Hello all,

Autumn is in full swing! The leaves are changing, award finalists are being announced, and people across the country have slowly begun to chip away at their holiday shopping.

We have some important information for you this month including a preview of CIBA’s holiday marketing plans, bookseller insights, and more.

Pull on a cozy fall sweater and read on.

CIBA’s 2024 Holiday Marketing Campaign

The CIBA team is delighted to lead a marketing micro-campaign promoting indie bookstores to shoppers once again this holiday season.

Our annual membership survey found that booksellers are pressed for time when it comes to the holiday season while others have well-established holiday campaigns of their own. To support the former and complement the latter, we will promote broad-appeal messaging on our reader-facing social media channels throughout November and December. The theme of this year’s campaign is “The Bookseller Is In.”

A play on “The Doctor Is In,” messaging will focus on indie bookseller expertise, reliability, and unmatched customer service. Our content will encourage people to shop at indies for an enjoyable experience, the best in tailored book recommendations, and an opportunity to give back to their local communities during the holiday season. Our messages will be shared weekly and accompanied by eye-catching graphics that evoke the indie bookstore shopping experience. 

Members can take advantage of our efforts by sharing CIBA’s posts on Instagram and Facebook, by creating unique content using assets found here, or by hosting their own in-person or online “Office Hours.”

We are also welcoming book recommendations from members to share throughout the campaign period. If you’d like to suggest a title, please contact Kayla Calder. 

We can’t wait!

Recording: French Book Sales with Prologue

Are you interested in expanding your store's French book section? CIBA recently hosted Strategies and Support for French Book Sales with Prologue that will certainly help! Prologue is the largest distributor of French children's books in Canada. 

View the recording now to discover an overview of perennial favorites and bestsellers, top picks for next season, and information on account setup, sales support, and promotional terms with bilingual support to assist you through the process.

Not a CIBA member? Join now to access a range of benefits, including access to live events, recordings, and other business resources. 

Resource: Practicing and Modelling Inclusion

We know booksellers have been working hard to ensure their stores are stocked with the perfect gifts for the holiday season. But before you set up those twinkle lights, consider how you can ensure that your retail environment is a safe and equitable space for your customers during the holiday season and year-round.

We’ve curated a number of resources to help you get started. Check out Chapter 10 (Customer Service: Practicing and Modelling Inclusion) in CIBA’s Guide to Bookselling in Canada.

Not a CIBA member? Join now to access this exclusive educational resource and a treasure trove of additional assets.

Resource: All About the 2024 Fall Book Awards

It’s book awards season! Books that bear the stamp of approval from an award jury provide a unique draw for customers, whether they are seeking out exciting new reads for themselves or to give as gifts.

Are you caught up on the latest announcements? If not, visit our overview of the fall awards season now on the Member Blog. 

New RISE Study on Consumer Behaviour

As part of their ongoing mission to strengthen the resilience, capacity, and sustainability of the bookselling sector, RISE Bookselling released a new report: Consumer Behaviour – Book-Buying Trends, Reading Habits & Customer Needs. This report aims to equip booksellers with the knowledge they need to stay relevant, competitive, and future-proof.

Click here to see the Canadian report. Overarching information about the report and process can be found here.

Booksellers in the News

We love when Canadian independent bookstores are featured in the media. Here are some highlights from the past few months:

• Booksellers Association Builds Community (Publishers Weekly)
• Inventory: 6 B.C. bookstores to lose yourself in (BC Business) 
• Mystery bestsellers aplenty at Winnipeg crime bookstore (CBC) 
• The role local bookstores play in Canada (The Cord)
• 5 Of The Best Bookstores In Halifax, Nova Scotia (Forbes.com)
• Great Small Towns of Ontario (The Millstone News)
• Local bookstores to visit this fall (The Brock Press)

Checking in with BookNet Canada

Our colleagues at BookNet Canada continue to provide unique content and helpful resources related to the Canadian book industry.

Right now, you can:

• Catch up on their new research, Turning Pages: Print Book Use in Canada 2023, which benchmarks print book use in Canada, exploring the buying, borrowing, and reading habits of Canadian print book consumers.
• Check out the 2024 Canadian book market half-year review.
• Visit the blog for articles on subjects like the Dua Lipa book club influence and fantasy books.

Enjoy!

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