at the Discovery Show's "Rep Picks" events, breaking the fourth wall and walking out into the audience to support the books and authors he loves.
 
Bob Werber recently took over the IPS territory in the South (including PGW, IPS, and Two Rivers/Ingram Academic). He has been in the territory for the last 13 years with Dover and then Barrons; prior to that he worked in the Midwest and West, primarily with Random House.  Bob was also on the founding staff of Third Place Books in Seattle. Bob’s reading interests are quite varied but he is partial to literary fiction, regional, and nature writing—as well as non-fiction, especially history, politics, and sports.

Gavin J. Grant is the publisher of Small Beer Press, an independent press based in Massachusetts, whose books have been awarded the Philip K. Dick, Shirley Jackson, Hugo, and Locus Awards, as well as selected as the best of the year by NPR, Time Magazine, Salon, Booklist, Washington Post, and the San Francisco Chronicle, among others. Grant has worked in bookshops in Los Angeles and Boston and for the ABA's BookSense.com. Since 1996 he has (with Kelly Link) edited and published Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet, a twice-yearly small press zine. Grant and Link have also co-edited eight anthologies together.

He lives with his family in Northampton, MA.


Doni Kay started her career in bookselling with Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida in 1990. She was the children’s book buyer and ran the kid’s room, and also the bookfair division for 12 years. In 2002, thanks to Penguin Adult rep, Dave Kliegman, who told Doni that Penguin was looking for a kid’s rep in the Carolinas, she applied and was hired by Penguin Young Readers to cover the southeastern states! She has been in heaven ever since, doing what she loves most……putting books in kids’ hands and hearts.

 

    

Tags:  B3! Webinars  Bookseller education  buy  Publisher Picks 

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B3! Webinar: Keeping Your Expenses on a Tight Leash

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Monday, April 29, 2019

Jill Hendrix, Owner of Fiction Addiction in Greenville, SC is highly respected for her bookselling business acumen. She'll discuss how every expense needs to tell you a story about how it fits into your business. Paying for Trello Gold or When I Work are productivity expenses, meant to let you do the same amount of work in less time. Your rent and most of your staffing expenses are hopefully bringing you direct income and thus are "rainmaking" expenses. Learn to catalog, analyze, and reduce your expenses in this interactive webinar. 


Jill Hendrix grew up in Greenville and graduated from Yale University. She worked briefly in the Editorial Department of  St. Martin's Press and then for a series of internet startups in New York City, including Juno Online Services. The startup bug proved contagious and she decided in 2001 to return home and open her own business, Fiction Addiction, which she has managed ever since.


In 2009, she launched the successful Book Your Lunch author event program, which has brought bestselling authors like Elin Hilderbrand and Dorothea Benton Frank to Greenville and introduced readers to debut novelists like Beth Hoffman. She has served as the Treasurer of the South Carolina Academy of Authors and as the president of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.


Please rsvp lindamarie@sibaweb.com to attend the webinar.


Tags:  B3! Webinars  Bookseller education  Finance  Jill Hendrix 

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Share Your Smarts with SIBA Booksellers!

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Booksellers, authors, and other publishing industry colleagues sharing their best practices, creative insights, and life hacks is what makes SIBA's educational programming so valuable to members. If you'd like to be part of our educational programming at the #SIBA19 Discovery Show September 13-15 in Spartanburg, SC, we welcome your proposals. Although we can't guarantee your proposal will be selected for this event, it may be considered for future programming.  Please fill out this form and we'll be in touch. Thank you so much for your time and interest!

  

Tags:  Bookseller education  Discovery Show  eurekasiba 

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Based on a True Story: Fiction, Memoir, and Authenticity​, a EUREKAsiba talk by Erica ​Witsell

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Based on a True Story: Fiction, Memoir, and Authenticity, a EUREKAsiba talk by Erica Witsell


Where is the border between autofiction and memoir? Who has the right to tell which stories? Erica Witsell will discuss the limitations and freedoms of both genres, the works that inspired her, and her own novel’s transformation from memoir to fiction. She will also explore the question of authenticity in the age of identity politics and sectionality.


Witsell’s talk is part of SIBA in the Springtime (SITS) & EUREKAsiba, a program of bookseller education in an intimate format, designed to emphasize creative and innovative solutions to running a business. SITS takes place Monday, March 18 –Wednesday, March 20, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Atlanta Airport. Here’s a link to REGISTER!


