12.18.25 CALIBA Publisher News & Information

Publisher Newsletter,

Happy Holidays - Newsletter Top Banner
CALIBA Publisher Newsletter Banner

IN THIS ISSUE

CALIBA Office Closed During the Holidays

WELCOME TO 2025'S NEW CALIBA MEMBERS

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

2026 Spring Forums: Pitch Your Titles to Our Booksellers

2025 Golden Poppy Book Awards - For Your Consideration Promotions +
By the Numbers

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

*DUE TODAY* January Social Media Book Submissions

PLANNING YOUR 2026 BUDGETS

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

Dates and Deadlines

Scholarships & Grants

Classifieds

CALIBA's Favorite Reads in 2025

Resources

CALIBA Bookstore Map

CALIBA Staff

BESTSELLER LISTS

The Los Angeles Times & Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List

The San Francisco Chronicle & Northern California Independent Bookstore Bestseller List

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!

CALIBA OFFICE CLOSED DURING THE HOLIDAYS

The CALIBA Office will be closed December 25th and January 1st. We wish you wonderful holiday celebrations and a happy New Year!

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and getting some well-deserved rest. Here at CALIBA we are looking forward to next year, but first, we’d like to take a bit of time to celebrate the good parts of 2025: successful shows, growing membership, evolving programming, and most of all, a wonderful community. 

Thank you to all of you who partnered with us over the year and participated in our events, from sharing your authors and titles, providing sponsorships, and assisting with education. You help make it possible for CALIBA to thrive and fulfill its mission. 

Speaking of thriving, below are some successes that we’d like to celebrate and goals we’re looking forward to for next year! We are excited to continue and grow our partnerships in 2026. Happy Holidays. 

Best Wishes, 

Hannah, Valentina & Alecia

CALIBA 2025 Wrapped

WELCOME TO 2025'S NEW CALIBA MEMBERS

CALIBA is proud to welcome the following 39 bookstores in 2025. From new and used to genre-specific stores, Eureka to San Diego, these new members demonstrate the liveliness of bookselling in California.

12 Jewelz Books & Wellness

All Booked Up

Beers Books

Bees Books & Binds

Bird Rock Bookshop

Black Bird Bookstore & Cafe

Bluebird Play

BookAttic

Buteo Books

Celestial Books

Crafty Chicks Book Nook

Ember & Ink

Fables & Fancies

Old Haunts Bookshop

Golden Hour Bookshop

Handcrafts and Hardbacks

Heartbound Book Shop

Hey Books!

Hill's Bookstore

In Bloom Bookery

Intersectionality

Judging By The Cover

Letterpress Words & Wine

Mon Amour Bookshop

Moonstone & Mist

Natalia's Coffee and Books

Noe Valley Books

Scrawl, Scribble & Smirch Bookshop

Seal Beach Bookshop

Soft Launch

Tally Ho! Books

Temerity Books

The Inked Octopus Bookstore & Coffeehouse

The Love Potion Library

The Plot Twist Bookstore

The Quirky Crow Bookshop

The Undead Bookshop

Through the Fold

YOU SHOULD READ

CALIBA PROGRAMS & EVENTS

CALIBA Spring Forums 2026

2026 SPRING FORUMS: PITCH YOUR TITLES TO OUR BOOKSELLERS

CALIBA is returning to the Oakland Asian Cultural Center (April 1) and the Pasadena Hilton (May 28) or our Spring Forums featuring lively conversation, education, rep picks, and networking.

AND NEW THIS YEAR, Owners' Retreats (Oakland: 3.31 and Pasadena: 5.27): owner-specific education the day before our Spring Forums.

Have a great idea for a panel, presentation, or creative addition to the day? Share your ideas in the forms - visit the link in our bio.

For Your Considerations - Booksellers start voting on January 1st

2025 GOLDEN POPPY BOOK AWARDS - FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION PROMOTIONS

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.

Bookseller voting will take place January 1st-11th.

2025 GOLDEN POPPIES - BY THE NUMBERS

The Golden Poppy finalists have been announced! Click here to view the 2025 Golden Poppy Award Finalists. Congratulations to the authors and publishers whose books made the lists! The Virtual Golden Poppy Awards will take place on January 29th at 7 PM PST.

IMPORTANT DATES

  • Now-January 11: For Your Consideration Promotions sent to Booksellers
  • January 1-11: Bookseller Voting Period
  • Week of January 12: CALIBA Office Will Reach Out to Winners' Submission Contacts
  • January 29: Virtual Ceremony
  • January 30: Shelf Awareness x Golden Poppy Awards Winners Emails Sent to Bookstore Customers

2026 Golden Poppy Book Awards Timeline | Learn about the Golden Poppy Awards History

If you're interested in sponsoring the Golden Poppy Display Contest prize, please email Hannah

BINC Year-End Campaign

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

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

Click here for more information.

CALIBA Publisher Promotions
Bird Nerd by Jennifer Ann Richter 9780823461837

JANUARY SOCIAL MEDIA - DUE TODAY (12/18)

Booksellers have voted - and they would like to promote National Bird Day (1/5/26). Submit your bird related titles for inclusion in our social media assets by Dec. 18th.

The Perfect Pet:  Discovering Your Next Best Friend Rachel Foo (Illustrated by), Altea Villa

FEBRUARY SOCIAL MEDIA - DUE JAN. 15TH

Booksellers have voted - and they would like to promote Love Your Pet Day (2/20/26). Submit your pet related titles for inclusion in our social media assets by Jan. 15th.

Limit to 1 title per publisher. Spaces limited. Price: $100

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

SPRING 2026 SHELF INSIDER - BOOK SUBMISSIONS DUE FEB. 3RD

Want to maximize visibility for your latest titles? Our seasonal newsletters offer prime space to showcase your books to our engaged booksellers and their audiences. Your book will be included in an email listing with cover art, blurb, and a contact link for ARCs or galley requests. Reaching over 1,000 booksellers, our first Shelf Insider had a 48% open rate. Member Price: $275 | Non-Member Price: $300

CALIBA Shelf Insider Newsletter

PLANNING YOUR BUDGETS FOR 2026?

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

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

Proud Member of CALIBA window decal

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.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

December 14-22: Hanukkah

December 24: Jólabókaflóð

December 25: CALIBA Office Closed
in Observance of Christmas

December 26-January 1: Kwanzaa

January: #JanuaryinJapan / International Creativity Month / Financial Wellness Month / National Book Blitz Month

January 1: CALIBA Office Closed in
Observance of New Year's Day

January 1-11: Booksellers vote for the 2025 Golden Poppy
Book Awards

January 29: 2025 Golden Poppy Virtual Ceremony - RSVP Here

SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS

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

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

CALIBA'S FAVORITE READS IN 2025

Check out CALIBA's 2025 Reading List!

Alecia Supporting Staff

2025 CALIBA's Favorite Reads - Alecia's Picks

Hannah Executive Director

2025 CALIBA's Favorite Reads - Hannah's Picks

Valentina Operations Manager

2025 CALIBA's Favorite Reads - Valentina's Picks

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

CALIBA Bookstore Map

CALIBA BOOKSTORE MAP

This map shows our current

bookstore members.

CALIBA Merchandise

CALIBA STAFF

Hannah Walcher

Executive Director

hannah@caliballiance.org

Valentina Moberg

Operations Manager

valentina@caliballiance.org

Alecia Reddick

Supporting Staff

alecia@caliballiance.org

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