36 Days until Indie Bookstore Day!

Sign-ups to participate close in ten days on March 31*. You must be a logged-in ABA member** to access the form. If you do not know your login credentials please email us at [email protected].

*If you have already ordered exclusives or signed up already, you do not need to complete this form again.

**Independent Bookstore Day is open to those who are members of ABA, as well as their regional booksellers association.

What's New: 

Bonfire Custom Orders Discount

To support ABA members, Bonfire is offering an exclusive discount: 10% off custom orders of 15+ shirts when ordered by April 4, so bookstores have shirts in hand for the big day! For custom orders, stores can upload their own design, create one using Bonfire’s design tool, or take them up on the free custom design offer (one time only in the store’s history). Email [email protected] to claim the discount. 

IndieCommerce Webinar Replay

This week, IndieCommerce pushed the Indie Bookstore Day 2025 exclusives to all participating IndieCommerce 1.0 and 2.0 sites. The IndieCommerce team discussed how to manage the exclusive product listings and other content for the event, displaying on-hand quantities, adjusting the on-sale date and time for products, managing orders through your IndieCommerce site.

Continue Sharing Your Plans

Submit Your Plans to ABA (including crawls and passport programs). We add store plans to the IndieBound blog every week.

Spirit Week Themes

Starting Monday, April 21, join fellow booksellers for Independent Bookstore Day Spirit Week! Feel free to share the digital assets, use the hashtag #BookstoreSpiritWeek, and take part in the daily themes leading up to Indie Bookstore Day on April 26. Here are the Spirit Week holidays:
New Assets Available

New Assets

Share how your customers can best prepare for Spirit Week and Independent Bookstore Day with these new graphics for social media! 

March To-Dos:

  • Submit your name for the 2026–2027 Indie Bookstore Day Advisory Committee.
    • Have ideas for next year’s Independent Bookstore Day? We have openings in the Indie Bookstore Day Advisory Committee! The Advisory Committee provides feedback on ideas for proposed items as well as promotional aspects from now through next April. It is made up of one or two booksellers from each of the regional associations. To learn more and submit your name for consideration, complete this Google Form by Monday, April 7. 
  • Market Indie Bookstore Day.
    • If you ordered the free Indie Bookstore Day bookmarks, they arrived in your March Box Mailing.
    • Mention the day and any details in your newsletter and on social media. Make your announcement using the digital assets and exclusive item images on BookWeb.org.
    • List special events in your events calendar.
    • Post images/graphics of exclusive items and other teasers on social media.
  • Send a Press Release to your local media.
    • Download the template, enter your specific bookstore information (we provided examples!), and you’re ready to send it off.
    • Arrange for media sponsorship — radio, newspapers, websites — in your area if possible.
  • Check out the Libro.fm promotions. 
    • Link: The link for bookstores to share is: Libro.fm/ibd
    • Materials: All print and digital materials will be in this Google Drive with more to be added.
    • Sale: Indie Bookshop Appreciation Sale will run April 21–27, with bestselling audiobooks on sale. 
    • New member offer: New members can get two free audiobooks when they start a monthly one credit per month membership using code BOOKSTOREDAY.
    • Golden Ticket Promo: Bookstores are able to sign up to participate via an email from Libro.fm.
  • Keep an eye out for your Ingram Order on ipage.
    • If your order is shown as “Backordered”, that status is correct and will be until all exclusives are received by Ingram and they begin packing orders.

Key Dates to Know:

  • March 31: Indie Bookstore Day 2025 Participation Form closes. (Stores that didn't order exclusive items can sign up to participate until this date.)
  • April 4: Indie Bookstore Day Searchable Map goes live on IndieBound
  • Early- to mid-April: All exclusives ship to bookstores
  • April 21–25: Indie Bookstore Day Spirit Week
    • Monday, April 21: Silly Sock Day
    • Tuesday, April 22: Plaid Tuesday
    • Wednesday, April 23: On Wednesdays We Wear Bookstore Shirts 
    • Thursday, April 24: Book Character Dress-Up Day
    • Friday, April 25: YOUR store’s Spirit Day
  • April 26, the last Saturday in April: Independent Bookstore Day

Stay tuned for future updates via our newsletters. Missed an issue of the Indie Bookstore Day Newsletter? Catch up on them all on BookWeb.

Questions? Contact Courtney Wallace, Independent Bookstore Day Program Director at [email protected].

Independent Bookstore Day
American Booksellers Association
Copyright 2025
[email protected]

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