PASADENA OWNERS' RETREAT & SPRING FORUM: REGISTRATION CLOSES MONDAY, 5/11 AT 5PM PST

CALIBA is meeting at the Pasadena Hilton for a day of lively conversation, education, rep picks, and networking at the Owners' Retreat (4 spots remaining), on Wednesday, May 27th, and the Spring Forum, on Thursday, May28th.

Online registration closing on May 11th at 5pm PST.

Owners' Retreat: No Door Registration. | Spring Forum: Bookstore Member registration welcome at the door.

Hotel room special pricing ended 4/27/26

CALL FOR MODERATORS AND EDUCATION PANELISTS

CALIBA is always looking for bookseller moderators and panelists for our shows. We'd love to add more voices and experiences each year! Help us discover you! 

*SAVE THE DATE* 2026 TRI-WEST SUMMER SCHOOL

Bookseller Summer School, presented by CALIBA, MPIBA, and PNBA – and open to all booksellers from any region – is a series of FREE, virtual summertime sessions offering professional development and networking opportunities all summer long, no travel required! Summer School sessions will start in June.

*SAVE THE DATE* FALL FEST BOOKSTORE TOUR

We will have a bookstore tour on Sunday, September 13th. Bookstore Tour Ticket Registration will open with Fall Fest Bookseller Registration.

CALIBA SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ASSETS

*SAVE THE DATE* Juneteenth (6/19) - assets available May 22nd

BANNED BOOKS WEEK (10/4-10/10)

*SAVE THE DATE* Banned Books Week -
October 4-10, 2026

CERTIFIED INDIE BOOKSTORE CAMPAIGN

View the public-facing page and download the assets: includes the Certified Independent Bookstore logo, Infographic (below), and more!

SHOW OFF YOUR CALIBA SPIRIT
Click here to download the Proud Member of CALIBA file (Login required).

CALL FOR BOOKSELLERS

CALL FOR MENTORS

In need of more mentors for BIPOC, niche & small stores

JOIN A CALIBA COMMITTEE

5% DISCOUNT FOR CALIBA MEMBERS - Independent Study: CALIBAind | Live Courses: CALIBAlive

LIVE COURSES:

Bookstore Year One Begins! - Register Now

Enrollment is Always Open! Stores are welcome to join the day they open, and will cycle through all the topics over the period of a year.

INDEPENDENT STUDY COURSES:

- School-Facing Events - Register Now

- Inventory Management - Register Now

- Basic Bookselling Store Subscription - Register Now

Start your 2025 ABACUS! (Need help? Register for a workshop and/or office hours!)

Nominate Booksellers for the Booksellers Advisory Council by May 13th!

Check out the Summer/Fall 2026 Indies Introduce titles!

View the full list of Ci2026 authors and speakers.

Download the 2026 Q3 marketing calendar handouts!

Register now for ABA’s Annual Meeting and Community Forum!

National Book Ban Bill - Download Assets

HOW TO PREPARE FOR ICE RAIDS IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Here are the top 6 things to do to prepare for ICE raids at your store or in your community.

• Educate yourself and make a plan.
• Be prepared to handle an ICE worksite raid.
• Know what to do if Immigration comes to your workplace.
• If you're within 100 miles of a US border, know how your rights/experience may differ.
• Confirm that your employee I-9 paperwork is accurate, complete, and accessible.
• If applicable, create signage with language like "We do not authorize entry for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)" for your front door or window, external signs that say “Private Property," and/or internal signs that say "Employees Only" or “No Entry Without Authorization.” This asserts your Fourth Amendment rights and your rights as a business and signals solidarity to those impacted by ICE in your community. 

CALCHAMBER'S EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK CREATOR ONLINE TOOL - Buy Now

TAKE ACTION: TELL THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION (FTC) AND STATES THAT AMAZON SHOULD GO TO TRIAL

"We need to show a groundswell of support from small businesses across the country to demonstrate the harms Amazon continues to have on small businesses and fair markets in our communities.  Tell the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and states that Amazon should go to trial.  

In 2023, the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 17 states sued Amazon for monopoly harms impacting small businesses ability to compete and for harms to consumers by raising prices across the internet.

The case is currently scheduled for trial in March 2027, but the time for action is NOW. Here's why. 

We've seen Amazon use their influence to skirt accountability before.This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — we must show our support for this lawsuit and trial to discourage the FTC and states from backing down — either through settlement or dropping the case. Don't let Amazon get away with a slap on the wrist."

Click here to sign the letter of support.

THE GHOSTBUYERS' GUIDE TO BECOMING A GREAT BOOKSTORE BUYER

With the enormous influx of new stores, Ghostbuyers wants to provide a resource to help navigate the wilderness of publisher catalogs, buying processes, engaged inventory management, and more.

