June 12, 2008 we hope owners will take the opportunity to spread the excitement TABLE OF CONTENTS: among staff by opening the box in their presence." (Here's a look at • IndieBound Literary Liberation Underway ........ 1 what booksellers will find in the Liberation Box.) • A Report on ABA's 2008 Spring Board Meeting Thus far, bookseller response to IndieBound and the Literary .......................................................................... 2 Liberation Box has been enthusiastic. "I think it's fantastic," said Christine Onorati of WORD bookstore in Brooklyn, New York. "I • Booksellers Find Ways to Greener Retailing at am totally excited about it. [IndieBound] has exceeded my ABA Panel ........................................................ 3 expectations, and it is customizable, and that is really important." • 2008 FREADOM Gift Cards to Benefit ABFFE She added that the "edgy" look is "well done. I'm very impressed." Now Available ................................................... 3 Onorati, who two months ago started forming an informal • New Orleans' Afro-American Book Stop to independent business alliance, said, "This will help me. I can go Reopen ............................................................. 4 right into the stores, give them signs, and show them all of this stuff, and start getting something together." In the bookstore, she • Bookstore Sales Up in April .............................. 4 placed the "Here's What You Just Did" sign 2 up "right away, and • Share Your IndieBound Creativity .................... 4 called the bag company and ordered the recycled bags." • IndieBound Takes a Bow at BALLE At Farley's Bookshop in New Hope, Pennsylvania, Alexis Kaelin Conference ....................................................... 5 told BTW , "I was very excited -- it's a neat box, and a neat • BTW News Briefs ............................................. 5 transformation [from Book Sense]. It's inspired me to shop at other • The Indie Parenting Bestseller List ................... 6 local stores, too." Farley's put most of the materials from the • Harvard Book Store Up for Sale Generates Literary Liberation Box out on Wednesday, with the bookmarks, bookplates, and other items placed at the cash wrap. "People are "Serious Interest" .............................................. 7 excited about the book plates," Kaelin said. • Zogby Poll Plumbs U.S. Reading Demographic "We love it," said Stephanie Anderson of Moravian Bookshop in .......................................................................... 7 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. "Our head buyer is wearing the pin with • Independent Retailing & the Shop Local the IndieBound logo on it. And we like everything that says 'Eat. Movement Under the Spotlight ......................... 8 Sleep. Read.' on it." The timing of the box's arrival was good, Anderson reported, MARKETPLACE because the Sustainable Business Network of the Greater Lehigh Valley (SBNLV) just kicked off its yearlong Think Independent • Classifieds ........................................................ 8 campaign. "So we're going to use a lot of IndieBound stuff that we • Other Advertising .............................................. 9 will display in-store and in our window and combine that with the Think Independent campaign." In Bradenton, Florida, Doug Knowlton, owner of The Village IndieBound Literary Liberation Bookshop, immediately displayed his IndieBound materials and sent an e-mail blast with a link to IndieBound.org 3 to the 300 or so Underway customers on the store mailing list. "A member in my writing June 12, 2008 -- IndieBound 1 , the American Booksellers group has already signed up for a t-shirt," he said. "And I'm going Association's new community-oriented movement celebrating the to need a lot of the bags ... maybe some with our logo." value of independent businesses, is underway. On Monday, a After reading more about IndieBound at lunchtime, "I got even Literary Liberation Box, including tools that booksellers can use to more excited," Knowlton said. "And I don't get excited." promote IndieBound in their stores and in their communities, was 4 shipped to all independently owned ABA member stores. The Village Bookshop's MySpace page now features IndieBound Booksellers on the East Coast began receiving the box on Tuesday, and invites customers to a rally, where they can sign the and all stores should experience Literary Liberation within the next Declaration of Independents. several days. "IndieBound reflects the excitement of localism and the Here's a look at what booksellers will find in the Literary Liberation Box: appreciation of independent business spreading across the country • today," said Meg Smith, ABA Chief Marketing Officer. "And it Rally Cards 