October 18 Opening Remarks October 18 Evening News October 19 News and Announcements October 19 Closing October 18 Opening Remarks Praven Madan’s introduction HELLOOOOO EVERYONE! WELCOME. Thank you all for joining us today for, what we hope, will be a pivotal gathering for bookstores and our communities. My name is Praveen Madan and for my… Continue reading Plenary Notes, Oct 18-19, 2021
Category: Oct 18-19, 2021 – Day 1 Cohort A
How can digital book readers, audiobook readers, online communities and book clubs support independent booksellers? How can booksellers leverage curation and discovery expertise to connect with these readers?
Host: Jason Boog Participants: Jason Boog, Fable (L.A.) jason@fable.co Eric Besner, Fable (NYC) ericb@fable.co Billie Bloebaum, Bookstore Romance Day Andrea Ginsky, Bookstore1Sarasota (FL) andrea@sarasotabooks.com Angie (Angeline) Gomez, student & reader festival@pen.org Candace, Editor/Teacher (Louisiana) Kelly Stromberg Kendra Armer, Reader (SF Bay Area) Margie Franzer, Wanderlust Bookstore wlbookshop@gmail.com Tom, New Story Community Books (Michigan) Kevin… Continue reading How can digital book readers, audiobook readers, online communities and book clubs support independent booksellers? How can booksellers leverage curation and discovery expertise to connect with these readers?
How can we work together to build a $50 Million national fund that will work as a foundation focused on bookstores and give grants and loans and offer fundraising training to bookstores?
Host: Praveen Madan, CEO, Kepler’s Books Participants: Georgie Court, Bookstore1Sarasota Jeff Waxman, sales rep for IPG Nina Barrett, Bookends Beginnings, Evanston, IL Kathy Brozek, independent consulting working with nonprofits/financial services, writer Evan Karp, Booksmith Larry Engel, Reader and Author Jhoanna, Bel Canto Books Lisa, Buffalo Street Books Ron Charles, book critic at The Washington Post… Continue reading How can we work together to build a $50 Million national fund that will work as a foundation focused on bookstores and give grants and loans and offer fundraising training to 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?
Reimagining Bookstores 