NAIBAhood NewsMarch 19, 2020

Coronavirus Crisis and Us

Much has changed in just the past few days. And much has stayed the same. On Saturday I read a proactive postby Chris Morrow the owner of Northshire Books and I want to share a small portion of it. “The big lesson fromthis virus is that we are all connected. We need each other. We are a global community - hopefully out of thismess can come a renewed appreciation of our shared humanity.”

Thanks to the initiative of our past president, Todd Dickinson of Aaron’s Books, the NAIBA Board has beensharing experiences and best practices with one another. We are all cleaning, sanitizing, and social distancing.We have all reached out to our staff and customers to offer solutions during this challenging time. We areworking from home, offering free shipping and free local and curbside delivery. We are following the directives ofour local communities which in some cases has resulted in reduced store hours and even store closings. And weare following our conscience to keep focused on doing the right thing for our employees, customers, communityand the planet. All this and keep our bookstores afloat. To that end we are contacting publishers to postponeshipments, send call tags and take advantage of delayed billing. Our publishing partners are being verysupportive.

I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that I’ve also been impressed by the leadership of Allison Hill and the ABA.Their proactive approach to this crisis has been very reassuring. If you haven’t seen their suggestions on actionsyou can take to keep your store viable, please visit ABA's covid19 resource page.

Finally, please know that our Executive Director Eileen Dengler, her staff, and the entire NAIBA Board are hereto help you in any way we can. We are all in this together.

Stay healthy!

Bill

bill reillythe river's end bookstore19 west bridge streetoswego, ny 13126

We have created a survey to ascertain the best way to serveour NAIBors, and better support our NAIBAhoodcommunities. Please take a few minutes to complete thesurvey. This is a dynamic survey, so we also ask you toreturn to update your answers as your circumstanceschange. Your participation is much appreciated.

NAIBA NOTES: COVID-19 Response

Thanks to our industry for their support of indie stores!From the ABA's website:

Ingram is currently reporting no disruptions due to the virus, it hasnotified ABA of the following:Ingram is currently committed to keeping its warehouses open even if allother Ingram staff works from home. If someone on the warehouse teamgets sick, Ingram may have to close that warehouse but would still be ableto ship from the other warehouses.Ingram’s shipping vendors, Fed Ex and UPS, don’t have any interruptionsin service at this time.This would normally be a slower time for Ingram so instead of reducingstaff for the season, they are keeping staffing levels high to handle theanticipated increase in volume from online orders and direct-to-home.

Ingram is helping stores shift to direct-to-home sales for customers by offering apromotion for the next few weeks. Stores that increase their direct-to-home business withIngram will receive a credit back from Ingram.For stores that have not used direct-to-home with Ingram before, instructions are onIpage. Click on Help --> FAQ --> Direct to Home. Some POS vendors, such as Booklog,have a DTH interface built into their mail order module. Check with your POS vendor.If stores have any issues with making payments they should communicate with theirIngram credit rep as soon as possible. Stores with specific requests should contact their Ingram sales rep.

Harper has donated a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal to promote shopping withindie bookstores.

Penguin Random House has asked that stores requesting call tags for cancelled authorevents reach out to customer service rather than their sales rep for the most efficientsupport. Bookstores are strongly encouraged to contact their sales rep and/or credit repwith questions and requests.

Hachette is offering an extra 5% for accounts that deliver Hachette books to theircustomers.

Chronicle Books is offering a targeted special that provides indie booksellers with anadditional discount and 90-day dating.

Bookshop.org has announced an increase in affiliate store commissions from 25% to30% for the next eight weeks. Bookshop will earn nothing off those sales; all profit will goto participating independent bookstores.

Libro.fm is offering a two-for-one membership for customers for $14.99 with the promocode “SHOPBOOKSTORESNOW” as well as a one-month gift membership for $15.Additionally, Libro.fm is using the hashtag #ShopBookstoresNow on social media.Booksellers can access free assets on the Bookseller Hub.

Litographs is extending the due date of all open invoices to May 31. Additionally, nowthrough the end of April, any orders placed by current customers will have 60-day terms.

ABA has a COVID-19 toolkit for independent booksellers.

Because bookstores are promoting their websites as an alternative to in-store shopping andhelping create this demand, ABA and the IndieCommerce team are offering the following toIndieCommerce and IndieLite stores:

1. Please visit the new “Coronavirus Resource Center” for IndieCommerce and IndieLiteusers at: https://www.bookweb.org/eCommerce. We’re updating this new resourcefrequently and we encourage you to check it often.

2. With the increased online sales volume, all IndieLite and IndieCommerce stores that useABA for credit card processing will be paid on a weekly basis rather than twice eachmonth. The new payment schedule will remain in effect for as long as sales volumeremains higher than normal. We’ll update you before changing the schedule back

3. Online customers are looking for free shipping, curbside pick-up, and free local delivery.Select any of those options to view a short video demonstration for how to enable it on

your site. If you need additional assistance setting up one of these delivery options, drop usan email at staff@bookweb.org.

4. Your customers want to support your store. Consider accepting donations by creating acustom product page for donations. Promote the donation page by setting up a prominentdonation button on your homepage or in the footer or header of your website.

5. Another way for customers to support your store is by offering them the option ofpurchasing gift cards and gift codes for future use. Be sure to prominently promote theseitems with buttons or banners on your website.

