03.12.26 CALIBA Publisher News & Information

Publisher Newsletter,

SUMMER CATALOG ADS CLOSE IN 3 DAYS! RESERVE NOW

2026 Inde Summer Reading Guide Banner
CALIBA Publisher Newsletter Banner

IN THIS ISSUE

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

2026 CALIBA Spring Forums


2026 Golden Poppy Book Awards

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

2026 Summer Reading Guide Ad Reservations

Social Media Promotions: Indie Bookstore Day Titles (April) and Teacher's Day Titles (May)

2026 Spring Forums Sponsorship & Promotional Opportunities

CALIBA Banner Promotions - Now through April

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

Dates and Deadlines

Bookseller Shoutouts

In the News

Fundraisers

Scholarships & Grants

Classifieds

CALIBA's Currently Reading

RESOURCES

HOUSEKEEPING

CALIBA BOOKSTORE MAP

CALIBA STAFF

BESTSELLERS LISTS

The Los Angeles Times & Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List

The San Francisco Chronicle & Northern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List

African American Literature Book Club
Independent Press Bestsellers Top 40

TOP 5 BESTSELLERS

Moonstone & Mist Bookshop logo

FLYING OFF THE SHELVES AT...

Moonstone & Mist Bookshop's first high school book fair!

1 - Midnight Muse by Lanie Tech

2 - Fake Skating by Lynn Painter

3 - Dilly's Wine & Flea by Marcy Mahoney

4 - A Legacy of Magic and Monsters by Kristen Jennings

5 - Soul of a Gentleman Witch by David Ferraro

For the week of March 8, 2026.

REP DIRECTORY

It's that time of year again! The directory is alphabetized by publisher/rep group and remains keyword searchable. Please take a look and email Valentina if any corrections are necessary!

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

2026 CALIBA SPRING FORUMS: OAKLAND EDUCATION SESSIONS

CALIBA Spring Forums feature lively conversation, education, rep picks, and networking. 

AND, new this year we'll meet the day before for owner-specific education sessions with our Owners' Retreat.

Oakland Spring Forum Education Panelists

Storytime Roundtable: Creating a Better Climate for Kidlit) 

Mac Barnett's Make Believe urges us to respect and support children's literature the way we'd respect and support reading for adults. Following his keynote, this session lets booksellers share their best ideas for curation and displays, advice for children's events, and ways to cultivate kids' joy in reading. Roundtable led by Carol Doup Muller (Hicklebee's, San Jose).

Education Panel: Make and Break Rules for Buying

Rules for buying & strategic inefficiencies. Panel led by Vanessa Martini (Green Apple Books, San Francisco), Steven Sparks (Point Reyes Books, Pt. Reyes Station),

and Grace Lane (Linden Tree Books, Los Altos).

Education Panel to Roundtable: Bookseller to Sales Rep Networking Breakout

Reps will introduce themselves, their jobs and their role in the industry. Then we break out into tables or sections for them to get to meet and greet with frontline booksellers. Speakers: Kristin Rassmussen (Scholastic), Marissa Moss (Creston Books) and Kevin Peters (PGW).

Education Panel: Event P&L

How to do Event P&L and why it is important. Led by Mary Williams (Skylight Books, Los Angeles). 

Education Panel to Roundtable: Hiring + Onboarding, Performance and Retention

A short introduction from panel about different stages of employee management to a breakout groups with panelists leading discussions for space to ask specific questions. Led by Eileen McCormick (Green Apple Books, San Francisco) and Camden Avery (Booksmith, San Francisco). 

Pasadena Owners' Retreat & Spring Forum

Author and rep picks invitations are being
sent this week - check your inbox.

5/27 Owners' Retreat | 5/28 Spring Forum

2026 GOLDEN POPPY AWARDS: SUBMIT YOUR TITLES BY CALIFORNIA AUTHORS TODAY!

We are specifically requesting the following category submissions (currently less
than 5 titles
have been submitted for these categories):

Click here for 2026 Golden Poppy Awards info.

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Have more promotion ideas or special events booksellers would find useful? Send in your ideas here.

2026 Indie Summer Reading Guide Cover Reveal

RAMP UP SUMMER SALES - 2026 SUMMER READING GUIDE AD RESERVATIONS CLOSE SUNDAY, MARCH 15TH

Curated Print & Digital Catalogs

Have you submitted your titles? Get your books in the essential summer reading catalog of 2026 by March 15th. Limited availability—reserve ad space now!

Bonus: all print ads include a free digital catalog ads.

Questions? Contact Suzanne Shoger

Cover illustration from The Worried Book / Howard Pearlstein, James Munro (Illustrated by) / Red Comet Press

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES (CONT'D)

Prose to the People

APRIL SOCIAL MEDIA - BOOK SUBMISSIONS DUE MARCH 20TH

Booksellers have voted - and they would like to promote Indie Bookstore Day (4/25). Submit your bookstore-related titles for our social media assets by Mar. 20th. Limit to 1 title per publisher. Spaces limited. Price: $100

Strike! by William D. Green

MAY SOCIAL MEDIA - BOOK SUBMISSIONS DUE APRIL 17TH

Booksellers have voted - and they would like to promote TEACHER'S DAY (5/5). Submit your teaching-related titles for our social media assets by April 17th. Limit to 1 title per publisher. Spaces limited. Price: $100

Sponsorships & Promotions Deadline Extended

2026 SPRING FORUMS SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: PASADENA APPLICATIONS CLOSE APRIL 27TH

Help us make the Spring Forums a unique book industry celebration AND more affordable for booksellers! 

