The Fifteen Percent Pledge is a racial equity and economic justice non-profit organization working towards a more equitable economic future. As Black people in the U.S. make up about 15% of the population, the organization calls on retailers to commit to spending 15% of their annual purchasing on Black-owned brands.
A number of large retailers have already signed on, including well-known names such as Banana Republic, Bloomingdale's, Crate & Barrel, Gap, Hudson's Bay, Macy's, Nordstrom, and Old Navy.
The idea started, as many grassroots movements do, with a social media post, when in May of 2020 Aurora James tagged some of the world's largest retail brands and said "We represent 15% of the population and we need to represent 15% of your shelf space."
It was the right message at the right time, and now, thanks to the Fifteen Percent pledge, over $10 billion dollars of revenue has been shifted to Black-owned businesses.
For a consumer, the pledge is a simple commitment to shop black-owned businesses. There is a directory on the Pledge website, and you can also consult the AMIBA Shop Black-Owned resource page.
As a bookstore owner the task is more challenging. While it is possible to source 15% of your gifts and sidelines from Black-owned companies, your inventory comes largely from the same dozen or so main suppliers.
You can, however, increase the number of books by Black authors on your shelves. What would your YA section look like if you applied that 15% pledge to the shelf space you give it? What about your Romance section? What about Biographies & Memoirs?
NAIBA, GLIBA, and SIBA are once again partnering to produce Summer and Holiday Catalogs for member bookstores in 2023. These professionally produced print and digital catalogs are an economical, easy way to connect books with readers during two key seasons.
Summer Catalog orders are open now through March 15.Download the marketing kit (above and online) for details. The Summer Catalog is smaller than its Holiday counterpart and includes 40 of the season’s best titles. Its square shape and fun design (by Larry Law, GLIBA Executive Director) make it a perfect promotional piece to encourage summer reading. Member stores are eligible for 1 FREE box of 500 catalogs; extras may be ordered at cost.
As with the Holiday Catalog, the Summer Catalog includes an ecommerce version customized for member stores at no additional charge, along with other resources that make it easy to order and promote the catalog titles.
The Catalog program remains one of SIBA's most popular and utilized bookstore benefits, and the Summer Catalog, which debuted last year, was especially well-received. Don't miss this easy way to boost your summer sales.
A whirlwind tour of the SIBA website, an in-depth look at SIBA's social media goals, tips and tricks for stores to better utilize The Southern Bookseller Review, and a chance to meet and talk to the entire SIBA team as well as some of the SIBA board. It was a jam-packed hour at SIBA's recent orientation!
To apply, send resume to lindamarie@sibaweb.com
Hours per week: 10-15
Salary: $20/hr
Location: Remote with an ability to travel for conferences. Travel is paid for by SIBA.
Responsible for presenting and selling SIBA promotions to our industry partners and new markets. This role will work closely with the SIBA team to support and enhance programming initiatives and meet sales goals.
Desired Experience:
Experience as a bookseller at an independent bookstore, or in publishing is a plus.
Understanding of the bookselling industry and of the relationships between publishers, independent booksellers, and readers.
Understanding of sales trends in the indie market.
Excellent in-person and virtual communication skills.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Pitch partnerships, sponsorships, and promotions to existing customers.
Target new partners to reach new and diverse audiences.
Schedule, invoice, and provide any requested stats on promotions sold.
Usually this column focuses on an aspect of anti-racist work bookstores can apply to their businesses. But it is hard to judge how effective such work is just from the vantage point of your own store cash wrap. This is not work that can be done in a vacuum, and an anti-racist commitment doesn't stop at the front door to your shop. It is something you bring to your entire community, including your bookselling community.
Right now, the American Booksellers Association is seeking nominations to fill five vacancies for ABA’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee (DEIA), which serves as a sounding board and advisory council on issues related to anti-racism, equity, access, and representation, facing the bookselling community and ABA. Booksellers are invited to nominate themselves or another bookseller.
The committee, which has thirty members, is designed to provide the Board with a broad cross-section of views from within the community of independent booksellers, and has done work on a wide range of issues on behalf of independent booksellers. This includes everything from reviewing ABA policy to advising on programming and helping with advocacy.
