10.22.26 CALIBA Bookseller News & Information

October 22, 2026

in Bookseller Newsletter,

IN THIS ISSUE

SCHOLARSHIPS & FUNDRAISERS

*Closes Oct. 29th* James Patterson Bookstore Bonus Program Nominations

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

Office Hours Will Return in January

2026 Winter Catalog Have Shipped to Stores

2026 Golden Poppy Awards: New Marketing Resources

Substitute Bookseller Program

*SAVE THE DATE* 2027 CALIBA Bookstore Map Orders Open in November

Fall Fest Virtual Education Sessions from Show Sponsors in October

BOOKSTORE PROMOTIONS & MARKETING

Re-launching Social Media Themes with a Twist

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.

FREE FIXTURES

"We’d like to get the cases out by the end of November if we can. They were made by Franklin Fixtures and are well built and sturdy as heck....We also have (mostly brown) metal folding chairs (pictured) and a couple of rolling carts (pictured). Lots of acrylic slatwall book display items and some acrylic cascades (for cards or books). These items are all FREE."

Bonnie, Alexander Book Co.

Cell: 415.272.7704

Email: Bonnie@AlexanderBook.com

Link to free item pictures.

SCHOLARSHIPS & FUNDRAISERS

James Patterson Bookseller Bonus Fall 2026

CLOSES OCT. 29TH - 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

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

OFFICE HOURS WILL RETURN IN JANUARY

Office Hours with Hannah will take a break in November and December. If you would like to schedule a one-on-one meeting before January's Office Hours email Hannah.

2026 WINTER CATALOGS HAVE 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.

2026 GOLDEN POPPY AWARDS: NEW MARKETING RESOURCES

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.

WINTER BOOK BINGO & READERS' CHOICE AWARDS:
We want to keep your customers reading Golden Poppy Finalists through the end of the year with bingo*, leading into our Readers' Choice Awards. Readers will choose their winning finalists for the 13 Golden Poppy categories. Click here to access marketing resources.

*COMING SOON* READERS' CHOICE AWARDS RAFFLE: CALIBA will be randomly selecting 5 readers' choice voters in February in awarding them each with $100 for participating - marketing assets coming, so you can let your customers know about the raffle! *Raffle prizes are reserved for customers, booksellers not eligible

2026 GOLDEN POPPY AWARDS RESOURCES

2026 Golden Poppy Award Winners & Finalists!
*NEW POSTERS ADDED* Marketing resources for Finalists & Winners.
Click here to order free supplies and merchandise.

JOIN A 2027 GOLDEN POPPY BOOK AWARDS COMMITTEE

Interested in joining a Golden Poppy Committee next year? We have spots open for the following committees:

Fiction - 2 spots open! / Mystery - 2 spots open!

Poetry - 1 spot open! / Romance - 2 spots open!

Glenn Goldman - 1 spot open!

Martin Cruz Smith - 1 spot open!

Children's Nonfiction - 1 spot open!

VOLUNTEER TO JOIN TODAY

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!

*SAVE THE DATE* 2027 CALIBA BOOKSTORE MAP ORDERS OPEN IN NOVEMBER

CALIBA is excited to launch our first-ever CALIBA Member Bookstore Map for Indie Bookstore Day 2027!

The map is a beautifully designed, quality product bookstores can sell at their register to customers who love supporting Independent Bookstores. These maps are for book lovers looking for epic road trip inspiration! Art and layout done by Works by Abigail, a Bay Area artist, author, and former bookseller! Click here for more info.

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.

Omnibus isn't something new to learn alongside Edelweiss: it's what Edelweiss is becoming, live now and growing. Discover revamped catalogs, review copies, and events. Manage what you stock and who you reach, with smarter analytics on your sales and email marketing that goes further. Connect a POS whenever you're ready and operate the whole floor from any device—transacting, ordering, receiving, selling online.

In this session, the Omnibus team will show you what's new on the platform, the workflows that save the most time, and how to get on board. Brought to us by Fall Fest Sponsor, Omnibus. Click here to register.

