Posted By Nicki Leone,
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
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!).
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.
First NVNR Publicity Speed Dating Event of 2024 Opens for Registration
NVNR's first Publicity Speed Dating event of 2024 will be hosted on Zoom on February 29th. This is an opportunity for booksellers to meet publicists and share all the unique events they host in their store. This virtual event begins
at 9:30 AM and ends at around 4:00 PM, with a lunch break. Publicists will receive access to the publicity kits and a complete list of stores attending.
Publicity Speed Dating is an invaluable opportunity for bookstores to raise their visibility with publishers. The event was invented by NAIBA, which holds Publicity Speed Dating events several times a year. Booksellers "pitch"
their stores to an audience of publicists, each store enjoying their "fifteen minutes of fame" and the undivided attention of publicists from both major publishers and small presses.
Cost to attend is $35.00. Booksellers can sign up for either a morning or afternoon session, but space is limited so only one spot per store is allowed. After you register, you will be contacted with your assigned specific time slot.
All times are Eastern Standard.
Your store must have a publicity kit to share with publicists, and must be a current member of SIBA or NAIBA to participate. See the NAIBA and
SIBA websites for inspiration in creating your own publicity kit.
Publicity Speed Dating is an important first step in growing your store's relationship with publishers. The connections you make during your pitch are a foundation you can build on for the future. NVNR scheduled the event early in the year to give bookstores
a chance to introduce themselves to publishers they will meet at other events and conferences this year, including the NVNR Annual Conference in Arlington in August.
Booksellers should consider attending if:
You are a relatively new store and want to introduce yourself to publishers
You are looking to expand your in-store events program
You are interested in finding authors to present at events in your community, such as book festivals or school events.
Register here: NAIBA | SIBA (log in is required for both links)
SIBA's Orientations are usually held in January of each year to give booksellers an overview of what plans and programs are on the horizon, as well as revisiting some of the many benefits they are eligible for as members of SIBA.
In 2024 booksellers can look forward to:
More opportunties for bookseller development and more financial
Assistance to pursue it more bookseller-to-bookseller networking
Opportunities more bookseller-to-publisher relationship building
Posted By Nicki Leone,
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Updated: Wednesday, September 10, 2025
SIBA Sponsors Professional Bookseller School
SIBA is a sponsor of The Professional Booksellers School (PBS), which offers both basic/introductory and sustained high-level professional development for bookstore staff. Courses are designed and taught by experienced and successful owners, managers,
buyers, and event staffers. Courses are offered in subjects like Basic Bookselling, Inventory Management, Event Management, Store & Operations Management, and Bookstore Finances.
SIBA's sponsorship means member booksellers qualify for a discount on courses when they sign up, and can receive a partial reimbursement from SIBA if they complete a course that counts towards certification.
Discounts: SIBA Member Booksellers receive a 12% discount on all live courses. Use code SIBAlive.
January 2024 marks the return of the SIBA Bookstore Census. Bookstores in SIBA's region are invited to participate, regardless of their membership status. The Census, which asks bookstores about operations, demographics, and community engagement, is designed to provide a detailed portrait of independent bookselling in the Southern United States. Bookstores will receive their invitations by January 15, 2024.
SIBA held its first Census in 2022 to discover how bookstores had changed and adapted in the wake of the pandemic. Recognizing that bookstores had to reinvent themselves during lockdown, the Census sought to document the many creative strategies bookstores used to stay successful as businesses.
Largely in response to the information received in 2022, the 2024 Census includes an expanded section on bookstore business models, purchasing strategies, and engagement with both the book industry and local communities.
The SIBA Census is used to:
Develop innovative and meaningful events and programming.
Design creative marketing and promotional opportunities for bookstores.
Advocate on behalf of independent bookstores to industry businesses and organizations.
Target member communications and news to make them even more valuable.
Strengthen SIBA's core commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
The 2024 SIBA census is open to every bookstore in SIBA Territory (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA). Stores that complete the census are entered into a drawing to receive supper on SIBA! Ten stores will receive $100 to treat their staff to supper (or breakfast or lunch!)
The SIBA Peer Bookseller Resource Library (PBR), has been upgraded and expanded and is now available to all SIBA bookseller members to use.
