Industry Leaders Commit Support to the Binc Foundation

Major Donors Pledge Funds to Help Booksellers

May 23, 2017

ANN ARBOR — Major forces in the bookselling industry have rallied together to provide significant funding for the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation. The industry support will help Binc provide financial assistance to booksellers facing challenges from medical or funeral expenses, loss of household income, domestic violence and more.

Binc Co-Ambassadors Ann Patchett and James Patterson led their respective publishers, HarperCollins and Hachette Book Group, in pledging generous support for Binc. Soon after, they were joined by industry-leading publishers Penguin Random House, Macmillan Publishers and Simon & Schuster.

Long-time Binc supporter, Ingram Content Group and its distribution brands, Ingram Publisher Services, Consortium, Perseus Distribution and PGW also pledged significant support.

Receiving backing from these business leaders is a pivotal moment for Binc, as it demonstrates a collective investment in booksellers across the nation. The practical and psychological importance of the bookseller safety net can’t be overlooked, according to Patchett.

“So often in booksellers’ lives a true disaster can be averted by the gift of a couple thousand dollars. It’s a small amount of money that can keep people in their jobs and in their homes. But more than that, Binc brings peace of mind,” she said. “We’re telling the booksellers, ‘We’re there for you. You matter to us.’ By joining the campaign, publishers are saying the same thing. We’re incredibly grateful for this support.”

Patterson stressed the important role booksellers play in improving the lives of the people who frequent their stores.

“Booksellers are essential to fostering a love for reading – one of the most basic and critical skills a person can have,” he said. “Thanks to the financial assistance provided by Binc, there are more booksellers out there hand-selling, and carefully curating book recommendations for each person who walks through their doors. They’re doing noble, vital work, and I’m happy to acknowledge their contributions.”

The support totals more than $224,000 including annual gifts and multi-year pledges, moving the Foundation closer to its goal of raising $500,000 annually to support bookstore employees and owners. Executives from each industry-leading company commended booksellers on their important work.

“The people who work as professional booksellers in the nation’s bookstores are critical players in connecting our authors to their readers,” said Brian Murray, President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers. “By supporting Binc, HarperCollins is proud to be able to play a part in supporting this important community in times of need.”

“The health and vitality of the book industry and, indeed, literary culture, depends on independent booksellers, the life force that brings readers and books together,” said Michael Pietsch, CEO of Hachette Book Group. “We are very proud to help Binc support booksellers in challenging times, when they need it most.”

Each organization’s contribution will help booksellers when they need it most. Since 1996, Binc has stabilized more than 7,000 households in thousands of communities, and provided higher education and professional development for 724 booksellers. Leaders from each of the other supporting organizations also offered their reasoning for supporting the bookseller safety net.

Penguin Random House CEO Markus Dohle and Carolyn Reidy, President and CEO of Simon & Schuster stressed the value booksellers bring to their customers.

“Our booksellers give so much to their communities, so it is a privilege for Penguin Random House to give back to them through the Book Industry Charitable Foundation,” Dohle said. “This wonderful group has our deepest gratitude for their vital support of booksellers in their time of greatest hardship.”

“Booksellers are the vital cog in bringing authors to readers and providing a home and haven for culture and ideas within our communities, often at great personal sacrifice,” Reidy said.  “We are pleased to support the Book Industry Charitable Foundation in its mission to provide important and much-needed emergency assistance for booksellers in times of need and crisis.”

President and CEO of Ingram Content Group Shawn Morin and President of Macmillan Publishers Don Weisberg both stressed their organizations’ pride in supporting booksellers when they need it most.

“We value our association with Binc and its good work on behalf of booksellers. We know that our commitment has direct and positive impact on the community and booksellers,” Morin said. “We are very proud to support Binc’s own mission of providing emergency assistance to this important part of our community.”

“We at Macmillan are proud to join our fellow publishers in supporting Binc and their efforts in helping booksellers across the country,” Weisberg said.

The outpouring of support shows how important booksellers are to publishers, and it’s well-timed. Each year, there is a growing need as the Foundation receives more grant requests. With the average assistance also rising, support is as important as ever.

“The Foundation is incredibly grateful for this vital support from our industry’s leaders,” said Binc Executive Director Pam French. “We owe so much to our ambassadors and these publishers for bringing us closer to our goal of sustainability and helping booksellers well into the future”

About The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation

The Book Industry Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that coordinates charitable programs to strengthen the bookselling community. Established in 1996, the core program provides assistance to bookstore employees who have a demonstrated financial need arising from severe hardship and/or emergency circumstances. Since its inception, the organization has provided more than $6 million in financial assistance and scholarships to more than 7,000 families. Support for the Foundation’s programs and services come from all sectors of the book industry.

