Independent Bookstore Day is just a few weeks away!

Customers can now find all participating Indie Bookstore Day stores on the IndieBound Indie Bookstore Day Map! The webpage also features the bookstore crawl and passport programs that were shared with us and a link to what stores have planned. (You can still submit your plans to ABA to be added.)

You can also take advantage of our Indie Bookstore Day assets — including new graphics with Indie Bookstore Ambassador, Amanda Gorman!

And Indie Bookstore Day exclusives have started to ship! If your store ordered exclusives, you can expect those shipments to arrive shortly. 

In the current climate, drag story time events are powerful statements of inclusion. They also entail risk of online harassment, confrontational protests, and even bomb threats.

Philomena Polefrone, ABA’s Advocacy Associate Manager, has created a list of things to consider when planning a drag story time event in your store.

If you are planning a drag story time, reach out to [email protected] for support as early in the process as possible.

Congratulations to the James Patterson Bookstore Bonus Recipients!

And a huge thank you to Mr. Patterson for his continued generosity to booksellers. 

As part of ABA's regular forum series, Black booksellers and bookstore owners are invited to join a call on April 18, at 5:00 pm ET, to share needs for ABA services, programming, and general support and questions with ABA leadership.

This space is for booksellers who identify as Black. Allies should not plan to attend.

This National Bookmobile Day, we're spotlighting Sunny's Book Truck in Yuma, Arizona!

What started as a bookmobile-only operation has recently made the transition to brick-and-mortar. Owner, CJ Alberts, sat down with us to talk about Sunny’s origin and the transition from a bookmobile to a physical store.

Philomena Polefrone, ABA’s Advocacy Associate Manager, met with Dea Lavoie and Sophie Nogar of Second Star to the Right Books in Denver, CO, to learn how they support access to LGBTQ+ books in Denver and across the country. 

It’s time again to nominate your favorite children’s books for the annual Best Books For Young Readers Catalog. Booksellers can nominate their favorite 2024 children’s titles through BookWeb or Edelweiss. 

The deadline for nominations is July 2. 

Here is a preview of the titles on the May/June 2024 Kids’ Indie Next List flier, arriving at stores in the upcoming Kids’ Box mailing. Top pick? The Mystery of Locked Rooms by Lindsay Currie.

Sylvie Cathrall is the author of A Letter to the Luminous Deep, a Winter/Spring 2024 Indies Introduce selection. Here, Cathrall and Stephanie Skees of The Novel Neighbor in Webster Groves, MO, discuss A Letter to the Luminous Deep.

Elaine U. Cho is the author of Ocean’s Godori, a Winter/Spring 2024 Indies Introduce selection. Here, Cho and Devon Overley of Loganberry Books in Shaker Heights, OH, discuss Ocean’s Godori.

Did you know that ABA has a partnership with Eventbrite, a service that allows members to manage ticket sales for their store’s events? ABA members have access to a substantial Eventbrite discount, customer support via email and phone, as well as a one-hour onboarding session with an Eventbrite representative. 

The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation has launched their annual spring fundraiser, Do Good All Year! Donate today to help Binc support booksellers and engage in a little friendly competition. The regional book association with the most new monthly donors and/or current monthly donors who increase their donations will win an ice cream party at their fall meeting! 

And comic book publisher BOOM! Studios will make a $50 gift on behalf of the first 100 donors who pledge a new or increased monthly commitment to Binc before the campaign ends on April 28.