The core of the PBR is a resource collection of tools and documents used by bookstores in their own operations. Bookstores have generously shared these resources with SIBA and their bookseller colleagues to be used as templates or models in their own businesses. SIBA has also included materials and handouts from past SIBA programs, and easy access to video recordings from past bookseller-led webinars and education.
Among the tools available are school book fair forms and contracts, event checklists, best practices for stocking decisions, and slide decks from past webinars. There is also a store press kit gallery for booksellers to use as inspiration when creating their own publicity materials for publishers.
The PBR replaces SIBA's previous Peer Brain Trust document-sharing program, and includes the following enhancements:
A complete review, vetting, and updating process
Citation and Source Information for all materials
The ability to search, filter, and sort according to a wide variety of options
A link to add materials to the library
Ability to view video content on site
In addition the library contains links to other SIBA Resource collections, including the Banned Books Resource List, and links to SIBA programming materials and annual reports.
SIBA encourages booksellers to submit resources for the library. The best resources bookstores have is the knowledge and experience they can offer each other.
The Peer Bookseller Resource Library is a member benefit and only available to current SIBA bookseller members.
SIBA booksellers are invited to join in on a new series of "Fireside Chats" on Discord. The chats will be held on the last Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM Eastern.
Less formal than a webinar or presentation, the fireside chats will have a range of topics and will also be a place for booksellers to get together after programs and events to compare notes and takeaways. These are places for discussion, networking, and sharing experiences.
The first chat, scheduled for January 31, will have Cheryl Lee from 44th and 3rd Bookseller available to talk about International Book Fairs and her experience at the Frankfurt International Book Fair last October. 44th and 3rd was able to attend thanks to a Books Across Borders scholarship co-sponsored by SIBA and the Independent Publishers Caucus.
The first two chats will be: January 31: International Book Fairs
February 28: Lessons from Winter Institute
All SIBA booksellers are invited to participate. To be added to the Discord Community, email Candice Huber at candice@sibaweb.com.
Is your store struggling, and do you need help diagnosing the exact problem? Or do things seem fine, but you'd like a checkup to reassure yourself that your store is in good financial health? SIBA has partnered with Jill Hendrix to create The Bookstore Doctor program.
Hendrix, a bookstore owner herself for 20 years, past SIBA Board president, business coach, and a Dean/Instructor at The Professional Bookseller School, will review your uploaded financials, provide you with breakeven and structural analyses, suggest areas to concentrate on, and then walk you through her recommendations in a face-to-face Zoom call.
All individual store data shared with Jill will be kept in the strictest confidence, though she may collate broad trends and share them with The Professional Bookseller School, SIBA, the ABA, and other parties.
In 2024, SIBA is covering half the cost ($125) of one 2024 Bookstore Doctor checkup per member store.
Register here. You must be a current SIBA bookstore member to participate.
When you register, you will receive a link to submit necessary detailed store information confidentially to the Bookstore Doctor, and a link to schedule a session with Hendrix to go over her recommendations.
The first New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) Owners Retreat of 2024 will focus on the theme of "Strategic Closing": How to plan for store downtime to manage bigger projects such as renovations and inventories, unplanned shutdowns from crises like weather events or lockdowns, or blocking out time for owner and staff vacations.
The Retreat will be led by moderators Adam Waterreus and Janet Geddis.
Adam Waterreus is the owner of Lost City Books in Washington DC. A combination of new, used and rare books, it sits in the spot of the former Idle Time Books. Since opening in 2019, Lost City Books has become a hub for community activities, with book clubs for queer-narratives, black feminist authors, and sci-fi to name a few. Prior to creating his own bookstore vision, Adam worked in Politics & Prose for a decade and as a sale rep for W.W.Norton. Adam is also noted for his woodworking skills.
Janet Geddis is a business owner, writer, speaker, and community leader. The owner of Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia, Janet is involved with regional and national book industry organizations, presenting at least twice a year at conferences and volunteering her time for advisory boards. She began her first term on the SIBA Board in 2018. Janet holds an M.Ed. in educational psychology from UGA with an emphasis in creativity studies.
Owners Retreats are an invaluable opportunity for networking with your fellow store owners. Attendance free but limited to 50 people, 25 from each of the SIBA and NAIBA regions. You must be a member of either SIBA or NAIBA and a store owner to attend. One person per store, please.
