Hello all!

Fall isn’t far away, but we have a few more weeks of summer still to enjoy. This month’s newsletter includes new resources, info about upcoming events, and some important updates and reminders.

Let’s get into it, shall we?

TBL Updates

TBL Summer just got a bit hotter

On August 4, we were thrilled to celebrate the publication of Kelly Anderson's The Wild Beneath. The same day, this TBL Summer Top Pick was announced as this month's selection for Reese's Book Club.

This is a remarkable achievement for a debut Canadian author and a testament to what indie booksellers saw in The Wild Beneath from the start: author talent and this book's ability to connect with readers. By championing the books they believe in, indies help exceptional stories find new audiences.

It's been an exciting summer for the campaign. We’ve seen strong engagement, standout titles, and plenty of enthusiasm from the bookselling community. Featured authors have added to the momentum with a series of fantastic promotional videos, including from Kelly Anderson, Shea Ernshaw, Richard Kelly Kemick, Nyla Matuk, and Ben Reeves.

With just two summer list titles yet to be released, we can’t wait to see all 20 books featured together in your store. Please send pictures of your displays to Nicola Dufficy or post on your social channels and tag @indiebookstoresca. This helps us track engagement and show publishers and funders how booksellers are embracing the program.

Although summer isn’t over, we’re already gearing up for fall. The marketing toolkit for TBL fall will hit inboxes next week—stay tuned!

Update on TBL Kids

We are delighted to share that TBL: Best Kids' Books of 2026 received a record 986 nominations from indie bookstores across the country. 

We were inspired by the level of engagement and enthusiasm you brought to the process. Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations and helped create and maintain momentum over the last few weeks. We will announce the selections very soon.

Need more info about how to get involved with TBL, or curious about upcoming program dates? Check out our Guidelines for Booksellers, Guidelines for Publishers, or email Nicola Dufficy. It’s going to be an exciting fall!

Register Now: Upcoming Events

Discussion Group: Navigating In-store and Online Harassment
Wednesday, August 19
12pm PT, 1pm MT, 2pm CT, 3pm ET, 4pm AT, 4:30pm Newfoundland

Join fellow booksellers to share the challenges your store faces related to in-store and online harassment. Exchange experiences, discuss strategies for de-escalating difficult situations, and learn about solutions that have worked for others. Together, we can build a stronger network of support to help create safer, more welcoming spaces for staff and customers alike.

Holiday Success Starts Here: Tips from Penguin Random House Canada
Wednesday, August 26
12pm PT, 1pm MT, 2pm CT, 3pm ET, 4pm AT, 4:30pm Newfoundland

Join Athmika Punja, Senior Director of Retail Sales and Operations, and Kelly Rankin, Senior Manager, Customer Operations, as they walk through the essential steps to ensure optimal stock positioning for the holiday sales period.

This event will help you and your store anticipate the incoming challenges of the holiday selling season. Topics will include an overall supply chain review (including information on shipping timeframes and PO tracking), an ordering calendar highlighting key moments that impact delivery times, and updates on Western Canada bookstores and the Reno, NV warehouse.

Leveraging Analytics for Better E-Commerce
Tuesday, September 15
4pm PT, 5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET, 8pm AT, 8:30pm Newfoundland

Whether you use Bookmanager or a third-party engine for your website, ensuring your bookstore’s website is optimized to collect analytics on traffic, customer behaviour, and the efficacy of “make or break” landing pages is a critical part of online marketing. Web and social metrics can show you how online customers are finding you, what they are doing once they’re on your website, and why they may be abandoning their carts.

In this session, Ariel Hudnall, Managing Director at Serif, will show booksellers how to connect their websites to Google Analytics, find the metrics that matter most, and how to use dashboards to make reviewing your data easier.

Popcorn & Pages Updates

CIBA’s Popcorn & Pages partnership with Landmark Cinemas continues this fall with Victorian Psycho, opening September 25.

Based on the “horrifyingly beloved” novel by Virginia Feito (Penguin Random House Canada), the gothic horror film stars Maika Monroe as an eccentric governess who arrives at a remote Victorian manor where members of the household begin to disappear.

CIBA and Landmark, with support from PRHC, will lead a promotional campaign around the film’s release. We will provide an expanded toolkit of assets that all members can use to promote the film, the source material, and related books. We are also working to coordinate special advance screenings in Edmonton, Calgary, Surrey, Whitby, and Winnipeg, along with vouchers for bookstores in other relevant markets.

Bookstore Members: please stay tuned for more info! In the meantime, we recommend reviewing your stock of Victorian Psycho.

Two other major adaptations will arrive in theatres before then:

• Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars (August 28) is based on Peter Heller’s post-apocalyptic novel about a pilot searching for a better life after a devastating pandemic. The cast includes Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, and Margaret Qualley.
• Practical Magic 2 (September 11) reunites Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as the inimitable Owens sisters. The sequel draws from Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic and also features Joey King, Maisie Williams, Dianne Wiest, and Stockard Channing.

