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Greetings and welcome to the July Edition of the CIBA Newsletter!
We’ve got exciting updates and opportunities, including details on our summer campaigns, a survey and insights from Booknet Canada, and a helpful Bookseller Tip. Don't forget to connect with fellow booksellers on the Bookseller Forum and share your best ideas for success this summer. Read on for more! |
“Your Summer Is Booked” - Contest is LIVE!
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As of July 1, this campaign is in full swing, spotlighting paperbacks as the perfect summer companion and encouraging readers to shop at their local independent bookstores. Contest submissions are already pouring in from all across Canada, with many thanks to the enthusiastic promotion from our participating booksellers! Your efforts in spreading the word have truly made a difference, and we’re seeing fantastic engagement. |
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Readers who purchase eligible PRHC titles from their favorite indie bookstores now have the chance to win a year of paperbacks (winning a copy of each of the 25 titles, worth over $725)! The excitement is building, and we can’t wait to see who will win this incredible prize.
Although the deadline for ordering promotional materials has passed, it’s not too late to continue encouraging your customers to enter the contest and shop indie. Let’s keep the momentum going and make this the best summer of reading yet!
Click here for more information and to find out how your customers can enter to win! |
Bookseller Tip from Cole Davidson at The Spaniel's Tale
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At The Spaniel's Tale, owner Cole Davidson shares a valuable shipping tip that’s helped them save money and streamline their process:
"We’ve been using Shiptime for all of our shipping for years, and it's been a game changer. The ability to compare quotes from multiple couriers through an aggregator has saved us a lot of money compared to relying solely on one courier, like Canada Post. Recently, we started comparing Shiptime’s rates with Machool, a Montreal-based shipping aggregator, and have found that Machool is often a couple of dollars cheaper per shipment. While that doesn’t sound like much, it really adds up over time, so we’ve shifted to using Machool exclusively for our regular customer orders. However, for larger shipments, such as returns to distributors, we still compare rates from both Machool and Shiptime, as the results have been mixed on those bigger shipments."
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Nominations for The Booksellers’ List (TBL) are now closed—thank you to all who helped us reach over 500+ nominations!
What's next? Our committee is meeting to review the votes and finalize the fall list. Publishers can expect to hear if their book has been selected during the week of July 14. Booksellers will be sent the final list the week of July 21. In the meantime, we're working on marketing assets for members and gearing up for the public announcement of the list on September 1!
Questions? Contact Nicola. |
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Ask Us ANYTHING! CIBA Mentor Event for New Bookstores
Thursday July 24
12pm PT, 1pm MT, 2pm CT, 3pm ET, 4pm AT, 4:30pm Newfoundland
Have you recently opened a bookstore or are you planning to open one soon? Here’s your chance to get some guidance from an experienced bookseller mentor. There won't be a formal presentation at this session – simply log on and ask all your burning questions! |
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Discover CFIB's HR and Legal Support for Members
Monday, August 18
9am PT, 10am MT, 11am CT, 12pm ET, 1pm AT, 1:30pm Newfoundland
CIBA members have access to a discounted membership with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). Join us for this exclusive members-only webinar, where CFIB will break down their free HR support and legal services, in addition to their savings programs that will support your business. |
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Discussion Group for Shopify Users: Pain Points and Solutions
Tuesday, August 26
12pm PT, 1pm MT, 2pm CT, 3pm ET, 4pm AT, 4:30pm Newfoundland
Current and prospective Shopify users are invited to come together for peer support and discussion. During this session, we invite booksellers to share some of your Shopify 'pain points’ and the solutions you found to work through them.
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CIBA Coffee Break: Q&A in advance of the AGM
Monday, September 15 9am PT, 10am MT, 11am CT, 12pm ET, 1pm AT, 1:30pm Newfoundland
This dedicated session will ensure Bookseller Members feel informed in advance of the 2025 AGM. Please bring your questions about pending votes (to be shared in the AGM Meeting Package) so we can provide answers and/or gather more information on specific topics to share during the AGM, if appropriate.
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Engage Young Readers This Summer
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For those participating in Scholastic Canada’s Supa-Awesome Summer Reading Adventure, you’re all set with the materials to keep kids and families reading all summer long! Scholastic has also provided a digital toolkit with logos, social media graphics, printable activities, book guides, and a digital version of the display header.
Helpful Tip: Use the Bookseller Forum (exclusive to CIBA members) to discuss in-store activities, resources and giveaways, and share ideas to make this campaign a success.
Don’t forget to tag @ScholasticCanada on Facebook and Instagram when sharing your displays—your store could be featured! |
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Industry Partner Spotlight: Booknet Canada
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Booknet Canada is partnering with the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) to field an important survey on the use of AI across the North American book industry.
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This 10-minute survey aims to understand how AI is currently being used, its future applications, and any concerns or guidance needed within the industry. Whether you’re a publisher, printer, vendor, or newcomer to the book world, your insights are invaluable. Help shape the future of AI in the book industry by completing the survey below. |
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Booknet Canada Recent Blog Posts:
New Research:
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RISE Bookselling Opportunity for Booksellers
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Applications are now open for the 2025 edition of the BA Conference, which will take place in Hinckley, UK, on the 21 & 22 of September 2025.
The 2-day event, organized by the Booksellers Association of the UK and Ireland, will once again gather booksellers and book trade professionals from all over the UK, Ireland, and beyond for a packed program of business sessions, publisher highlights, social events and networking. Applications are due 20 July, 2025. Through CIBA's membership with the European and International Booksellers Federation, CIBA bookseller members can apply to receive funding toward travel and participation costs. Click here for full details and application information. |
Upcoming AGM & Coffee Break Session
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Mark your calendars! Ahead of our 2024–25 AGM, we’ll be hosting a Coffee Break session with CIBA leadership on Monday, September 15, at 12:00pm ET. This informal gathering is an excellent opportunity for Bookseller Members to connect with the team and board, ask questions about the upcoming votes, and get familiar with the AGM process. Be sure to register for the Coffee Break session here.
As a reminder, the CIBA AGM will take place on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, via Zoom at 7:00pm ET. As per our bylaws, the AGM is open only to Bookseller Members. The meeting will be recorded and available for on-demand viewing in the Member Portal, and our annual report will be accessible to the entire CIBA community.
If you have any questions, please contact Laura Carter. |
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This message was sent to you by the Canadian Independent Booksellers Association If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe at any time P.O. Box 36099, Halifax NS B3J 3S9 {Organization_URL} |
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