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Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Announcing the Ci2023 Keynote and Featured Speakers!
 

We have an exciting lineup of speakers scheduled for Children’s Institute 2023! 

Look for these featured speakers in Milwaukee:

Ruby Bridges was one of the first Black students to integrate an all-white elementary school in Louisiana, and is the author of the forthcoming Dear Ruby: Hear Our Hearts (January 2024).

Brenna Connor, Manager of Industry Insights at Circana Books (formerly NPD), has been working with data and analytics for nearly a decade.

Nikki Grimes is the recipient of numerous literary lifetime achievement and excellence awards, as well as a Coretta Scott King Book Award, five Coretta Scott King Award Honors, Sibert Honor, and Printz Honor.

Jonathan Hamilt is the Executive Director of the national 501(c)(3) Drag Story Hour and co-founder of its NYC Chapter. 

Daniel Nayeri is a former publisher, editor, and pastry chef. His autobiographical novel, Everything Sad is Untrue (a true story) won multiple awards including the Printz Medal.

Brian Pinkney has illustrated many books for children, and is the recipient of two Caldecott Honors and the Coretta Scott King Book Award for In the Time of the Drums.

Nikkolas Smith is the illustrator of The 1619 Project: Born on the Water and I Am Ruby Bridges, as well as the author-illustrator of multiple children's books including The Artivist (September 2023). 

Adia Harvey Wingfield won the 2019 C. Wright Mills Award with Flatlining: Race, Work, and Health Care in the New Economy. 

Register by May 1 to join us in Milwaukee and hear these exciting speakers!
Action Items
IBD Spirit Week
 

Next week is Independent Bookstore Day Spirit Week! Use the hashtag #BookstoreSpiritWeek and dress up in our daily themes:

  • Monday, April 24: Silly Sock Day
  • Tuesday, April 25: Plaid Tuesday
  • Wednesday, April 26: On Wednesdays We Wear Bookstore Shirts
  • Thursday, April 27: Book Character Dress-Up Day
  • Friday, April 28: YOUR Store’s Spirit Day

If you ordered Independent Bookstore Day exclusives for your store, these items are in the process of shipping.
Sign Up for a Free Banned Books Week Kit!
 

Sign up now to receive a free Banned Books Week kit! ALL bookstores that want to receive a Banned Books Week kit MUST fill out the form. Bookstores that signed up last year will NOT automatically receive a 2023 kit. 

Banned Books Week kits are sent annually to participating stores and include materials to create a Banned Books display and educate customers about the freedom to read. Supplies are limited and are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to sign up is Friday, April 28.

If you have any questions, please email David Grogan, ABFE Director, at [email protected].
 
Sign Up
Local Organizing to Combat Book Bans Panel

On Monday, April 24, at 3:00 pm ET, the American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE), ABA’s free speech initiative, will be hosting Local Organizing to Combat Book Bans. The panel, will feature Chris Finan, Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Censorship; Samiya Bashir, Executive Director at Lambda Literary; Vera Eidelman, staff attorney with the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project; and Zoe Perzo, Content Coordinator at ABA and former librarian. David Grogan, ABFE Director, will moderate the discussion.
Register Now
Children’s Group Best Books for Young Readers

Submissions for the 2023 Children’s Group Best Books for Young Readers are now open. Now’s your chance to submit the 2023 frontlist titles you can’t stop talking about to the Children's Group Best Books for Young Readers catalog. It’s easy! Submit through Edelweiss when you are nominating for the Kids' Next List or via the official webform on BookWeb.org. The deadline to nominate is Wednesday, July 12.
Submit a Title
Annual Meeting and Community Forum

Join us for the Annual Meeting and Community Forum on Thursday, May 25 at 2:00 pm ET. Stay tuned for details and registration information.
Save the Date

Save the date for these upcoming events:

  • Monday, April 24: IBD Spirit Week: Silly Sock Day
  • Monday, April 24 at 3:00 pm ET: Local Organizing to Combat Book Bans
  • Tuesday, April 25: IBD Spirit Week: Plaid Tuesday
  • Wednesday, April 26: IBD Spirit Week: On Wednesdays We Wear Bookstore Shirts
  • Thursday, April 27: IBD Spirit Week: Book Character Dress-Up Day
  • Friday, April 28: IBD Spirit Week: YOUR Store’s Spirit Day
  • Saturday, April 29: Independent Bookstore Day
What to Know
Right to Read Day

The American Library Association announced a national day of action to protect the freedom to read. Monday, April 24 is Right to Read Day. 

Protect your Right to Read by:
Earth Day

Earth Day is coming up on Saturday, April 22. Need a quick display? Popular Kids’ Indie Next List titles Big Tree by Brian Selznick and The Moth Keeper by K. O’Neill are excellent stories that emphasize the beauty of nature. Don’t forget Indies Introduce pick Turtles of the Midnight Moon by María José Fitzgerald to add a little eco-mystery. 
World Book Day

This year, celebrate World Book and Copyright Day on Sunday, April 23. Designated by UNESCO, this is a day to celebrate the joy of books and reading, so how you celebrate is entirely up to you. Take this opportunity to create that display of niche books that bring you joy. 

Cooking Bestseller List

Here is the Indie Cooking Bestseller List, based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week period ending April 16, 2023.
Indie-to-Indie's May Playlist

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In celebration, Indie-to-Indie has created a playlist featuring AAPI titles from indie presses. This month, they are also featuring a Labor and Social Justice collection. 
Bookstore Bootcamp

The Bookstore Training Group is hosting Bookstore Bootcamp May 21–23. This multi-day workshop will be hosted on Amelia Island, FL, and will cover the business essentials of opening a bookstore. ABA members are eligible for a $200 discount on tuition. 
Verizon Small Business Grants

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready has committed $1 million in small business grants for 2023. Grant applications are now open. Register for Digital Ready, complete any combination of two courses, coaching events, and community events, and apply by May 12.
 
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