10.08.26 CALIBA Bookseller News & Information

October 8, 2026

in Bookseller Newsletter,

IN THIS ISSUE

TAKE ACTION

COMPETE Act Update

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

2026 Winter Catalog: Shipped to Stores

2026 Golden Poppy Awards: Winners Announced

Fall Fest Virtual Education Sessions from Show Sponsors in October

Substitute Bookseller Program

BOOKSELLER SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS

James Patterson Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program

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.

TAKE ACTION

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 ."

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

2026 WINTER CATALOG: SHIPPED TO STORES

Thank you for ordering your winter catalogs. CALIBA will provide up to $200 rebate for bookstores that participated in newspaper insertions and saturation mailing. Winter Catalog Rebate Form

Note: CALIBA has a select number of copies of the catalog if you run out of copies or missed the order deadline. Email info@caliballiance.org.

Download professionally designed catalog resources.

Edelweiss list of CALIBA winter catalog titles.

Starting October 1, Ingram will add a 2% discount on all winter catalog titles. No code needed.

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.

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.

MARKETING RESOURCES & MERCHANDISE

Marketing: Posters, Shelf Talkers, and Winners Bookmarks, Site Banners, Social Posts; and Partnerships with Edelweiss, IndieCommerce, Bookmanager, Bookshop.org, Libro.fm. Click here to access marketing resources for Finalists & Winners. Free Supplies & Merchandise: FREE Finalist & Winner stickers, plus merchandise stickers and pins to sell in your store! Click here to order free supplies and merchandise.

HOLIDAY PROMOTIONS & CONTESTS

Bookstore Display Contest:
Create a display featuring Golden Poppy Award Finalists anytime between now and January 31st.
A bookstore winner will be announced in February 2027. 2025 Display Contest Winner: Moonstone & Mist Bookshop. To enter the display contest tag @caliba_20 on instagram or submit photos of the display to Alecia.

Readers' Choice Awards (assets coming soon): Readers will be asked to pick their 2026 winner(s) from the Golden Poppy Finalists list in January.

Winter Book Bingo (assets coming soon): Golden Poppy bingo promotion through the end of 2026, similar to Summer Reading Challenges. Prizes for completed bingo cards to be provided at the discretion of each bookstore.

JOIN A 2027 GOLDEN POPPY BOOK AWARDS COMMITTEE TODAY!

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

What Goes On Inside a Tide Pool book trailer

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

SUBSTITUTE BOOKSELLER PROGRAM: NEED HELP AT THE BOOKSTORE FOR AN EVENT OR DURING THE HOLIDAY RUSH?

If you are looking for some help, we have a few booksellers that have already filled out the form! Find a Substitute Bookseller Here (login required). If you are having trouble accessing your account, email Valentina.

If you would like to be a Substitute Bookseller, fill out this form!

CALL FOR MENTORS

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

JOIN A CALIBA COMMITTEE

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

We are looking for volunteers to help with running our shows.

BOOKSELLER SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS

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

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 4-10: Banned Books Week

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 - 17 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.

Happy Banned Books Week, Everyone!

1 - Underdog Bookstore, in Monrovia

2 - The Raven’s Perch Bookstore, in Modesto

3 - Bookish, in Fresno

4 - Crawford’s Books, in Sacramento

5 - Petunia’s Place, in Fresno,

6 - Camino Books - For the Road Ahead, in Del Mar

7 - Reader’s Books, in Sonoma

8 - Leigh’s Favorite Books, in Sunnyvale

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.