11.20.25 CALIBA Publisher News & Information

November 20, 2025

in Publisher Newsletter,

No newsletter next week - in observance of Thanksgiving

IN THIS ISSUE

IN THE NEWS

2025 National Book Awards Winners Announced

BINC Launches Year-End Campaign

BOOKSELLER SCHOLARSHIPS

*CLOSES TODAY* 2026 Children's Institute Scholarship

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

*OPENING SOON* 2025 Golden Poppy Book Awards For Your Consideration Promotions

*EXCITING NEWS* 2026 Golden Poppy Book Awards

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

*CLOSES TODAY* December Social Media Marketing Assets

PLANNING YOUR 2026 BUDGETS

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

Dates and Deadlines

Bookseller Shoutouts

Bestseller Lists

Classifieds

CALIBA Currently Reading

Resources

CALIBA Bookstore Map

CALIBA Staff

NEW MEMBER CORNER

Welcome to CALIBA, The Love Potion Library!

Owner Name: Veena Patel

Location: San Francisco

Planned Opening: 2/14/2026

About Our New Member: The Love Potion Library is a bookstore, tea room, and wine bar which will be tucked away on Noe Street in The Castro. As a woman in the corporate world who grew up in a community-driven society, I found myself feeling lonely here in San Francisco. My hope for the store is that it will be a place where people can gather and connect over shared passions, and that my customers and I will find a sense of belonging from it.

TOP 5 BESTSELLERS

FLYING OFF THE SHELVES AT...
Gal lery Bookshop in Mendocino

1. The Great Catsby sticker (custom product with our shop cat)

2. Dr. Fun Guy's Passport to Kingdom Fungi by Gordon Walker

3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 20: Partypooper by Jeff Kinney

4. Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

5. Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast by Noah Siegel

REP DIRECTORY

It's that time of year again! The directory is alphabetized by publisher/rep group and remains keyword searchable. Please take a look and email Valentina if any corrections are necessary!

IN THE NEWS

2025 NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED

-The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine (Grove Press)

-One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (Knopf)

-The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems by Patricia Smith (Scribner)

-We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, translated from the Spanish by Robin Myers (New Directions)

-The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story by Daniel Nayeri (Levine Querido)

Click here for more details and to watch the ceremony.

BINC LAUNCHES YEAR-END CAMPAIGN

The need for emergency financial assistance within the book and comic community continues to grow and thanks to Penguin Random House, AdventureKEEN, and HarperCollins, the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation has launched its year-end campaign, with a $30,000 matching gift challenge, its largest ever.

Stand with Book and Comic Stores–has a goal of raising $200,000 in donations before Dec. 31, 2025, to ensure it can continue its commitment to never turn a bookseller in need away. All gifts will be matched dollar for dollar, doubling the power and impact of donations received, up to a total of $30,000.

Binc supporters will get an audiobook of their choice from Libro.fm. Give $100 and get one audiobook credit; give $500+ and get three audiobook credits. This offer is available until Dec. 31, 2025.

To donate and have your donation matched for greater impact, click here.

BOOKSELLER SCHOLARSHIPS

Children's Institute 2026 Scholarship Applications

*CLOSES TODAY* 2026 CHILDREN'S INSTITUTE SCHOLARSHIP Click here for more information to apply.

BLACK BOOKSTORE HERITAGE GRANT App lication s are now open.

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

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

Golden Poppy For Your Consideration Eblast

2025 GOLDEN POPPY BOOK AWARDS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION PROMOTIONS: OPENING SOON

Promote your Golden Poppy Finalist in our weekly Bookseller Newsletter with a Banner Ad or an E-Blast. For Your Consideration Promotions open soon and will run November 25th-January 11th.

2025 Golden Poppy important dates:

THIS WEEK: CALIBA Office Has Reached Out
to Finalists' Submission Contacts - be sure to check your inbox!
Week of November 24: Shelf Awareness x
Golden Poppy Awards Finalists Emails Sent
to Bookstore Customers
January 1-11: Bookseller Voting Period
Week of January 12: CALIBA Office Will
Reach Out to Winners' Submission Contacts
January 29: Virtual Ceremony - RSVP Here
January 30: Shelf Awareness x
Golden Poppy Awards Winners Emails Sent
to Bookstore Customers

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS (CONT'D)

2026 GOLDEN POPPY BOOK AWARDS: EXCITING NEWS

As the Golden Poppy Committee Members get ready to announce their 2025 finalists, the CALIBA Staff and Board are thrilled to announce exciting changes to the program. Since its creation in 2020, the dream of the CALIBA Board has been an in-person Golden Poppy Award ceremony and in 2026 we are finally making it happen!