SIBA members have much to look forward to in 2024. Popular programs from 2023 will return for this year, including the March Madness Bookstore Series, the Summer and Holiday Catalog programs, more Indie Press Social events, and the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. Also on the horizon are more events from the New Voices New Rooms partnership, including multiple Owners Retreats, a virtual Publicity Speed Dating event, a virtual Genre Buzz event, and the multi-day in-person conference, once again in Arlington, VA.
SIBA will also be launching some new programs: a "fireside chat" discussion series on SIBA's Discord Community and a revamped and updated Peer Bookseller Resource Library featuring tools road-tested by bookstores. Also watch for the launch of The Bookstore Doctor, a financial check-up opportunity for bookstore owners, with bookstore owner and Professional Bookseller School dean Jill Hendrix (Fiction Addiction). SIBA will also be holding a 2024 Census of its bookstore members. The Census, which is open to any independent bookstore in SIBA territory, provides invaluable information for SIBA when planning new programming and anticipating the needs of its members.
Perhaps most importantly, SIBA members should watch for the announcement to review and approve SIBA's new bylaws. The SIBA Board has been working diligently for several years to update the organization's bylaws, including a new, more inclusive definition of a "core member bookstore." Read more in outgoing SIBA President Jamie Southern's Letter to Members.
It is a brave new bookselling world in the SIBA region, and such an exciting time to be a bookseller in the South.
In 2023 SIBA hired its first Membership Coordinator, Candice Huber. In their role
, Candice helps SIBA bookstores to understand and take advantage of their member benefits. Even more importantly, Candice talks to bookstores to find out what they need from the organization. Since coming on board, Candice has been a motivating
force behind the growth of SIBA's membership from about 175 bookstores at the end of 2022 to 192 at the end of 2023. In August they also took on the task of running SIBA's social media accounts, and has made a point of profiling SIBA bookstores
and amplifying store news.
In Person Events
SIBA returned to an active in-person event schedule in 2023, bringing back the popular March Madness event series in the spring, in which 100 booksellers
participated in events at 10 SIBA bookstores across SIBA territory. In the fall, SIBA also launched the first Indie Press Social in Atlanta, where representatives from small and indie presses spent the day with about 50 booksellers talking books, bookselling, and then finishing the evening at a local restaurant for more talk over (very) good food.
Virtual Programs
SIBA also continued its virtual programming, which created a forum for booksellers facing difficult situations in the current political climate. In May SIBA hosted a panel on Supporting Trans Bookseller Staff and Community which was attended by over 100 people from across the country. In November, SIBA partnered with PEN America to host a virtual panel on Book Banning and Best Response Strategies which specifically covered safety strategies for store and store staff targeted by agitators and hostile internet trolls. At the same time SIBA also launched a Banned Books Resource List of tools
for bookstores facing book banning in their communities. This past fall SIBA created a Discord Community for booksellers to network with each other, trade
advice, expertise, and support.
New Voices New Rooms (NVNR)
The programming partnership between SIBA and NAIBA was also very active in 2023, hosting both virtual events and its first in person conference in Arlington, VA. NVNR now has a regular schedule of virtual Owners Retreats, Publicity Speed Dating, and other networking events. The conference in Arlington drew nearly 100 SIBA booksellers from over 50 bookstores for a week of networking, education,
and author events.
Bookseller Development
SIBA increased opportunities for financial aid and
professional development support for booksellers, including continuing DEI training for booksellers via the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge, and offering
more scholarships for booksellers to attend training and programming. SIBA also actively worked with other book industry groups to co-sponsor scholarships for booksellers. A co-sponsorship with the Independent Publishers Caucus allowed 44th and 3rd Bookseller to attend the 2023 Frankfurt International Book Fair.
Reaching Readers: RAMP & SBR
The RAMP Catalog program provided bookstores with both summer and holiday-themed gift catalogs to use with their customers and in their communities. The Winter Catalog featured artwork from Caldecott-winning
illustrator Doug Salati (Hot Dog). SIBA once again subsidized imprinting costs for participating stores.
The Southern Bookseller Review (SBR), the reader-targeted newsletter and website which promotes bookseller reviews, grew its readership by 11% in 2023, and increased its number of published reviews
by 9%. In May SBR published its 150th issue, and at the same time launched "Decide for Yourself." SIBA bookseller reviews of books which appear on PEN America's Banned Books List.