Booksellers doing anti-racist work in their businesses should consider nominating themselves or key staff for the DEIA Committee. Not only is it an opportunity to bring your perspective to the wider bookselling community, it is also a chance to work with other booksellers who have the same goals, and to be an instrument of change in the industry.
SIBA is extremely pleased to announce that Sourcebooks and Ingram Content Group will sponsor the 2023 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. Their very generous support will help SIBA to continue to provide DEI training and development for its members.
SIBA has created a dedicated fund to support DEI programming for booksellers. DEI training can often be financially out of reach for individual stores, but the desire and need for programming is high among bookstores, many of which are in communities that face challenges from the rise in book banning initiatives.
The five new books on Read This Next! for February, 2023 represent the wide range and eclectic tastes of Southern indie booksellers. From rom-com to literary ghost story, historical fiction to juvenile literature to one man's discovery of the power of art to heal grief...Read This Next! books offer an offbeat list of unusual stories that indie booksellers are really excited about, the books getting the most interesting buzz.
What does all that mean for SIBA bookstores? RTNext titles are featured in The Southern Bookseller Review, in the SIBA newsletter, and on SIBA's social media accounts, where bookseller reviews for each title are highlighted. SIBA makes a point of putting the store excitement and buzz around these books in front of their publishers, raising store visibility with the industry. SIBA also creates a resource kit for stores that includes a printable/shareable flyer for in-store promotions and a handy Edelweiss collection for help with placing restock orders.
The House of Eve by
Sadeqa Johnson Set in the late 1940's and early 1950's, The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson is a wonderful historical fiction novel that tells the story of two young women who are working hard to achieve their dreams. This novel pulls you in from the first page and doesn't let go until the very end. Highly recommended! – Mary Patterson from The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, VA
All the Beauty in the World : The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by
Patrick Bringley Patrick Bringley becomes a guard at The Metropolitan Museum of Art after his brother dies and he can't handle the day to day stress of his former job. Spending his days in the midst of some of the most beautiful art in the world, he slowly heals from his grief. This book provides a behind the scenes look at everyday life in the museum and I loved it. And there is a reference list of the art mentioned in the book which can then be viewed online. –Beth Carpenter from The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, NC
When Sea Becomes Sky by
Gillian McDunn This is a book that needs to be read spoiler free, but what I can tell you is that this is Gillian McDunn at her finest. The intersection of science and art is a perfect compliment to the interpersonal relationships in the book, every single detail adds a layer and acomplexity the story that makes this one to sit and think about. –Beth Seufer Buss from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC
She Is a Haunting by
Trang Thanh Tran A gothic ghost story set in Vietnam. A modern family who have been torn apart by time and a house possessed by its former occupants. Haunting is the perfect word for this story. I was engrossed from the very beginning and now that I have finished it I can't stop thinking about it. –Rayna Nielsen from Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, LA
The Neighbor Favor by
Kristina Forest Lily is stuck in a dead-end job as an editor's assistant, the one Greene sister who hasn't managed to make a success of her life. On a whim, one day she emails the author of her favorite fantasy book -- and he unexpectedly writes back! A fun, flirty, bookish romance that will appeal to anyone who's had fantasies of hitting it off with their favorite author. –Melissa Oates from Fiction Addiction in Greenville, SC
Current Read This Next! books and what SIBA booksellers have to say about them can always be found at The Southern Bookseller Review
Posted By Nicki Leone,
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Nine bookstores, eight states, and everyone’s a winner at SIBA’s March Madness! Kicking off on March
1 at Baldwin & Co in New Orleans, LA, 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. There are attendance caps at most participating stores, so register early, especially if you’re bringing staff. Because each store offers education that showcases what they do best,
consider attending more than one event, and touring additional stores nearby, for more inspiration. Want to make a night of it? A number of our stores provided discount codes at local hotels. Just let us know and we’ll provide!
Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to connect with your peers and get a lift (and new ideas!).
“SIBA booksellers is the conversations that happen in between the programmed events.There is no virtual substitute for this exchange of ideas on the fly with fellow booksellers!” -Kate Storhoff, General Manager Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, NC host
store in 2020
“I had a wonderful time meeting other booksellers from SIBAland, and relished the opportunity to brainstorm ideas with them that felt relevant to our area and our needs. Chatting with an author from my state was also a wonderful experience, especially since I’m still in contact with them (and eagerly hand-selling their books). I cannot recommend participating in this program enough, and eagerly await attending once again this year!”
