Bookseller Associations
In addition to the American Booksellers Association, there are eight regional trade associations that provide programming, education, and support for independent booksellers. Brick and mortar bookstores that are independently owned (not owned by a publicly-traded corporation) are encouraged to explore the membership benefits of their regional association as well as the American Booksellers Association.
"My first piece of advice to anyone interested in opening a bookstore is to join their regional IBA. Their events and programming have been essential to my bookselling life." -- Sarah Krammen, Dragonfly Books "Membership in my regional association has given me strong connections with my local bookstores, and has opened many many doors into deeper involvement in the book community, both local and beyond." -- Clarissa Murphy, MIT Press Bookstore "Joining your regional association should be one of the first things a new bookstore does. It’s a no-brainer!" -- Mark Dupont, former VP of Book World "We went to our first association event just two years ago and I just about cried with all I learned and how much that would have been worth to me when we first opened. I feel like by not joining I made myself do things the hard way that I didn't have to." -- Cindi Whittemore, Ink Spell Books |
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The regionals often overlap, with two or more representing stores in the same state. It's normal. For clarity, the map above indicates which regional represents the most stores in that state. Here's the full breakdown, as of 2017:
- Illinois: GLIBA (32) & MIBA (15)
- Kentucky: GLIBA (7) & SIBA (2)
- Michigan: GLIBA (42) & MIBA (8)
- Montana: PNBA (5) & MPIBA (4)
- Nebraska: MIBA (4) & MPIBA (2)
- New York: NAIBA (38) & NEIBA (11)
- South Dakota: MIBA (2) & MPIBA (1)
- Virginia: NAIBA (9) & SIBA (6)
- Wisconsin: MIBA (47) & GLIBA (1)