To date, 1890 SIBA bookstore reviews can be found on the SBR website.
It's said that all good things come to an end, but this is not case in the land of SIBA. Southern booksellers continue to shine and SIBA has been gratified to be able to support them.
Posted By Julia Davis, The Book Worm Bookstore,
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Dear SIBA membership,
As we are in the final stretch of the holiday season, I hope everyone has some much-deserved self-care plans in the near future.
I am honored to serve as your SIBA Board president for 2024 and quite frankly, have some big shoes to fill as Jamie Southern's term comes to a close. It has been a privilege to work under her leadership and alongside of all of the other “J” members of the Board. You can imagine how much fun it was to address each other during meetings. Jamie Fiocco’s interim term also ends this year and the Board appreciates the hard work she has put in as well. In 2024 we welcome two new members to the Board - Krystle Dandridge and Bunnie Hilliard.
Booksellers love to tap into their creative side so it is no surprise how the bookselling world has evolved over the years. SIBA continues to not only be a great organization, but a resource for our region of booksellers in this growing industry. As Jamie Southern mentioned in her farewell letter to SIBA members, we spent a good portion of the year updating SIBA Bylaws and it will soon be time for them to go to membership vote. When the time comes, I encourage each of you to vote. It is important for us to continue to grow this organization together.
I am confident that 2024 is going to be filled with great and exciting things for SIBA members including more opportunities to gather together (whether virtually or in person). More opportunities to not only learn from each other but also the resources we need to continue to make our bookselling journey successful. Be sure to check your emails regularly for updates. SIBA also has a great social media platform that announces important upcoming meetings and deadlines - along with other fun things.
Remember that the Board and SIBA team enjoy hearing from members. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us with questions, problems, comments - anything! You can reach me directly at shopthebookwormpowdersprings@gmail.com (I know, I know long email address, but I inherited it).
Posted By Jamie Southern, Bookmarks,
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Dear SIBA membership,
This year has flown by! I can't believe that we will soon be living in 2024. It has been a privilege to serve as your SIBA board president this year and my only regret is that there wasn't enough time to get to know more of you better! The board has been doing some necessary (yet tedious at times) work on amending the SIBA bylaws to bring these up to date for our current organization and modern bookselling world. We will be putting these up to a membership vote shortly and I encourage you to participate. Though there is a lot of legalese throughout (as expected with such a legal document) the main things of note to point out to you are three items:
We have updated the definition of Core Member. The previous definition is as follows: "Independent, privately-owned, commercially-zoned bookstores with a retail storefront and physical headquarters in the Company’s region are eligible for core membership." We have changed this definition to be reflective of the more inclusive and highly creative industry we find ourselves living in today. The new definition is: "Core membership is open to any independent, privately-owned legal entity actively engaged in the business of bookselling in our region (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA). The bookselling venue may be physical, online, recurring pop-ups or mobile but physical books (including e-books and audiobook versions) must represent more than 50% of overall revenue. These membership requirements shall be subject to interpretation, in the event of dispute, by the Board of Directors. Only owners and authorized representatives and key staff (with owner permission) may serve as officers or directors of the Company. Core Members are entitled to one vote at meetings or in other official balloting procedures of the Company."
We have expanded the option to have a board of seven members rather than five. This will allow us to have greater representation of our region serving on the board level.
We have added the board officer position of Secretary-Treasurer in order to be compliant with North Carolina law.
If you have any questions about any of these changes, please let us know! We spent many months going through the bylaws line by line with legal guidance. Thank you in advance for weighing in.
I am delighted to turn over the Presidency to Julia Davis, owner of The Book Worm Bookstore in Powder Springs, Georgia. I have had the pleasure of serving on the board with Julia over the past couple of years and have found her to be brilliant in business and full of creative ideas. Between Julia and our fearless leader, Linda-Marie, SIBA is in great hands as we head into a bright new year. Thank you for allowing me to serve our membership.
Posted By Cheryl Lee, 44th & 3rd Bookseller,
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
This October, we had the pleasure of attending the 75th annual Frankfurt International Book Fair! We are the owners of 44th & 3rd Bookseller in Atlanta, GA, where we have been in business since 2017. We specialize in curating books by African American authors and authors from the African diaspora. We were able to attend thanks to the generous support of a 2023 Books Across Borders Scholarship, co-sponsored by SIBA and Independent Publishing Caucus (IPC).
