10.01.26 CALIBA Bookseller News & Information

October 1, 2026

in Bookseller Newsletter,

IN THIS ISSUE

BOOKSELLER SCHOLARSHIPS

James Patterson Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program

TAKE ACTION

Take Amazon to Trial Campaign Resources

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

2026 Fall Fest: Evaluation & Travel Reimbursement Forms

2026 Golden Poppy Awards: Winners Announced

Golden Poppy Promotions Brainstorming Session

Ways to Promote Golden Poppies in Your Store

Fall Fest Virtual Education Sessions from Show Sponsors in October

BOOKSTORE PROMOTIONS & MARKETING

Dates and Deadlines

Bookseller Shoutouts & In the News

CALIBA's Currently Reading

Resources

Become a Member Today

CALIBA Staff

BESTSELLERS LISTS

The Los Angeles Times & Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List

The San Francisco Chronicle & Northern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List

Independent Press Top 40 Bestsellers

Indie Next List & Kids' Indie Next List

BLK Bestsellers list - September 2026

BOOKSTORE MAP

This map shows our current bookstore members.

Note this info is public. Check your information on our website, then contact Alecia to update the map.

MEMBERSHIP EXPIRED?

Check your member compass here.

OPENED A NEW LOCATION? Add a new store location on our website and label your original location as the "Parent Company."

JOIN US ON DISCORD

Email Valentina to join.
Current CALIBA bookseller membership required.

BOOKSELLER SCHOLARSHIPS

James Patterson Bookseller Bonus Fall 2026

JAMES PATTERSON HOLIDAY BOOKSTORE BONUS PROGRAM

James Patterson is once again supporting independent booksellers with a revival of his Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program!

Patterson has pledged a personal contribution of $300,000, to be distributed in amounts of $500, to 600 booksellers from ABA member bookstores.

The nomination form is open until October 29th. Click here for more information and to nominate booksellers.

MORE SCHOLARSHIPS & FUNDRAISERS

TAKE ACTION

We know reining in Amazon's monopoly power is critical for leveling the playing field for independent businesses and creating thriving local economies. Right now, we have a significant opportunity with the antitrust lawsuit against Amazon brought by 19 states and the Federal Trade Commission. We're working with small business groups around the country to get 1,000 small and independent businesses signed on to this letter as a UNITED FRONT urging the government to TAKE AMAZON TO TRIAL. But, we need more signers. Would you consider joining the hundreds of small businesses who have signed the letter by Oct 9th? *** SIGN ON HERE *** LETTER TEXT LIST OF SIGNATORIES This is time-sensitive. Amazon is expected to file a motion to dismiss the case in mid-October. Don't let Amazon get away with it!

TAKE AMAZON TO TRIAL CAMPAIGN RESOURCES

"We're working with small business groups around the country to get 1,000 small and independent businesses signed on to this letter as a UNITED FRONT urging the government to TAKE AMAZON TO TRIAL. But, we need more signers. Would you consider joining the hundreds of small businesses who have signed the letter by Oct 9th?"

*** SIGN ON HERE ***

LETTER TEXT

LIST OF SIGNATORIES

This is time-sensitive. Amazon is expected to file a motion to dismiss the case in mid-October. Don't let Amazon get away with it!

COMPETE ACT UPDATE

"We're thrilled to share that the COMPETE Act (AB 1776) is officially law! The Governor signed it this morning [sic: September 30th]! You can read the full press release HERE .

As we’re all very aware, this is a HUGE deal! AB 1776 updates California's antitrust and consumer protection laws and gives the Attorney General and district attorneys new tools to take on monopolistic behavior. That means a fairer shot for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers, and real protection for consumers who have been paying the price for too little competition. In fact some of you may recall that at one point COMPETE was the Chamber's number one kill bill but today it became law!!"

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

2026 FALL FEST: EVALUATION & TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT FORMS

Your feedback is important to us! Help us make Fall Fest better next year by filling out the survey below.

