Check out the publisher specials on the Indies Introduce Winter/Spring 2026.
Stay up to date with the world of independent bookselling.
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
CALIBA Booksellers: Apply for the Glenn Goldman Scholarshi
Check out the Indies First Publisher Specials
Check out the Indie-to-Indie Latinx Heritage Month Playlist
TLDR: This Week's Action Items:
 
 
Indie Bookstore Day: Start planning for the book industry's biggest celebration of the year.
The Indie Bookstore Day Planning Guide Is Here!
 

The Independent Bookstore Day Planning Guide for 2026 is now available!

This guide is full of ideas for Indie Bookstore Day on April 25, 2026, including tips on how to celebrate, marketing strategies, and important information on ordering exclusives.

And if you haven’t already, make sure to sign up for the Indie Bookstore Day newsletter for all the latest updates. You can sign up for the newsletter through the Email Subscriptions tab on your Member Dashboard.
 
Get the Guide
 
Save the date for these upcoming events:
 
 
Visit Events Calendar
 
Winter Institute 2026
Winter Institute Is Sold Out
 

Winter Institute 2026 (Wi2026) bookseller registration opened on Monday, September 15, and despite our increased capacity this year, we still sold out in under an hour! We’re amazed by this response, and we can’t wait to see you all in Pittsburgh.

If you are on the waitlist, please stay tuned! We will work to get as many people as possible off of the waitlist and registered for the event. 

And if you can’t join us for Wi2026, don’t worry! Many of the Wi2026 sessions will be recorded and posted on BookED, ABA’s bookstore education podcast, after the event.

Registered Wi2026 attendees, don’t forget to mark your calendar for these upcoming dates: 

  • Registration for Wi2026 Bookstore Tours and Behind the Stacks: A Field Trip to the Book Country Clearing House Warehouse will open on Tuesday, October 21. 
    • Full-day and half-day bookstore tours will be available.
    • Behind the Stacks is a half-day field trip to the Book Country Clearing House warehouse. Book Country Clearing House will also offer an accompanying morning session, “Remainders Reimagined: Adding Value Beyond the Discount.”  
  • Registration for the Wi2026 hotel block will open on Tuesday, October 28. (Registered attendees will receive a unique booking link via email.)

If you’re as excited for Wi2026 as we are, you can find Wi2026 shirts and hoodies over on our Bonfire page!
 
Wi2026 Website
 
125 Years of ABA
125 Years of ABA: Past Presidents On Board Service

Every year, ABA opens nominations for the ABA Board of Directors!

Since no one has a better understanding of the ABA Board than our Board Members, we've collected quotes from a few of our past Presidents about their experiences serving on the Board.

And if you know a bookseller that would be a good fit, nominate them (or yourself!) by Sunday, October 12!
Read More
ZingTrain
ZingTrain’s Transformational Training Tools

Zingerman’s Training (ZingTrain) will be hosting “Transformational Training Tools” on October 8–9 in Ann Arbor, MI. 

In this session, ZingTrain will share tools to improve your in-store training and help your trainees succeed.

Right now, ABA members can register two attendees for the price of one! Visit BookWeb to get the coupon code and register for this training.
Register Now
Get Out the Vote
Get Out the Vote

Your local elections are a critical chance to affect decisions about your community, and bookstores are uniquely positioned to help engage their community in the voting process

Yesterday, September 16, may have been National Voter Registration Day, but there’s still plenty you can do to encourage your customers to Get Out the Vote before Election Day!

Take advantage of our Get Out the Vote assets as well as the 2025 Voter Guide, created in partnership with the League of Women Voters (LWV), to help prepare and mobilize your community. 
Get the Guide
National Association of Black Bookstores
Apply for the Black Bookstore Heritage Grant

Applications are now open for the Black Bookstore Heritage Grant. 

This grant, presented by the National Association of Black Bookstores (NAB2), is designed to support Black-owned bookstores. Each year, this grant will award a total of up to $5,000 to selected applicants.

Visit the NAB2 website to learn more about the grant and submit your application.

There is no deadline to apply. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 
Apply Now
Grolier Poetry Book Shop
Grolier Poetry Book Shop: A Local and International Poetry Landmark

Grolier Poetry Book Shop in Cambridge, MA, has been in operation since 1927.

For nearly 100 years, the store has resided in Harvard Square, and though the store’s ownership has changed a few times, its mission remains the same: to connect people through poetry.

This week, Ndidi Menkiti, co-owner of Grolier, sat down with Bookselling This Week to share more about this historic store and the community it’s built — both locally and globally. 
Read Interview
Indie Gift Guide 2025
Indie Gift Guide for Genre Lovers

Here is a preview of the titles that will appear in the 2025 Indie Gift Guide for Genre Lovers!

The guide includes Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Mystery/Thriller, Graphic Works, and Poetry titles.
Get the Guide
Indie Bestsellers List
Indie Comics, Graphic Works, and Manga Bestseller List

Here is the Indie Comics and Graphic Works Bestseller List, including Manga, based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week period ending September 14.
See Bestsellers
Advocacy Updates
Advocacy Updates
 

ABFE and ABA at Regional Shows

American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE) and ABA team members are appearing at each of the Summer/Fall Regional Trade Shows. 

Don’t forget to stop by our table to visit the ABA team at your region’s show, and make sure to attend our education sessions, “Navigating Attacks on Your Store” and “Measure What Matters: Five Key Numbers to Focus on During Turbulent Times.” 

Are You Ready for Banned Books Week?

Banned Books Week (BBW) will take place October 5–11, 2025!

If you’re struggling with your BBW plans, you can revisit our special Banned Books Week edition of Bookselling This Week for ideas, partnership opportunities, and more.
 
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