Industry News

Spellbound Children’s Bookshop has just completed its move to a new location in Asheville, North Carolina, and owner Leslie Hawkins said the store is settling in for good. On October 26, she hosted a party to celebrate the store’s grand opening, its ninth anniversary, and Halloween all rolled into one.

Bookstores can support the work of the Book Industry Charitable Foundation by ordering Stkr.it, a new product that enables consumers to connect personal digital recordings to books and other items.

The full catalog of limited-edition, word-based items developed exclusively for NCIBA and SCIBA bookstores to sell on California Bookstore Day, May 3, 2014, is now available. Orders are due no later than December 1.

Artists and illustrators have until this Friday, November 15, to submit original children’s book art for the ABFFE holiday auction, which launches on eBay on November 26.

To help spread the Shop Local message this holiday season, Simon & Schuster has created a video featuring well-known authors promoting the pleasures, and importance, of shopping at independent bookstores.

This week, Amazon invited independent booksellers to sign up for its new Amazon Source program, which would allow retailers to sell Kindle devices and accessories in their stores and, in some states, earn a commission on e-book sales. Independent booksellers’ reactions have been strongly negative.

SIBA video highlights print books and indies; California tax on out-of-state retailers brings in $260M; Chandler Arnold appointed COO of First Book; Ingram Publisher Services welcomes seven new clients

ABA has created press release templates and sample social media posts and tweets that stores can use to create their own publicity outreach for Indies First and Small Business Saturday. An interactive map of participating Indies First stores and their visiting authors is now live.

Penguin Bookshop to change hands; STLBooks & Gifts to open in St. Louis; Odyssey Bookshop turns 50; Malaprop’s celebrates long-tenured manager; Three indie bookstores named semifinalists for The Indie Award

Here’s both a look at some of the clever and creative ways ABA members rewarded customers during last year’s inaugural Thanks for Shopping Indie promotion and a peek at a plan or two for this year. Let us know what you’re planning for 2013!

Here’s a roundup of launch terms, comparisons and specs, and demo unit details for the new Kobo devices as well as information on the  latest eBook promos.

A special thread started by ABA staff in the IndieCommerce Forum on BookWeb.org provides booksellers with the opportunity to offer constructive criticism of their colleagues’ store websites.

ABA has joined with six other organizations to launch Advocates for Independent Business, a coalition of trade associations and other groups dedicated to ensuring that locally owned, independent businesses succeed and thrive.

From Friday, October 25, to Sunday, October 27, the American Booksellers Association’s Board of Directors met at the association’s offices in  White Plains, New York, to work on a range of issues.

More than 375 authors and 300-plus bookstores will come together to celebrate independent bookstores as part of the Indies First movement on Small Business Saturday, November 30. Sign up now to join in!