Greetings,

February can be challenging but we have a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks. This month, we reveal our custom campaign artwork for CIBD 2022, highlight a collection of incredible authors and illustrators for Black History Month, unveil exciting upcoming events, and more.

Settled in? Coffee in hand? Let’s go!

We’ve lined up several exciting initiatives to celebrate indie bookstores across the country on April 30, including our Contest for Book Lovers, customer giveaways, product exclusives, publisher specials, and more. We can’t wait!

In December, we shared that we were working with talented artist and illustrator Kellen Hatanaka to design this year’s campaign artwork. Kellen’s illustration, below, is a bright and dynamic ode to independent bookstore shelves and the worlds contained within them.

We asked Kellen to share some behind-the-scenes insights about his approach to creating this eye-catching illustration. Read the interview here.

Our graphic designer will use Kellen’s artwork to create a breadth of campaign resources including digital graphics for posters, web banners, and social media images.These graphics will be made available to members in mid-March.

In the meantime, you can download our Save the Date here.

Not a member yet but want full access to the campaign? Join us today! 

Our full toolkit of promotional assets will only be available to CIBA members. 

CIBA’s Supplier Relations Committee is made up of four CIBA board members plus two members-at-large. The committee's mandate is to act as a conduit between CIBA Bookseller Members and publishers to strengthen the independent bookselling ecosystem.  

In January, the committee held meetings with each of the multinational publishers assessed in its recent survey. Key points of discussion in these meetings included:

• Sharing appreciation to the publishers who accommodated appeals for delayed payment terms this past fall
• Requesting that publishers consider extending these terms once again for the 2022 holiday season
• Modernizing the returns process across the industry to the preferable "end-of-edition" format
• Other areas of improvement according to survey results

Up next, we’ll meet with members of the ACP and LPG to discuss supply chain issues and collaborate to overcome them for the benefit of all parties.

In response to this work, the CIBA team is currently building resources that will outline publisher return policies and help demystify co-op terms. We will provide details to members as the work advances. 

This committee will meet quarterly with the multinational publishers. If members have any questions about this work, please reach out to Lori Cheverie today.

Not yet a CIBA Bookseller Member? Join us today! While all indies benefit from our work, only CIBA Bookseller Members will have access to relevant resources details, and discussions.

February is Black History Month! Although books and stories by Black writers and illustrators continue to be sought out by readers year-round, we wanted to highlight some new and recent backlist titles that readers – and booksellers! – can add to their bookshelves this month.

Get to know these titles and their creators on our website and share our posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter today!

Mythbusters: You can flex your terms and use SalesData to showcase your sales performance!

Tuesday, March 1

9am PT, 10am MT, 11am CT, 12pm ET, 1pm AT, 1:30pm Newfoundland

Introducing the first event in a new “mythbusters” series presented by BookNet Canada. These bite-sized, 30-minute sessions are perfect for busy booksellers looking to improve their business efficiencies.

Join BookNet Canada’s SalesData Project Manager Monique Mongeon for an introduction to SalesData’s reporting platform, which allows booksellers to analyze their sales, compare them to the rest of the market and similar retailers, and use that data to demonstrate improving performance and position year-over-year. In this practical demonstration you will learn how to create a marketshare report in SalesData, how to export and manipulate data using programs like Excel and Google Sheets, and how to present that data effectively to make a case with your suppliers.

Presented by: BookNet Canada
Speaker: Monique Mongeon, Project Manager, BookNet Canada

Lectures & Labs: Flex your Facebook muscles!

Thursday, March 10

4pm PT, 5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET, 8pm AT, 8:30pm Newfoundland

How and why should booksellers use Facebook as a marketing tool? Join HarperCollins Canada to learn how to maintain a dynamic and memorable presence on the platform. Discover how effective marketing can increase sales, build engagement, and expand and deepen relationships with your customer base.

Presented by: HarperCollins Canada

Speakers: Ashley Posluns, Digital Marketing Manager and Kristina Jagger, Digital Marketing Assistant

CIBA Town Hall (for Bookseller Members)

Thursday, March 31

Bookseller Members are invited to join the CIBA team as they present the results of the recent Bookseller Member Survey and provide updates on upcoming priorities for the association. Contribute your voice to the conversation so we understand how we can better serve you and your bookstore!

Did you miss the fun of our recent Publisher Picks sessions?

CIBA's newest event series brought booksellers to the heart of publisher marketing discussions to discover the season's best bets – books they would want to have on hand for the spring season. Bookseller Members can now access the recordings in the CIBA member portal.

“I have often wished that I could have my whole staff sit in on sales calls, so they'd be up to speed on the hot new titles. After inviting the staff to watch these speed dating style presentations of “books with buzz” (the ones to watch this spring), I realized that this was the perfect tool. Those who were unable to attend could watch the recording at their convenience. Brilliant!”

– Shelley Macbeth, Blue Heron Books

Not a member but interested in accessing these recordings? Join today!

Here at CIBA, we know that indie bookstores do more than sell books. In this brand-new series for the member blog, we’ll share some examples of indie booksellers going above and beyond for their customers – and communities – in unique and creative ways.

Since yesterday was Valentine’s Day, we’re starting off with weddings! This month, we highlighted the different ways that Analog Books, Daisy Chain Book Co., and The Paper Hound helped customers make memories to last a lifetime.

Members can log in to read the post here.

Has your indie bookstore gone above and beyond for your customers in some way? If so, we want to hear from you! Email Kayla with your stories today.

"We are in the process of reinventing the shop into a more comprehensive bookshop to better serve both locals and tourists. We came to the realization that we are the best local source for books on history, culture, and general information about the area.”

The Whyte Museum Book Shop in Banff, AB has gone through a transformation to meet the emerging needs of its customers. We spoke to shop manager Janet Boger about this experience and what visitors can expect when they stop by this wonderful store.

Read the article here.

Our member portal provides a wealth of resources, including access to news and opportunities shared through CIBA’s Professional Forum. This is a space where booksellers, publishers, NGOs, and industry partners can share up-to-date news, opportunities, and ideas.

Members: Click “Subscribe to forum” at the top of this page to ensure you don't miss a post. You must be logged in to access the forum.

If you have any questions about posting in the forum, please give us a shout.

Not a member? Join today and access CIBA’s Professional Forum as a benefit of your membership.

Reminder to Bookseller Members: please save the date for Tuesday, June 14! Our 2021-22 AGM will take place via Zoom at 7pm ET.

For those who cannot attend, we will record the meeting and save it to the member portal. Our annual report will also be made available for all who wish to read it.

Please contact Laura with any questions.

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