The Book Industry Charitable Foundation’s mission is to strengthen the bookselling community through charitable programs that support employees and their families.  The Foundation was imagined and built by booksellers and proudly continues to be their safety net.  It is our vision to be a caring community of book people.

Additional information can be found at http://www.bincfoundation.org. Anyone interested in helping the Foundation reach sustainability can join the ongoing Campaign to Sustain, which aims to add 80 new sustaining donors.

Binc can assist any bookstore in setting up Payroll Withholding for employees, letting employees support other booksellers in need with a small donation amount (as little as $1 per pay period) to support Binc.

May is the month of Binc’s Campaign to Sustain effort so I encourage each store consider becoming a sustaining donor at $20 per month. This is a great way to support an organization that can hopefully assist you in attracting great booksellers.  Plus any store that does become a sustaining donor at $20 a month, or more, before the end of May, will receive 240 B3! Points.

Click here to donate.

ANNOUNCING THE OKRA PICKS NEWSLETTER

SIBA is now offering a quarterly newsletter for your customers featuring the seasonal Okra Picks -- the books you have chosen as the most excited hand sell titles of the season. Share the best in new Southern Literature, as picked by the people who would know. . .Southern indie booksellers like you!

Modeled after the Indie Next newsletter for readers, the Okra Picks newsletter is store-branded with "Buy Now" buttons linked to your store's website. It is sent out four times a year in the middle of each Okra season, thus featuring books that are brand new or about to be released.

SIBA's test run of the newsletter with Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC, showed an open rate for the email of 49%. "We sold two copies of Lisa Wingate's book right off the newsletter," reported owner Dave Lucey.

Stores that participate in the Okra Picks Newsletter retain ownership of their email list and materials. Each participating store will receive 200 B3! points for the first mailing, and 50 point for each subsequent mailing.

To see a sample of the Okra Picks Newsletter for the Spring season,
https://sibaweb.site-ym.com/mpage/OkraPage158

Sign up for the newsletter here by May 10th:
http://sibaweb.site-ym.com/page/ok_newsletter

Customizing the newsletter for your store does take a couple days, so act quickly to be eligible to send out the Spring edition.