Erica Witsell is the author of the novel Give, the story of one family’s troubled quest to redeem the mistakes of the past, and a testament to the bonds of sisterhood. Ron Rash praises, “Give is a striking, often unflinching, depiction of a doomed marriage and its enduring consequences. Erica Witsell is a very talented writer and her debut should garner a wide and appreciative audience."

Tags:  Bookseller education  eurekasiba  SITS 

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Share Your Great Idea from WI14!

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Share Your Great Ideas from WI14!

Many SIBA booksellers attended Winter Institute 14 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, participating in educational programming, author events and dinners, and networking forums. It was wonderful for SIBA staff to see familiar faces and check in on how things are going in your stores. We’d love you to share one (or more!) great idea or insight you gained from the WI experience. Is this something you’ll bring to your author events, your HR, your buying, or another area of your business, like tech tools for communicating with staff, working with publishers, or negotiating with your landlord? Please share your ideas with lindamarie@sibaweb.com and we’ll compile all your great ideas into a future article in our newsletter, so that all SIBA booksellers can benefit and explore what might improve their stores. When possible, we’ll also build in education in our webinars and in-person events to bring more attention to topics of interest to you. Thank you for your help sharing knowledge!

Tags:  bookseller education  winter institute 

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Small Presses Present Their Spring & Summer Lists

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Small Presses Present Their Spring & Summer Lists

 

On Wednesday, Feb 20 at 2PM EST, SIBA is hosting “Small Presses Present their Spring & Summer Lists,” as part of our Publisher Picks: Best Bets for SIBA Booksellers series.  In this bi-monthly series, publishers, editors, marketing directors, and reps present their favorite frontlist titles via Zoom to booksellers. Besides forging important connections with publishers and their reps, attending booksellers will discover new titles to add to their store shelves and earn 10 B3! points. The following industry folks will present on 2/20: Michael Reynolds, Editor in chief of independent publisher, Europa Editions, Carin Siegfried, the Mid-Atlantic field sales representative at Macmillan, Emily Midkiff, editorial assistant and marketing director at Month9Books, Meg Reid, Director of Hub City Press, and Lynn York, publisher of Blair. Please RSVP lindamarie@sibaweb.com to attend.

 

Edelweiss collection of presented titles


More information on our presenters:


Michael Reynolds is the Editor in chief of independent publisher, Europa Editions. He is the recipient of numerous industry awards, and has served on the jury for the PEN/Heim Translation Fund, the Gutekunst Prize for Young Translators, and the foreign jury of the Strega Prize. He is a regular speaker at the Columbia School of Journalism’s Columbia Publishing Course, and at publishing and translation conferences in America and internationally. He is the founder of Bookselling Without Borders, a scholarship program that diversifies the culture of reading by building bridges between the American bookselling community and the international book industry. He is also an author and a translator whose published translations include three historical mysteries by Carlo Lucarelli, and Viola Di Grado’s prize-winning novel, 70% Acrylic 30% Wool.


Carin Siegfried began working with books at the ripe old age of 17 with her college job in the Davidson College campus library and her summer job at the Vanderbilt University Bookstore. After graduation, she worked at Bookstar (a B&N), as a bookseller and shipping & receiving supervisor. She next moved to Ingram Book Company as a junior buyer and then decided to pursue work as an editor in New York. After five years in editorial at St. Martin’s Press, Carin got a job in sales at Baker & Taylor. After that, she worked as a freelance editor until she could move back to the New York area as the sales manager for Soho Press. She founded the Charlotte chapter of the Women's National Book Association and has served as the National President of the WNBA. She is currently the Mid-Atlantic field sales representative at Macmillan and lives in Montclair, New Jersey.


Emily Midkiff loves reading so much so that she got a PhD in children’s and YA literature. You don’t have to call her Dr. Midkiff, though. She just did it for the books! Emily especially adores fantasy and science fiction storytelling. She was a professional princess at a children’s theater for nine years, cosplays at fan conventions, and makes appearances at every available Renaissance Faire to fool everyone with her trusty goat puppet. At Month9Books, Emily applies her love of story to the roles of editorial assistant and marketing director.