6. Post a message to your homepage regarding updated store hours, store contactinformation, and other important information that your customers need to know. You mayalso want to disable in-store payments as an online payment option if your store is closedto walk-in traffic.

ABA Forum for NAIBA Region

All indie booksellers — ABA members and non-members alike — are invited to take part in theAmerican Booksellers Association’s 2020 SpringForums, held in conjunction with NAIBA. Thisevent will provide an opportunity to share ideas,discuss industry issues, and receive updates onassociation projects. Allison Hill, ABA’s new CEOwill be on-hand as well, and this is an opportunityto meet our new industry leader. This event willbe a Zoom call with details to TBA.

Register HERE

Binc Announces Second Matching Gift Challenge

Binc has received over 80 requests in the past 72 hours. The bookstore employeesare concerned about not being able to buy food, pay rent, and other essentialliving expenses such as medication and medical treatments. They are alsoworried about being able to continue the work they love and the survival of theirbookstores.As the layoffs begin and bookstores shutter their doors, three authors have

recognized the urgent need booksellers now face and have answered with a second matching giftchallenge. Garth Stein, Tui Sutherland, and Amor Towles have combined their gifts and willmatch donations dollar for dollar up to a total of $41,000.Give a gift today to have your donation doubled. All gifts will be matched dollar for dollar - for atotal match of $41,000. Your support will go to work immediately as part of the solution for thesebooksellers, relieving some of the stress and worry in these increasingly unsure times.Above all, please encourage booksellers with a question or need to contact Binc by email athelp@bincfoundation.org or phone 866-733-9064.

Have You MetAnna Bright?

Anna Bright is an indiebookseller by day and an

author by night who still getsin trouble for reading when

The Beholder9780062845429(HarperTeen/HarperCollins)Selah has waited her whole life for ahappily ever after. As the onlydaughter of the leader of Potomac,she knows her duty is to find theperfect match, a partner who willhelp secure the future of her people.Now that day has finally come.But after an excruciatingly publicrejection from her closestchildhood friend, Selah’sstepmother suggests an unthinkablesolution: Selah must set sail acrossthe Atlantic, where a series ofpotential suitors awaits — and if shedoesn’t come home engaged, sheshouldn’t come home at all.From English castle gardens to thefjords of Norge, and under the eyeof the dreaded Imperiya Yotne,Selah’s quest will be the journey of alifetime. But her stepmother’sschemes aren’t the only secretshiding belowdecks…and the stakesof her voyage may be higher thanany happy ending.

she’s supposed to be doingother things. When not

hiding out among books, sheloves concerts, roller

coasters, and adventures athome and abroad. Anna liveswith her husband and cat in a

charming cobblestonedneighborhood in

Washington, DC, but you canfind her online at

www.annabrightbooks.comand on Twitter and

Instagram at @brightlyanna.The Boundless

9780062845450(HarperTeen/HarperCollins)

When Selah found true love withPrince Torden of Norway, she

never imagined she’d have to leavehim behind—banished from hiscourt as a traitor and a spy. All

because the Beholder’s truemission was a secret Selah’s crew

didn’t trust her to keep:transporting weapons to rebels

fighting against the brutaltsarytsya. Her Imperiya’s shadow

looms over the ship’s next port:Shvartsval’d, a place Selah hoped

she would never have to go.But gone is the girl filled with fear.

Now, with a stockpile of weaponsbelowdecks and another prince

waiting in the next port, Selah isdetermined to see the Beholder’s

quest to its end.The second book in this stunningalternate historical duology takes

readers on a journey into a darklysparkling fairy tale.

Fall Conference Author Submissions Are Open!

Publishers! It is that time of year, and we invite you to submityour authors for consideration to be featured at our annualFall Conference, October 25th-27th at the Hyatt Regency inBaltimore Inner Harbor, MD.

Submit your authors here!

NAIBAhood Review

Emily is a wildly talented artist who illustrated a series of popularchildren's books written by her indomitable grandmother. She is alsothe survivor of a devastating accident as a child that damaged her

The Book of Second ChancesKatherine Slee(Forever/HBG)9781538701652

both emotionally and physically. She has spent the last 15 yearshiding from the world. When her grandmother dies, she leaves aseries of letters and clues that force Emily to leave her nest, rejointhe world, and come to terms with her past and her grandmother’slegacy. This book has it all – a deeply moving tale, intriguingcharacters, and a very satisfying ending. An excellent choice for bookclubs as well!

Reviewed by: Carrie Deming, The Dog Eared Book

Around the NAIBAhood

Regional author William Boyle was interviewed in Shelf Awareness.

The Washingtonian featured many of our DC area stores in an article on how to support yourlocal bookstores right now.

Greenlight Bookstore, Books Are Magic, and Astoria Bookshop - all of NY - were featured in anarticle by the New York Vulture.

What We Are Reading

Eileen

Dear Edward : A Novel Ann Napolitano(Dial Press)9781984854780

Kathy Ellen

Our StopLaura Jane Williams

(Avon/HarperCollins)9780008366186

Kit

Master of SorrowsJustin T. Call

(Blackstone Publishing)9781982591786

Eileen DenglerExecutive Director

Kit LittleExecutive Administrator

Keep Your Staff In The Know!Encourage everyone on your staff to sign up for our NAIBAhood News as well as our Booksellersnewsletters. They will be up to date on industry developments, upcoming events, and new/future

release titles and programs that the publishers are excited about!

New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association516-333-0681| 2667 Hyacinth Street, Westbury, NY 11590| NAIBA.com