Click here to view online | Like us on Facebook! Hello, dearest and most beloved booksellers, As we get ready for the summer, here are the latest thing happening in the land of SIBA you should know about. Note especially the new Okra Picks Newsletter opportunity -- Highlights: Entering events on the ARTS Calendar is easier than ever! Announcing the Okra Picks Newsletter The Circle of Sites/Banner-for-Dues Program is being upgraded A video guide to the SIBA Member Hub Be a judge for the Southern Book Prize Registration is open for #SIBA17 in the Big Easy THE ARTS CALENDAR, SIMPLIFIED Over the last couple months, SIBA has received a rising number of requests from our members about how to enter their store events into the Calendar at Authors Round the South (authorsroundthesouth.com). The truth is, the ARTS Calendar is based on an older platform, and has always required a separate log in process, which is confusing for many members (and for SIBA Staff!). So we've simplified and streamlined the process: You can now enter events from your own account at SIBA. You do not need to be on your store master account. You do not even need to be logged in, (although it will be easier for you if you are). There are fewer "required" fields, so you don't need to know book ISBNs or enter event descriptions if you don't want to. You can add all the information and upload book and author photos in one step. If you want to enter multiple events at once, you can download a spreadsheet template, fill it out, and email it to SIBA at nicki@sibaweb.com. It will take about 24 hours for any submitted event to appear on the calendar, so plan accordingly. And remember that you earn B3! points when you submit events yourself, instead of letting the SIBA elves enter them on your behalf. Enter your store events here: http://sibaweb.site-ym.com/page/stars_bkstore ANNOUNCING THE OKRA PICKS NEWSLETTER SIBA is now offering a quarterly newsletter for your customers featuring the seasonal Okra Picks -- the books you have chosen as the most excited hand sell titles of the season. Share the best in new Southern Literature, as picked by the people who would know. . .Southern indie booksellers like you! Modeled after the Indie Next newsletter for readers, the Okra Picks newsletter is store-branded with "Buy Now" buttons linked to your store's website. It is sent out four times a year in the middle of each Okra season, thus featuring books that are brand new or about to be released. SIBA's test run of the newsletter with Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC, showed an open rate for the email of 49%. "We sold two copies of Lisa Wingate's book right off the newsletter," reported owner Dave Lucey. Stores that participate in the Okra Picks Newsletter retain ownership of their email list and materials. Each participating store will receive 200 B3! points for the first mailing, and 50 point for each subsequent mailing. To see a sample of the Okra Picks Newsletter for the Spring season, https://sibaweb.site-ym.com/mpage/OkraPage158 Sign up for the newsletter here by May 10th: http://sibaweb.site-ym.com/page/ok_newsletter Customizing the newsletter for your store does take a couple days, so act quickly to be eligible to send out the Spring edition. CIRCLE OF SITES UPGRADE DEADLINE If your store is participating in the Banner-for-dues program you need to know the system is being upgraded this spring to a more effective, stable, and secure platform. This will require you to post new code on your websites. Contact nicki@sibaweb.com for the code. The deadline is July 1, after which the old code will no longer be supported. If you have ecommerce on your store site and are not doing the Banner-For-Dues program, you can contact Nicki to see if you are eligible. Basically any site where you can search for a book by ISBN qualifies. Once your banner is up, you don't have to do anything else, so it is an easy, hassle-free way to keep your SIBA membership current. Currently appearing on Circle of Sites, (aka Lady Banks' Pick of the Week): THE SIBA MEMBER HUB: VIDEO GUIDES The new SIBA member hub has become more and more active as members sign on, check in with the site, and explore the different ways they can communicate with others and manage their own accounts. To help members understand the new site layout, SIBA Board member Stefanie Crowe and staffer Nicki Leone have been recording a series of short videos that take a quick tour through some of the site features. The SIBA Member Hub: An Introduction https://vimeo.com/212651341/21a3909f56 Here's the link to view all the videos as they are posted (about twice a month) https://vimeo.com/album/4562901 CALL FOR SOUTHERN BOOK PRIZE JUDGES There is still time to be a judge for the Southern Book Prize! Judges must be owners or staff of a current SIBA member bookstore, and will receive copies of all the finalists to be judged in their assigned category. If you are interested in being a judge, fill out the form at the link below: https://sibaweb.site-ym.com/page/ba_judge_form You can see a list of the finalists and their categories here. #SIBA17 REGISTRATION IS OPEN It's never too early to register! SIBA returns to the Big Easy this coming September for the #siba17 Discovery Show. We'll be at the Sheraton New Orleans, right on Canal Street, the same hotel we were in the last time we visited NOLA in 2013. And a word to the wise -- New Orleans, like Savannah, is a popular destination. We had sellout crowds in 2013 and expect the same this year. Meal tickets, especially, went very quickly. Make your travel plans early: http://sibaweb.com/trade-show-info Is your membership current? Your name: @@first_name@@ @@last_name@@ Your store: @@employer@@ Your member type (store/staff): @@member_type@@ Your membership expiration: @@membership_exp_date@@ * **if your member type says "staff" then your expiration date is whenever your bookstore's membership expires. Renew here | Booksellers Benefits Package SIBA is mobile! Download our "SocialLink" app from your Apple or Google Play Store. --- Thank you for your interest in SIBA,   Nicki Leone SysAdmin nicki@sibaweb.com Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance 3806 Yale Avenue, Columbia, SC 29205 803.994.9530 Fax: 309.410.0211 www.sibaweb.com   #siba17: Fall Discovery Show Sept 15-17 FRI-SUN | New Orleans, LA Many thanks to our 2017 Inkreadible Sponsors below:

SIBA | 3806 Yale Dr. | Columbia, SC 29205
You are receiving this email at @@email@@. If you wish to stop receiving email from us, you can simply remove yourself by replying with "unsubscribe" in the subject or by visiting: @@unsubscribe_url@@

(Columbia, SC) – The votes are in! Southern indie booksellers have chosen the finalists for Southern Book Prize. Formerly known as the SIBA Book Award, the Southern Book Prize features an expanded list of categories – including seven different fiction and three nonfiction categories. Finalists were chosen by Southern independent booksellers from the long list ballot. The finalist titles will be sent to juried panels of booksellers, who will then decide on the winners in each category. Winners will be announced on July 4, “Independents Day.”

