Booksellers on Becoming Inclusive Places for Dialogue and Discovery Through Empathy

Following a series of bookseller discussions at the American Booksellers Association’s 10 Spring Forums and at Winter Institute 12, ABA has compiled a comprehensive list of bookseller suggestions aimed at helping stores develop strategies for strengthening the unique role they play in their communities.

The document, “Bookstores — An Inclusive Place for Dialogue and Discovery,” is available in the Education Curriculum on BookWeb (a username and password are required; booksellers needing login information can e-mail [email protected]).

The numerous suggestions shared by booksellers from a broad range of member stores are organized under six keywords: activism, community, diversity, empathy, outreach, and sanctuary. In the fourth of a series of articles highlighting each keyword, here are the many suggestions provided for the category of empathy.

The suggestions below may not work for every store; booksellers are encouraged to consider their store culture, community, and business goals when beginning any new initiative. Booksellers who have implemented any of these suggestions in their stores are encouraged to let ABA know.

EMPATHY

• Anticipate the needs of those who have challenges entering and/or navigating your store space:
  
  • Provide portable wheelchair ramps.
  • Provide sensory story times.
  • Use the Americans With Disabilities Act website for resources and staff training.
• Listen to your staff and customers regarding messages that offend them and why — this leads to empathy.
• Hire people who have strong empathic skills. Staff must enjoy people as much as they enjoy reading.
• Train staff to use sincere and respectful language when navigating situations with customers and others who have views different from the store’s.
• Model empathy to children in your store by showing them they matter.
• Actively anticipate needs.
• Provide foreign-language story times for customers who speak other languages.
• Offer a “book angel” or other book-giving program.
• Make all customers feel welcome.
• Don’t shame customers for their reading choices.
• Listen. Ask. Listen.