World Book Night Posts California Video, 2013 Store Sign-up Continues

As booksellers head to the fall regional trade shows, World Book Night U.S. has been posting video highlights of this past April’s celebration in different regions of the country on YouTube. Added this week is video of celebrations in California, just in time for the Northern and Southern California trade shows this month.

This is the fourth video focusing on regional World Book Night celebrations. Videos of New England and Midwest celebrations were added in time for this weekend’s trade shows, and a Southeast video was posted earlier.

“The videos capture the volunteer book givers, booksellers, and librarians doing their generous part the week before, and day of, World Book Night 2012,” said World Book Night U.S. Executive Director Carl Lennertz. Still in the works are videos for the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, and Mid-Atlantic. “We might do a separate one for the great state of Texas,” Lennertz added. “And we know the two Midwest shows are combined this year, but we do have a separate Great Lakes video in the works; we just need more photos.”

Booksellers and others who would like to share photos or links to their WBN Facebook postings should send them to [email protected]. “When the video project is completed, we’ll have a library of giver experiences from across the country that next year’s givers can watch to get ideas, as well as material we can show to the media and for fundraising purposes,” said Lennertz.

To participate in the next celebration of World Book Night, on April 23, 2013, bookstores must sign a 2013 Host Store Marketing Agreement by December 1, 2012. The agreement affirms their commitment to be a site for individual book givers to both meet and pick up their books, as well as to be an active promoter of World Book Night in their communities. Booksellers can stop by the ABA booth at the regional shows to pick up a copy of the World Book Night Host Store Marketing Agreement, or it can be downloaded here.

In other news this week, World Book Night U.S. announced changes to its board of directors. Morgan Entrekin, CEO and publisher of Grove Atlantic, is leaving the board and will be replaced by Elisabeth Schmitz, vice president and editorial director of Grove Atlantic. Replacing Entrekin as chairman of the board is Michael Pietsch, who was recently named CEO of the Hachette Book Group.

Madeline McIntosh, who was named COO of Random House in June, is stepping down from the World Book Night Board and will be replaced by Suzanne Herz, senior vice president of publishing for Doubleday. Herz will also serve as chair of the new WBN Media Strategy Committee.