2017 Southern Book Prize Finalists

FICTION

Coming of Age
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett (Harper, 9780062491794)
Lies and Other Acts of Love by Kristy Woodson Harvey (Berkley Books, 9781101987063) 
Long Way Gone by Charles Martin (Thomas Nelson, 9780718084714)
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner (Crown Books for Young Readers, 9780553524024)

     

Family Life
Flight Patterns by Karen White (Berkley Books, 9780451470911)
A Lowcountry Christmas by Mary Alice Monroe (Gallery Books, 9781501125539)
The Risen by Ron Rash (Ecco, 9780062436313)

     

Historical
Chasing the North Star by Robert Morgan (Algonquin Books, 9781565126275)
Forsaken by Ross Howell Jr (NewSouth Books, 9781588383174)
Glory Over Everything: Beyond the Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom (Simon & Schuster, 9781476748443)

Literary
Fallen Land by Taylor Brown (St. Martin's Press, 9781250077974)
Miss Jane by Brad Watson (W. W. Norton & Company, 9780393241730)
Over the Plain Houses by Julia Franks (Hub City Press, 9781938235214) 
Perfume River by Robert Olen Butler (Atlantic Monthly Press, 9780802125750)

Mystery & Detective
The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter (William Morrow & Company, 9780062430212)
Lowcountry Book Club by Susan M Boyer (HeneryPress, 9781635110456)
Miss Julia Inherits a Mess by Ann B Ross (Viking, 9780525427124)
Prayers the Devil Answers by Sharyn McCrumb (Atria Books, 9781476772813)

     
     

Southern Stories & Stories by Southerners
The Feathered Bone by Julie Cantrell (Thomas Nelson, 9780718037628)
A Lowcountry Wedding by Mary Alice Monroe (Gallery Books, 9781501125430)
Monsters in Appalachia: Stories by Sheryl Monks (West Virginia University Press, 9781943665396) 
Ninety-Nine Stories of God by Joy Williams (Tin House Books, 9781941040355)
The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews (St. Martin's Press, 9781250065940)
The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg (Random House, 9781400065950)

Thriller
Darktown by Thomas Mullen (Atria Books, 9781501133862) 
Redemption Road by John Hart (Thomas Dunne Books, 9780312380366)
Underground Airlines by Ben H Winters (Mulholland Books, 9780316261241)
The Whistler by John Grisham (Doubleday Books, 9780385541190)

JUVENILE
Gertie's Leap to Greatness by Kate Beasley; Jillian Tamaki (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 9780374302610)
Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart (Delacorte Press, 9780553536744) 
Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick, 9780763681173)
The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart ; Diana Sudyka (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316389556)
Serafina and the Twisted Staff by Robert Beatty (Disney-Hyperion, 9781484775035)

NONFICTION

Biography, Autobiography, & Memoir
Dimestore: A Writer's Life by Lee Smith (Algonquin Books, 9781616205027)
The Gatekeeper: Missy Lehand, FDR, and the Untold Story of the Partnership That Defined a Presidency by Kathryn Smith (Touchstone, 9781501114960)
The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man's Love Affair with Nature by J Drew Lanham (Milkweed, 9781571313157) 
My Father, the Pornographer: A Memoir by Chris Offutt (Atria Books, 9781501112461)

Cooking
Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South by Vivian Howard (Little Brown and Company, 9780316381109)
Hungry Is a Mighty Fine Sauce Cookbook: Recipes and Ramblings from the Belle of All Things Southern by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson (Shiloh Run Press, 9781634097826)
Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes by Ronni Lundy; Johnny Autry (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 9780804186742)

Creative Nonfiction
The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race by Jesmyn Ward (Scribner Book Company, 9781501126345)
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J D Vance (Harper, 9780062300546)
A Lowcountry Heart: Reflections on a Writing Life by Pat Conroy (Nan A. Talese, 9780385530866)
Poems: New and Selected by Ron Rash (Ecco Press, 9780062435507)  
Truevine: Two Brothers, a Kidnapping, and a Mother's Quest: A True Story of the Jim Crow South by Beth Macy (Little Brown and Company, 9780316337540)

For more information about the Southern Book Prize, visit
http://www.authorsroundthesouth.com/read-this/siba-book-awards

Hello, dearest and most beloved booksellers.

It's that time again....time for oh so many things! Nominations for the Board, voting on the Southern Book Prize, Okra Picks info, and so much more.  Read on, read everything!