Become a Sponsor and receive credit towards future CALIBA digital promotions and a free welcome bag insert at the show.

Share your titles on our Galley Tables: send in your Golden Poppy submissions, California-focused titles, California-based authors, and more.

Get your books in front of the most reliable influencers:

California's Independent Booksellers.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:

Bookseller Sponsorships

Owners' Retreat Sponsorships

Event Sponsorships

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:

Welcome Bag Inserts 

Galley Placement

$100 Off CALIBA Banner Promotions

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

Proud Member of CALIBA window decal

Publishers, Sales Reps & Book Industry Professionals (Non-voting)

Individual: $150

Small House & Commission Groups: $250 (up to 3 sales reps)

Large House: $550 (up to 6 sales reps)

Membership Perks:

  • Discounted admission/exhibit space to our annual Fall Fest
  • Free or discounted rates at education and member programs
  • Subscription to our weekly e-newsletter & bestseller list
  • Stay up-to-date with industry, association and bookstore news
  • Access to our online Rep Directory
  • Post your job openings in our classifieds

Click here for more details.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

March: Women's History Month / National Reading Month / Indie Press Month / Ramadan (Feb 17-Mar 19)

*SUNDAY* March 15: 2026 Summer Reading Guide Ad Reservations Close - Book Now!

March 31-April 1: 2026 NorCal Owners' Retreat & Spring Forum in Oakland

April: Arab American Heritage Month / National Poetry Month / International Customer Loyalty Month / National Stress Awareness Month

April 7: National Black Bookstore Day

April 25: Independent Bookstore Day

CALIBA Bookseller Shoutouts
1 - The Fleuria, in Los Angeles, is celebrating their one year anniversary. Happy Birthday! 2 - In the News On Waverly, in San Francisco, was featured by the longest-running digital publication for Asian American Women, Mochi Magazine. SFGATE’s Best of Bay Area Reader’s Choice Contest nominations close March 17 at midnight. 3 - International Women’s Day + Women’s History Month Judging by the Cover: A Bookstore (Fresno) Peninsula Book Collaborative (Daly City) Word Horde Emporium (Petaluma) Ruby’s Books (Folsom) The Book Jewel (Los Angeles) Vroman’s Bookstore (Pasadena) You Should Read (San Diego) Leigh’s Favorite Books (Sunnyvale) 4 - Bookshop Santa Cruz is celebrating Indie Press Month with a new table display. 5 - Bel Canto Books, in Long Beach, has a bit of inspiration for customers - “Everybody fails - the true test is not when but how you will begin again.” – Devon Blow 6 - Once Upon a Time Bookstore, in Montrose, has a fun event happening in their community, the annual Montrose Spring Wine Walk! 7 - Green Apple Books, in San Francisco, announced a winner for their Love Melts I.C.E. fundraiser benefiting the Immigrant Law Cernter of Minnesota.,  8 - Small World Books, in Venice, is celebrating March Madness with a display. Who’s in your bracket?

1 - The Fleuria, in Los Angeles, is celebrating their one year anniversary. Happy Birthday!

2 - In the News

3 - International Women’s Day + Women’s History Month

4 - Bookshop Santa Cruz is celebrating Indie Press Month with a new table display.

5 - Bel Canto Books, in Long Beach, has a bit of inspiration for customers - “Everybody fails - the true test is not when but how you will begin again.” – Devon Blow

6 - Once Upon a Time Bookstore, in Montrose, has a fun event happening in their community, the annual Montrose Spring Wine Walk!

7 - Green Apple Books, in San Francisco, announced a winner for their Love Melts I.C.E. fundraiser benefiting the Immigrant Law Cernter of Minnesota., 

8 - Small World Books, in Venice, is celebrating March Madness with a display. Who’s in your bracket?

In the News

Don't forget to follow CALIBA (@caliba_20)!

FUNDRAISERS

SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS

Have a grant or scholarship listing for booksellers? Email Alecia to be listed on our site.

CLASSIFIEDS

Have a classified listing for booksellers? Email Alecia to be listed on our site.

CALIBA'S CURRENTLY READING

Alecia

Supporting Staff

Daggermouth by H.M. Wolfe

Daggermouth

H.M. Wolfe

9798347122363

Hannah

Executive Director

Exit Party: A Novel Emily St. John Mandel 9780593321461

Exit Party: A Novel

Emily St. John Mandel

9780593321461

Valentina

Operations Manager

Starter Villain John Scalzi 9781250879394

Starter Villain

John Scalzi

9781250879394

Check out CALIBA’s 2026 Reading List!

RESOURCES

Click here for a complete list.

HOUSEKEEPING

ADDRESS CHANGE AND BANK UPDATE

California Independent Booksellers Alliance (CALIBA), has changed our address and bank. We request that all ACH payments be deposited in our new account. For our updated W-9 and ACH instructions, please email Valentina Moberg at valentina@caliballiance.org.

CALIBA

266 Wood St Unit 404

Livermore, CA 94550

CALIBA Bookstore Map

CALIBA BOOKSTORE MAP

This map shows our current

bookstore members.

CALIBA Merchandise

CALIBA STAFF

Hannah Walcher

Executive Director

hannah@caliballiance.org

Valentina Moberg

Operations Manager

valentina@caliballiance.org

Alecia Reddick

Supporting Staff

alecia@caliballiance.org

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