**No newsletter next week, we will hopefully see you at the Del Mar Spring Forum!**

*NEXT WEEK* CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK: May 5-11

The twice-annual celebration of children’s books and reading. Established in 1919, it is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country, now celebrating its 105th anniversary with over 3,000 participating schools, libraries, and bookstores in all 50 states. Sign up to participate and download free resources.

NOW MORE THAN EVER, I STAND WITH BOOK AND COMIC STORES CAMPAIGN FROM BINC: STARTS MONDAY, MAY 19TH 

The Now More Than Ever, I Stand with Book and Comic Stores campaign has been created to address the increased need Binc is seeing.

Ways booksellers can help:

• Create a display using books from the list of authors who support Binc and the signage Binc will provide (list coming in May). Signage will encourage customers to buy a book and join the authors in supporting Binc by making a gift. 
• Support Binc in your newsletter. Binc will provide assets.
• Consider a “round up” or “give a dollar” at checkout to support Binc.
• Work with a local author to set up a fundraising page to support Binc. Email Jennifer for help customizing and to answer any questions.

BANNED BOOKS WEEK: October 5-11

Sign up now to receive a free Banned Books Week kit from the American Booksellers Association! Supplies are limited and will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis only for ABA member stores.The deadline to request a kit is June 15th. Find details and sign up now!

BAY AREA KIDS BOOKSELLERS INVITE CALIBA MEMBERS TO JOIN THEIR "BE THE REASON CAMPAIGN"

The "Be the Reason" campaign is a call to action for our customers and communities which begins with "Be the Reason..." Simply asking our customers to do something small like buy a book, educate

themselves about bad faith book bans, and remember that Indie Bookstores are important community hubs in difficult times.

Find more information and assets for the campaign here. 

Bay Area Kids Booksellers (BAKB) is an unaffiliated bookseller affinity group in Northern California. They bring together children's booksellers for in-person meetings once a quarter with the aim to to provide opportunities for booksellers to network and share best practices while also encouraging publishers to see booksellers as the real life influencers we are. If you're a bookseller interested in joining or a publisher interested in sponsoring a meeting please email bayareakidsbooksellers@gmail.com.

May: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month / Jewish American Heritage Month / National Small Business Month

May 5: CALIBA's Winter Reading Guide (powered by RAMP) Available to Order

May 5-11: Children's Book Week

May 7: Spring Forum @ Hilton Garden Inn San Diego/Del Mar 

May 8: CALIBA's Summer Reading Guide (powered by RAMP) Delivered to Stores

*NEW DEADLINE* May 16: Deadline to Apply to Books Across Borders for Fall 2025-2026

May 17: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia

May 15: SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund Independent Bookstore Grant Applications Open

May 15: CALIBA Board of Director Voting Closes

May 22: ABA Annual Meeting and Community Forum. Zoom Registration.

May 26: Memorial Day

June: Pride Month / Audiobook Appreciation Month

June 11-14: ABA Children's Institute 2025 in Portland, OR

June 14: ABACUS, ABA’s free annual financial benchmarking survey due

June 15: Banned Books Week Kit Sign Up Deadline

July 15: SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund Independent Bookstore Grant Applications Close

September 17-18: Fall Fest @ South San Francisco Conference Center

October 5-11: Banned Books Week

We’d love to hear about your Independent Bookstore Day!

The CALIBA staff went around and visited some bookstores and events to celebrate.

Alibi Bookshop (Vallejo), The Avid Reader (Davis), Bookshop Benicia, Los Angeles Time’s Festival of Books, Napa: Copperfield’s Napa and Napa Bookmine; Pasadena: Dym - Book & Boba Shop and Octavia’s Bookshelf; Sacramento Book Crawl: Amatoria Fine Art Books, Beers Books, Capital Books, East Village Bookshop, Underground Books, and Wild Sisters Book Co.; A Seat at the Table Books (Elk Grove), and Wild Plum Books (St. Helena).

1 - Bookshop Santa Cruz, starting tonight (!) will be hosting weekly community events leading up to Pride weekend. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

2 - Diesel, A Bookstore Brentwood, is helping customers prep for Mother’s Day with their “momtacular” display 💐

3 - Wallflower Bookshop, in Oakland, is getting ready for summer pop-ups with our Summer Reading Guide ☀️

4 - The Book Seller, in Grass Valley, celebrating the best day of the year with a lovely window display 🤩

5 - Pegasus Books, in Berkeley, partnered with PLP to help their customers double their contributions with a matching grant! 📚💰

6 - Petunia’s Place, in Fresno, thanked their community and showed off their little @librofm Golden Ticket winner. 🏆

7 - Get Lit Books & Things, in Moreno Valley, thanked their collaborators and community for a fantastic Indie Bookstore Day 🎉

8 - Gamble House Bookstore, in Pasadena, had a fun story time on Indie Bookstore Day with some special guests 🐐🐰🐔

Don't forget to follow and tag CALIBA (@caliba_20) to be featured! CALIBA resources has

info about being featured by Shelf Awareness, USA Today, and Bay City News.

Click here for the Los Angeles Times & Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List

Click here for the San Francisco Chronicle & Northern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List

• National Accounts Manager - Chronicle Books, San Francisco
• Social Media Assistant - Chronicle Books, San Francisco
• Contracts Manager - Chronicle Books, San Francisco
• Experienced Bookseller Wanted - Camino Books, Del Mar

Alecia

Supporting Staff

Audre & Bash Are Just Friends

Tia Williams

9780316511087

Hannah

Executive Director

The Obelisk Gate

N.K. Jemisin

9780316229265

Valentina

Operations Manager

How to Keep House While Drowning

KC Davis

9781668002841

Support CALIBA

Publishers support CALIBA when bookstores participate.

Bookstore Participation = Publisher Sponsorship = CALIBA = Bookstore Education, Advocacy, Networking +++

Hannah Walcher, Executive Director

Livermore CA 94550