Highlights:

1. SIBA has an app. For real! Download the "SocialLink" app from your Apple or Google Play store
2. Call for Board Nominations
   
3. The Southern Book Prize Loooong List Ballot is open. And the Conroy Legacy Award is seeking nominations
4. There is now a resource page for the Spring Okra Picks
5. There is a now a downloadable flyer of monthly staff picks from SIBA Bookstores.
   
6. Registration is open for #SIBA17 in the Big Easy
7. Introducing IndieCommerce Lite

SIBA HAS AN APP!

Yes, that's right, SIBA is now has an app! Available for iPhone and Android, SIBA's new "SocialLink" app allows you to check in to the SIBA member hub and your account from your phone or mobile device. Most of the news you see below will also appear in your "feed." In the future, SIBA will be posting important news to the app feed on a regular basis, so having it will give you an early heads up to important or just plain useful news.

Search for "SocialLink" in the Apple or Google Play store.

Once you've installed the app, log in to start viewing your feed and notices. Your account information is:

Username: @@username@@
Email: @@email@@
Company: @@employer@@
Your membership expires: @@membership_exp_date@@

You should also be able to set your account so you can log in with Facebook. Email nicki@sibaweb.com if you have any problems.

CALL FOR BOARD NOMINATIONS

It’s that time again to pick the bookseller leaders that will move SIBA forward. SIBA’s Board Members are a hard‐working bunch. Serving on the SIBA Board is both rewarding and enlightening. Consider someone today for a board position. Self‐nominations are encouraged. Anyone can nominate here:

https://sibaweb.site-ym.com/?board_nom

Nominations close April 15.

THE SOUTHERN BOOK PRIZE LONG BALLOT IS OPEN

The Southern Book Prize Loooong List has just been announced. Now it is time for booksellers to vote for the finalists. The ballot is open to all SIBA member core booksellers -- stores and store staff! Your store earns 2 b3! points for each ballot cast.

Go here to vote:
http://sibaweb.site-ym.com/surveys/?id=2017_sbp

You need to be a current SIBA member bookstore/bookseller to vote.

If you have store staff not in SIBA's records that you would like added, email nicki@sibaweb.com. Each staff member must have their own unique email address.

The ballot closes April 3rd.

Remember also to nominate for the Conroy Legacy Award. The Conroy Legacy Award recognizes writers who have achieved a lasting impact on their literary community. Recipients will have shown the following attributes:

1. They support independent bookstores, both in their own communities and in general.
   
2. Their writing focuses significantly on their own home place.
   
3. They support other writers in their community, especially new and emerging authors.

The Conroy Legacy Award is given to one writer in SIBA territory annually. A juried panel of member booksellers will choose among our Southern writers to determine the year’s winner.

Nominate an author here

SPRING OKRA PICKS RESOURCE PAGE

the 2017 Spring Okra Picks will be announced April 1, but SIBA booksellers can have a sneak peak. We've collected some helpful resources for all the Okra titles to make it easier for you to sell all these fanstastic books:

https://sibaweb.site-ym.com/page/ok_forthcoming

YOUR STAFF PICKS HAVE STREET CRED!

You've probably seen the header at the top of this and the Lady Banks emails, but have you clicked? SIBA collates store staff picks and recommendations for the Lady Banks newsletter and AuthorsRoundtheSouth.com. You can see the list here:

http://www.authorsroundthesouth.com/read-this

Fully sortable and searchable and linked back to the store that made the recommendation.

There is also now a monthly print out of new recommendations stores can download for a quirky, unpredictable reading list. A great resource for book clubs, educators and hard to please customers!

#SIBA17 REGISTRATION IS OPEN

It's never too early to register!
SIBA returns to the Big Easy this coming September for the #siba17 Discovery Show. We'll be at the Sheraton New Orleans, right on Canal Street, the same hotel we were in the last time we visited NOLA in 2013.

And a word to the wise -- New Orleans, like Savannah, is a popular destination. We had sellout crowds in 2013 and expect the same this year. Meal tickets, especially, went very quickly. So make your travel plans early:

http://sibaweb.com/trade-show-info

Hello, dearest and most beloved booksellers.

Forgive the length of this email, but 2017 has brought with it some changes and new features to your SIBA membership, so this is a quick guide to what's new, upcoming, and ever so important. Please take the time to read through.