Lucy Perkins-Wagel, Assistant Manager, Copperfish Books Punta Gorda Florida, on March Madness in 2020, hosted by Oxford Exchange, Tampa, FL
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 on the event page
THE SCHEDULE
March 1: Baldwin & Co. in New Orleans, LA Morning Education: Presentation on Baldwin's unique business offerings, including a podcast
studio, NOLA Art Bar, and literacy foundation. Also join Bookshop.org's Sarah High in a session on how to use Bookshop to run your virtual book fairs! She'll go over how Bookshop's new registries work (our version of Am*zon's wishlists), how to set up a page on Bookshop, and how to generally offload direct to home orders to Bookshop.
March 6: The RVA Book Bar in Richmond, VA Presentation on RVA Book Bar’s mission, sourcing of books and sidelines, and subscription box program. RVA Book Bar and neighbor, Fountain Bookstore, will also discuss the benefits of partnering in programming.
March 7: Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL Morning Education: Oxford Exchange Bookstore, part of a gathering space which includes a restaurant
and gift shop, will present a discussion on their programming, sharing what’s working and how they make it happen!
March 13: Buxton Books in Charleston, SC Morning Education: Presentation on how Buxton - and their events and walking tours - fit into the
ecosystem of publishing and their mission.
March 13: Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, GA Morning Education: All Things Kids! Topics will include handselling with a focus on children
and teens, planning fun non-author and family friendly events, like book clubs, story times, and summer camps, and creating successful school and community partnerships. Not just for children's booksellers! Everyone is welcome!
March 14: Square Books in Oxford, MS Morning Education: Soup to Nuts! Square Books, with its four stores on five floors in three buildings
on the historic Oxford square, strives to be a store for every reader. Besides operating 4 stores, Square Books, Off Square Books, Square Books Jr, and Rare Square Books, all under one umbrella, to serve all reading needs, we endeavor to reinforce
ties through a loyalty program and branded merchandise. Partnership and sponsorship with community organizations, the Oxford Conference for the Book, Thacker Mountain Radio and others helps extend our reach. We will tour the 4 stores and see how they
work together, displaying a connected identity while still promoting their own areas, and talk about branding and store branded merchandise as a way to make readers feel a part of the Square Books family.
March 21: Hub City Bookshop in Spartanburg, SC Morning Education: The Hub City Writers Project will discuss its unique nonprofit Indie press/bookshop/programming
model. The day starts with an introduction to the 27-year-old organization in the Hub City Bookshop and includes a visit to nearby Hub City Press offices.
March 28: Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC Morning Education: A presentation on Flyleaf’s approach to:
Work/life balance, including: types of PTO, vacations, family leave/balance, remote work, COVID policies
Staff internal communication, including: scheduling software, filling shifts short notice, communication between front/back/remote (normal and urgent)
Staff external communication, including: how to field inquiries from public, how to pass information to coworkers, how to manage customer expectations regarding orders, events, etc.
HR, including: PTO, COVID policies, total compensation (hourly wages + other benefits), respecting diversity, family leave/balance
March 29: Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN Morning Education: A discussion on the importance of having a social media presence and some ways
Parnassus goes about creating content that reaches bookish social media communities and promotes customer engagement, particularly on Instagram and TikTok. Parnassus uses Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube.
What are your plans for Black History Month? Are they enough?
Black History Month was made "official" in 1976 by President Gerald Ford, as an opportunity "to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history." Of course, the presidential declaration was a culmination of a long fight for the acknowledgment of Black contributions to this country, beginning in 1926 when the historians Carter G. Woodsen and Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, and set aside a week in February to honor Black history.
Most bookstores acknowledge Black History Month in some manner. They will create special displays for Black History Month. They may host a special event, or assign books by Black authors for store book clubs and storytimes. But these things have become almost rote actions. A month later they will do the same things for Women's History Month. A month after that, for Poetry Month.
"To honor" is "to show great esteem and respect." And this is something we could all ask ourselves as February and Black History Month approaches. Does a book display really show "GREAT respect"? Are there other things a bookstore can do that would be more in the spirit of honoring the history and impact of Black Americans, and the meaning of Black History Month?