 

Meg Reid is the Director of Hub City Press in Spartanburg, South Carolina. A book designer and editor, she also writes extensively about all areas of design. She holds an MFA in Nonfiction from University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she served as Assistant Editor of the literary magazine, Ecotone, and worked for the literary imprint Lookout Books.


Lynn York is the Publisher of Blair. In January 2018, the nonprofit Carolina Wren Press acquired the titles of John F. Blair, Publisher. The resulting press, based in Durham, NC, is named Blair. She is the author of two novels:  The Piano Teacher (Plume, 2004) and The Sweet Life (Plume, 2007), a Booksense Notable Book.  She holds a BA in English from Duke and an MBA/MA from University of TX Austin. She has taught workshops at Duke’s Osher Institute, NC State University, High Point University, and elsewhere. She has served on the Board of Directors of the NC Arts Council, the NC Art Society, and Carolina Wren Press.

    

Tags:  B3! Webinars  Bookseller education 

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B3! Webinar with Bryan E. Robinson: #Chill for Booksellers: Integrating a Healthy Work/Life Balance

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Monday, December 31, 2018

B3! Webinar with Bryan E. Robinson: #Chill for Booksellers: Integrating a Healthy Work/Life Balance

Wednesday, February 6, 2019⋅2:00 – 3:00pm

 

The cycle of 24/7 work addiction can be difficult to break, but according to Bryan E. Robinson, Ph. D., a licensed psychotherapist and mindfulness expert, it’s only a matter of reframing priorities and practicing mindfulness. Chilling is not something you do. It’s a mindset, a way of being in the world.

Bryan E. Robinson is the author of #Chill: Turn Off Your Job and Turn On Your Life. In our webinar, he'll present his philosophy and some tools and exercises to reframe priorities, practice mindfulness, and break a cycle of work addiction. He'll also take your questions about challenges that come up for you and your workplace. Please RSVP lindamarie@sibaweb.com to attend.


SIBA Booksellers praise Robinson's # Chill:

  • "Robinson's approach to workaholism comes from his own experience, so it is a compassionate and knowing approach to a subject that could otherwise get thorny. Still, you'll want to give it to your boss and your boss's boss, and anyone else whose own workaholism keeps you at your desk after hours."--Melanie McNair, former Director of Marketing and Events and Assistant Manager of Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe

  • "Bryan has combined best practices from psychology, meditation, and mindfulness to  create a guidebook for those struggling with work/life balance. Nearly every business owner I know could benefit from this book." --Jill Hendrix, owner of Fiction Addiction

 

 


Tags:  B3! Webinars  Bookseller education 

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A Year of Education with SIBA

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Wednesday, December 19, 2018

A Year of Education with SIBA


SIBA kicked off 2018 with EUREKAsiba in Atlanta. Modeled on TED-talks, this daylong series of presentations by booksellers, industry experts, musicians, and writers offered booksellers insights on a range of topics including “Taking Your Social Media to the Next Level” (Sarah Benoit, JB Media Institute), “Is Profit a Dirty Word?”(Jill Hendrix, owner of Fiction Addiction), “A Self-Published Author Walks into Your Store...What Do You Do?” (Gordon McClellan, DartFrog),  “Sensual Marketing: Creating Intimacy Through Storytelling” (Gwyn Ridenhour, Matchbook Marketing), and “Big Mouth: Big Marketing” (Kelly Justice, Owner of Fountain Bookstore). Over 50 SIBA booksellers attended the inaugural EUREKAsiba. Registration for EUREKAsiba in 2019 opens on January 1st. Mark your calendar and save the date for March 18-20 in Atlanta!


SIBA enlisted Maribeth Pelly, event planner at Booktowne and independent marketing consultant, to present in two extremely popular webinars: “How to Pitch Your Store to Publishers” and “How to Prepare a Press Kit for Your Store.” As a bonus, Maribeth coached attendees at Book Expo, before their Publicist Speeddating events.


SIBA partnered with Sarah Benoit of JB Media Institute, who offered a three-month course “Social Media and Content Marketing” to SIBA booksellers. Those who attended, including SIBA staff,  raved about how it improved their social media efforts. We’ll keep you posted when another course opens.


