This year marks ABA’s 125th year of helping indie bookstores thrive. As part of our 125th anniversary celebration, we’re sharing interviews with key figures in the industry and exploring how the organization has changed since its inception in 1900.

This week, Bookselling This Week met with ABA’s Advocacy team! Dave Grogan, Director of ABFE, Advocacy & Public Policy, and Philomena Polefrone, Associate Director of ABFE, shared the Advocacy team’s origin story, their past accomplishments, and their current efforts.

The Advocacy team is continuing to expand our education and resources to help you maintain a safe and open forum in your store. We'd like your input about the policies that are already working for you.

If you are willing and able, share your policies for the following areas: curation, events, code of conduct, author visits to schools, and self-published book/local author submissions. 

Please only share your policies if you are authorized to do so on behalf of your store. By sharing your policy, you authorize us to use them in the creation of education and advocacy resources.

If you cannot access the Google form, please email your policies to [email protected].

Morgan Swank Studio has partnered with ABA to offer discounts to our member stores.

Morgan Swank Studio is a woman-owned and operated business that sells cheeky but wholesome greeting cards and gifts for people who don’t take themselves too seriously. All designs are hand illustrated by Morgan in her studio!

Visit the BookWeb Business Services page to learn more about Morgan Swank Studio and other discounts available to ABA members.

The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation has launched their year-end campaign, I Stand with Book and Comic Stores!

The goal of this annual campaign is to raise $200,000 before December 31 to support Binc’s commitment to never turn away a bookseller in need. 

This year, Penguin Random House, AdventureKEEN, HarperCollins, and Libro.fm have joined forces with Binc. Thanks to their support, donations will be matched up to $30,000!

Save the date! Friday, February 27, 2026, is the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Welcoming Schools National Day of Reading.

This day was established in honor of a Wisconsin community that pushed back against an anti-LGBTQ+ group’s effort to interfere with the local school in 2015. 

On National Day of Reading, HRC invites you to show your support for transgender and non-binary youth. 

HRC will be releasing a full toolkit and a pledge that you can sign soon. In the meantime, don’t forget to add the HRC National Day of Reading to your store calendar!

Apply now to attend the Irish Book Trade Conference on February 9–10, 2026, in Waterford, Ireland, through RISE Bookselling.

The Irish Book Trade Conference will feature keynote speakers, educational sessions, receptions, and more! 

The RISE Bookselling grant will allow six applicants to attend the conference. Visit the RISE Bookselling website now to learn more and submit your application!

Applications are due December 3.

Applications are now open for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read!

This grant is designed to support community reading programs. Selected applicants will be awarded up to $20,000.

Visit the NEA Big Read website to learn more about the program and submit your application.

Interested parties must submit an Intent to Apply by January 15, 2026, and a full application by January 29, 2026.

Registration is now open for Professional Booksellers School’s (PBS) 2026 Inventory Management Course!

This online course starts on Wednesday, January 14, and runs through Wednesday, May 13. Classes will be held on Zoom. 

Space is limited, so don’t wait! Visit the PBS website to learn more and register for this course.

Starting Friday, November 21, IndieCommerce users will be able to integrate a digital version of the Best Books for Young Readers Catalog onto their website!

Stores that would like to use the catalog on their website can reach out to [email protected].

And don’t forget to take advantage of the catalog marketing assets on BookWeb, including a digital copy of the catalog, customer order form, social media images, and a link to the Edelweiss collection.

Here is the Indie Biography and Memoir Bestseller List, based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week period ending November 16.