5 . These pull readers in with a cool image on the front, while the provides ABA members with a new, fresh way to promote back gives more info on what IndieBound is all about. These cards give customers the information they need to turn around and spread the word. themselves to their customers, as well as to align with other 6 independent businesses in their communities." Booksellers can find more great designs and messages at Bookseller DIY , the home for all customizable IndieBound stuff. Smith added, "When the Literary Liberation Box arrives in stores, • © 2008 American Booksellers Association. http://news.bookweb.org/ 1 BOOKSELLING THIS WEEK June 12, 2008 Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton, Montana, about his Palm Cards 7 . These cards fit in the palm of the hand. The great design activities on behalf of the association; catches the eye, while the back carries a powerful message. Booksellers can hand them out like business cards -- or like candy -- near the register, at events, or get their customers involved to spread the word further. Booksellers • Received a report on ABA programs and initiatives from ABA can use them to start a conversation about IndieBound, and about why CEO Avin Mark Domnitz; independent businesses matter. • • Reviewed the ABA Board election results, certified by the Shopping Bag Samples 8 . The box contains a sample of new shopping bag association's auditors, Marks Paneth & Shron LLP: Candidates designs made from recycled craft paper and styled with the IndieBound look. chosen by ABA members to serve as directors, with terms These use more spirit lines, like "Peace. Love. Books." There's also a smaller ending in 2011, are Dan Chartrand of Water Street Bookstore in bag size for children's books, proclaiming the pride booksellers take in Exeter, New Hampshire; Ken White of SFSU Bookstore in San "Raising Passionate Readers." Booksellers will receive a bag order form, where booksellers can get either size bag, flat or with handles, and customize Francisco; and Michael Tucker of Books Inc. (who begins a them to feature their store logo. second three-year term). Membership also ratified the Board's choices of Gayle Shanks of Changing Hands Bookstore in • Bookmarks 9 . The bookmarks have fun designs -- and a great reminder on the Tempe, Arizona, to serve a one-year term as ABA president and back of why shopping at Indies is so important There are more designs Books Inc.'s Tucker to serve a one-year term as vice available in the Bookseller DIY, and each design includes a space for their president/secretary; store's name. Print it, stamp it, and pass it out to all their customers. • • Received a report from the chair of the 2007 - 2008 Nominating IndieBound Bookplates 10 . These speak directly to customers -- literally. Committee, Beth Puffer of Bank Street Bookstore in New York These messages are memorable and funny, and there's room for a bookseller's City, detailing the committee's guidelines and procedures, which store's stamp on the front. will be considered for adoption by the Board at its July meeting; • The Staff Shirt 11 . This red T-shirt with white lettering reads, "This is the part where I save the day." There's only one per box, so booksellers will have to • Received a comprehensive report from Chief Marketing Officer decide who gets it. There are other shirt designs not only in the Bookseller Meg Smith on the implementation of ABA's new IndieBound 20 DIY 12 , where booksellers can print their own templates and customize shirts initiative and resources now available to members via any way they like, but at a members-only, wholesale Printfection Online Shop 21 13 booksellers can find tons of T-shirts, plus baseball shirts, hoodies, even BookWeb.org ; some for the kids. • Spent a considerable amount of time reviewing ABA's 14 All the shirt designs feature IndieBound spirit lines , cool sayings, and tag investment portfolio with William King of Merrill Lynch and lines that get the message across. All the suggestions are listed in the Bookseller DIY, but these are just suggestions. Booksellers can come up with found that the association's investment policy is serving ABA their own lines and use them everywhere -- and send any great ideas to well despite the general downturn in the investment [email protected] 15 ! environment; • • Heard a report from ABA legal counsel Deanne Ottaviano of Window Decals 16 . The box contains 10 "We're IndieBound" window decals Arent Fox LLP regarding the successful resolution of the civil These are a great way for booksellers to start a conversation with their indie action brought by the Rev. Herman Douglas, Sr., against a retail neighbors about IndieBound, and why the independent and local number of ABA member stores in connection with a copyright movement