Highlights:

1. SIBA in the Springtime (3/6-3/7) is open for regstration. Click here. Hotel reservation deadline is 2/17. Click here for that
   
2. Introducing the Idea Box: Send your ideas about the perfect Discovery Show to SIBA. Click here.
   
3. Introducing the Conroy Legacy Award! The Southern Book Prize nomination deadline is Valentine's Day. Click here to nominate.
4. The 2017 Booksellers Benefits Package is now available. Download it here
   
5. B3! -- it's way easier! Click for details
   
6. Circle of Sites/Banner for Dues: upgrades are happening this spring. Email Nicki for details and new code
   
7. Programs you might not know about, but would be huge help: Trio | Peer Reviews
   
8. Welcome to the new Member Hub! Now mobile friendly and with Facebook login. Check your account. (Your username is: @@username@@)

SIBA IN THE SPRINGTIME

Writing the future of the SIBA Discovery Show

Open to everyone with a vested interest in the show:
booksellers, exhibitors, publishers, sales reps
$99 (meals included), Free for core member bookstores

March 6-7, 2017
The Crowne Plaza - Airport in Atlanta

Reservations: Call 866/750-3365, use Group Code SIB
Room Rate: $119 + 7% state sales tax.
Online hotel reservations

ROOM RATE CUT OFF DATE IS 2/17/2017

Online Event Registration

If you could change something about the SIBA Discovery Show, what would it be?

You will remember that last fall the talk of the Discovery Show was the plan to move the Fall Show to the spring, and partner with the GABBS show in Atlanta. Although the closure of the GABBS show has meant that plan will not go forward, the announcement has generated a lot of great discussion on the future of the SIBA Discovery Show, and how to keep it relevant and useful for our members.

To that end, SIBA is hosting it's regular "SIBA in the Springtime" education, with a focus on "writing the future of the SIBA Discovery Show." Join your fellow booksellers and book industry professionals for a day of brainstorming about the future direction of the Show. Imagination in encouraged. Bring all your dreams -- big and small.

The two-day event includes an author dinner on March 6 with three of your "Okra Pick" authors -- Michael Knight (Eveningland), Gina Kolata (Mercies in Disguise), and Taylor Brown (The River of Kings) plus two favorite Atlanta-based writers -- Patti Callahan Henry (The Bookshop at Water's End) and Joshilyn Jackson (Almost Sisters).

The American Booksellers Association will also be on hand to host a lunch, forum, and spring education presentation on March 7.

It is so very important that we hear from you. SIBA in the Springtime is FREE to core-member bookstores, so don't wait, register now.

THE IDEA BOX

If you can't make SIBA in the Springtime next month, or if you can, but you've already got so many ideas you just can't contain them all, then you can put your thoughts in THE IDEA BOX.

The Idea Box is a new benefit for SIBA members, a place to submit feedback, hopes, wishes, and dreams to the SIBA staff and indeed the entire SIBA membership. Ideas can be reviewed and voted on by members. SIBA uses the votes to gauge member interest and get an idea of how strongly you feel about something.

Right now, the Idea Box is geared towards re-envisioning the Discovery Show. So submit your ideas about what you think would be the perfect show. What you submit will help frame the discussion in Atlanta.

Click here to share your great ideas!

THE SOUTHERN BOOK PRIZE &
THE PAT CONROY LEGACY AWARD

The nomination deadline is Valentine's Day, less than a week away. Make sure your favorite southern books are represented. Click here.

New this year is the "lifetime achievement" category, the Conroy Legacy Award. The Conroy Legacy Award recognizes writers who have achieved a lasting impact on their literary community. Recipients will have shown the following attributes:

1. They support independent bookstores, both in their own communities and in general.
   
2. Their writing focuses significantly on their own home place.
   
3. They support other writers in their community, especially new and emerging authors.

The Conroy Legacy Award is given to one writer in SIBA territory annually. A juried panel of member booksellers will choose among our Southern writers to determine the year’s winner.

Nominate an author here

THE BOOKSELLERS BENEFITS PACKAGE

The 2017 edition of the Booksellers Benefits Package, which explains the details of your SIBA membership and all the programs and benefits is now available to download. Click here.

Even if you think you know what's available, it's worth taking a look at the new edition, which covers new programs and changes for 2017. Plus the front cover is a handy calendar of upcoming deadlines and important dates that really should be posted right on the staff room door!

B3! SIMPLIFIED

The B3! Engagement Program, whereby bookstores can earn points and rewards, up to and including an all-expenses paid trip to the SIBA Discovery Show, has been simplified to make it easier to use and track.

