2026 PASADENA OWNERS' RETREAT & SPRING FORUM SCHEDULE

CALIBA is meeting at the Pasadena Hilton for a day of lively conversation, education, rep picks, and networking at the Owners' Retreat, on Wednesday, May 27th, and the Spring Forum, on Thursday, May 28th.

*SPONSORSHIP INTEREST FORM OPEN!* FALL FEST BOOKSTORE TOUR

We will have a bookstore tour on Sunday, September 13th. There will be a select number of seats available for vendors and publishers to purchase. Special invites will be sent to our participating vendors and publishers closer to the event. Guarantee your spot by becoming a Bookstore Tour Sponsor today!

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

We are specifically requesting the following category submissions. Click here for more info.

WE SUGGEST PUBLISHERS SEND REVIEW COPIES

Fall titles & final submissions by June 19th

JULY SOCIAL MEDIA - BOOK SUBMISSIONS DUE JUNE 19TH

Booksellers have voted - and they would like to promote Paperback Book Day (7/30). Submit your latest paperback releases for summer reading lists by June 19th. Limit to 1 title per publisher. Spaces limited. Price: $100

A GOODBYE TOAST FOR KATHLEEN AND A GREAT GOOD PLACE FOR BOOKS

Come say goodbye to Kathleen Caldwell as she ends her long, illustrious career as bookseller extraordinaire and owner of A Great Good Place for Books. This is for book industry people: reps, booksellers, publishers, etc. There'll be cake and bubbly. Official toast will be around 3:45.

A Great Good Place for Books

6120 La Salle Ave, Oakland, CA

Sunday, May 31st @ 3-4:30 pm

Please RSVP: Carolyn@mrsdalloways.com

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.

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

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

1 - Wild Sisters Book Co., in Sacramento, is opening a second bookstore! 

2 - TBR Books, in Claremont, shares why they chose to be a Romance bookstore.

3 - Pages: A Bookstore, in Manhattan Beach, thanks the PRH team for visiting their store on their SoCal tour.

4 - Tía Chucha's Centro Cultural, in Sylmar, will give away 1,000 free new books during their Celebrating Words Festival on May 30th!

5 - Petunia’s Place, in Fresno, is giving away boxes of middle grade, young adult, and adult books for their local little free libraries to claim.

6 - Avid Reader Davis is showing off some pretty great clues for their trivia night theme.

7 - Camino Books, in Del Mar, highlights a selection of books for Mental Health Awareness month.

8 - The Pleasant Pheasant Bookstore, in Woodland, has a very pretty springtime book display.

In the News

• A Great Good Place for Books, Oakland, Calif., Closing
• Amazon Shifts Prime Day from July to June
• SCBWI'S Volemos Grant Expands to Include Illustrators
• The Love Potion Library Debuts in San Francisco, Calif.
• Image of the Day: A Thousand Cuts at Book Soup
• The Binc Gala: Celebrating 30 Years of Amazing Work and Planning for the Future

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

• *NEW* A Great Good Place for Books - GoFundMe
• 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

• *NEW* Binc Regional Fall Tradeshow Scholarship application deadline is June 8th
• *OPENING 5/18* Macmillan Booksellers Professional Development Scholarship application deadline is June 1st
• Books Across Borders 2026-27 Fellowship Application
• Black Bookstore Heritage Grant

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

• 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

The Fake Divination Offense

Sara Raasch

9781250428790

Hannah

Executive Director

Midnight Library

Matt Haig

9780525559498

Valentina

Operations Manager

For Human Use

Sarah G. Pierce

9780316586535

Check out CALIBA’s 2026 Reading List!

• For Authors: How to Partner with Independent Bookstores
• From the ABA: Urge Congress to Reverse Tariffs
• Anti-Censorship Resources
• Panorama Picks - Books in Demand at US Libraries

Click here for a complete list.

Hannah Walcher

Executive Director

hannah@caliballiance.org

Valentina Moberg

Operations Manager

valentina@caliballiance.org

Alecia Reddick

Supporting Staff

alecia@caliballiance.org