In 2018 SIBA offered the following webinars:

  • Creating Community: Developing and Maintaining an Authors in School Program

  • Inventory Activism

  • Non-Traditional Bookstores: Hybrids, Pop-ups, and Non-Profits

  • Getting your Staff on Edelweiss

  • Bridging the Divide and The Open Discussion Project

  • Creating and Managing a Successful Online Sales Campaign

  • Avid Bookshop's Favorite Bookstore Forms, Documents, and Procedures

  • Partner with IngramSpark to Enhance Your Publishing and Marketing Services to Authors.

  • Priya Parker on the Art of Gathering for Booksellers.

  • The Art of the Pitch: Handselling Books & Sidelines to Customers


Many of these webinars were recorded. You can watch Maribeth Pelly’s webinars, and see some handy checklists for press kits here. Recordings of our other webinars are here, at the bottom of the page. We’re looking forward to presenting more webinars in 2019, beginning with Book Subscription Services on January 9, 2019. If you’re interested in attending, please email lindamarie@sibaweb.com to reserve your spot. Attendance at any SIBA event-online or in person-gets you B3! points, which translate into $$ you can use towards future SIBA programming, to pay for tickets, registration fees, and more.


Much of our educational programming is made possible by SIBA booksellers, who present their best practices, tips, and great ideas to other booksellers. Thank you to everyone who presented in 2018. You offered so much and we really value and appreciate your time and effort. We’d love to hear from booksellers about any topics they’d like us to address in 2019. Please share your ideas by emailing lindamarie@sibaweb.com.


Tags:  B3! webinars  bookseller education 

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B3! Webinar: The Art of the Pitch: Handselling Books & Sidelines to Customers

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Monday, October 1, 2018

 

 

B3! Webinar: The Art of the Pitch: Handselling Books & Sidelines to Customers

November 7 at 2PM, via Zoom!

 

Listening to customers, discerning their needs, and suggesting the best match is an art form that, when mastered, results in bigger and better sales. As we head into the biggest retail season of the year, what better time to listen to these veterans share their tips and tricks to profitably connect with your customers?

 

This webinar, for new booksellers learning the ropes, and veterans who seek a fresh look at handselling, offers tips and tricks from three experts: Toni Hetzel (sales representative at Penguin Random House), Caroline Green Christopoulus (gift and book buyer at Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe), and Pete Mock (book buyer at McIntyre's Books). They’ll each present on a different aspect of hand selling/pitching, and take your questions during the second half of the webinar.

 

Toni (right) is a life-long reader starting with her school library and the library book mobile. She worked for 6 years for Chapter 11 Bookstores in Atlanta and has been a Random House sales rep for 18 years. She grew up in a small town in western North Carolina and currently lives in Decatur, GA with her husband, two kids, one dog, and three cats.

 

Caroline works at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe, where she has been a bookseller for seventeen years and buyer for thirteen. She bought children's books for a number of years, and is now one of Malaprop's sidelines buyers and the consignment buyer. She and her husband live in Asheville and are proud foster parents. 

 

Pete calls them as he reads them. He came to McIntyre’s Books in 1995 and has developed a reputation for recommending lesser-known mystery authors and often-missed authors from other genres. He’s never short on opinions but is willing to back up what he has to say. Customers come in and call regularly to check on what he’s reading and make plans accordingly!

 

Please rsvp lindamarie@sibaweb.com.com to reserve your spot in the webinar.

Tags:  B3! Webinars  Bookseller education 

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Priya Parker on the Art of Gathering for Booksellers: a fresh look on how to approach author events, book clubs, staff meetings, and more.

Posted By Linda-Marie Barrett, Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Priya Parker on the Art of Gathering for Booksellers: a fresh look on how to approach author events, book clubs, staff meetings, and more. 

B3! Webinar with Priya Parker, author of "The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters"

Time: Wed, Oct 31 at 2pm via Zoom.

 

In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker argues that we rely too much on routine and the conventions of gatherings when we should focus on distinctiveness and the people involved. At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play.

 

Drawing on her expertise as a facilitator of high-powered gatherings around the world, Parker will discuss what works, what doesn't, and why. For booksellers hosting author events, book clubs, community gatherings, staff meetings, and more, this webinar offers an opportunity to hear from an expert, ask questions, and receive advice to enhance and improve this area of your business.

 

Please lindamarie@sibaweb.com to attend.

Tags:  B3! Webinars  Bookseller education 

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