As a reminder, CIBA recently launched a Book-to-Screen Adaptation Calendar. Members are encouraged to review other upcoming adaptations to help plan ordering, displays, events, and promotions around major releases.

Not a member? Join now to access a range of resources, events, and more.

Sponsored: Celebrate Great Nonfiction with
Writers’ Trust of Canada

Independent booksellers play an important role in helping readers find nonfiction that informs, challenges, and offers new ways of seeing the world. That work feels especially valuable right now, as misinformation and censorship become increasingly difficult to ignore. 

With this in mind, Writers’ Trust of Canada is inviting bookstores to take part in a new campaign to shine a spotlight on nonfiction—particularly the work of Hanif Abdurraqib, winner of the 2026 Hilary Weston International Award, and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, winner of the 2025 Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction.

Booksellers can now request posters and bookmarks for in-store use, as well as digital assets for easy online promotion. There is no cost or promotional requirement to participate, though bookstores are encouraged to tag @writerstrust in relevant posts for engagement and reach.

Thank you for promoting well-written, thoughtfully researched nonfiction, both independently and in collaboration with Writers' Trust.

Wildfire Support & Other Emergency Resources

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has gathered practical information to help businesses prepare for wildfires and respond if they are affected. Its wildfire support page includes guidance on insurance coverage, tax relief, emergency planning, and region-specific resources.

CFIB also offers broader advice on emergency preparedness, including how to identify potential risks, protect important records, and create evacuation procedures. These resources are publicly available and may be useful for booksellers and other industry businesses across Canada.

Members with a CFIB add-on can log in to the CFIB Member Portal to access additional tools, including templates and business interruption checklists.

If you have any questions about adding CFIB to your membership or suggestions for resources we can create or compile, please email Laura Carter.

Libro.fm Updates

July Bestsellers

Libro.fm has shared its top-selling audiobooks through independent bookstore partners for July. The top 10 titles were:

1. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
   
2. Whistler by Ann Patchett
   
3. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
   
4. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
5. The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI by Cory Doctorow
6. Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
   
7. The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
   
8. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
   
9. This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum
   
10. Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan

This information provides another useful snapshot of what readers are enjoying—including where there is (and is not) crossover with physical bestsellers!

Bookstore Romance Day Sale

We also wanted to share that Libro.fm will offer hundreds of romance titles on sale from today until August 19, in celebration of Bookstore Romance Day this coming Saturday, August 15.

Booksellers can find promotional assets in the Libro.fm Bookseller Hub.

Libro.fm Announces Plans to Introduce E-Books

ICYMI, Libro.fm announced last week that it is expanding to offer e-books.

CIBA is gathering more info, but the company has shared plans for flexible credits that can be used for audiobooks or e-books, customizable bookstore storefronts, and a feature called LibroSync, designed to let readers move between e-book and audiobook editions when they own both formats.

Indies will also receive access to e-book ARCs (in addition to the ALC program).

Apply to the RISE Booksellers Exchange

CIBA Members can now apply for the next round of the RISE Booksellers Exchange Programme!

This program gives booksellers an opportunity to spend three days working at a bookshop in another country to learn how other stores operate, exchange practical ideas, and build connections. Selected booksellers receive a grant to help offset travel/accommodation and other exchange-related expenses.

Placements will be determined based on applicant preferences, language, bookshop profile, and travel logistics. Bookshops can also apply to join RISE’s network of potential hosts for visiting booksellers.

Visit the RISE Booksellers Exchange website for eligibility requirements and program details or to apply. The deadline to apply is September 7.

Exchanges will take place from November 16-March 20.

BookNet Canada: July Sales & Market Insights

How did Canadian indies perform last month? BookNet Canada is here to help!

Some highlights:

• Overall year-to-date (YTD) sales are up 5.8% over last YTD (!)
• Titles by Canadian contributors are up 8.4% over last YTD
• Books by Canadian contributors made up 19% of sales so far this year

The report also highlights top-selling July releases by Canadian writers, including Mistress of the Persian Boarding House by Marina Nemat and Our Wild Familiars by Dan Werb, which were both selections for the summer edition of The Booksellers’ List.

Members can read the full report in the Member Portal.

Register Now for the AGM & Coffee Break

CIBA’s next AGM is just around the corner!

Before we gather for the official meeting, we invite all Bookseller Members to join us for a casual Coffee Break Session on Monday, September 14, at 1pm ET via Zoom. This session provides an opportunity to ask questions you might have about the upcoming votes and the AGM itself. You can register for the Coffee Break session here.

The AGM will be held on September 23 at 7pm ET and is exclusively for Bookstore Members as per our bylaws. Registration is required.

For those who can’t attend live, the meeting will be recorded and available to booksellers in the Member Portal. The annual report will be shared in the October newsletter.

If you have any questions, please contact Laura Carter.

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