BOOKSELLER EVALUATION FORM

TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT FORM

POST-FALL FEST RESOURCES

2026 GOLDEN POPPY AWARDS: WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Congratulations to the 2026 Golden Poppy Award Winners & Finalists! Thank you to everyone who attended the first in-person ceremony! In case you missed it, you can view photo highlights below in the Bookseller Shoutouts.

GOLDEN POPPY PROMOTIONS BRAINSTORMING SESSION

OCTOBER 7TH, 12-1PM PT

Have questions about how to champion the Golden Poppy Awards in your store? Join the CALIBA team to hear CALIBA's ideas, brainstorm ways you'd like to promote the finalists/winners, plus share the books you'd love to see submitted in for 2027! Click here to register.

WAYS TO PROMOTE THE GOLDEN POPPIES IN YOUR STORE

Moonstone and Mist Bookshop - 2025 Golden Poppy Display Contest Winner

DISPLAY CONTEST that will be running through January 31st. Winners will be announced in February 2027. 2025 Display Contest Winner: Moonstone & Mist Bookshop (pictured).

To enter the display contest tag @caliba_20 on instagram or submit photos of the display to Alecia.

MARKETING RESOURCES

In-Store Marketing: Posters, Shelf Talkers, and Winners Bookmarks; Online Marketing: Site Banners, Social Posts, and Partnerships with Edelweiss, IndieCommerce, Bookmanager, Bookshop.org, Libro.fm. Click here to access marketing resources for Finalists
& Winners.

GOLDEN POPPY MERCHANDISE

CALIBA Bookstores can request FREE removable Finalist & Winner stickers and purchase Golden Poppy merchandise (stickers and pins) to sell in their stores! Click here to order free supplies and merchandise.

Note: first batch of merch & supplies shipping this week!

*NEW* CUSTOMER ACTIVITIES BEING INTRODUCED THIS YEAR

READERS' CHOICE AWARDS (public-facing)
CALIBA will provide bookstores with online and in-store marketing resources to promote the Golden Poppy Finalists with customers. Readers will be asked to pick their 2026 winner(s) from the Golden Poppy Finalists list in January. Assets to come in October.

WINTER BOOK BINGO (public-facing)
CALIBA will provide bookstores with digital
print bingo cards to promote in their stores, similar to Summer Reading Challenges. Prizes for completed bingo cards to be provided at the discretion of each bookstore. Assets to come in October.

2027 GOLDEN POPPY BOOK AWARDS: JOIN A COMMITTEE

Interested in joining a Golden Poppy Committee next year? Email Valentina!

WINTER 2026 CATALOG: DIGITAL ASSETS AVAILABLE

Download professionally designed catalog resources to complement your store’s Winter Catalog Marketing program: in-store, email, website, and on social media!

Check your inboxes! Online store pages and QR codes are ready to share with your customers. RAMP has redesigned the site template this year to reflect the new print design and to make the sites more visually accessible.

MAKE THE MOST OF THE WINTER CATALOG

RAMP's Winter Catalog is an amazing marketing resource that comes with your membership. Learn the ins and outs on how to use the catalogs to your advantage during Hannah's Office Hours on Thursday, October 22nd. Click here to RSVP: 9am Session or 2pm Session.

SOUND INVESTMENT: MAXIMIZING THE LIBRO.FM REVENUE STREAM | OCT. 14TH, 12-1PM PT

Independent bookstores operate on famously thin margins, where rising operational costs and fixed retail realities require creative, diversified revenue streams to survive and thrive. Join the Libro.fm team for an actionable, toolkit-focused session dedicated to transforming your Libro.fm sales into a sustainable low-effort, high-efficiency revenue stream for your store. Brought to us by Golden Poppy Award Ceremony Sponsor, Libro.fm. Click here to register.

INTRODUCING COVERED - INGRAM'S DRC AND CATALOG SITE | OCTOBER 21TH, 12-1PM PT

Booksellers are always looking for standout titles to share with their customers. Join us for a look at Covered, Ingram’s new site designed to connect booksellers with digital review copies (DRCs) and title information direct from publishers. Brought to us by Fall Fest Sponsor, Covered. Click here to register.