Ron Carucci and Christopher Littlefield, who write about leadership issues for Forbes Magazine, have created a kind of checklist for business leaders to bring the original meaning and purpose of Black History Month back to the forefront, based on the work of Dr. Zoe Spencer, activist professor of sociology at Virginia State University and CEO of Diverse Relations Group LLC.:
1. Test your assumptions about Black history. Does "Black History" for you begin with slavery? Did racism end with Martin Luther King Jr and the Civil Rights Amendment?
2. Be brave enought to challenge your version of history. Black people have been denied credit for many of their accomplishments. This is simple fact. Don’t be afraid to unlearn.
3. Examine how the media shapes your narrative. How many Black faces do you see in the television programs you are watching, and what are their roles? What about your social media feeds? Who are you choosing to follow and friend?
4. Challenge unfounded narratives when you hear them. This is where bookstores shine. Bookstores are centers of knowledge and information. They are in the business of putting knowledge into the hands of their customers, and of advising people what is worth reading. So it is worth asking, how is your store plan for Black History Month challenging some of those unfounded narratives?
Ultimately, Dr. Spencer notes, Black History Month should be "a meaningful, honorable, and transformative experience for all," and one that "expands our knowledge of and respect for Black contributions to world civilization."
Looking for Talent for Two New Booksellers School Programs
The Professional Booksellers School is creating a course on Bookstore Finances and is looking for store owners, bookkeepers or managers who are intimately involved in their store’s financial systems to be instructors. The course will run from March 27 through July 24, but each instructor is only responsible for one or two of the actual classes.
The School is also creating a Bookstore Year-One course that will run for 12 months, with open enrollment. Seasoned owners who can help guide new owners through the nuances of bookselling and retailing are needed to mentor and prepare our new colleagues. Contact Eileen Dengler, president of the Professional Booksellers School if interested. All instructors for PBS are paid independent contractors.
SIBA is always appreciative and welcoming of funds to support our booksellers, to provide travel assistance and education, including DEI training. In 2022, because of our generous sponsors, SIBA was able to provide scholarship funding for every bookseller who requested assistance. We hope to do the same in 2023, and we’re reaching out to our publisher and author friends to consider donations and sponsorships to make this possible. No amount is too small, every donation makes a difference!
Booksellers tell us that opportunities to connect with other booksellers outside their store, attend conferences and pursue further education, are life-changing; these opportunities make huge differences in how a store runs, thrives, innovates, and retains staff.
How you can Make a Difference:
1. Support Professional Development: In 2022, SIBA established the Wanda Jewell Scholarship for Professional Development. This scholarship is in honor of SIBA’s much-beloved former Executive Director, who retired in 2020. This scholarship is author-funded, and provides financial support for booksellers through education and networking at in-person SIBA-sponsored events. The Friends & Fiction authors-Mary Kay Andrews, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Kristin Harmel and Patti Callahan Henry-stepped forward to provide 2022 funding. We are seeking author funding for 2023. Anyone wishing to make a donation in honor of Wanda Jewell may do so here.
If you’d like to make a large donation, on behalf of several authors, or on your own, we can work out more details. Contact lindamarie@sibaweb.com.
2. Support DEI Education and Training:SIBA is committed to Anti-Racism and an important aspect of this commitment is DEI training for SIBA staff, board, and booksellers. SIBA also hosts an annual 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge for our membership and others in our industry. This year’s Challenge begins on Feb 6. SIBA welcomes funds to support these initiatives through our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Education Fund. Please consider supporting this important work. Link to donate here. We would love to highlight you as a sponsor!
In the last quarter fifteen new bookstores have joined the SIBA community, a third of which are brand new businesses. SIBA is happy to welcome the following stores:
That is a new store in ten of the eleven states in SIBA's territory! Looking ahead to the New Year, January is a good time for bookstores to do some housekeeping with their SIBA accounts. SIBA actively promotes its members to both the book industry and the reading public, so it is important that store account information is up to date and accurate.
Log in now and take a few minutes to confirm everything is correct in your account:
In particular, make sure to check the following information:
Is your store's address correct and complete? Double check the "Location" field, which is the system's term for "State" or "Province."
Is your website address current and accurate?
Are all of your store social media accounts filled out?