The City of Frankfurt is a combination of the modern and traditional. We stayed at the Leonardo Royal Hotel Frankfurt. Many of the Fair’s ambassadors, speakers and attendees also stayed here.
On Tuesday, October 17 we attended the opening ceremony at the Buchmesse Hall and Fairground. The Hall was part of the Messe conference center where the exhibits and sessions were held. We were happy to have arrived early and got acquainted with the Center. The five exhibit hall buildings were recently built, beautifully designed and presented the publishers and exhibitors brilliantly.
The opening ceremony consisted of several speakers from around the world. Each year a host country is selected to highlight their culture and contribution to literary tradition. As the host country this year Slovenia was prominently represented as part of the opening ceremony. Slovenia President Nataša Pirc Musar shared the literary history of the country. Philosopher Slavoj Žiže spoke on his longstanding role as a peace maker in the Israel and Palestine conflict, and shared history on the subject which was received with mixed responses from a small group of audience attendees.
On Wednesday morning we met fellow bookseller Kate Layte, owner of Papercuts Bookshop in Boston, MA. We hit it off right away and quickly became friends. We headed over to the Messe Conference Center where the visual impact of the Fair was on full display. We had a healthy lunch at one of the many restaurants inside the Buchmesse Hall. But we were shocked that you could not get a mocha at any of the stations. Apparently, Germany is really into the classic coffee with milk only.
After lunch we were able to visit vendors and booths set up all over the Fairgrounds. It was amazing to see so many publishers from around the world! The Fair was basically divided in three sections; the guest of honor Slovenia had their own section, American publishers, and all other publishers from around the globe. We saw books from American publishers that were showcasing American authors but in different languages. We discovered at the Fair that each country requires independent publishing rights from the author. Much of the activity at the Fair was the business of securing these rights to publish. It was quite impressive.
On Thursday, Kate and I were on the panel to discuss banned books in the United States as part of a morning session sponsored by the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF). It was a great experience to talk about what is going on in our country regarding book banning. We both spoke about our own experiences as well as the condition and causes relating to book banning in the States. Europe is not currently experiencing book banning, but they are afraid of what is happening here, and how it could ultimately impact them.
I would have to say that what we found most meaningful about attending the Frankfurt International Book Fair would be the coming together of so many like-minded individuals, and seeing just how impactful literature is around the world. We sometimes forget that there is a whole world of people who support all that we do as booksellers. This makes us even more resolved and committed to continue what we do everyday in ensuring that books get into the hands of our communities.
We want to thank SIBA for everything it does in making these types of events available to its member booksellers Overall, the entire experience for us was one that we will cherish for a lifetime. We look forward to attending the Frankfurt International Book Fair again in the future.
RSS
SIBA Sponsors Professional Bookseller School 
The SIBA Peer Bookseller Resource Library (PBR), has been upgraded and expanded and is now available to all SIBA bookseller members to use.
Is your store struggling, and do you need help diagnosing the exact problem? Or do things seem fine, but you'd like a checkup to reassure yourself that your store is in good financial health? SIBA has partnered with 
What We're Doing: SIBA in 2024
2023 for SIBA was a year of building on good things. The organization 
Dear SIBA membership,
Dear SIBA membership,
This October, we had the pleasure of attending the 75th annual Frankfurt International Book Fair! We are the owners of 44th & 3rd Bookseller in Atlanta, GA, where we have been in business since 2017. We specialize in curating books by African American authors and authors from the African diaspora. We were able to attend thanks to the generous support of a 2023 Books Across Borders Scholarship, co-sponsored by SIBA and Independent Publishing Caucus (IPC). 
On Wednesday morning we met fellow bookseller Kate Layte, owner of Papercuts Bookshop in Boston, MA. We hit it off right away and quickly became friends. We headed over to the Messe Conference Center where the visual impact of the Fair was on full display. We had a healthy lunch at one of the many restaurants inside the Buchmesse Hall. But we were shocked that you could not get a mocha at any of the stations. Apparently, Germany is really into the classic coffee with milk only. 
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