About SIBA
SIBA is a trade association representing independent bookstores and booksellers in Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and Mississippi.
The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance exists to empower, promote, and celebrate our core member bookstores in a spirit of partnership. Core members are independent, privately-owned legal entities actively engaged in the business of bookselling in our region. The bookselling venue may take the form of a physical (brick and mortar) store, an online store, a recurring pop-up shop, or a mobile venue, but physical books (including e-books and audiobook versions) must represent more than 50% of the entity's overall gross revenue.
SIBA was formed to unite in one organization individuals and businesses actively engaged in the writing, selling, publishing, distribution and/or promoting of books in the South. SIBA provides a forum to discuss common problems and share ideas;
offers educational programs and workshops for the benefit of its members; and strives to promote a high standard of ethics and business practices among the membership. SIBA exists to help you become a more profitable business, and sell
more books.
Mission
SIBA's primary goal is to give independent booksellers the tools to be successful, including skills that contribute to their member stores' success. Resources that allow booksellers to innovate and experiment and share results. Information
that increases their member stores' standing in the larger bookselling industry. Tools that increase public awareness of their member stores in their own communities.
Anti-Racist Statement
The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance stands against racism, and the injustices suffered by Black people in our country. The recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, and the rising up of people around the
world in protest of police brutality and systemic racism, have brought our staff and board together in difficult and honest conversation. As an organization located in the South, we recognize racism is a part of our culture and it is our
responsibility to be active allies to Black people, to continue having these conversations, digging deeper, and doing the work. We acknowledge, as an all-white staff and board, a lack of diversity in our leadership; we mutually vow to
confront any implicit bias. We vow to stand next to Black people, to listen to and hear Black people in the book industry, and to work towards empowering them. How we are doing this.