Is the information about your store's square footage accurate? SIBA uses this figure to help us develop programming tailored towards "large" or "small" stores.
Is your staff list up to date? Your store staff list appears under your "subaccounts" on your profile. If you have staff or new hires you want to add to your account so they can receive SIBA's newsletter and program information? Bookstores can register all their staff for free. Contact candice@sibaweb.com for help doing that.
If you have any questions about your membership and benefits, you can contact candice@sibaweb.com.
If you need any technical help or assistance on the website, contact nicki@sibaweb.com.
And if you haven't done so, register for SIBA's upcoming Orientation on January 30th for a guided tour on how to manage your account and a chance to ask questions of SIBA staff directly.
This week SIBA has opened registration to it's 2023 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. The Challenge is designed to help people make issues of equity and inclusion a habitual frame of mind, rather than an occasional consideration. And while the challenge is modeled as a self-guided journey, SIBA intends it to be a professional tool for bookstores in creating successful business models.
So why take the time to do the challenge? In an industry where businesses consider a 2% year end net profit to be a highly successful year, business owners have to be deliberate in the choices they make and the things they invest in. Here are some statistics that explain why investing in DEI initiatives makes good business sense:
In a survey of 1700 companies across eight countries, the Harvard Business Review determined there was a statistically significant relationship between diversity and innovation. The more diverse the workforce, the more innovative and adaptable the company.
A 2016 Gallup Report found that racial and gender diversity was integral to creating a workplace culture where employees feel valued and welcome. This translates into lower employee turnover, better employee engagement, and a better overall financial performance.
According to a survey by Glassdoor.com, three out of four people consider a diverse workforce an important factor when evaluating job offers. Your workforce is a visible demonstration of your diversity hiring policies. A lack of diversity in staffing can result in your company losing talented potential new hires.
In 2023 SIBA will fully reimburse class fees at the Professional Bookselling Schoolfor up to ten booksellers.Click here to see a list of upcoming courses. Courses fill up very quickly, but wait lists are available.
Booksellers need to be current members of SIBA, and complete the course to qualify for reimbursement. Please contact lindamarie@sibaweb.com for more information.
The SIBA Board has announced its 2023 Office Hours Schedule. The board will meet with members quarterly on Thursdays at 1:00 PM, ET, via Zoom on the following dates:
February 9
May 11
August 17
November 9
This is a chance for booksellers to talk directly to their board, find out what the board is working on, ask questions, and raise issues or concerns. The best resource SIBA booksellers have is each other. Chances are, if there is an issue or a problem facing your store, one of your bookseller colleagues has valuable experience that can help.
SIBA's 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge returns for its third year. This year's Challenge will take place from February 6th to February 26th. The Challenge is a self-guided program open to any member of the book industry. Challenge participants receive daily emails that contain prompts for reflection, discussion, and action. The prompts are also posted at a dedicated blog, along with resources and links in support of each day’s prompt and topic. Resources are actively curated to be relevant to contemporary issues.
Why twenty-one days? SIBA’s 21-Day Challenge is designed specifically for its member booksellers and draws its format and many of its resources from the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge created by Food Solutions New England (FSNE), a regional collaborative network organized to support the emergence and continued viability of a New England food system that is a resilient driver of healthy food for all, racial equity, sustainable farming and fishing, and thriving communities. We are so grateful for their extraordinary work creating this program and making it available to other organizations.
On Monday, January 30 at 1 pm ET, SIBA will be holding its first Orientation of 2023.
Orientations are designed to give new members a quick tour (and long-standing members a refresh) of SIBA's programs and services, with special attention being paid to programs and events in the near future. The Orientation is open to everyone. Stores are encouraged to sign up their staff -- especially new staff hires.
March Madness -- spring events at SIBA bookstores
The 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge -- part of SIBA's continuing commitment to bookseller DEI development
The Summer Catalog -- last year's highly successfully gift catalog returns
This first orientation will be especially important because booksellers will have a chance to meet the entire SIBA staff, including Candice Huber, our new membership coordinator. This is the first time SIBA has ever had someone in this position. Candice is already a familiar face to SIBA as a former board member, but at the orientation they'll talk to members about their role in helping bookstores make the most of their SIBA membership.
The Orientation is open to everyone. Stores are encouraged to sign up their staff -- especially new staff hires.
Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed healthy and happy holidays and had great numbers in your bookstores.
I am honored to serve as your SIBA board president for 2023 and am delighted to introduce to you our two new SIBA board members -- Jamie Anderson and Jamie Fiocco who you can read about below. (No, we didn’t plan to have three Jamies on the board at once. Yes, it is funny.) John Cavalier has completed his board service as of December 31 and last fall, the membership voted to fill that seat with Jamie Anderson. Though we were sad to see Candice Huber leave the board, we are thrilled that they are still serving SIBA in the new role of Membership Coordinator. I am grateful to Jamie Fiocco for stepping in for a one-year term to help us complete Candice’s term and the membership will vote later this year to fill that seat starting in 2024.
There are several exciting things coming to SIBA in 2023! Make sure you’re staying in touch by reading the newsletters and following SIBA on social. I hope you will take advantage of the educational offerings provided throughout the year and please do not hesitate to get in touch with the SIBA staff or board with questions, ideas, problems, comments -- anything! You can reach me at jamie@bookmarksnc.org. I hope to see you in Seattle for Winter Institute.
Jamie Rogers Southern,
Bookmarks Executive Director and SIBA Board President
Jamie Fiocco, owner of Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC has joined SIBA's Board as an interim Board member, stepping into the place of Candice Huber, who resigned in order to take a position as SIBA's membership coordinator. Jamie worked in book publishing for over a decade before becoming an independent bookseller. She is a past president and board member of both SIBA and the ABA and is an unapologetic policy governance and parliamentary procedure geek. She looks forward to once again serving her fellow Southern indie booksellers.
SIBA has re-branded its popular "Circle of Sites" weekly promotion as the Combined Regional Bookstore Banner. CRBB is a revolutionary approach to coordinated marketing in the Southern independent bookstore market built on the enthusiasm and reach of indie booksellers within their own communities.
The program allows publishers to place a banner ad simultaneously on about 50 independent bookstore websites across the South, thus offering region-wide exposure. CRBB banners always click through to purchase the promoted book from the hosting store site. CRBB banners also run in The Southern Bookseller Review newsletter. To be eligible for CRBB, a book must be listed at Indiebound.org and available to bookstores at industry standard terms.
In return for hosting the banner on their websites, participating SIBA stores receive free SIBA membership, hence its unofficial name of "the banner-for-dues program." CRBB is compatible with a wide range of website platforms and e-commerce systems, and has multiple banner formats available for stores to choose from. Stores can contact Nicki Leone at nicki@sibaweb.com to participate.
RSS
Can you take the Fifteen Percent Pledge?
NAIBA, GLIBA, and SIBA are once again partnering to produce Summer and Holiday Catalogs for member bookstores in 2023. These professionally produced print and digital catalogs are an economical, easy way to connect books with readers during two key seasons. 
SIBA is extremely pleased to announce that Sourcebooks and Ingram Content Group will sponsor the 
The five new books on Read This Next! for February, 2023 represent the wide range and eclectic tastes of Southern indie booksellers. From rom-com to literary ghost story, historical fiction to juvenile literature to one man's discovery of the power of art to heal grief...Read This Next! books offer an offbeat list of unusual stories that indie booksellers are really excited about, the books getting the most interesting buzz.
Nine bookstores, eight states, and everyone’s a winner at SIBA’s March Madness! Kicking off on March
1 at Baldwin & Co in New Orleans, LA, 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. 
How you can Make a Difference:
Monday, January 30 at 1 pm ET on Zoom
Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed healthy and happy holidays and had great numbers in your bookstores.
Jamie Fiocco, owner of Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC has joined SIBA's Board as an interim Board member, stepping into the place of Candice Huber, who resigned in order to take a position as SIBA's membership coordinator. Jamie worked in book publishing for over a decade before becoming an independent bookseller. She is a past president and board member of both SIBA and the ABA and is an unapologetic policy governance and parliamentary procedure geek. She looks forward to once again serving her fellow Southern indie booksellers. 
SIBA has re-branded its popular "Circle of Sites" weekly promotion as the Combined Regional Bookstore Banner. CRBB is a revolutionary approach to coordinated marketing in the Southern independent bookstore market built on the enthusiasm and reach of indie booksellers within their own communities. 
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