2021 – Page 5 – Reimagining Bookstores

What is the work of a professional bookseller?

Host: Clancey D’Isa Notes: Clancey D’Isa: What is the work of a professional bookseller? How might we narrate this work both inside and outside of our industry? If the future of bookselling might include a consideration of the cultural and community oriented aspect of bookselling, how might we name that work? How too might we make… Continue reading What is the work of a professional bookseller?

How might we enhance the diversity of our bookstores to reflect our communities, stakeholders and inventories?

Host: Helen C Notes: Possible: Approach to start with working on white staff – to build their cultural humility. PB: Libraries – are a remarkable place where classes cross. Advocate the diverse storiesThere is a story/ history/culture – we can invest in other spaces without being colonial. NK: Library – world. Engaging with communities in… Continue reading How might we enhance the diversity of our bookstores to reflect our communities, stakeholders and inventories?

Bookstore Unions

Host: Nicole @ Oblong Books Participants: John @ Cavalier House Books Notes: Why do bookstore owners fear unions? Can they be useful in keeping booksellers long-term? Part of larger overall conversation about sustainability + investment in community / booksellers Unions can be useful for any bookstore with several full-time employees; don’t inherently clash with ideas… Continue reading Bookstore Unions

Can we create a funding model that exists outside of traditional lending institutions and does not rely solely upon increased profit margins?

Host: BrocheAroe Fabian, River Dog Book Co. broche@riverdogbookco.com Participants: Bruce DeLaney, Rediscovered Bookstore, Clare Doornbos, bookseller, Mr. Mopps, Eric Besner, Fable, Julia, Vroman’s & Book Soup, Sandi, Book Dragon, Billie Bloebaum, Bill Densmore, Nilaja Biggs, Rebecca Fitting, Greenlight, Nicole Brinkley, Tom, New Story Community Bookstore Notes: Arts Council? Seed grants/maintenance grants Private funding, VC model,… Continue reading Can we create a funding model that exists outside of traditional lending institutions and does not rely solely upon increased profit margins?

How do we create a living wage model?

Host: Jamie Fiocco Participants: Eileen Dengler, NAIBA; Nina Bennett, Bookends Beginnings, Timothy Daudelin, Pendragon Books, Jim Bean, Anthology, Rebecca Fitting, Greenlight Bookstores Notes: How do we create living wages with pre-priced merch and slim margins? No consensus among booksellers on pricing books themselves. Stores: time / effort to price every book. What do they price it… Continue reading How do we create a living wage model?

How do we make space for historically underrepresented folx in bookselling, either as booksellers or as bookstore owners?

Host: Jhoanna Belfer, Bel Canto Books Participants: Jhoanna Belfer, Kelly Stromberg Notes: Reach out to local nonprofits/government/affinity groups to talk to them about bookselling, professional development, job creation programs. Reach out to school PTAs to connect directly with schools for literacy fairs and other partnerships. Look at Neighborhood House in St. Paul, Minnesota to see… Continue reading How do we make space for historically underrepresented folx in bookselling, either as booksellers or as bookstore owners?

How can authors help independent bookstores?

Host: Anne Dimock Participants: Anne, Meredith, Easty, and one other Notes: Our conversation lasted about ½ hour, then we adjourned and went to other breakout rooms. Three of us are authors; two of us are booksellers – one of whom started her bookstore to accommodate local authors who were not represented in the local B&N.… Continue reading How can authors help independent bookstores?

How can we create a financial model that recognizes that booksellers’ primary work is cultural – and the funding can’t come from the retail activity exclusively – without losing sight of our primary work: bookselling? And how can we do it in collaboration with (not in opposition to) publishers and other literary community?

Host: Jeff Deutsch Notes: Philanthropy as a path towards non-book-sale funding JD ‘any step away from bookselling is a step in the wrong direction’ How to preserve bookselling as core practice Publishing partners, what would you want bookstores to do/provide? Josh Cook: “why can you be a successful bookstore and still struggle financially?” … where… Continue reading How can we create a financial model that recognizes that booksellers’ primary work is cultural – and the funding can’t come from the retail activity exclusively – without losing sight of our primary work: bookselling? And how can we do it in collaboration with (not in opposition to) publishers and other literary community?