EDELWEISS OMNIBUS: NEXT STOP, YOUR BOOKSTORE | OCTOBER 28TH, 12-1PM PT

Your store is wherever you are… in the stacks, at the counter, at an offsite two towns over. So is Omnibus for Booksellers.Brought to us by Fall Fest Sponsor, Omnibus. Click here to register.

VIRTUAL EDUCATION SESSIONS CALENDAR

CALL FOR BOOKSELLERS

Looking for staffing or employment during the holidays?

CALL FOR MENTORS

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

JOIN A CALIBA COMMITTEE

BOOKSTORE PROMOTIONS & MARKETING

CALIBA MARKETING ASSETS

Start the Season at Your Indie Bookstore

ABA MARKETING ASSETS

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

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

October: LGBTQ+ History Month / Filipino American History Month / National Book Month / National Reading Group Month / National Cookbook Month / TeenTober™ / National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)

October 1: Indie Bookstore Day 2027 Exclusives Order and Participation Form Opens | ABA Session: Opting In or Out of AI

October 1-7: Mystery Series Week

October 4-10: Banned Books Week

October 7: Golden Poppy Promotions Brainstorming Session | ABA Session: AI: Trust, Customers & Community

October 8: Featured ShopTalk: Cybersecurity for Booksellers

October 10: World Mental Health Day

October 12: Indigenous Peoples' Day

October 14: Sound Investment - Maximizing the Libro.fm Revenue Stream Virtual Event

October 21: Introducing Covered - Ingram's DRC and Catalog Site

October 28: Edelweiss Omnibus: Next Stop, Your Bookstore

October 29: James Patterson Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program Nominations Close

Our 2026 Storyselling Course begins on Wednesday, October , and registration opens on Monday, September 28 at 1 pm ET / 12 pm CT / 11 am MT / 10 am PT Formerly known as "Advanced Marketing and Design," Storyselling is a master class on connecting your bookstore to your customers and help stores move to providing unique experiences beyond simply selling products. Taught by Lisa Uhrik and Kit Little, the course has three sessions: Clarity: Knowing Your Store Curiosity: Knowing Your Customers Creativity: Unforgettable Together Registration is $275 with discounts available for members of all regions that support PBS. Find out more and register here. Registration is limited to 20 students, and to stores that are already open, with no more than one employee from each store. The course graphic is attached. As always, please reach out with any questions. Info on registration for the 2027 live courses is coming soon!

PROFESSIONAL BOOKSELLERS SCHOOL STORYSELLING COURSE - 18 SPOTS REMAINING

PBS' 2026 Storyselling Course begins on Wednesday, October 21st, registration opened on Monday, September 28th.

Formerly known as "Advanced Marketing and Design," Storyselling is a master class on connecting your bookstore to your customers and will help stores provide unique experiences beyond simply selling products.

Find out more and register here.

1 - Meet Cute Bookshop, in San Diego, is 4 years old!

2 - Bel Canto Books, in Long Beach, announced their new nonprofit, “Bel Canto Literary Arts.”

3 - Niebla Librería, in San Francisco, celebrated opening a new brick and mortar store; looks like Christopher’s Books attended the opening!

4 - Chevalier’s Books, in Los Angeles, made a cute change to the front of their store.

5 - Hispanic Heritage Month: Diesel Bookstore, Vroman’s Bookstore, Volumes of Pleasure Books

6 - Capital Books, in Sacramento, has some great new shirts.

7 - Copperfield’s Books, has a display celebrating all things pickles, yum.

8 - Vroman’s Bookstore, in Pasadena, is more than ready for Halloween.

In the News

BOOKSTORE FEATURES

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.

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.

BOOKSTORE: TOP 5 BESTSELLERS Submit your top 5 best sellers in our new "Flying off the Shelves at..." feature in our weekly newsletter! Submit your best sellers list here. Note: must be a CALIBA Member.

BOOKSTORE MEMBER CORNER Want to be featured in the Member Corner? Submit your details here. Note: must be a CALIBA Member.