Posts Tagged Bookstore Owners
Higher education scholarships to available to bookstore employees.
Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation to offer up to $100,000 in higher education scholarships to Bookstore employees
Ann Arbor, MI (February 18th, 2013) – The Binc Foundation is pleased to announce that we are accepting applications from February 18th, 2013 through April 18th, 2013 for the Binc Foundation Scholarship program. The program will offer up to 35 higher education awards totaling $100,000 to eligible bookstore employees, bookstore owners, former Borders employees and dependents of bookstore employees, owners and former Borders employees.
Since 2001, the Foundation has supported the educational goals of almost 500 recipients with over 1.1 million dollars in awards. Now in the twelfth year, the focus on making a positive impact in the lives of bookstore employees and their families extends to all current employees and owners of retail bookstores in the U.S., or their dependents who have a minimum of one year of continuous employment at the bookstore. The bookstore must have a bricks and mortar presence in the U.S. and have a substantial portion of the store’s revenue coming from the sale of books. Eligible employees must be employed directly by the bookstore.
The 2013 program will be conducted by Scholarship Management Services (SMS). The evaluation process will utilize selection criteria including financial need, prior academic success, leadership capabilities, participation in school and community activities, work experience and a statement of career aspiration. If you are interested in applying we encourage you to apply at https://www.scholarshipamerica.org/binc/.
About Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation
The Book Industry Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that coordinates charitable programs to strengthen the bookselling community. Established in 1996, as the Borders Group Foundation the core program provides assistance to bookstore employees who have a demonstrated financial need arising from severe hardship and/or emergency circumstances. Since its inception, the organization has provided over $5 million in charitable assistance.
In 2011, when Borders and Waldenbooks stores closed, the Foundation reinvented itself and expanded its mission. The Foundation increased the reach from former Borders employees and their families to all employees in the book industry, starting with book retailers.
Support for the Foundation’s programs and services come primarily from booksellers. Additional information can be found at www.bincfoundation.org.
Leslie McGuirk Shares her #SIBA12 Experience
Posted by Wanda in Authors as Guest Bloggers, SIBA Trade Shows on October 1, 2012
Being on the panel at the SIBA trade show in Naples, FL gave me a rare perspective on the inner workings of other 
authors and illustrator of children’s books. Those of us in the profession rarely meet each other since our work involves a lot of isolated time in our studios. We got to share our delights and joys and ups and downs of our magical profession with an audience of our biggest appreciators, independent bookstore owners. It is rare to have an open dialogue with people who know and believe in the work we do. For sure we should have more exchanges like this in the future. I believe creative people have a lot to share. We are by nature isolated storytellers. I think anyone who owns a bookstore is a lover of tales . Perhaps meeting more of us in the creative trenches would add new ways to get buyers excited by books. After the panel discussion, I was truly touched by how many buyers came to my book signing and wanted to know more about my new book, The Moogees Move House. I think SIBA people are passionate about creativity and books and I was deeply appreciative of their enthusiasm.
#SIBA12 – not only interesting professionally, it was a lot of fun
Posted by Wanda in Authors as Guest Bloggers, SIBA Trade Shows on September 17, 2012
The SIBA trade show was not only interesting professionally, it was a lot of fun. My favorite part was the flash mob twist on Sunday morning!
Talking with bookstore owners there, I found confirmation for my own observations, based on a busy year of doing 
readings for the three books I published this past year. I visited some fairly new stores, such as Union Ave (Knoxville), I Love Books (Kingsport, TN), and Flyleaf Books (Chapel Hill). I visited some venerable stores in attractive new settings, such as Morris Books (Lexington, KY) and the Flying Pig (Shelburne, VT). And I visited some long-established stores, such as Malaprop’s (Asheville), Quail Ridge (Raleigh), and McIntyre’s (Pittsboro, NC). Before setting out, I had read nothing but gloom and doom in book trade publications and the national media. But on my travels I discovered that the bookstores I was visiting were not only alive, they were thriving. Many served as focal points for their communities, where book clubs and other groups met and a steady stream of writers spoke.
Although a number of stores have, of course, closed due to competition from ebooks, online retailers, and the chains, those that have survived appear to be settling into a new role and doing well at it. Recently I read that over a hundred new bookstores have opened since 2008, and that independents have been maintaining their market share. At the SIBA conference Jamie Fiocco of Flyleaf Books (Chapel Hill) attributed this, at least partially, to the “buy locally” movement across the country that is encouraging people to funnel their money back into their own communities by supporting local independent businesses.
In sum, this confirmation from talking to folks at SIBA of what I had observed for myself on the road has really forced me to think about the gap between the lived reality of bookselling in this country, up against the relentlessly negative portrait painted by the media. I don’t know why this gap exists, only that it does – and needs to be challenged.
Many thanks to Wanda and the SIBA staff and members for such an enlightening and entertaining weekend!
—- Lisa Alther
Book Blogger Shows #SIBA10 Some Love and Then Some More
Posted by Wanda in SIBA Trade Shows on October 20, 2010
When I started my book blog a little over two years ago, book reviews were in a precarious place. Many of the traditional media outlets were discontinuing their book review sections and publishers and authors were looking for new ways to get their books noticed. They began turning to book bloggers to fill the void left behind.
As a book blogger who likes to feature book related content, as well as book reviews, I attend as many author and book events as possible. Quite often at these events, I find myself explaining (and sometimes defending) book blogs. That’s not the case at SIBA! I’ve been lucky enough to attend this wonderful event the last two years and have found that the folks at SIBA know the true meaning of Southern hospitality. I felt welcome and appreciated both years. Sure, people have questions, but only because they want to know more – they’ve never questioned my validity. This year, I was pleased to see that SIBA featured a panel encouraging booksellers to work with book bloggers.
Attending SIBA is like attending a weekend long book party, and it’s heavenly to a book geek like me. There’s not a whole lot better than spending a weekend rubbing elbows with bloggers, authors, bookstore owners and publisher’s reps. I came home tired, but also enthusiastic and refreshed! I love learning about new books, trends in publishing and book selling, and author’s motivations and goals.
I think so highly of the wonderful booksellers I’ve met at SIBA, I decided to create The Okra Picks Challenge to encourage people to read the fantastic Southern books being promoted by them. I am proud to feature Okra Picks on my blog!
I can’t thank everyone at SIBA enough for the warm welcome they’ve given me the past two years and I look forward to seeing everyone again next year!
Thanks,
Kathy, Bermudaonion’s Weblog
Lady Banks Bookshelf