1. Fewer Levels -- we've kept the important milestone levels in the program, but did away with the intermediary ones.
   
2. Simplified Social Media Tracking. Now, to earn points for social media activity you simply have to tag SIBA on Facebook and Twitter.

Twitter: @LadyBanks, @ReaderMtWriter

Facebook: @ReaderMeetWriter, @SouthernIndependentBooksellersAlliance, @LadyBanks

Useful hashtags: #okrapick,#southernbookprize,#siba17, #parapalooza, #southernindie, #readbuygive, #trio

CIRCLE OF SITES/BANNER-FOR-DUES PROGRAM

If your store is participating in the Banner-for-dues program you need to know the system is being upgraded this spring to a more effective, stable, and secure platform. This will require you to post new code on your websites. Contact nicki@sibaweb.com for the code. The deadline is July 1, after which the old code will no longer be supported.

If you have ecommerce on your store site and are not doing the Banner-For-Dues program, you can contact Nicki to see if you are eligible. Basically any site where you can search for a book by ISBN qualifies. Once your banner is up, you don't have to do anything else, so it is an easy, hassle-free way to keep your SIBA membership current.

NEWISH PROGRAMS YOU MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF

TRIO: TRIO is a traveling exhibit of art, music and literature. The TRIO exhibit debuts at the SIBA Discovery Show, and then travels around the South for the next twelve months, hosted by and sponsored by SIBA member bookstores.

SIBA sees TRIO as a unique opportunity for its members. It is an example of the of the real world power of real world connections, and can’t be mimicked in a virtual environment. By bringing TRIO to their town, a SIBA store can create create ties with other community organizations, reach new audiences, and bring attention to the store. Click here for more info.

PEER REVIEWS: Simply put, a peer review is booksellers helping booksellers. If you feel like there is room for improvement in your store (and who doesn’t feel this way?), friendly fellow booksellers will visit your store, look at areas that are causing you concern, and off er constructive and confi dential feedback. Contact Wanda at wanda@sibaweb.com to schedule a review or become a reviewer.

THE NEW MEMBER HUB

Over Christmas SIBA launched its new "Member Hub" designed to be easier to access, easier to navigate, and easier to participate in. Some of the highlights:

• You can now log in with your Facebook account.
  
• It is mobile-friendly, so create a shortcut on your phone and check in often.
  
• It is modeled on a Facebook-like layout, so you have a "feed" with all the important recent SIBA news.
  
• It is easy to upload and share information.

Put a shortcut on your phone and login to see for yourself.And while you are there, make sure your account information is up to date. Here's what we have for you:

Login: http://sibaweb.site-ym.com/login.aspx
You username: @@username@@
Your name: @@first_name@@ @@last_name@@
Your email: @@email@@
Your store: @@employer@@
Your member type (store/staff): @@member_type@@
Your membership expiration: @@membership_exp_date@@ *

**if your member type says "staff" then your expiration date is whenever your bookstore's membership expires.

and some more information that may be useful (for bookstores only):

Your oustanding SIBA credit: ##CREDIT##
Your B3! points: ##B3TOTAL##

Are you a Circle of Sites store?: ##CIRCLEOFSITESBANNER##
Your ecommerce system: ##ECOMMERCESYSTEM##
(if you have ecommerce, but are not a Cirle of Sites store, contact nicki@sibaweb.com about participating)

Square footage of your store: ##SQUAREFEET##
Store location: ##MAINSTREET##
Store town size: ##TOWN##
Year incorporated: ##YEARINCORPORATED##

For immediate release
January 26, 2017

(Columbia, SC) In an effort to expand exposure to its bookstore members and their customers to books by people of color, starting February 1 SIBA is offering a 35% discount to publishers who wish to promote their authors and illustrators of color for 2017.  Any book that has been written or illustrated by a person of color is eligible for the discount, which applies to all SIBA promotions with the exception of its annual Holiday Catalog, a shared revenue product.

“We had a strong call from our members to increase diversity in SIBA programming,” said Executive Director Wanda Jewell, “and to work with stores to increase the demand for diverse books,” adding that SIBA has already made an internal commitment to promote diverse authors and books in its consumer-targeted programs, such as the Lady Banks Commonplace Book newsletter.

“But it is an all-hands-on-deck process,” she added, “our booksellers are deeply committed to diversity, and we want publishers to see our membership as an enthusiastic and profitable audience for their divese writers.”