2026 SUBMISSION SCHEDULE

Learn about the Golden Poppy Awards History.

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Get your books in front of the most reliable influencers: California's Independent Booksellers

Click here for more information.

REACH BOOKSELLERS AS THEY HEAD INTO THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON!

Ensure your book is top of mind as booksellers prepare for the biggest show of the year. Our various promotional options will give your titles the spotlight they need right when booksellers are making key decisions.

*BOOK SUBMISSIONS CLOSE TODAY*
DECEMBER SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ASSETS

National Cookie Day (12/4)
National Cocoa Day (12/13)
International Tea Day (12/15)

JANUARY SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ASSET

Booksellers have voted - and they would like to promote National Bird Day (1/4/26). Submit your bird related titles by December 18th for inclusion in our marketing assets. Limit to 1 title per publisher. Spaces limited.

SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION - BOOK NOW

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

PLANNING YOUR BUDGETS FOR 2026?

Save the date for these future Sponsorship Opportunities with CALIBA Programs & Events:

OPENING IN DECEMBER

-2026 NorCal Spring Forum

-2026 SoCal Spring Forum

OPENING IN JANUARY

-2026 Summer Reading Guide

-2026 Golden Poppy Book Awards Ceremony

OPENING IN MARCH

-2026 Winter Catalog

OPENING IN MAY

-2026 Tri-West Summer School

OPENING IN JUNE

-2026 Fall Fest

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

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

JOIN CALIBA NOW

Click here for more details.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

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

*TODAY* November 20: December Social Media Promotions - book submission deadline

November 24: 2025 Golden Poppy Awards
Finalists Announcement

November 27: CALIBA Office Closed in
Observance of Thanksgiving

November 28: Plaid Friday

November 29: Small Business Saturday

December 1: Cider Monday

December 2: Giving Tuesday

December 1-7: #ReadingAfrica

December 14-22: Hanukkah

December 24: Jólabókaflóð

December 25: CALIBA Office Closed in
Observance of Christmas

December 26-January 1: Kwanzaa

1 - Bird Rock Bookshop, in La Jolla, was featured in the San Diego Union Tribune!

2 - Warwick’s, in La Jolla, has partnered with the San Diego Food Bank to provide a collection bin for much needed food for their community.

3 - Read the Region’s Sacramento Holiday Book Crawl will start on Small Business Saturday, with CALIBA members: Beers Books, Bloodstone Books, Capital Books, Crawford’s Books, Ruby’s Books, A Seat at the Table Books, Underground Books, and Wild Sisters Book Co.

4 - Leigh’s Favorite Books, in Sunnyvale, is celebrating with a tiered giveaway to thank their supporters.

5 - The Book Jewel, in Los Angeles, is celebrating Fall with their staff picks.

6 - The Book Seller, in Grass Valley, are stocked up and ready to fulfill your gifting needs.

7 - Vroman’s Bookstore, in Pasadena, amazing Holiday Shop is here!

8 - The Reading Bug, in San Carlos, is officially ready for the holiday season!

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

BESTSELLER LISTS

Click here for the Los Angeles Times & Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List

Click here for the San Francisco Chronicle & Northern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List

CLASSIFIEDS

Associate Buyer - Asian Art Museum, San Francisco
Bookstore for Sale - Camino Books, Del Mar
Bookstore Manager - Chevalier's, Los Angeles
Publishing Assistant - The Collective Book Studio, Oakland

VIEW MORE LISTINGS

CALIBA CURRENTLY READING

Alecia

Supporting Staff

Cemetery Boys

9781250792075

Aiden Thomas

Hannah

Executive Director

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil

V.E. Schwab

9781250320520

Valentina

Operations Manager

The Raven Scholar

Antonia Hodgson

9780316577229

RESOURCES

Click here for a complete list.

HOUSEKEEPING

ADDRESS CHANGE AND BANK UPDATE

California Independent Booksellers Alliance (CALIBA), has changed our address and bank. We request that all ACH payments be deposited in our new account. For our updated W-9 and ACH instructions, please email Valentina Moberg at valentina@caliballiance.org.

CALIBA

266 Wood St Unit 404

Livermore, CA 94550