In this course, you’ll find tips and best practices, practical advice and wisdom gained from 20+ years of buying, teaching, and solving problems for many facets of the book industry. Figuring out how to buy books for your store can be daunting. The aim of this course is to both demystify the process and to give concrete lessons on how to buy for your store. Register Now.

Coupon code CALIBADISCOUNT, they'll receive $50 off the price of the course.

OMNIBUS WEBINAR VIDEO AVAILABLE

Running a bookstore means juggling a lot of systems that weren't built for books. Omnibus changes that — one platform connecting inventory, ordering, and Edelweiss catalog and analytics with your POS. Square is first, with more platforms on the way. Click here for more information and view the Webinar.

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

May 3-9: National Small Business Week

May 5-11: Children's Book Week

May 10: Mother's Day

May 15: CALIBA Board of Director ballots will be sent to bookstore principal members

May 27-28: SoCal Owners' Retreat & Spring Forum

June: Pride Month / Audiobook Appreciation Month

June 19: Juneteenth

June 21: Father's Day

June 26-29: ABA Children's Institute

Don't forget to follow and tag us (@caliba_20) to be featured! CALIBA's Media Outlet Resource Doc has info about being featured by Shelf Awareness, USA Today, and Bay City News.

1 - The Book Seller, in Grass Valley, is turning 50!

2 - Mysterious Galaxy, in San Diego, is going to be 33 years old!

3 - Judging by the Cover Books, in San Dimas, is thanking their community for showing up - but they’re not out of the woods yet!

4 - Shop Around the Corner Books, in Redding, has opened in their new space. It looks great!

5 - Sweet Reads Book Truck, in North County San Diego, has soft launched with their first pop-up event!

6 - Arvida Book Co., in North Tustin, is helping to stop the scroll with an analog lunch hour.

7 - A Seat at the Table Books, in Elk Grove, is inviting people in who have complicated relationships with their moms for Mother’s Day.

8 - Lido Village Books, in Newport Beach, has book selections for “moms, mother figures, and the ones who showed up in every chapter!”

In the News

• TBR Books Opens in Claremont, Calif.
• Raven and Pines Bookstore Hosts Grand Opening in Oakhurst, Calif.
• 'The Best Independent Bookstores in America'
• Northern California Staple to Shutter
• Are indie bookstores being pushed out by rising rents?
• Bookseller Workout Video (with Cat!)
• National Little Free Library Day Set for May 17 to Launch Week of Celebrations
• Chronicle Opens Slush Pile to Celebrate Children’s Book Week
• ALA Unveils Banned Books Week 2026 Artwork
• Publishers File Lawsuit Against Meta, Mark Zuckerberg
• Student Reading App Sora Reports on Digital Literacy Trends
• Book Bans Increasingly Target Nonfiction, PEN America Reports

Want to share your personal story or concerns as a small business owner more broadly? Share your OpEd, Think Piece, or Slice of Life story with your local media outlets. CALIBA is building a shared Media List here. Find or add contacts.

• LibroMobile - Donate
• Judging by the Cover - GoFundMe
• Get Lit Books & Things - GoFundMe
• Dandar's Games and Books - GoFundMe
• Northtown Books - Give a Hand
• 2025 LA Fires Resources Page

• Books Across Borders 2026-27 Fellowship Application
• Black Bookstore Heritage Grant

• Editor - Silver Dolphin & Studio Fun, San Diego
• Designer - Silver Dolphin & Studio Fun, San Diego
• Copy Editor - VIZ Media, San Francisco
• Licensed Publishing Director - Chronicle Books, San Francisco or New York

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

Alecia

Supporting Staff

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not A Villain Anymore

Emily Krempholtz

9780593954300

Hannah

Executive Director

Midnight Library

Matt Haig

9780525559498

Valentina

Operations Manager

Play Nice

Rachel Harrison

9780593642573

Check out CALIBA’s 2026 Reading List!

Virtual office hours will resume in June. Join our monthly office hours (fourth Thursdays) to co-work with Hannah! Have a question, idea, or comment about a CALIBA program? Office hours are a great chance for you to check in directly with your Executive Director. Click here to register for a morning session (9-10am) or afternoon session (2-3pm) — or email Hannah to set up an appointment.

Hannah Walcher

Executive Director

hannah@caliballiance.org

Valentina Moberg

Operations Manager

valentina@caliballiance.org

Alecia Reddick

Supporting Staff

alecia@caliballiance.org

Support CALIBA

Publishers support CALIBA when bookstores participate.

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