By offering the discount on SIBA promotional programs, Jewell hopes that publishers will not only send more diverse authors to SIBA territory, but also that they will see the benefit of committing more promotional dollars to their books as a whole.

For more information, contact: Wanda Jewell at wanda@sibaweb.com

The 2017 Winter Okra Picks have been selected: a flavor-filled collection of new Southern books hand-picked by Southern indie booksellers–people with impeccable taste in books... 

All Winter Okra picks have a strong Southern focus and publish between January and March, and all have fans among Southern indie booksellers: the people who are always looking out for the next great writer to fill your reading plate. So the next time you visit your local Southern indie bookstore and someone says, "You've got to read this!" and hands you one of these tasty titles, dig in and ask for a second helping. Great books are always good for you!

The Barrowfields by Phillip Lewis
Hogarth, Hardcover, 9780451495648, 368pp.
Publication Date: March 7, 2017

The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish
HarperCollins, Hardcover, 9780062433381, 368pp. 
Publication Date: January 24, 2017

Eveningland: Stories by Michael Knight
Atlantic Monthly Press, Hardcover, 9780802125972, 304pp. 
Publication Date: March 7, 2017

Loving vs. Virginia by Patricia Hruby Powell; Shadra Strickland (illus.)
Chronicle Books, Hardcover, 9781452125909, 260pp. 
Publication Date: January 31, 2017

Mercies in Disguise by Gina Kolata
St. Martin's Press, Hardcover, 9781250064349, 272pp. 
Publication Date: March 21, 2017

My Life, My Love, My Legacy by Coretta Scott King
Henry Holt & Company, Hardcover, 9781627795982, 368pp. 
Publication Date: January 17, 2017

One Good Mama Bone by Bren McClain
University of South Carolina Press, Hardcover, 9781611177466, 280pp. 
Publication Date: February 14, 2017

Pure Heart: A Spirited Tale of Grace, Grit and Whiskey by Troy Ball
Dey Street Books, Hardcover, 9780062458971, 288pp. 
Publication Date: February 7, 2017

The River of Kings by Taylor Brown
St. Martin's Press, Hardcover, 9781250111753, 336pp. 
Publication Date: March 21, 2017

The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers
Algonquin Books, Hardcover, 9781616205812, 272pp. 
Publication Date: January 10, 2017

Signals: New and Selected Stories by Tim Gautreaux
Knopf Publishing Group, Hardcover, 9780451493040, 384pp. 
Publication Date: January 17, 2017

Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson
St. Martin's Press, Hardcover, 9781250135995, 240pp. 
Publication Date: January 17, 2017

Dearest and most beloved booksellers,

We know you have other things on your mind this week -- you and the entire rest of the country! But please do take a moment to read the items below. They are things we think will be important and helpful to your business in the coming weeks and we want to make sure you take full advantage.

I. Indies First/Small Business Saturday is October 26
An open letter from ABA CEO Oren Teicher

Dear Bookseller,

Indies First/Small Business Saturday, November 26, will be here before we know it, and I wanted to be sure you had explored the many offers of generous business terms (http://www.bookweb.org/2016-indies-first-publisher-terms) for ABA members from our publisher partners. The Indies First publisher specials are really extraordinary, and with thoughtful ordering these terms can make a real difference to your bottom line.

As we've been discussing at the recent ABACUS sessions at the Fall Regional Shows, reducing the cost of goods is critical to the profitability of indie bookstores, and these offers help you do exactly that. The ordering periods vary, so don’t miss out.

One of the most generous offers – in discount, ordering period, and ease of use – comes from Baker & Taylor (http://www.bookweb.org/2016-indies-first-publisher-terms). I'd strongly encourage you take advantage of B&T's offering, which starts on November 20th and runs through December 3.

And while you’re at it, please add your Indies First event activity (http://bookweb.org/store-indies-first-activity-registry) to the national map. You can add your information now or just let us know an event is on the schedule and come back and fill in the details later. The stronger our map, the better it is for Indies First, our customers, and our publisher partners.

With sincere thanks,
Oren Teicher, CEO

II. Online Holiday Catalogs are available for your websites.

Click here for information on how to add them to your store website, and to download useful shareable memes and in store signage

III. Winter Okra Pick Nominations are open

The deadline to submit is December 1, for books pubbing between January 1, 2017 and March 31, 2017. So all those great books you found at the First 180 Days party at the Discovery Show in Savannah back in September? Now is the time to start nominating them!

Click here to nominate!