MISSED THE INTRODUCING COVERED - INGRAM'S DRC AND CATALOG SITE VIRTUAL SESSION?

Here is the link to the virtual session recording:
Access Recording

Link to the session toolkit

MISSED THE SOUND INVESTMENT: MAXIMIZING THE LIBRO.FM REVENUE STREAM VIRTUAL SESSION?

Here is the link to the virtual session recording:
Access Recording

Link to the session toolkit

VIRTUAL EDUCATION SESSIONS CALENDAR

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.

BOOKSTORE PROMOTIONS & MARKETING

CALIBA Monthly Bookseller Recommendations

RE-LAUNCHING MONTHLY SOCIAL MEDIA THEMES WITH A TWIST

We're bringing back the monthly social media assets and we want your help with the book lists. Contribute your reading recommendations each month (see themes below). You all contribute to the list of titles and we'll make the creative assets for every CALIBA member to use on their social pages or repost!

2027 MONTHLY THEMES

JANUARY - Financial Wellness Month

FEBRUARY - Black History Month

MARCH - Women's History Month

APRIL - National Poetry Month

MAY - Asian American, Native Hawaiian
and Pacific Islander Month

JUNE - Pride Month

JULY - Disability Pride Month

AUGUST - Back to School Month

SEPTEMBER - National Hispanic Heritage Month

OCTOBER - National Cookbook Month

NOVEMBER - National Native American
Heritage Month

DECEMBER - Gifting Ideas

SUBMIT YOUR READING RECOMMENDATIONS

Have more marketing ideas or special events other members would find useful? Send in your ideas.

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 28: Edelweiss Omnibus: Next Stop, Your Bookstore

October 29: James Patterson Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program Nominations Close

October 31: Halloween

November: National Native American Heritage Month / Nonfiction November / Picture Book Month

November 1: Cast your vote for the Indies Choice Book Awards!

November 3: General Election Day

November 5: Independent Bookstore Day Form Closes

November 8: Diwali

November 11: Veterans Day

November 9-13: University Press Week

November 9-15: Children's Book Week

November 19: Children’s Institute 2027 Scholarship Applications Close

November 26: Thanksgiving

November 27: Plaid Friday

November 28: Small Business Saturday/Indies First

November 30: Cider Monday

PROFESSIONAL BOOKSELLERS SCHOOL INVENTORY MANAGEMENT - REGISTRATION OPENS NOV. 16TH AT 10AM

PBS' Inventory Management course teaches owners and/or store buyers to create buying strategies and routines that get the best discounts, maintain cash flow, work within budgets, and integrate with the store’s marketing and merchandising. The skills students learn will help them analyze and improve their buying process.

Click here to learn more about the course.

PROFESSIONAL BOOKSELLERS SCHOOL PROFITABILITY COURSE - REGISTRATION OPENS NOV. 16TH AT 10AM

PBS' Profitability Course helps stores move into the black by teaching diverse strategies for increasing income, decreasing expenses, and improving margins.

Download the syllabus to learn more.

MORE INFO ABOUT PROFESSIONAL BOOKSELLERS SCHOOL

1 - Moonstone & Mist Bookshop, in Redondo Beach, celebrated Renee's first day as a full-time owner in a full-time bookshop.

2 - A Novel Book Affair is moving from Los Altos to Palo Alto!

3 - Children's Book World, in Los Angeles, thanked Jess Hannigan and Jon Klassen for coming in to sign copies of their books.

4 - Monarch Books, Arroyo Grande, showed off their great turnout for their Cook the Cookbook Book Club.

5 - Ruby's Books, in Folsom, popped up at Folsom Family Pride.

6 - LibroMobile Arts Cooperative & Bookstore, in Santa Ana, inviting customers in with a vibe check.

7 - A Seat at the Table, in Elk Grove, celebrated the completion of their sensory room project.

8 - Libélula Books and Co., in San Diego, is ready for spooky season.

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.