• Share the Find Waldo Local map with your customers! If your store signed up for Find Waldo Local, you can now take advantage of the event toolkit!
• Use our assets to let your customers know about three national book ban bills that are making their way through Congress.
• Am*zon has announced Prime Day 2026 will run June 23–26. Check out our new assets urging people to Shop Small for a Big Impact!
• Get ready for next quarter with our Top 10 Ways to Prepare for Q3 checklist!

Readers can now use the Find Waldo Local map to find participating stores in their area!

If your store signed up for Find Waldo Local earlier this year, you can now access the Find Waldo Local Toolkit on BookWeb. This toolkit includes everything you need to help make your Find Waldo Local event a success, including the event guidelines, sample content, printables, and more.

Find Waldo Local is a community-wide scavenger hunt that takes place every July in partnership with Candlewick. (Store registration for the 2026 event has already closed, but if you want to participate in next year's event, keep an eye on BTW. The sign-up form typically opens in January/February!)

Last week we helped you speak out against the three national book ban bills making their way through Congress. Thank you to everyone who reached out to their state representatives about these bills! (There's still time to do so if you haven't already.)

This week we ask you to keep spreading the word about these bills! We have created assets you can print out or post on social media to let your customers know what these bills are and how they can speak out against them.

• Thursday, June 4 at 3:00 pm ET: ShopTalk: Meet Gravity Payments
• Monday, June 8 at 12:00 pm ET: Ci2026 Virtual Institute Orientation #2
• Tuesday, June 9 at 3:00 pm ET: New Member Series: POS Power Hour
• Tuesday, June 9 at 6:30 pm ET: LGBTQIA2S+ Affinity Group Annual Forum
• Wednesday, June 10 at 6:30 pm ET: Black Booksellers Affinity Group Bi-Yearly Forum

“Last week ABA bid Pete Reynolds a fond retirement farewell,” said ABA COO Joy Dallanegra-Sanger. “For over 30 years, Pete dedicated his work to supporting indie bookstores. He worked tirelessly without fail to deliver the bestsellers lists every week — through holidays and downed power lines — and he did this for years with a smile and a gentle kindness to all of his colleagues. People like Pete don’t come along very often and I feel honored to have worked with him for almost half of his time at ABA. He will be missed by all of us! But we know he will enjoy working with his newly adopted dogs.”

New Hampshire: Let’s Get a Veto

It’s not too late to make your voice heard! An unnecessary, invasive bill that could increase the number of book bans in New Hampshire is headed to the Governor’s desk. 

SB 434 is the latest iteration of a bill that has been vetoed, but refuses to go away. Now it is up for a veto once again. 

Tell Governor Ayotte that this bill is just as misguided as it was last year and deserves her veto.

Writing or calling can really make a difference. You can also help raise awareness about a read-in against the bill on June 11, by sharing it in your newsletter and displaying this flier in your store.

New York: The Freedom to Read Act

Great news! The New York Freedom to Read Act (A.9537B/S.8630B) passed the Senate last night, landing in the Assembly this morning. 

We are in the final push, but it needs to pass by the end of this week. 

This is your last chance to speak up for freedom to read legislation in New York this year. 

Call Speaker Heastie’s office and let him know you want this bill to be a priority! (Then share this link with your colleagues and customers so they can do the same.)