Vote for representation on the ABA Board! Nominate a bookseller or bookstore owner, or self-nominate by Sunday, October 23 at 11:59 pm ET. Meetings are held virtually and in person.

From ABA Board President Christine Onorati, “I've been a bookseller for over 21 years and I've been energized and motivated and mentored by the ABA since day one. My decision to participate on the ABA Board allowed me to champion the elements of bookselling that I was most passionate about, including the industry's need for updated technology as well as building a strong foundation for the next generation of booksellers. I'm proud of the work this Board has done and the institutional changes I've been involved with in my almost six years of service and I look forward to seeing the positive change continue after I complete my Board service in 2023.”

The Right to Read petition is still active, but it will be closing soon. Booksellers are asked to sign and share the petition in support of the right to read with staff and anyone who opposes the escalating book bans and challenges continuing across the country. Thus far, the petition has garnered nearly 1,500 signatures. You do not need a BookWeb account to sign the petition. Let’s make our voices heard by our elected officials.

On Monday, October 24, at 7:00 pm ET, New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) will host Responding to Hate: Booksellers Share Their Experiences. The event will be moderated by David Grogan, the Director of the American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE), and is only open to booksellers. Created in response to bookseller feedback and in an unshakable conviction that the best resource bookstores have is each other, this session allows booksellers to share with each other their strategies for dealing with uncomfortable and confrontational situations, their de-escalation techniques, and the safety plans they have developed for their staff and customers. Learn more and register.

In light of ongoing anti-LGBTQ2SIA+ attacks against indie Drag Queen Story Hour (DQSH) events, here are our top ten strategies to support and protect Drag Queen Story Hour. Continue reading our tips for hosting on BookWeb.

The Center for Anti-Violence Education (CAE) works to prevent hate violence in our communities through educational programs that center the experiences of the people most marginalized. Programs combine awareness raising, physical empowerment, leadership development and activism. Visit the CAE website to check out upcoming workshops and trainings. CAE is offering free Upstander workshops the second Wednesday of each month. They are also offering free self-defense training on the third Thursday of each month.

ABA's health insurance partner, LIG Solutions, will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, November 10 at 4:00 pm ET, to provide insight into LIG's role as a health insurance concierge service and to detail all the insurance options they have to offer booksellers, staff, their family, and even their business. This informative presentation will last approximately 45 minutes and will go over all program details and healthcare options. There will be some allotted time at the end for some Q&A, so booksellers with specific questions regarding insurance options should bring them to the presentation. Open only to ABA bookstore members. Register here for this no-cost webinar.

Redux Society (MO) did a sales display and outreach around banned titles. Check out their window display of the "I Read Dangerously" design!

Whitelam Books (MA) made a window display and featured their booksellers' favorite banned books, along with current reasons those titles had been banned! They shared reports and links from PEN America, ABA, and ALA around bans and challenges to titles. They also handed out stickers and buttons.

Here is the Indie Mystery & Thriller Bestseller List, based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week period ending October 16, 2022.

James Patterson is once again supporting independent booksellers with a revival of his Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program. Assets for the James Patterson Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program are now available.